The Australian Women's Weekly - January 2022 by Lawrence Ambrocio

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Editor’s Letter PG

Cover star Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban

Far left: Forget lofty New Year’s resolutions – there’s a better way to prosper (page 122). Left: Camille GoldstoneHenry shone at our Women of the Future luncheon, sponsored by La Trobe Financial (page 14). Below: The fabulous Silver Salties pioneering wellbeing and fitness programs for the over-65s (page 38).

NICOLE BYERS E D I T O R I N C H I E

The Australian Women’s Weekly

E m a i l m e a t aw weditor@aremedia.com.au

NICOLE BYERS PHOTOGRAPHY BY JULIE ADAMS. SCOTT EHLER. WILL HORNER. JASON MCCORMACK PHOTOGRAPHY. UNSPLASH.

he same thing happens to me every year. As it nears the end of December I become obsessed with ‘reaching the finish line’, as if a reset button will automatically be hit when the calendar ticks over to January 1. In reality, of course, there is no line, and certainly no magic button. I don’t suddenly find more balance, eat less and sleep more. Or become a better friend, mother, wife and colleague just because the number at the end of the year has changed, no matter what wild proclamations I make on New Year’s Eve. So I found myself drawn to the story by our Lifestyle Director, Brooke, about how we can give ourselves a better chance of effecting real personal change this new year (page 122). In a nutshell, it’s time to dump the resolutions, which as Brooke points out very rarely become reality. Instead, she suggests, we should set intentions for the new year about how we want to live our life then make lots of small steps along the path to achieving our goals. Besides, if the past two years have taught us anything it’s that we need to be kind to ourselves as well as others, because even with the best intentions we cannot know what life is going to throw our way. Which is also why I found a simple comfort in the parting message of my 2022 horoscope prediction (page 97). A sentiment that can apply to all, not just my fellow Geminis. “There is something healing in the assurance that dawn comes after the night and spring after the winter.” And that after New Year’s Day comes the joy, the struggles and the unpredictability of another year! Wishing you and yours a safe and happy 2022.

Your letters

– M I C H A E L A LTS H U L E R

Value for money The ﬁrst thing I noticed when opening my Christmas 2021 Women’s Weekly was the beautiful, colour-ﬁlled pages. It reminded me of the incredible value I get from my monthly purchase. After reading it cover-tocover, it passes around family and friends, before returning to me to be used by my primary school students to create colourful and sometimes awardwinning artworks. L. Simpson, Oatley, NSW.

CLANCY PAINE. THANKS TO PAM CUMBERLAND OF DEE WHY, SYDNEY, FOR THE INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE.

Our friend Our beautiful friend went to Wedgetail Retreat (House of sorrow, house of joy, house of love, AWW, December) and wrote, “I woke up to rain in a rainforest with birds singing. Could anything be more perfect? Bliss.” How wonderful that this place and its army of volunteers exists. Thank you for bringing it to the attention of people who’d otherwise not know of its existence, and thank you from the bottom of our hearts to everyone at Wedgetail who helped our friend on her last earthly journey. S. Wellington,

Ferny Hills, Qld.

Letter of the month Like Clancy Paine in Holidays at home (AWW, Christmas), I’m also in awe of the mothers in Melbourne who endured the world’s longest lockdown in small homes and apartments with children. With a 5km radius in place, options for mothers and children were incredibly limited. I take my hat off to those resilient women who found creative ways to keep their children busy and care for their families’ mental health.

Uplifting Your magniﬁcent Christmas 2021 issue really helped lift our family’s mood leading to Christmas and New Year, after what’s been a challenging year. It’s encouraging that you champion the strong women throughout our Australian communities. Women like Brittany Higgins and Miranda Tapsell continue to motivate and inspire.

Thank you for this very important issue. C. Jolliffe, Buderim, Qld.

Bright smile I’m a 77-year-old married mother of ﬁve and I’ve been following Shane Jenek’s career for years (This is me, AWW, December). He has such great parents. Courtney Act brings a smile to my face. Shane is a beautiful soul. M. Poole, via email.

Write to us Letter of the Month wins $100. Your postal address must be included in all correspondence. Please state clearly if your letter is not for publication. See page 192 for Are Media Ltd’s Privacy Notice. Send your letters to Open Line, The Australian Women’s Weekly, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email openline@aremedia.com.au

The Australian Women’s Weekly

January 2022

Contents PG

Nicole Kidman is garnering Oscar buzz for her new role as Lucille Ball.

BONUS

Your 2022 horoscopes

SCA NDA L

Runaway princess

+ BUMPER PUZZLES & SUMMER READING

The woman who sacrificed it all for love S v

Simply delicious

Meet our age-defying Aussie lifesavers

Rick Stein’s easy dinners, Mediterranean meals

& Divine summer sweets

WEST SIDE STORY Rita Moreno on the movie that changed her life

Nicole Kidman

“There’s a little bit of magic in our marriage”

plus Say NO to resolutions

How to really have a happy new year

On the cover 22 Nicole Kidman: “There’s a little bit of magic in our marriage”

38 Silver salties: meet our age-defying Aussie lifesavers

64 Royal scandal: runaway princess – the woman who sacriﬁced it all for love

76 Interview: West Side Story – Rita Moreno on the movie that changed her life 97 Bonus: your 2022 horoscopes plus bumper puzzles and summer reading

122 Say no to resolutions:

Up front 4 5 8 16

Editor’s letter Open line

the Emmy-winning actor on cooking, love and loss

In brief

50 High-ﬂying heroes: the

Game, set, match:

brave ﬁrst responders who risk their lives for our safety

86 Humour: Amanda Blair’s

56 David and Linda Hurley:

88 My story: how writing

the Governor-General and his wife share a special family reunion

her own eulogy has helped one woman live her best life

how to really have a happy new year

celebrating 100 years of women’s competition at the Australian Open

130 Simply delicious:

30 Royal column: behind

Rick Stein’s easy dinners, Mediterranean meals and divine summer sweets Cover: Nicole Kidman Photography by Steven Chee

The Australian Women’s Weekly

44 Stanley Tucci:

palace gates with Juliet Rieden

32 A mother’s love: the mum who secured the world’s most expensive drug to save her daughter and other Aussie babies

62 Julia Morris: embracing an uncertain new year 70 At the coalface: the female groundbreakers in Australian mining

82 A dog’s life: working dogs changing the way we farm night-time symphony

90 Royal revelation: the letters that change what we know about Elizabeth I and Mary, Queen of Scots

94 Pat McDermott: the joy of starting afresh

The good life 106

Fashion: balmy days call

for ﬂowing silhouettes in linen and cotton

116 Local heroes: the best of Aussie beauty

120 Beauty news 124 The anatomy of desire: testosterone and your body

126 Healthy ageing: the secrets to a long and happy life

129 Health news

Take Christmas leftovers to the next level with our potato salad with crispy ham.

Regulars

130 Summertime sharing: Mediterranean-inspired meals to feed a crowd

136 Rick Stein’s everyday dinners

140 Mango magic: show-stopper desserts featuring summer’s favourite fruit

145 Quick bites 146 Cooking class: lamingtons get a makeover

148 Love your leftovers: delicious recipes to make use of your Christmas ham

153 Cooking for one

154 156 157 158 165 170 176 178 181

Make a plant wall Home news Home hints Travel Books Fiction Money Horoscopes

Bumper holiday puzzles special

192 Privacy notice 194 Memory lane AC K N OW E D G E M E N T o f C O U N TRY The Australian Women’s Weekly acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation as the traditional custodians of the place we now call Sydney, where this magazine is published. The Weekly also pays respects to Elders past and present.

EDITORIAL AND ADVERTISING ENQUIRIES The Australian Women’s Weekly, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001, phone (02) 9282 8120, visit aww.com.au. The Australian Women’s Weekly is published by Are Media. SYNDICATION ENQUIRIES syndication@aremedia.com.au Published by Are Media Pty Limited (ACN 053 273 546), 54-58 Park Street, Sydney, NSW 2000. © 2021. All rights reserved. Printed by Ovato, 31-35 Heathcote Road, Moorebank, NSW 2170. ISSN 0005-0458

The Australian Women’s Weekly

In rief January 2022

For the latest royal news, don’t miss this month’s round-up.

page 30

Pe t ra P O RTRA I T

Cambridge family’s desert holiday

In a stunning shot on their 2021 Christmas card, the Cambridge family gave us a sneak peek of a getaway they’d kept under wraps. The photograph of the Duke and Duchess with Princess Charlotte, six, and Princes Louis, three, and George, eight, was taken in Jordan earlier this year. On Twitter, Jordan’s Minister of Tourism and Antiquities confirmed the royals were at the ancient site of Petra. For Kate the visit would have sparked memories of living in Jordan in the 1980s. While on an official tour in 2018, Prince William promised to return with his family. It seems he did exactly that!

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People we admire N w A R R I VA L S

Baby buzz Act of charity Michael Sheen has become a ‘not-for-proﬁt’ actor, to carry on work started in 2019 when he sold his houses so the Homeless World Cup could go ahead.

THE DUKE AND DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE (PHOTO BY HANDOUT/GETTY IMAGES), PETER BREW-BEVAN TARONGA ZOO. FACEBOOK. GETTY IMAGES. INSTAGRAM.

Tour de Female Aussie cycling champ Sarah Gigante is in contention to race in the historic Tour de Femme in 2022, saying, “I’m excited just to think the chance is there.”

Draped in Dior, Jennifer Lawrence’s bump (left) stole the show at a recent ˋOP SUHPLHUH 0LUDQGD Tapsell (right, with husband James) introduced Grace Birri-Pa Purnarrika &ROOH\ WRS ULJKW Ȥ:H DUH extremely grateful, overjoyed and so, so tired,” VKH VDLG 6RQJELUG 'DPL ,P (right, centre) announced Ȥ, JRW D JLJ ERRNHG LQ %ULVEDQH IRU 0D\ DW WKH PDWHUQLW\ ZDUG ȥ Congratulations to all!

A playful new arrival has made a happy, splashy debut

in Taronga’s hippo enclosure. The rare pygmy hippo calf, born in late November, has been exploring her home and learning to swim, with her protective mum watching on.

Hastings for Hastings He played Scott Hastings in Strictly Ballroom, now Paul Mercurio is the Labor candidate for the seat of Hastings, in Victoria.

Taronga Zoo baby-proofed its hippo exhibit for a rare pygmy hippo calf who was born late in November and has now started to explore her enclosure.

In brief Wo m e s C A M P O N

Malala’s big year

Above: Malala graduated from Oxford in late November. Right: Her wedding to “best friend” Asser.

Ȥ6RPH /DWLQ ZDV VDLG DQG DSSDUHQWO\ , KDYH D GHJUHH ȥ $QG with those words, female education champion and Taliban shooting survivor Malala Yousafzai graduated from Oxford. The momentous occasion came two weeks after Malala married “her best IULHQGȥ $VVHU 0DOLN Malala has previously expressed reticence DERXW PDUULDJH 6KH knew girls who were married as young as 14. After meeting Asser, she FRQFOXGHG Ȥ, EHOLHYH WKDW , FDQ HQMR\ IULHQGVKLS love and equality LQ PDUULDJH ȥ

These industrious weaver ants were captured

busily working as a team to maximise their efficiency as they carried food to their nest. The remarkable images were snapped in a garden in Indonesia.

Lisa McCune stars in Girl from the North Country, opening on January 5 at the Theatre Royal Sydney. The most exciting thing about doing live theatre is … people! On stage with you, sharing a story. The relationship is different every night with an audience. Lights up, the journey starts, and who knows how it will play out, what you might discover.

The best advice I ever received was … back yourself.

My friends would say I am … hard to pin down. In the movie of my life, I’d like to be played by … a comedian. The last time I cried was … ˌ\LQJ WR 6\GQH\ , ORYH ˌ\LQJ LWȢV EHHQ D ZKLOH ERRNV , QHYHU IHHO ORQHO\ when surrounded by books, all of those voices and stories.

My greatest achievement is … giving life to three amazing children.

My favourite Bob Dylan song is … Tight Connection to My Heart EXW , DOVR ORYH Hurricane. Ask again tomorrow, it will be different.

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NATHAN PASK. AUSTRALSCOPE. INSTAGRAM. GETTY IMAGES.

My guilty pleasure is …

Eric Bana and Rebecca Gleeson.

Amanda Keller.

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Carrie Bickmore.

Sarah Snook.

Red carpet

Sam Neill.

Baz Luhrmann and Taika Waititi.

Jack Thompson.

Yolngu actor David Gulpilil, who died in November, was posthumously presented with the Longford Lyell Award for his outstanding contribution to ﬁlm over ﬁve decades.

S c re e n ROYA LTY

Deborah Mailman.

Danielle Cormack.

Rachel Grifﬁths.

2021 AACTA Awards

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In brief

Around the world

NEW ZEALAND

Pingu’s big adventure ‘Pingu’ washed up on the shores of Birdlings Flat, NZ, 3000km from his home of Antarctica. It’s the third recorded sighting of the Adélie penguin species in NZ, so rare the lucky spotter initially thought he was a soft toy.

DENMARK

Swedish dreams

A snowstorm in Denmark trapped 31 people inside an IKEA. Customers and staff watched TV and chose their own ‘room’, many enjoying the experience.

Sri LankaThe world’s largest corundum

blue sapphire has been found in Ratnapura, Sri Lanka, the whopping, rare gem weighing in at 310kg. Spain

Australia

Cuba

Saudi Arabia

Buried alive

False attribution

Baby boom

Mind-boggling botox

A beekeeper was startled to find five hives of bees alive after they were buried in thick ash for 50 days after the explosion of volcano Cumbre Vieja in the Canary Islands. The bees survived by eating their own honey.

A shopping centre in South Adelaide has been forced to take down a plaque after falsely attributing a “save the bees” quote to David Attenborough. A local conservationist alerted the naturalist to the mistake.

It’s rare to hear of benefits from the pandemic, yet zookeepers from Cuba Zoo have reported an influx of babies. The peace and quiet of the lockdowns saw a boom in endangered species.

In Saudi Arabia more than 40 contestants were disqualified from a beauty pageant for using botox. The disqualified contestants were camels competing in the King Abdulaziz Camel Festival.

C o v d R EU N I O N S

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Denise Scott finds grandma (mostly) knows best.

ALLANAH PURDIE/DOC. INSTAGRAM. JAMES PENLIDIS PHOTOGRAPHY. GETTY IMAGES. AAP.

This month I

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Joyful reunions (from top): Grandparents Maja and Rob Fyfe meet baby Hazel for the ﬁrst time in Brisbane; Tom Underhill greets relatives in Sydney; Hugs at the Gold Coast airport.

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Fashion mavens Jenny Kee and Linda Jackson brightened the day with a splash of colour.

WOMEN OF THE FUTURE

Finalists Mannie Kaur Verma, Molly Rogers, Hannah Diviney, Emma Clegg, Camille Goldstone-Henry and Angelique Wan.

SPONSORED by

2021

The Future is Female

Host Fran Kelly led Manal al-Sharif, Natalie Barr, Yumi Stynes and Wendy McCarthy through a lively discussion.

Mel Doyle and daughter Natalia Dunlop. Right: Natarsha Belling and Kerri-Anne Kennerley.

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Author Aminata Conteh-Biger and presenter Kylie Gillies were among the women in attendance.

The Weekly’s editor-in-chief Nicole Byers with 2021 winner Camille GoldstoneHenry.

JASON MCCORMACK PHOTOGRAPHY.

Blanche D’Alpuget, Nicole Byers and Lady Lynne Cosgrove.

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“I practised and trained as hard as any boy, and I loved every minute of it.”

– Margaret Molesworth

The first Australian women’s champion Margaret Molesworth (right) with Dorothy Round, the first international player to win the event in 1935. Opposite: World number one Ashleigh Barty in action.

Trailblazers

GAME, SET & WO R D S b y B R O N W Y N P

In 1922, the Australian Open hosted its first women’s championship. It was the beginning of an epic contest that would take women from the back courts to the Grand Slam, and pave the way for the superstars of modern tennis. could hit the ball as hard as any man, with a penetrating serve and a backhand so powerful it made her male doubles opponents tremble. When Margaret “Mall” Molesworth stepped onto the back court at White City Tennis Club in Sydney in December 1922, tennis history was made. Despite the restrictive dress code – fulllength skirt, long-sleeved blouse, stockings, shoes and hat – Mall demolished Esna %R\G ZLWKRXW GURSSLQJ D VHW WR EHFRPH WKH ˋUVW $XVWUDOLDQ ZRPHQȢV WHQQLV FKDPSLRQ Ȥ, SUDFWLVHG DQG WUDLQHG DV KDUG DV DQ\ ER\ DQG , ORYHG HYHU\ PLQXWH RI LW ȥ VKH UHˌHFWHG \HDUV ODWHU $ FHQWXU\ RQ WKH $XVWUDOLDQ 2SHQ ZRPHQȢV FRPSHWLWLRQ KDV HYROYHG IURP D VLGHOLQH WR WKH PHQȢV JDPHV shunted to the back courts, into an unmissable Grand Slam watched by millions. This year, hopes are high that ZRUOG QXPEHU RQH $VKOHLJK %DUW\ MXVW PLJKW EH WKH ˋUVW $XVVLH ZRPDQ WR EULQJ WKH WURSK\ KRPH VLQFH Whatever the result, it was Margaret and her fellow tennis pioneers who paved the way, not only for a ZRPHQȢV FRPSHWLWLRQ EXW IRU WKH ULJKW WR SOD\ RQ FHQWUH FRXUW IRU HTXDO SUL]H PRQH\

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Trailblazers in white stockings

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“The female players were treated like second-class citizens.” – Pam Stockley, daughter of Nancye Wynne Bolton

Margaret said in the 1980s. “The men were the star attractions.” Already a married woman when she first won at 27, Margaret would compete in 10 Australian Championships and win two. In an era when women retired after marriage and having children, Margaret bowed out at the 1935 titles aged 40. She was the first Australian woman ranked internationally in the top 10 and later became the country’s first female professional tennis coach. She died, aged 90, in 1985 – and in 2022 she’ll be inducted into the Australian Tennis Hall of Fame. Besides Margaret, the dominant tennis champion of the 1920s was Daphne Akhurst, in whose memory the women’s Australian Open trophy is named. Known as Australia’s “tennis sweetheart”, Daphne won the Australian Championships five times and, along with Olympic swimmer Fanny Durack, was one of the bestloved sporting champions of the 1920s. With sleek black hair, sleeveless dress and red bandeau, Daphne epitomised changing times and greater freedom for women. She toured overseas in 1925 and 1928, reached the French quarterfinals and Wimbledon semifinals, and was ranked world number three. She wrote about her

The Australian Women’s Weekly

travels and matches for the Sydney newspapers. “Every description refers to her as a charming sporting figure,” Richard B. Naughton wrote in Daphne Akhurst: The Woman behind the Trophy. Daphne was “one of Australia’s first sporting stars”. Tragically, she died at 29 after an ectopic pregnancy, leaving behind a young son and plunging Australian tennis into mourning. In her honour, the Daphne Akhurst Memorial Cup was first awarded in 1934. Like Daphne, the winner, Joan Hartigan, was a stylish presence, in her visor and pleated dress. Joan won three more times and was a Wimbledon semifinalist twice. Melburnian Nancye Wynne Bolton was the next standout champion, clinching six singles titles between 1937 and 1951. If competition hadn’t been suspended during WWII, there’s no telling how many she’d have won. When she won the Australian title in 1946, Nancye did so despite having lost both her parents a few years earlier and also her husband, tragically killed during the war while she was pregnant. “She never got over the death of my father,” her daughter, Pam Stockley, tells The Weekly. He’d promised he’d come back to her, and for the rest of her life she listened for his footsteps on the street. Even so, says Pam, “Nancye was a

determined, independent woman, and could do anything she turned her mind to”, from running up curtains to lobbying tennis administrators to let female players tour. “She was not of her era.” Nancye was ranked world number four and was the first Australian woman to contest a major final abroad – the 1938 US Championship. It had been a battle to get there. The Lawn Tennis Association of Australasia (LTAA) had turned down multiple American requests to send a women’s team, giving in only after international associations agreed to foot the bill. “The female players were treated like second-class citizens,” Pam remembers. “But Nancye was not your

Trailblazers played her final on centre court, but only because she’d taken down the Wimbledon champion, Maria Bueno, in the quarterfinals.“Bueno’s matches were always on centre court because she was the Wimbledon champion, but not the Aussie girls,” Margaret recalled later.“It was all the men’s matches – the women weren’t even recognised.” Margaret went on to win an unrivalled 64 major titles, and was 11 times Australian champion. Rod Laver also won his first Australian title in 1960. In those pre-prize money days, “Rocket Rod” received a silver tea set; Margaret was given an umbrella. Even the legendary Evonne Goolagong Cawley, queen of Kooyong with four titles to her name, took a swipe at tournament organisers before her finals win in 1977. “I’m no women’s libber,” she said, “but I feel it’s common sense that the women should be given a better go.”

shrinking violet and she would have stood up for herself and said a few words. She thought she was as good as a man and should be treated equally.”

Battle for centre court

Almost two decades later, in 1956, female players were still being treated shabbily. Fed up when their Australian Open semifinal was moved to a back court as the men’s games on centre court were dragging on, Aussies Mary Carter and Daphne Seeney refused to play. Dubbed “Little Miss Poker Face” by the press for her serious game face, Mary took on the head of Queensland tennis and refused to back down. Other semifinals had been played on centre court, she insisted, so it was only fair they should have the same opportunity. “We decided to sit in the dressing room and wait until the men finished,” Mary recalled. “Eventually we got our way.” The next day, on centre court, 21-year-old Mary took out the first of her two Australian Open titles. Four years later, 17-year-old Margaret Smith (later Margaret Court)

A long way, baby

“Even when I played Billie Jean King at Wimbledon in 1968, I didn’t get any prize money, only expenses,” Judy (Tegart) Dalton tells The Weekly. Now 84, the former Grand Slam finalist and doubles champion recalls wandering Paris with fellow player Lesley Turner days before the 1966 French Open, looking for a hotel after their accommodation fell through. “Lesley was the dual French champion, and the Australian LTA did nothing to help us,” says Judy. “That would never have happened to the men.” The final straw came in 1970 when promoter Jack Kramer announced the Pacific Southwest Open would pay the men’s champion $12,500, the women’s just $1500. Fed up, nine female players,

Clockwise from top: Esna Boyd was a seven-time Australian Championships finalist; Mary Carter, who took a stand in 1956; Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1977 and 1982. Opposite page: Daphne Akhurst (top) in 1928 and Judy (Tegart) Dalton in 1968.

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Trailblazers

“We achieved recognition for women’s tennis and women’s sport as a whole.” – Judy Dalton

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Right: Borne on the shoulders of the incredible women who went before her, world number one Ashleigh Barty takes the hopes of a nation into the Australian Open. Below: Kerry Melville Reid reached number five in the world rankings 50 years ago.

afterthought, had sparked a revival of the Australian Open. The first $1 million purse in Australian sport was on offer, and the big names were back. Crowds flocked to Kooyong. In 1984, the Australian Open introduced equal prize money, and four years later, women opened the centre court program for day and night sessions for the first time. Today, the Original 9’s dream that women could make a living from competitive sport has become a reality, and women tennis players are some of the highest-paid athletes in the world. Their efforts have also inspired women in other sports, including surfing and cricket, to take control of their careers. “We achieved recognition for women’s tennis and women’s sport as a whole,” says Judy Dalton. “We didn’t realise how significant it would be 50 years on.”

Come January, Judy will attend Margaret Molesworth’s Hall of Fame induction as a VIP and will be courtside for all the action. In Ashleigh Barty, Judy says, tennis has found a champion for challenging times. “Ash has done it,” she says. “The men have to rely on the women when things get tough.” And Ash herself hopes to pass this extraordinary legacy along. “I hope I can show young players that they can go after their dreams and do it their way,” she tells The Weekly. “It’s okay to take your own path; everyone has a different journey … Self-belief, being a good person and enjoying the sport are the most important things.” AWW See the Australian Open, January 17-30 at Melbourne Park, ausopen.com. For info on the Daphne Akhurst book, visit books.slatterymedia.com. A biography of Nancye Wynne Bolton is available by emailing pstockle@bigpond.net.au

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led by Billie Jean, formed their own tour. “We set out to change things,” says Australian Kerry Melville Reid. Dubbed the ‘Original 9’, the group, including Kerry and Judy, competed on the newly-created Virginia Slims Circuit, the basis for the Women’s Tennis Association Tour. The US LTA threatened to ban them from Grand Slam and international competitions. In Australia, the ban on Kerry and Judy extended to equipment and venues. “We suffered more than the American players,” Judy tells The Weekly. Judy was runner-up in the first Virginia Slims event and won her largest prize, around $2600, which helped pay off her Melbourne home. The Australian and US Tennis Associations ended their suspensions and Kerry won the 1977 Australian Open in front of a raucous crowd. Tired of playing on back courts at the Australian Open and a 32-player draw (half that of the men), the women staged standalone events in 1980-82. They attracted a new sponsor and a 400 per cent hike in prize money. In the 1981 final, Martina Navratilova had her first win over Chris Evert. Their rematch a year later completely outclassed the men’s event which, without any top seeds and played in the rain, was a soggy shambles. Tennis writer Alan Trengove branded it “the tournament that drowned in shame”. In 1983, the men and women reunited. The women, often treated as an

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Nicole Kidman Cover story

“It’s nice to make people laugh for a change” WO R D S b y J U

ET RIEDEN

PHOTOGR A P Y b y STEV EN C

Oscar buzz is humming for Nicole Kidman’s brilliant portrayal of comedienne Lucille Ball. In a candid interview as Nic returns to our shores with her family, she reveals why this was such a tough and special role, the magic that fuels her marriage and how protecting her daughters is her top priority.

atching Being the Ricardos, it’s hard to believe anyone could question Nicole Kidman as the perfect Lucille Ball. From the very first frame we are in the presence of not just the very feisty and complex Lucille Ball, but her alter ego, the hilarious Lucy Ricardo, comedy queen of I Love Lucy, the most successful television sitcom of all time. But when Aaron Sorkin announced his casting of Nicole as Ball and Javier Bardem as her off- and on-screen hubby Desi Arnaz/Ricky Ricardo, social media descended into a frustrating echo chamber of tumbling eye rolls. Nicole wasn’t a physical comedienne, they said, Javier was Spanish, not Cuban, and not a musician (as bandleader, singer and bongo player Desi was). Never mind that both actors are multiple award winners with a breadth of work crossing all genres, some I Love Lucy fans knew better! Well … it turns out they didn’t, for the film is now creating a noisy Oscar buzz stretching from New York to London, LA to Sydney. And if those naysayers were expecting to see a catalogue of Lucy Ricardo’s unforgettable slapstick recreated on the screen, they were also wrong, for the secret to this intriguing film written and directed by the masterful Sorkin – creator of The West Wing – is that it’s not at all what you expect. Being the Ricardos (on Amazon Prime) is about the very essence of comedy genius Lucille Ball: about her craft, her turbulent marriage, the pressure of living in the spotlight, of working with your spouse when you are the one who’s the star, her daily battles with a deeply sexist industry, and her search for domesticity and the reassuring glow of a real home. “We’re

Cover story looking into Lucy’s head,” explains Sorkin, who sets the film during one production week of one episode of the show, when personal and professional crises threaten to destroy everything. Through flashbacks we see the couple’s whirlwind courtship and marriage, and then the creation of their brand. “Nicole is playing Lucille Ball. And Lucille Ball is, at times, playing Lucy Ricardo. It takes a great deal of subtlety. Nicole also has an imposing strength. Like Lucille, she owns the ground she stands on. At the same time, she is quite vulnerable,” says Sorkin. When I catch up with Nicole Kidman she is in the midst of premieres around the world, exhausted and a little like a rabbit in the headlights at the critical acclaim her performance is suddenly receiving. She was attracted to the part not so much because of Lucille, of whom she knew little, but because of Aaron Sorkin. “I’d never worked with him before. I knew his work and have obviously been enamoured with it and I thought, ‘What a fantastic opportunity.’ And then [along came] Javier Bardem playing Desi. That is unheard of. You just don’t get that combination of people and talent … the idea of the three of us doing it together was intoxicating.” From the get-go Sorkin was not interested in recreating the show, Nicole tells me, although there is a choice scene in which Lucy, barefoot treading red grapes in a vat, drops her earring and ends up diving in to retrieve it. For Lucy fans it’s one of the character’s most memorable pratfalls. “Aaron said, ‘Yeah, we’re going to put a little bit of the I Love Lucy show in it, but it’s not a remake.’ He wanted to pull the veil back and show what was behind the scenes, but at the same time show a marriage, deal with

some very topical relevant subjects, and show the humanity of these people, with all their flaws and their virtues. It’s not a biopic; it’s not like we’re starting when she was born and then we’re going all the way through to when she dies. He’s interested in the drama of putting the show on in one week and then all of these big events being compressed into that week. That part, he took some dramatic license with – they all happened, just not all at once. “It’s so clever and as an actor it’s very layered and deep. And it’s funny. I don’t get the chance to be funny very often, and he’s [Aaron’s] funny! I was watching the film with an audience and I heard people laugh. I went, ‘Wow, that doesn’t usually happen to me, to have people laugh.’ So that was fun. It’s nice making people laugh. I really like it!” Aaron was clear that he didn’t want Nicole and Javier to attempt to mimic Lucille and Desi, but for Nicole, nailing the different nuances of Lucille Ball and Lucy Ricardo was crucial to her portrayal. She knew she needed to present them as different women. “When I first signed on, I said to Aaron, ‘Okay, let’s get the prosthetics and the wigs.’ And Aaron said, ‘No, no, no — that’s not what we’re doing. You’ll have the red hair, but I am not interested in creating a facsimile.’ No prosthetic nose, no prosthetic chin. I begged: ‘Maybe just a little nose?’ “But he was interested in seeing Lucille’s humanity and in the storytelling, not in a visual recreation. What we arrived at eventually is that when I’m Lucy Ricardo, I am as close to a carbon copy as possible. I studied the black-and-white footage endlessly. My make-up and clothing is just like hers. I learned every quirk, every hand gesture. But I always kept in mind that Lucille created Lucy. They are not the same person.”

“I still love making her sounds and pretending to be her because it’s very, very freeing being Lucy. She’s a clown, a physical comedienne. Playing her makes you feel good.” 24

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Cover story Nicole admits those subtleties didn’t come easily and she struggled at first, fearful she couldn’t pull it off. “And I don’t mind saying that, because I think that’s good for actors to hear,” she shares. “I thought, ‘Yikes! This is so far out of reach for me. I’m not sure I’m ever going to get there.’ I had a dialect coach who was insanely patient and a movement coach, and they worked with me on slowly building the character.” Every day for hours she would try to nail Lucy Ricardo’s distinctive voice. “When it happened, it was like a switch got flicked and suddenly I could do it. And then I got to the point when I didn’t want to stop doing it. I still love making her sounds and pretending to be her because it’s very, very freeing, being Lucy. She’s a clown. She’s a physical comedienne, but she’s also vocally so free. She makes all those sounds, like waaa – these big bold sounds that are deeply infectious. Playing her makes you feel good.” And just like that, Nicole has switched into Lucy Ricardo right in front of me! Crucial to making the film was Lucille’s daughter Lucie Arnaz who, after years of turning down requests from directors wanting to retell her parents’ love story, finally agreed to let Aaron Sorkin and his team weigh in. During filming Nicole invited Lucie onto the set, and she admits her heart was in her mouth. “I was standing there dressed up as her mother and I said, ‘Lucie, this is so weird.’ But she’s got a great dry wit and was very funny about it. She gave Javier and I access to things that the public doesn’t have access to – recordings, information. She was very generous. “We were both subsequently really nervous for her to see the film, but I think what she sees is that we really show how much they [her parents] loved each other, and even though the relationship didn’t work ultimately and they didn’t die in each other’s arms, they gave each other so much creatively, emotionally, as well as two children.

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That’s a successful relationship. “People say, ‘Oh it’s a tragic love story.’ I say it’s a love story. It’s sad at the end because they can’t give each other what they need to give each other, but there’s incredible love there and I believe that existed all the way through [even though] they ended up marrying other people. “When she finally saw the film Lucie wept, which I think is a huge offering, because you can’t fake that. That’s just true feeling, and it really hit me. Keith [Urban] was sitting next to her in the screening and he said, ‘It was so weird because I felt like holding her.’”

Our private sanctuary

It’s tempting to imagine parallels between Lucille Ball’s marriage to Desi and Nicole’s to Keith Urban. Both women found love with musicians, their relationships passionate and often in the public eye. They both faced the challenge of being a leading lady on screen and mum to two children at home. But before I get carried away, Nicole steps in, saying she and Keith are a world apart from Lucille and Desi. “It was very different for them because they were doing a show together. Sixty million

Nicole’s transformation “When I’m Lucy Ricardo, I’m as close to a carbon copy as possible. I learned every quirk and gesture.”

Clockwise from top left: Nicole works with Being the Ricardos director Aaron Sorkin and leading man Javier Bardem; the immortal Lucille and Desi; Nicole and co-stars Alia Shawkat and Nina Arianda (Vivian Vance).

Nicole and country music star Keith (at the Being the Ricardos premiere in Sydney, right) met in 2005 and got married the next year. They are raising two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, in a tight-knit family unit out of the spotlight.

households in America would watch this show, and that was when the population wasn’t as big as it is now. It got to the point where the water use was affected when the show was on. That’s crazy. People actually didn’t go the bathroom because they were watching that half hour of television. There’s been nothing like it; there probably never will be anything like it again. The pressure of that on a marriage, let alone on a woman, would have been extraordinary. “I live a portion of my life in the public eye. Only a small portion of it. I have my work, but my actual life is pretty private. I’m very fortunate that I have a family that is very tight. We’re very close. I had a fantastic papa [in the late Dr Antony Kidman, the revered clinical psychologist] and I have a fantastic husband, and as much as we have all of this, Keith and I are pretty normal.” She’s not being disingenuous; Nicole is acutely aware that “normal” is hardly how others see her life of

red-carpet gowns, awards parties, fame and homes around the world. “They would probably say, ‘What?’” she laughs. No, what she’s talking about here is a state of being. It’s fair to say Nicole’s life hasn’t all been roses around the door. Her first marriage to Tom Cruise didn’t go to plan and tragedy struck when she lost her father in 2014. And while in the business Nicole is lauded for her intense work ethic and incisive acting abilities, not every film has been a triumph. So, successfully navigating what life throws at her has a lot to do with how she and Keith live their lives, she explains. They have consciously built a bubble that is her family’s private sanctuary, a cherished place where they get to flourish together behind closed doors. “The things that are important to us are pretty simple,” she explains. “What we value is like everybody else.

We are very protective of our life together, with strong boundaries around it. I find there’s a strong understanding of that, too, from people. They understand that we’re just a mum and dad as well, trying to raise two little girls, trying to do it right, trying to be good sons and daughters ourselves. It’s our life in the end. We exist together and I never forget how special that is, to have somebody to share it with. That is the most important thing, obviously, for me. And I think that should be apparent to people.” Of course, alongside her family life Nicole also loves to work, and at 54 years old she’s one of the most prolific actors in the business. “Yes, I do also have a strong artistic creative pull and I’m fortunate enough to have people in my life who understand that and support it, just as I offer that in support as well [for Keith as a musician],” she says. The Australian Women’s Weekly

“My job is to create a fortress to protect my daughters so that they can become the people they want to be.”

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Cover story In Keith, whom she famously met at the G’Day LA event in Hollywood back in 2005, Nicole knows she hit the jackpot. “He’s a great guy. He really is. And pretty much everyone who knows him will tell you that, and I think Australia knows that too. Last night I was sitting at a party and someone said to me, ‘Can I just tell you something? Your husband is the loveliest man I’ve ever met.’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, he is!’ It’s rare, to be told that.” Her face lights up at the memory. When you see Nicole and Keith together the power of their relationship is patently obvious, and she is regularly asked what that’s all about. “We don’t have a secret. We’re just into each other,” she quips without a skerrick of artifice. “It’s the truth. Everyone has their own way of having a relationship and you don’t want to be the people who say, ‘Oh you should do this, oh try this.’ We’re not teaching anyone, we’re not doing any of that. We’ve got our own thing going and we’re just into each other. “You don’t want to be the couple who say, ‘Oh aren’t we perfect?’ No. We’re very fortunate we met later in life and we happened to have the ability to be totally into each other. “I really like him as much as I love him, and it’s that simple. Everybody else can do their thing. We try to stay very humble with it because it is sacred stuff and there’s a little bit of magic involved.” One of the things that got in the way of Lucille Ball’s marriage was her craving for a regular domestic family home, something she never had in her own childhood. I wonder if Nicole and Keith feel they have found that home in Nashville, or if we can hope they might return to their roots in Australia? “Home is where my husband and my daughters are,” she explains. “I have my mum and my sister and my nieces and nephews, they’re my family, but my home, creating my home, is where Keith and the girls are, so we can then blossom out of that. It doesn’t matter where we are geographically. We always say, ‘Oh we’re home’, and we hold on tight.

“Of course we’re intrinsically Australian. I was raised in Australia – born in Hawaii but raised in Australia – so my childhood is Australiana. That’s what I have. That’s what I’m made of. That’s beautiful. I don’t know Christmas to be with snow. That’s not Christmas for me. Christmas is sweating and trying to pretend that it’s not really hot, opening presents. And Christmas Eve is running round in my nightie on the lawn in the blazing sun. Tinsel on the tree. Great memories.”

Fathers and daughters

Nicole and Keith have a pact to keep their daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, out of the spotlight so that they can build their own special family memories. And since they were born in 2008 and 2010, the girls have spent time in the United States and most Christmases with family in Australia. So do they feel Australian or American? “I don’t know. You’d have to ask them. They’ve put us on lockdown as to what we’re allowed to talk about, which is pretty much nothing to do with them now. We’re on gag orders.” Nicole is laughing, but I sense that she’s deeply proud of their daughters’ strong sense of self. “When they’re of age, if they ever decide to share anything, you absolutely have the right to ask them that. I’ll give you my blessing right now,” she continues. “My job is to create a fortress to protect them so that they can evolve and become the people they want to be. Then they will decide how much they share, how much they give, who they want to be, what they want to do.” Recently they were lucky enough to see family and especially Nicole’s beloved mum Janelle, who is now in her 80s, in Australia while Nicole was working. “We were fortunate to be able to come back and be there through most of the pandemic, and that was very much driven by wanting to be near my mama and near my sister Antonia, who now lives in Sydney as well, my nieces and nephews, whom I’m very close to. We’re a very, very close family.”

The death of her father may have left a gap in the here and now, but he is ever-present for Nicole. “My papa was a good, good man. He was generous, kind, socially conscious. I never heard my father swear and I never heard my father say a bad word about anyone. He was deeply compassionate. He was deeply giving of his time and he was a fantastic father to daughters. “I stood at his funeral and said, ‘I am one of the lucky ones. I had a great father.’ It’s an important thing to say as a woman, to be able to say, ‘I had a great father.’ Wow! Hopefully that inspires other men to be great fathers because it’s really recognised when you’re a daughter. You notice it … And my daughters have a great father. Yes, they do. I tell them every day.” I reveal to Nicole that recent ‘news’ has suggested she and Keith are looking to adopt more children. She chuckles and a wry smile comes over her face. “No, we’re not looking to adopt. Sunday and Faith are enough. “Would I have loved to have had more kids? Sure. I love kids. I’ve got a lot of nieces and nephews. I have a lot of godchildren. I’m happy to put some of that maternal energy into other people. I don’t need to [adopt more]. Be happy with what you have. I’m extremely focused on raising a 10going-on-11-year-old and a 13-yearold right now. I’m very, very grateful to have them.” And will they ever move back to our shores to make a permanent home here with the rest of the Kidman clan? “Part of our lives is we travel. That’s who we are. I have a musician husband. He tours. We’re not the people who get to go, ‘Oh we live here now forever.’ That’s not our existence. We don’t get that. Yes, there are times when you go, ‘Gosh, I’d love to just put my roots down’, but at the same time I’m an actor and he’s a musician – we’re a travelling circus of a family. That means we see the world and we’re world citizens and that’s a glorious thing. That’s not a negative, that’s a positive … But we’re Aussie. We are, of course!” AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Column

Royal

insider

Behind Palace gates with Juliet Rieden

January 9 the Duchess of Cambridge celebrates her 40th birthday. With the pandemic still raging, it’s unlikely there will be a big party for the anniversary but it is, I think, a notable milestone. When The Queen was 40, she had already been on the throne for 15 years, motherhood having to take a back seat to the public service role she had devoted her life to and continues to serve at the age of 95. Over this past year much has been written, including by me, of a switch in gear by the Cambridge family, with William and Catherine looking more and more prepared for their future roles, which will in due course initially be supporting an ageing Charles as King and ultimately leading the monarchy themselves. When that time comes, Catherine will be Queen consort, and since Prince Harry and Meghan have stepped back from The Firm, moving their family to California, the future of the royals, both in Britain and here in Australia, will very much be in the hands of the “Cambridge five”. When Catherine Middleton first joined the Windsors, she was more noted for what she wore than what she said or did. But 11 years after that timid engagement interview in 2010, things are very different. Last month the Duchess convened and hosted a carol concert at Westminster Abbey, inviting 1200 unsung heroes who had carried the British people through the trauma of COVID-19, as well as guests who may have been more vulnerable or isolated over the past year.

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It was a beautiful, substantial event embracing people of all faiths and none, combining traditional elements with contemporary performances from the likes of Ellie Goulding, which was later televised to the nation. It would have been easy to include the Cambridge children in the guests, which would have flooded social media with pictures of the royal trio. But this wasn’t about the Cambridge family or the royals for that matter. Yes, Prince William attended along with other royals of their generation – including Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie and their husbands, and Zara and Mike Tindall – and the Middleton family also were there. Catherine didn’t speak but wrote a message for the program and the universally declared success of this dignified occasion was that it honoured frontline workers and struggling communities. The concert, wrote Catherine, was about “the importance of simply being together”. And yes, I think it’s fair to say there was something restrained and rather Regal in red: The Duchess of Cambridge’s Together at Christmas community carol service at Westminster Abbey was a triumph.

queenly about that. It was planned as a one-off, but I imagine the Palace may be considering making it a regular date in the Christmas calendar, such was its positive impact. Meanwhile, we learned more about the Cambridges behind closed doors from Prince William himself in a surprisingly touching podcast for the Apple Fitness+ app, Time to Walk. The series is aimed at encouraging walking as a great way to keep mentally and physically fit, and guests have included Dolly Parton. During a 40-minute ramble, the guest shares thoughts interspersed with some favourite music clips, and if you’re listening on your Apple device, you

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can watch a few photos pop up as well. This special episode was recorded early last year and featured William chatting on a countryside walk around the Sandringham estate discussing trauma, his family and the power of nature. The Prince recalled his grandfather, the late Duke of Edinburgh, taking him on this very route when he was a child, and he also shared wonderful memories of time spent with his mother, Princess Diana. Evidently when he and Harry were heading back to boarding school after time spent at home and feeling anxious, Diana would bundle them into the car and play Tina Turner’s The Best, singing along at the top of her voice as she drove them back to lift their spirits. On a darker note, the Prince also opened up about feeling sad and traumatised following some of the more emotional jobs in his role as an air ambulance pilot. Close to tears, William said he felt like “the whole world was dying … You just feel everyone’s in pain, everyone’s suffering”. He was talking about attending the scene of a car crash involving a boy of Prince George’s age and said he found that feeling hard to shake when he got back home to his own family. Fortunately, the Cambridge trio seem to have their own joyous energy at home and the song they especially love dancing around the kitchen to, said William, is Shakira’s Waka Waka! Prince Harry has been opening his heart to the public a great deal this year in his interviews, but the power

Sandra Mason – who had been Governor General since 2018. Of course, the royal family respects the decision and I think the Queen has a very pragmatic attitude to the establishment of a new republic in the Caribbean island, but it would have been a very poignant day for her and for Prince From top: Prince William chose Charles, who has Sandringham for his Time to Walk been a regular podcast recollections; Prince Charles’ visitor to Barbados courageous speech in Barbados; over the decades. The Queen visiting the island in 1966. In a courageous and historic speech, the Prince of Wales became the first member of the royal family to formally acknowledge the “appalling atrocity of slavery” in the Caribbean, saying it “forever stains our history”. Here in Australia, Barbados’ severing of the royal apron strings will no doubt be a watching brief for republicans. But for the Queen it was a day on which of this she bade farewell initiative to “the beautiful from Prince country” and its William was people that “have that it felt as held a special place in my heart”. if he was chatting directly to the For Charles there was also an listener in a quiet and uniquely opportunity to talk about the ties intimate way that stays with you. that will continue between the Earlier in the month the Prince of UK and Barbados as part of the Wales was also on an emotional mission when he flew to Barbados to Commonwealth. In 2018 he was mark the nation’s removal of Queen elected to take over as the Queen’s Elizabeth II as its head of state. The successor when the time comes, as Prince was invited by Mia Mottley, Head of the Commonwealth, and leader of the Barbados Labour Party in the future as more nations may and Prime Minister since 2018, to choose to break formal royal ties, attend the inauguration of the the Commonwealth will play a much country’s first President – Dame more important role. AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Crusading mums

“Love was my driving force” What if you needed to raise $3.2 million to keep your child alive? That was the life-or-death predicament for one Queensland family, who nonetheless secured the world’s most expensive drug to save sick babies right across Australia. WO R D S by G A RY N U N N

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a bright winter’s day in Toowoomba, Queensland, and three-year-old Wynter Clarkson is atop a tiny plastic slide. She’s snuggled up warm in a pink jumpsuit and giant grey socks. Tight ringlets of blonde hair are pulled into a mini bun on her head and her eyes are wide in anticipation of the upcoming descent. “Push! Weight forward!” some

It’s

adults encourage at the bottom. Wynter’s mum, Kellee Clarkson, 31, hovers, an arm either side of Wynter. She has the same tight blonde ringlets in the same bun, and the same look of anticipation. After some bum wriggles, Wynter hits the descent to rapturous cheers. She looks around in joyful surprise at the applause, then claps on her own thigh to reward herself. It’s almost as if she knows that what she just did,

almost completely by herself, is nothing short of a miracle. “She’s my little ratbag,” Kellee says fondly of Wynter (or Wynnie, as she calls her), who babbles loudly and happily in the background as we chat. “She’s a real outdoors girl, and her cheeky attitude is emerging – she’ll say ‘no, no, no!’ when she doesn’t want to sleep.” It’s little things, Left: Kellee, OLNH SLFNLQJ ˌRZHUV with Wynter, together in the says Jamie has garden, that Kellee been her rock. cherishes now Below: Wynter because of how close has improved signiﬁcantly. she came to losing Wynter. In December 2018, Wynter Clarkson was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), a degenerative muscle-wasting genetic disorder that attacks the motor neurons in the spine. Approximately one in 6000 babies have SMA. Type 1, which Wynter has, is the most common and severe type. Most children who are diagnosed with it can’t sit up unsupported and the majority don’t survive beyond two. More than half die in WKH ˋUVW \HDU RI OLIH SMA can be diagnosed at birth with a simple heel-prick test and is much more effectively treated if it’s caught then. But not every state in Australia mandates that test so many cases are picked up late. And there is no cure.

The warning signs

These were some of the terrifying details Kellee read online the day her mother’s instinct told her something was wrong with her child and she began searching for answers. The Australian Women’s Weekly

“I struggle looking back at newborn photos,” she says. “I put a lot of blame on myself. It hurts me that I didn’t see Wynnie wasn’t kicking her legs properly. ‘I’m a nurse,’ I keep telling myself. ‘Why didn’t I know this?’” When her partner, Jamie, 32, asked Kellee if she thought that Wynter might have cerebral palsy, Kellee got really upset. “‘Why would you say that?’ I asked him,” she recalls. But deep down, she knew something wasn’t right, and video-called her best friend, who had a daughter four days younger than Wynter. “When she put her daughter on, I saw the difference between her child and mine and my heart just sank,” she says. Her friend’s daughter was on her tummy rolling around; Wynter was stationary. Kellee got off the phone and onto Google. Before long she was on a SMA mums’ noticeboard, discovering what the disorder was, and ominously, what it meant. “All I could see was ‘it’s terminal, and they die before they’re two’. Wynter had all the symptoms,” Kellee says. Jamie got in from work and found Kellee weeping, Wynter huddled up in her arms. Kellee was repeating, over and over: “Something’s wrong. Something’s really wrong.” With local paediatricians booked out for three months, Kellee began feverishly phoning every paediatrician within 125km of Brisbane. They were also fully booked. Finally, there was a cancellation. “I tried to tell myself I was just being silly, but I was just so scared,” she says. When the diagnosis came, Kellee broke down. “Jamie paid the bill; I was crying too much,” Kellee says. “He was my absolute rock. Usually, I take charge with appointments but all I remember saying was, ‘No, no, no’. I knew what this meant.” Wynter was immediately rushed to hospital. Nurses, who had already read up on her probable diagnosis, came out with a box of tissues for these newly crestfallen young parents as their tiny daughter was whisked away.

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The impossible cure

At the hospital’s neurology department, in a haze of tears and grief, a brochure was handed to Kellee about new, revolutionary SMA treatments. One, Spinraza, which Wynter started the next day, was intense. It required a lumbar puncture every four months. “Wynnie was too fragile for anaesthetic,” Kellee explains.

“You could see the needle really hurt her.” It was painful for Kellee to watch Wynter’s screams as the realities of their new life sunk in. “One dose was on Christmas Eve in December 2018. It was tough. It was horrendous and crushing to watch her looking at us in agony, knowing these hospital visits could be every four months for the rest of her life.” Given its limited impact on the progression of certain aspects of the

Crusading mums

Left: Wynter was diagnosed with SMA at just five months and began gruelling drug therapy. Above: Wynter will hopefully soon be able to breathe without ventilation.

disease (it didn’t restore Wynter’s lung function or swallowing), some parents choose to take their baby home and prepare to say goodbye rather than having them suffer on Spinraza. Each child’s response depends on how far the disease has progressed when they start the treatment. However, that same month a groundbreaking new single injection gene therapy, Zolgensma, was being trialled in America. And it was already being described as a wonder drug, promising a potential life free from excruciating lumbar punctures, and potentially a longer lifespan. The Clarksons watched the emergence of this new medicine closely. There were just two catches. First, a race against time: little Wynter would need it by the time she was two, or she’d become ineligible and,

without ongoing treatment, likely become terminally ill. The second catch was the cost. At $3.2 million, it was the most expensive single dose medication in the world. “Even if our whole family sold everything, we wouldn’t be close,” Kellee says. “We were just really gutted.” One possible avenue was a global lottery run by the manufacturer, Novartis. But with just 100 doses granted, and 60,000 global diagnoses annually, it was a long shot. “That was an awful feeling,” she says. “It gave us false hope. It was like being teased with those almost impossible odds.” Their next option was to campaign. They poured out their hearts on a GoFundMe page. “I emailed hundreds of people – those in power, people with big platforms, local companies,” Kellee remembers. And $66,000 came flooding in. “We had so much support from everyday, generous, caring people,” she says. But it wasn’t enough. They were still, staggeringly, $3.13 million short. It felt impossible. The Clarksons were at a complete loss.

An act of kindness

In May 2019, the US Food and Drug Administration approved Zolgensma. This meant that the world’s most expensive drug was, suddenly, available without that prohibitive price tag – but only in America. It still wasn’t available in Australia and the clock was ticking – Wynter was now nine months old. The Clarksons knew what they would need to do to get their daughter this wonder drug: move to the US. Jamie secured an electrical

engineering position in Utah. Kellee booked removalist companies and began packing up their Toowoomba home. Jamie was sorting all the necessary visas. Their precious, curly-haired, dinosaur-loving, cheeky little girl was finally going to get the shot at life her parents had been dreaming about. Then the pandemic hit. Jamie’s Utah job all but fell through. As they watched the US opportunity slowly slip away, Kellee allowed a momentary feeling of defeat. “It felt like the world was against us,” she admits. But the Clarksons didn’t give up. “I’m a realist,” Kellee says. “I knew the chances were slim, but I felt this huge surge of determination come over me: I don’t care what it takes, I will absolutely 100 per cent get this treatment for her. I will move mountains. In my heart of hearts, I just knew, deep down, the immense love I have for my child was going to be my driving force.” In truth, though, the family was running out of options. Wynter was now 21 months old – just three months away from the deadline for Zolgensma to be effective in her little body. Then, a tiny crack of light appeared. Kellee became aware of a little-known government scheme called the Medical Treatment Overseas Program (MTOP). And she began lobbying politicians for the funds to acquire Zolgensma through that scheme. In February 2020, she received a call from one of the many politicians she’d lobbied – Senator Pauline Hanson. Kellee burst into tears as the senator spoke the words she was so very desperate to hear: “I’ve got the $3.2 million for you”. Initially, the program was going to pay for the family’s flights to the US, but as the pandemic worsened, that became unfeasible. Another roadblock. Then, as if the universe was absorbing the driving force of one mother’s love, another minor miracle occurred. In an unprecedented move, a highly unusual deal was struck to bring Zolgensma to Australia, even The Australian Women’s Weekly

Crusading mums though it wasn’t yet TGA approved. The wish Wynter’s mum had made for her was to come true. Three months later, in May 2020, the family drove 10.5 hours from Toowoomba to Sydney, where Wynter received the life-saving treatment. “We couldn’t risk getting a plane due to COVID, but we also had to take regular breaks as the disease had progressed to the point that Wynter struggled to stay upright for long,” Kellee says. Two weeks of quarantine were required on arrival and return. But then, in just 60 minutes of intravenous infusion, Wynter finally received the gene she was missing.

Another life saved

The unprecedented move to bring Zolgensma here didn’t just help Wynter. It meant that any Australian children living with SMA Type 1 – children who would either have died at two, or become permanently disabled – could now receive it. Kellee knows of at least seven children this has already helped. One is Mariana Edwards Baron, who is 16 months old. She sings Happy Birthday in the background as I chat to her mum, Adriana, 36. “It’s no-one’s birthday, she just loves the song,” Adriana says. Mariana was diagnosed at three months, while the family was in lockdown. The diagnosis, Adriana says, felt like “a concrete wall crushing my heart. All I could see is she’d need breathing support 24/7, a feeding tube and that 90 per cent of kids die before 18 months. Mariana was 3.5 months old. I was concerned what her quality of life would be.” The neurologist explained that some parents choose not to treat their children, instead allowing them to go into palliative care. Adriana and her husband, Scott, now had to make an almost impossible decision. “When we returned from the hospital, we had to calm down as we didn’t want [Mariana’s sister] Valentina, who is almost three, to see us in such a mess,” Adriana says.

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“We took it in turns to go upstairs and quietly break down and sob and grieve.” The couple was torn. “Neither of us wanted our daughter to suffer,” Adriana says. “But I couldn’t bear the thought of seeing her deteriorating till she died.” To help her reach a decision, Adriana tracked down a 34-year-old, wheelchair-using man with SMA. “I asked him if his life has been worth living. I was terrified my daughter would hate me for continuing her life. He told me, ‘we don’t miss what we don’t know,’ and that his life had been fulfilling. That’s when I knew we had to fight to get her treatment.”

Kellee was one of the first ‘SMA mums’ Adriana connected with. “She helped me a lot in understanding the treatments, and what SMA children are able to do,” Adriana says. When she learnt about the $3.2 million wonder drug, she was shocked and devastated. Mariana urgently needed Zolgensma before her breathing and swallowing function, which was so far intact, deteriorated.

CHEWABLE PICS. PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

Clockwise from left: Mariana with sister Valentina; Adriana watches as Mariana is administered the miracle gene therapy, Zolgensma; Mariana, with her family, is now 16 months old, and starting to walk, a milestone that only one per cent of SMA children ever achieve.

The family tried everything. “We put up ads to see if someone with lots of money would help us. I even wrote to the CEO of Novartis asking for a discount. He was very polite but unable to do that due to regulations. It sounds stupid now, but we were desperate.” When Adriana learnt that, as a result of Kellee’s lobbying, Zolgensma was miraculously being brought to Australia and funded by the MTOP scheme, she felt “exactly like the swimming coach [Dean Boxall] who went wild at the Olympic gold medal in that viral video! “Kellee fought really hard and set up the road for all of us,” Adriana says.

As she watched the gene therapy enter her daughter’s veins, she wept – this time, tears of joy. What would her message to Kellee be today? There’s a pause and some quiet weeping. After a breath, she says, “No words could convey my massive gratitude for that amazing woman – I just want to hug her.” As we talk, Mariana grabs onto the couch and sidesteps around it. A neurologist had previously told Adriana just one per cent of SMA children walk. “I said, ‘my daughter will be in that one per cent. She’s a miracle. No one can place limits on my daughter now. Only Mariana will show me what she can do’.”

Adriana and Kellee are now campaigning for the newborn heel prick test, which picks up SMA and allows children to be treated from birth before any deterioration through rapid motor neurone loss occurs. It’s on trial in NSW, the ACT and WA. “It’s hard to shake – if we lived across the border, Wynter could have led a normal life,” Kellee says. These mums don’t want any parent to go through what they have when it’s preventable. However, the Queensland Health Minister, Yvette D’Ath, has pushed the issue back onto the federal government: “Queensland’s strong preference is to continue a national approach to newborn screening, and I have written to [federal Health] Minister [Greg] Hunt requesting this matter be discussed at a Health Ministers’ meeting in the near future,” she told The Weekly. Julie Cini, CEO of SMA Australia, founded the charity after both her daughters died of the disease, aged 10 months and 12 months respectively. “Before my kids died, I looked them in the eye and promised them I’d fix this,” she says. “I’ve run this charity for 17 years and I can finally say that’s the legacy my babies left on this Earth: access to treatments, genetic testing and the ongoing campaign for newborn screening. “Up until two and a half years ago doctors were still telling families they’d lose their babies to SMA – we were losing a baby a month from it. Now I see kids who received treatment within their first six months running and jumping. It’s phenomenal. And it only happened because of advocacy and families telling their story.” Wynter has improved significantly in the year she’s been on Zolgensma. She whizzes around in her electric wheelchair and needs ventilation at night, but, for the first time since she was born, Kellee now is “very hopeful” she’ll soon breathe on her own. Reflecting on a triumph over tragedy that has saved at least seven little lives, Kellee demurs, saying plenty of people were involved. “But this,” she adds, “is more than I could ever have dreamed of.” AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Community

Surf’s up

Meet the Silver Salties, a club of age-defying beach buddies who are fun and fabulous, gutsy and resilient, and who change lives. WO R D S b L I Z Z I E W I L S O N

PHOTOGR A PH Y b W ILL HOR NER

It’s

a brisk autumn morning in the charming coastal town of Forster on the New South Wales mid-north coast, and a bunch of lively locals has gathered at the historic Bull Ring Ocean Baths. With the water temperature an icy 18 degrees and the sun barely poking above the clouds, not even a biting westerly is going to stop this mob from taking an early morning dip. These are the glorious Silver Salties, an all-inclusive club of dedicated, sea-loving men and women. They’re members of Surf Life Saving Australia’s pioneering fitness and wellbeing program aimed specifically at the over-65s. Stripped down to just their cossies, the pack of 20 or more Salties have donned their goggles and caps, and

with plenty of bluster, are ready to plunge head-first into life. Their program leader is retired psychiatric nurse Janet Litwin and she’s busy getting the group sorted for a water aerobics class. A respected local in the Barrington Coast region, the mum of two and grandmother to four – with husband Wally, a long-time coal miner – is an active member of the Forster Surf Life Saving Club. “I’ve been involved on and off for over 50 years – it’s in our blood. I remember when women couldn’t get a bronze medallion. Thankfully, times have changed,” Janet, 68, tells The Weekly. “We’ve always been beach lovers, and Wally and I, as volunteers, are often rostered together on patrol – it’s a real family affair. There’s nothing more gratifying than giving back to the community.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly

When the Silver Salties program was launched in Forster in October last year, Janet knew she would somehow end up involved, though never imagined she’d be running the local branch. “We have 62 members, and the plan is to continue to grow. It is a lot like Nippers, meaning it’s about inclusiveness, enjoyment, fitness and social interaction with like-minded people – there’s no room for chestpounders,” she says with a smile. “It’s incredibly rewarding to see someone who might be a little hesitant in the beginning, barely able to put their toe in the water, and within a few sessions, they’re as fearless as us old-hands. Self-confidence is not to be underestimated.” Already in 30 different locations across most states and territories, and with over 1400 members, the aim of the Salties is to provide activities uniquely tailored to the needs of older

The Australian Women’s Weekly

“This program saved me at a very low point in my life. No matter how bad your day, the Salties will bring a smile to your face.” Australians that can be played out at the park, the clubhouse, on the beach, in the pool or the surf. The world-first initiative is funded by Sport Australia’s Move It AUS – Better Ageing grant program and offered free of charge through a number of local SLSCs. Clubs can choose any one or more of the 20 Silver Salties programs on offer, from First Aid and Club Volunteering to Beach Surf Sports and Catching Waves. Regardless of age, weight, fitness, or mobility, there’s no discriminating – everyone gets to have a go. Behind its rising success is an extraordinary woman who deserves

much of the credit for turning the original blueprint into something very special. Laura Thurtell, a Masters Ironwoman champion amongst other achievements, is one of the program’s national ambassadors. A retired Detective Sergeant in the NSW Police, the 56-year-old mum of three now dedicates her life to her beloved Salties. “This has been a long time coming. Being a senior citizen shouldn’t mean you become irrelevant,” she says. “Many of us, like me, were members of a surf club in our younger years but had to move away for our work. The Salties is a great way to come back

Community when you’re older. It’s not competitive, and while it’s aimed at the over-65s, everyone is welcome. We have members as young as 30 and as old as 91!” Based at Sydney’s iconic Bondi Beach, Laura is more than the token poster girl. After years of coaching Nippers and competing at the highest level, she’s confident she can expand this lifechanging concept into more clubs. “I want this to be the bookend to the Nippers program across as many clubs as possible,” she says. “I want our ageing population to have the best lives possible. We all know the

enormous benefits that sea air, salt water and sunshine deliver. Early on, when we were putting this together, we recognised that, for our mental, physical and emotional wellbeing, there’s nothing better than the ocean. “We’re a wonderful mishmash of fabulous characters, and everyone has a story. No one cares how they look, and we wear our weather-worn lifelines like a badge of honour. “Having a dip, riding a wave, or just being on the beach with sand between the toes, combined with being around people who are fun and adventurous – it’s hard to beat. It’s the best natural antidepressant, and the sea of smiles around the country means we’re doing something right.” At many clubs, the grandparents of their pint-sized surf heroes, the mighty Nippers, have been first to enlist. At Queensland’s Bundaberg SLSC, with already 144 registered Salties, 63-year-old grandma of two Jo McLellan and husband Steve, 67, couldn’t wait to sign up. Far left and above: The Cronulla Silver Salties. Left: Laura Thurtell, one of the program’s national ambassadors, with a group. Below: Salties Christine Carrett, 70, and Octavia Barrington, 69, at Cronulla.

“Both of my grown-up children, Dwayne and Shelley, were Nippers, as are the grandchildren, Evella, 13, and young Bailin, 10,” says Jo, a retired nurse. “We went up a few notches when they found out Granny Jo and Steve were joining the Salties. The grandkids and their mates reckon we’re pretty cool – it doesn’t get much better than that. “It’s like having a new lease on life. Steve and I only met in 2019 through the hospital where we worked together. We’re still newlyweds after tying the knot in January this year,” she adds cheekily. “The beach is our happy family spot where we all come together. We do Nippers on Sundays, and Steve has become the club’s sausage sizzle king. Monday mornings, we Salties gather on the beach. The program relies heavily on our qualified surf club volunteers, much like the Nippers, to run the activities safely both in and out of the water. “We’re from all walks of life. We solve the problems of the world, have plenty of laughs, and when someone’s doing it tough, we rally to lift their spirits. And it’s free – except for the ‘cuppa’ fund which covers the cost of our coffees. We might go home with our togs full of sand, but we’re grinning from ear to ear.” Down in Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, the Silver Salties Walk & Talk group has congregated. Leading the pack are new best friends Wendi Murray, 70, and Bernice Keane, 79, and the pair is mustering the troops for their Tuesday morning workout. For Wendi particularly, the precious time she shares with her Salties is the best distraction from daily life spent caring for her husband, Doug, diagnosed with dementia seven years ago. “He’s a proud clubbie, has been in surf lifesaving for over 50 years and is a life member,” she says. “Anyone familiar with dementia knows it’s good and bad days – you never know. I thought about inviting him to join our group, but at the risk of sounding selfish, the Salties is my time – an all-important circuit breaker, and the best therapy of all.” The Australian Women’s Weekly

Community The Silver Salties enjoy a range of activities both in water and on land. In Sydney’s Sutherland Shire, best friends Bernice Keane and Wendi Murray (below, left) take part in the Walk & Talk program. Below: Cronulla Silver Salty Nicole Cecil.

Wendi, a wedding and funeral celebrant, is no stranger to volunteering after she and Doug worked at the Sydney Olympics in 2000. “What is life if you can’t give back? The Salties rely heavily on people like us to step up and take the reins,” the grandmother RI ˋYH VD\V Wendi and Bernice both agree that “the talk and chatter is as important as the walk”. “These are the most amazing senior citizens from around the Shire,” Wendi says, “and we talk mostly about our families. Every one of us is interested in each other’s stories. This program saved me at a very low point in my life. No matter how bad your day, the Salties will bring a smile to your face, and make the not so good go away.” Thousands of kilometres from the Sutherland Shire, in the sleepy beachside community of Binningup in :$ LV ZKHUH \RX ZLOO ˋQG \HDU ROG Betty Millward. A retired sheep and cattle farmer, this inspiring soul is the 6LOYHU 6DOWLHVȢ XQRIˋFLDO PDWULDUFK

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Born in the mining town of Kalgoorlie, she spent most of her life on New Zealand’s North Island with her late husband, Ian. It was always a childhood dream for the grandmother of six to one day live near the coast and swim in the sea. “We worked hard raising our children and running the property, which was 60 miles from the coast. I’ve had the most splendid life, surrounded by wonderful gardens, and as a family, we always had a swimming pool. But it’s not like the waves and the ocean,” she tells The Weekly from the shores of her local beach. “When I lost Ian and moved back to WA, and eventually to Binningup, I knew this was a special place. I heard

about the Salties and signed up last year. It’s something we can do rain, hail or shine. With the support of our wonderful program leader Julie [Doyle], I haven’t had this much fun in years,” she says. Ȥ, WROG WKH IDPLO\ ,ȢG EHHQ VXUˋQJ on a boogie board with one of the other ladies, the pair of us landing on the beach like a couple of whales. I don’t think the kids were surprised – I’ve always given everything in life a good old go.” And with that, Betty, Australia’s oldest Silver Salty, is heading off into the waves. Back in the ocean in her happy place, breathing in the sea air, there’s no doubt she has inspired an entire generation, proving age really is just a number. AWW For more information, visit sls.com.au/ silver-salties

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“I haven’t had this much fun in years!”

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Interview

FOOD or SEX? WO R D S b y P O L LY V E R N O N

Actor Stanley Tucci’s lockdown videos and Emmy-winning food show turned him into a hot, midlife crush. Now he’s written a memoir about cooking, love and loss.

tanley Tucci walks into the members' section of the Olympic Cinema Club in Barnes, south London, chic, bespectacled and quietly, compactly sexy; 61 years old, with the bearing of a man classically trained in ballet (which he isn't). The room perks up around him. He's just that sort of a bloke, imbued with a low-key charisma, an easy, gentle charm. “Where shall we go? Shall we go here?” he asks, wafting me towards the nicest armchairs ranged round the nicest table, bathed in a sunlight I could have sworn wasn’t there before he arrived. “I’m so excited to meet you,” he says. I actually believe him. I unleash my Dictaphone. “What do you want to know?” Stanley asks. I want to know why you're not fat, I say. He laughs, uproariously. Mine is not as outrageous a question as it might at first seem. Stanley Tucci – star of stage, screen and little screen, of blockbusters (The Devil Wears Prada, The Hunger Games, The Lovely Bones and Captain America), HBO spectaculars (Winchell, Fortitude) and his own cooking/travel show (Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy); Stanley the writer, screenwriter, internet cocktail-making viral sensation, multiple Emmy winner, best friend of Colin Firth – has just written a book, a memoir, structured around a lifelong love affair with food. And dear God! This man can, and has, and continues to eat!

“That’s the cruellest quest 44

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ion I’ve ever been asked!”

Interview Stanley was born in 1960 in New York state, raised by Joan and Stanley Tucci Sr, first generation Italian immigrant parents – and his was a childhood of nothing if not food; incredible, plentiful, delicious food. Imaginative, creative meals, provided in spite of limited financial resources. “Food, its preparation, serving and ingesting, was the primary activity and main topic of conversation in my household, growing up,” Stanley writes in the opening chapter of his new book, Taste: My Life Through Food, adding that his mother’s greatest threat to him and his younger sisters, Christina and Gina, was, “Why don’t you go next door and see what the neighbours are having?”, a bleak prospect because the neighbours never ate as well as the Tuccis did. As far as young Stanley could see, no-one did. This love affair with food would only grow as Stanley did: as he learnt to cook (“I’m an okay cook.” You’re better than that; I’ve read your book – Taste is punctuated with recipes and tips and the evidence of a true understanding of, an essential ease with, cooking. With whom are you comparing yourself when you say you’re merely okay? Your mother? “Always!”); as his acting career took him further afield (at a certain point, Stanley starts selecting jobs according to the culinary opportunities offered by filming locations); and as lockdown closed in on him and his second wife, literary agent Felicity Blunt, and his five children (the eldest of whom is 21, the youngest three) and he found himself low on acting work but sky-high on domestic duties. So much food! There have been: suckling pigs; seafood extravaganzas; a traditional French sausage shared on location in northern France with Meryl Streep and which, they both concluded, looked, and indeed tasted, like “horse’s c*ck”; twice-baked bread; rabbit, which Stanley had to catch before eating; the endless pursuit of the perfect ragu. And that is not the half of it. Not even the third. Stanley Tucci has cooked and eaten and eaten and cooked his way through life and death, jobs and continents, celebrations and pandemics.

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Given which, “How are you not fat?” is – I think – a fair question. “Seriously, I know, I should be. I’m blessed with a fast metabolism. I exercise, six or seven times a week. I’ve been doing it since I was 18. I never stop. I just came from our trainer, just now. So I was always thin, but after I went through cancer treatment, three years ago, I lost 13kgs because I couldn’t eat.” In 2017, doctors discovered a huge tumorous cancer at the base of Stanley’s tongue, for which he was successfully treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Given your passion for food, I tell Stanley, I imagine not being able to eat through treatment for an awful disease – a version of which killed Stanley’s first wife, Kate, in 2009 – was the ultimate insult added to a very cruel injury. “It was horrible. As I wrote the book, I realised food and everything that went with it, shopping for it, cooking it, eating it, sharing it, all those things, were such an enormous part of me. I mean, they are me, more than just about anything.” This, I suppose, answers my second question: in using this structural device, in sprinkling the pages of his memoir with recipes and restaurant reviews, might Stanley perhaps be using food as a way to dodge true intimacy, a thing behind which he can hide? “In fact,” Stanley says, “it’s the opposite.” And anyway, if food is the excuse Stanley needed to write an autobiography, the prompt, a way for him to overcome his initial instinct of, “Who cares [about my life]? Really?”, then, fine. It’s rather lovely to get the backstory on this particular man, whose star has ascended, discreetly but definitely, over the past four decades; since he studied acting at the State University of New York in the late ’70s, scored a modelling gig in an early ’80s Levi’s ad (Google it),

then graduated to playing murderous rapists and long-suffering fashion directors, diabolical post-apocalyptic game show hosts and beleaguered restaurateurs, and really anyone, anything but “the sexy roles. I was always the guy who was evil or gay or funny or nice; the dad or the whatever. Never the leading man, never the sexy guy,” he says (not without regret). If there’s something about Stanley Tucci that inspires instinctive warmth in us, fills us with the certainty that he’s one of Hollywood’s good eggs, a man of integrity and substance, which is presumably why he never gets trolled on social media (Never? “No.” I get trolled all the time, I tell him. “You do? What do they say?” Mean things. “Really?” People never say mean things to you? “Not really, no”), Taste spells it out for us. It’s a supremely gentle book, one that nevertheless embraces death,

Above: Stanley with first wife Kate, who passed away from cancer in 2009. Left: Stanley met Felicity Blunt at her sister Emily’s wedding, and the pair married in 2012 after bonding over their shared love of food.

“Food was the primary activity in my household.” widowhood, his single parenthood to three young children grieving their mother, and that second great love, for Felicity Blunt – whom he met on the Amalfi coast at the wedding of her sister, his Devil Wears Prada co-star Emily Blunt, to the actor John Krasinski – to whom he was instantly attracted, because the first time he saw Felicity, she was eating enormous quantities of food.“It was astounding really. I thought she had some sort of disease,” he said

in an earlier interview. Now he tells me, “She was so charming, funny, hungry.” So that was that? Love at first canapé? “Oh, I was reticent. I wasn’t sure I was ready to have a relationship.” Stanley met Felicity in 2010, a little over a year after Kate had died. “She was also younger than me – still is; it’s amazing how it works. I keep hoping she’s going to catch up.” He’d never intended to be with a younger woman, he says, and has always been a bit

uncomfortable about it. The day Stanley and I meet is, in fact, Felicity’s 40th birthday. “She goes, ‘You’re so happy I’m 40’.” Directly after that wedding, work took Stanley – who still lived in New York at that point – to London, where he and Felicity quite naturally started “eating together”. On one early date, to the Michelin-starred The Ledbury in west London, chef Brett Graham took Stanley and Felicity on a tour of his kitchen and presented them with two unplucked pheasants. The following morning, they’d plucked the birds together in front of Stanley’s “new favourite show, Saturday Kitchen”. Ever since, Stanley writes, he and Felicity have made a habit of ordering pheasant whenever they encounter it on a menu: “A lovely reminder of when we first plucked.” And what did Emily Blunt make of all this? “Of course, it’s weird – we were really good friends, and all of a sudden I was dating her sister. She had an inkling it was happening.” So you kept your relationship quiet at first? “Yeah. [But it came out when] I was doing Captain America [in London]. We all went out, with [Captain America co-stars] Hayley Atwell and Chris Evans, to Ronnie Scott’s [Jazz Club], then we went on, I don’t know where, it was really fun. That night was so long! We ended up playing running charades in? Which hotel was I staying in? Charlotte Street?” What’s running charades? “It was Chris Evans who loves to play it; he was organising the whole thing. You have a group and you whisper to each other, you don’t write stuff down. No, no: here’s what it is? It’s one guy, who? Ah! I’m trying to remember. I can’t remember. But that night, I told Emily. We’re at Ronnie Scott's and I said to her, ‘Your sister and I have started seeing each other’. Felicity turned around. ‘Did you just tell her?’ I go, ‘Yeah’. She goes, ‘Well, I was going to tell her! She’s my sister!’ ‘I know, but she was my friend first,’ I said.” And so on. Taste reads like meeting Stanley in a members’ club in Barnes feels: evidence that people aren’t all awful, and life – even now, is still sweet. The Australian Women’s Weekly

One of the most striking things about the book is how completely, and sort RI FRQFXUUHQWO\ .DWH 6WDQOH\ȢV ˋUVW wife, is interwoven into Stanley’s narrative. (The same is true for Searching for Italy, Stanley’s airy dream of a cooking and travel show, which won an Emmy for outstanding hosted QRQ ˋFWLRQ VHULHV RU VSHFLDO DQG LV QRZ in production for a second series.) Kate died in 2009, 14 years after she and Stanley married, of a cancer doctors RQO\ LGHQWLˋHG ZKHQ LW UHDFKHG stage four and had metastasised. Stanley’s grief was only tempered by the knowledge that his and Kate’s three children – twins Isabel and Nicolo, and daughter Camilla – were suffering more than he; it’s a grief that inevitably endures for all of them. Kate’s name is invoked over and over in Taste: she’s raised easily and lightly and without any of the sparse, ponderous reverence more usually reserved for loved people who’ve died, whose memories are only taken down from the shelf and dusted off on rare, special, faintly awkward occasions. “I can’t deny it,” Stanley says, after hesitating for the briefest moment. “She’s just there all the time. It’s confusing, death, because there’s a part of your brain which still thinks that person is alive; it won’t let it go. So you have these thoughts that make literally no sense. Like, ‘Oh, I can’t wait to tell Kate about the thing that Felicity showed me’. It doesn’t make any sense. But these [two women], people you love so much, you feel, they’re just supposed to know each other. Or it’s, ‘Oh, I’ll have to tell Kate about what Matteo [Stanley and Felicity’s six-year-old] did’. Or sometimes you think, ‘Well, Emilia [Stanley’s threeyear-old with Felicity] looks just like Kate’. Then you think, ‘How could she look like Kate?’ It could be me being

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Clockwise from above: Stanley and Felicity ﬁlming Searching for Italy; cooking with actress Blake Lively; on the set of Julie & Julia alongside Meryl Streep as Julia Child – Stanley played Julia’s husband Paul; with good friend Colin Firth.

completely insane, but I have heard that other people have experienced this too. I still have dreams about Kate, all the time. She’s never nice to me in the dream.” No? “No. Terrible.” Why would she be? “I have no idea. She’s just very dismissive of me, and I’m always so happy to see her.” Stanley and Felicity live in Barnes with Isabel and Nicolo (21), Camilla (19), Matteo (six) and Emilia (three). That’s quite an age range you’ve got going on. Was that the intention?

“No. Well, I suppose it was. It wasn’t like I didn’t know what I was doing. But?” He pauses. “I never thought I was going to have kids again after Kate died, but then I met Felicity, and she really wanted to have kids. We got to a point where I was like, ‘You know what? I don’t really want to have kids; I think you need to be with somebody who wants to have kids’.” You split up? “For, like, a minute. Then I was like, ‘This is stupid. I couldn’t eat with anybody else’.” Ultimately, he’s glad he did have more children. “Oh my God, they’re amazing. Now there are times on a Saturday morning or Sunday morning where I go, ‘How did that happen?’ I go, ‘Well, do you have to poop?’ And I’m just talking to Felicity! Ha! No. You’re like, I don’t want to ask the question, ‘Do you have to poop?’ ever again; I want to go sit down and read a book. But pretty soon they’ll be

ROBERT WILSON/THE TIMES MAGAZINE/NEWS LICENSING. ALAMY. GETTY IMAGES. INSTAGRAM. CNN.

Interview able to poop on their own, and that’ll be great.” Has his approach to fatherhood changed? “I’m tired. I mean, I’m old. There are certain things, like when we go to a playground: ‘You be the monster, Dad,’ and you go, ‘My knees can’t be a monster’.” Does ageing bother him? “It’s not fun. I hate it. I’m very vain.” Are you? “Yes.” Well then: great news. I remind Stanley that, at some point during lockdown one, he was reinvented as a viral internet sensation, a sex icon for the COVID age. “Oh, that’s true,” he says. It happened by accident, as all the best viral internet sensations do: Stanley, who’d just signed his book deal, was convinced by Felicity (“My book agent, so she gets the commission, ha,”) to film a cocktail instruction video for her colleagues at the Curtis Brown literary agency. The video was so well received that Felicity suggested Stanley post the clip (in which Stanley, suave in a now widely fetishised tight black polo shirt, black jeans and dark-rimmed glasses, a look one might call “off-season Amalfi”, calmly guides viewers through the mixing of a negroni) on his personal Instagram feed, at which point the internet lost its mind. “The negroni shall henceforth be known as the QuaranTucci,” pronounced one blog post, while everyone else grew quite breathless with rabid lust. “Why is Stanley Tucci making the negroni so hot?” asked a headline. The straight male journalist who “decided to investigate” went on to declare himself “Tucci-sexual”; while “everybody – literally every single adult human in the world – would f*** Stanley Tucci and if they say otherwise they’re lying” tweeted author Jenna Guillaume. So that’s nice, I say. He glows. “If you were to read some of the comments?” I have! “It’s staggering. I was crying, I was laughing so hard.” Oh, come on, you must love it. “Are you kidding? I’m 60! I was really flattered. I was like, ‘Well, what took you so long?’” After food, after family, the other defining passion of Stanley Tucci’s life appears to be the British actor, Colin

Firth, whom Stanley first met 20 years ago when the two filmed 2001’s Conspiracy together. Was that love at first sight? “It was, in a way. He’s such a lovely man.” Colin lives near Stanley in south London, although lockdown came between them, and now that restrictions have lifted, “He’s gone.” Where? “America.” How selfish! “Yes. I really miss him. We have such a good time together. He’s a good friend. A really, really good friend. When I was sick, he was in New York and he came to visit me in the hospital. We happened to be on the same flight coming home, Livia [Colin’s extremely amicably divorced wife] and Colin, me, Fi and the kids; and Livia gave up her business-class seat for me because I couldn’t sit up straight, I had to lie down. And he would take me to the hospital for check-ups. I still had to get hydration,

You’d hesitate before accepting another gay part? “I might, yeah. But it depends. It’s funny, there was a producer, many years ago, and I said, ‘I don’t know if I want to play another gay character right now’. And he goes, ‘Oh, come on. How many heterosexual characters do you play?’ And he was absolutely right.” Our time is nearly up, so we return to the subject of food because, I suspect, with Stanley this is the natural way. He tells me his favourite cooking utensil is “tongs”, that he rarely sends food back, not even the horse c*ck of Meryl Streep fame. Stanley doesn’t think much of veganism. “No. Oh, I’m not supposed to say that. But why am I not supposed to say that? I think, particularly after not being able to eat solid food for six months, and then struggling to introduce it back into my diet, taste it and swallow it,

“After not being able to eat

solid food for six months ... I want to eat everything.” because I was so ill. He would come and visit me, talk to me.” As far as I can see, the closest Stanley has ever come to any kind of pushback was earlier this year, when he and Colin starred together in writer-director Harry Macqueen’s Supernova, playing lovers on a last road trip following Stanley’s character’s dementia diagnosis. While the creative merit of the film, and Stanley and Colin’s performances were lauded, questions were raised regarding the wisdom of casting straight actors in gay roles. Both men had played gay characters in the past, and Stanley tells me, “We are both of the belief that as an actor, it’s your obligation to alter yourself – that’s your job. And we did it respectfully. You’re not sending anybody up; you’re not being mean or silly. Whether that can continue to happen, I don’t really know.”

and all that stuff, I want to eat everything. I literally want to eat a cow while it’s alive.” I’ve saved my toughest question for last. For the rest of your life, Stanley Tucci, you must choose: food or sex? Stanley stalls, his mouth works, yet no sound comes out. Eventually, “That is cruel! That’s the cruellest question I’ve ever been asked!” I shrug. That’s as might be, but it’s the question, and I’ve asked it. He takes off his glasses and cleans them. He squints; he thinks. I can almost see his brain whirl between the options, internal bargaining in action. “But? If? I? But? What about? If??” One or the other. “Could I be eating while I’m having sex?” No. “Then I literally cannot answer this question. I cannot. That means that I’m a very hungry, horny person.” That will do, Stanley, I say. That will do. AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

TTo the rescue

our high-flying first responders WO R D S b y G E N E V E V

GAN NON

P H O T O G R A P Y b y A L A N A L A N D S B E R RY

When someone’s in trouble in Australia’s rugged wilderness or wild oceans, first responders put their own lives on the line to get there. The Weekly salutes our rescue chopper crews. ften, the most dangerous moment in a drowning rescue is when the valiant UHG DQG \HOORZ FKRSSHU DSSHDUV RQ WKH KRUL]RQ DQG WKH WHUULˋHG SHUVRQ LW LV UDFLQJ WRZDUGV WKLQNV WKH\ FDQ VWRS ˋJKWLQJ 7KHLU IHHW KDYH EHHQ WKUDVKLQJ LQ WKH RFHDQ IRU IDU WRR ORQJ 7KH\ DUH QXPE IURP WKH FROG 7KHLU OXQJV DFKH DQG WKH\ KDYH QRWKLQJ OHIW LQ WKH WDQN 5HVFXH DLUFUDIW RIˋFHU *HRII -DQVHQ says you can literally see their urgency drain away when they know help is QHDU Ȥ<RX VHH WKHP JHWWLQJ SXPPHOOHG DURXQG WKHLU DGUHQDOLQ LV VR KLJK WKHQ \RX JHW WKHUH DQG DOO RI D VXGGHQ WKH\ UHOD[ 7KDWȢV ZKHQ \RX VWDUW WR VHH WKDW LQLWLDO Ȫȥ KH PLPHV VRPHRQH VLQNLQJ EHORZ WKH VXUIDFH Ȥ7KH\ȢUH MXVW IDWLJXHG DEVROXWHO\ IDWLJXHG DQG DOO RI D VXGGHQ \RXȢYH JRW WR JHW LQWR WKH ZDWHU VWUDLJKW DZD\ ȥ

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To the rescue But he’s never lost a soul that way. The rescue choppers’ three-person crews are finely calibrated teams trained to be their best in critical situations. While Geoff works the winch, rescue crew officer Nick Pavlakis is lowered into the freezing ocean where he puts his capable arms around the shivering, submerged human and tells them everything is going to be okay. Pilot Andrew Chapman holds the chopper steady while they work. Geoff can see the relief and gratitude in the faces of the people who’ve just been saved. They break into a smile. Sometimes tears. “They’re flooded with all different emotions,” he says. It can be overwhelming. One moment, all hope was lost, and the next, a team of smiling heroes has shown up, confident and strong. Nick slips the “snatch strap” under the arms of the rescuee and soon the two of them are being lifted out of the waves, towards the safety of the chopper. It’s a high stakes game. But this is what they’re trained for, and they’re world class. Since it started in 1973, the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service (WLRHS) has saved more than 24,000 Australian lives. “It’s the oldest civilian rescue service in the world,” says Shane Daw, General Manager of the service’s Southern Region. “It was out of Maroubra that the first service really kicked off. There were a lot of drowning deaths happening at the time and they were saying, how can we be more effective to get out there in the surf?” Surf Lifesaving searched the world for ways to reduce drownings. The UK coast guard was using helicopters and the all-volunteer crew at Maroubra, in Sydney’s south, realised a chopper could help them reach swimmers and surfers out past the big surf. They got some money from Westpac for a chopper that they used to drop lifesavers in budgie smugglers into the surf. Eighty thousand missions later, the idea that grew out of a community’s determination to save as many lives as possible has wrapped its arms right around Australia. The service has 15 choppers and one boat operating out

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of 13 bases. A three-person crew can complete as many as 12 rescues a day flying at speeds of up to 300 km/h. Missions range from disoriented bushwalkers to capsized boats. They turn up to national emergencies. Some choppers do urgent hospital transfers. There are giddy triumphs, and devastating lows. Often, they don’t know what they’re flying into. On his very first day, Nick Pavlakis was part of the team responding to a cryptic call about an empty vessel drifting out to sea. It was a 40ft yacht sighted off the coast near Bundeena, so the crew leapt into the chopper and took off. “We didn’t really know what to make of it, so we started heading there,” he says. They arrived within five minutes, by which time the waves had turned the boat around, and it had smashed into the headland. As far as they knew there was no one on board, but they couldn’t be sure. NSW Police, Fire and Marine Rescue had also responded to the call but none of them could get close enough to the boat. It was a critical situation. “We had to do a risk assessment because the boat was up on the rocks getting smashed by the waves,” Nick says. They hovered overhead, trying to gauge whether it was safe to go down. Every second was vital. The nose of the yacht was wedged under a rock and if Nick was dropped onto the boat, his weight could dislodge it.

Above: The first rescue chopper was used to take lifesavers out past the big surf. Right: A three-man crew from 1980. Previous page: Rescue officer Nick Pavlakis in action.

Pilot Andrew Chapman, aircraft officer Geoff Jansen and rescue officer Nick Pavlakis keep our seas safe as part of the Westpac Lifesaver Rescue Helicopter Service.

“The tricky part was that the helicopter was moving and the boat was moving, and everything was out of sync,” he says. They decided to send him into the unknown, and soon he was searching the yacht for signs of life. What he found was chaos. “I peeked into the cabin and all the furniture, the tables, cabinets, everything, was just absolutely buried from the impact when it hit the cliff-line,” he says. But the engine was running and keys were in the ignition, so he knew he had to search for survivors. “I was thinking, someone had to have been here. Did they jump? A thousand things were going through my head.” He tried to get into the cabin, but his path was blocked by the furniture that had been thrown into disarray. Then he noticed a clue: a smear of blood on an upturned table. “Then I saw him. On the floor was a gentleman.” He was unconscious, and

pinned under furniture, but he still had some colour, so Nick began furiously pulling the obstructions out of the way. The man was in a wetsuit, which made things harder. “I dragged him out, harnessed him up, put it under the legs and got a clear winch to winch him up. We continued CPR on board. We did a handover with doctors and paramedics.” Sadly, the man died in hospital a few days later. The team did everything they could, but the reality of life in a rescue crew is that happy endings are sometimes out of reach. They still give everything they have to every mission. When it pays off, it is incredible. Andrew tells the story of four fishermen who had become trapped between two rocks as the tide rushed in, cutting them off from the mainland. “They were all jammed down between these rocks and the surf’s just washing over the top of them.

It was night. There was a 30-knot crosswind. We brought up two individually. By the time the rescue crew went down for the third guy, they were just about awash and in danger of being washed away.” They pulled the last two out together and flew them over the rising tide. “It was a great achievement to save their lives,” Andrew says, modest, but smiling. Another time, he was sent to track an Emergency Locator Transmitter (ELT) that was pinging off the coast at Long Reef, on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. The instructions were to “find out if it’s for real”. Several times a year, rescue choppers are sent to track down ELTs that have been disposed of incorrectly or set off as a prank. That’s what Andrew thought this call-out was when he leapt into his pilot’s seat. He was travelling east when he spotted a container ship, so he started tracking it, but as he drew nearer, his cockpit instruments started telling him he’d passed the ELT. “We came around and did another pass,” he says. Still nothing. “We descended to 500 feet and turned on the night sun, which is a light that can literally light up a valley. Lo and behold, there’s an overturned boat with three people on it, clinging to the hull.” The choppers can’t winch at night, so they stayed above the boat until the water police arrived. All three were pulled aboard, overjoyed. “They were pretty happy,” Andrew says, adding that saving one person makes all the dark and difficult missions worthwhile. The choppers’ crews have accomplished breathtaking rescues, winching people from tough spots and The Australian Women’s Weekly

To the rescue

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Pilot Andrew Chapman flew his first rescue mission 23 years ago. Below: Geoff Jansen demonstrates some of the safety equipment on board the rescue chopper.

process was arduous. She was in hospital for six weeks and it wasn’t until she returned home that the full weight of her narrow escape finally dawned on her. “That’s when I actually broke,” says Rosalynd. “I just cried and cried. There were so many tears, happy and sad. Now, I celebrate every single day.” Part of that celebration involves raising money for the rescue service. When she was well enough, Rosalynd went to the base to meet the crew that had saved her life. Among them was Glen Ramplin. She says meeting her saviours face-to-face was healing. “It was overwhelming. Glen showed me the entry from my rescue. I linked my arm in his. He was so lovely.” They still communicate to this day, and Rosalynd has begun making angels that she sells to raise money to support the Rescue Chopper service. She’s amazed how many people who she meets through her fundraising efforts are also part of the rescue club. “There’s a gentleman who makes the boxes [for her angels]. He’s a recipient. He’s had three heart operations. The helicopter is part of his story. Then there’s a young man in the Westpac

branch here. I told him my story, and he’s been rescued by the helicopter too. “The helicopter flies directly over us here, and I always wave at them. I know they’re on a mission. I know they’re out there to transport someone – they’re part of someone’s survival – and it makes me very, very thankful.” For their part, Andrew, Geoff and Nick love it when people they’ve helped come by the Sydney base to say hello, but none of the heroes in the nationwide service do it for the recognition. Photos of their rescues show how meaningful the work is to them. It captures their compassion, as crew members lay a protective hand on a shaking shoulder. It shows the warmth of a hug when someone is safely inside the chopper. “You’re trying to provide the support that you can,” says Shane. “There’s a lot of tragedy as well. I’ve been involved in a lot of fatalities, as have all the crew, but the thing is, if we weren’t there, how many other lives would be lost? We’ll do whatever it takes.” AWW

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALANA LANDSBERRY. OTHER PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

swooping in to save the lives of swimmers swept out to sea. But the service has evolved to do so much more. Rosalynd O’Shannassy, 70, is emotional as she talks about the day she joined what she calls “the rescue club”. A day that was pre-empted a year earlier. In 2013, Rosalynd was at lunch with a group of ladies called the Red Hatters when they made a spontaneous decision to take up a collection for the Rescue Helicopter Service. They presented the cheque to the local chopper station, in Broadmeadow, Newcastle, where they met crew member Glen Ramplin. Glen was something of a local hero for helping save 22 lives when a coal carrier ran aground off Newcastle in 2007. He’d worked under perilous conditions including, famously, getting an electric shock every time he touched the carrier’s deck. Rosalynd was thrilled to meet the crew. “I love helicopters,” she says. “There was an ambition many, many years ago to be a helicopter pilot.” Little did she know what a critical role they were about to play in her life. A year later, in October 2014, she was awake, pottering around the house at 3.30 in the morning, when unbearable pains started shooting through her back, neck and head. Her husband, Tony, called triple-zero, and an ambulance arrived on the scene. Then everything went black. “I was unconscious from the time the ambos came. I woke up in the helicopter and I saw the bloke putting a mask on my face, and dragging me in. I saw the blades going around. That’s all I remember about the helicopter.” “I next woke up in ICU [in Sydney]. The neurosurgeon said, ‘You’re lucky to be alive. You’ve got a second life’.” Rosalynd had suffered a brain bleed which, she later realised, has a survival rate of only 30 per cent. Her recovery

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HAIR AND MAKE-UP BY ALLISON BOYLE.

The Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley AC DSC (Retd), dotes on his grandchildren, including two-year-old Charlie.

Family

Their Excellencies David and Linda Hurley were heartbroken they couldn’t see their grandchildren for much of 2021. But when the lockdowns finally ended, they invited The Weekly along to a very happy family reunion. WO R DS b y SA M A N T A T R E N OW E T H PH OTO GR A PH Y b y A L A NA L A N D S B E R RY S T Y L N G b y M AT T I E CRO NA N

The spirit of Australia

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“When we do have time with our grandchildren, it’s very special.” – Linda Hurley

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The

Governor-General of Australia lifts two-year-old Charlie onto a chair so he can survey the many platters of cakes and biscuits laid out for afternoon tea on the dining table at Admiralty House. “Which are you going to choose?” the doting grandpa asks young Charlie, who hesitates, his eyes as wide as saucers. But then he grins and begins the painstaking task of choosing the best one. First he nibbles a lamington. Perhaps not; he passes the uneaten portion to grandpa, who finishes it off. A shortbread? A chocolate slice? Something that looks delicious with jam in the middle? Before long the Governor-General and Charlie have polished off at least half a dozen biscuits and are both looking pretty pleased with themselves. It brings to mind one of the Hurley family’s favourite children’s books, Possum Magic. If only there was a vegemite sandwich. “I love Charlie. He’s such a character,” the proud grandfather tells The Weekly later that afternoon as we sit in his harbourside study, reflecting on an extraordinary year. “At the moment, I just enjoy watching him wander, to see what’s interesting in his life.” There’s reconstruction work underway at Admiralty House, down by the Sydney waterfront. “He sat down the other day and watched that digger for half an hour, and he talked about it. We didn’t see Charlie for four months during the lockdown and in that time, he developed a vocabulary.” Charlie’s new conversational skill wasn’t the only major development in the Hurley family while its members were separated by the pandemic. While the senior Hurleys were confined to Canberra, their first granddaughter, Sabrina, was born to their middle child Marcus and his wife Rosanna in Sydney last August. “It was a real joy,” says the Governor-General, even though there were no baby hugs, and for the first

Family three months of her life, he only met Sabrina on Zoom. Mrs Hurley is quick to add that her husband is used to missing the births of his grandchildren. When their eldest daughter, Caitlin, gave birth to Charlie, the GovernorGeneral was in hospital with an injury he’d sustained while sanding back an old family bassinette for them. Was Mrs Hurley left wondering which hospital to visit? “Not at all,” her husband chuckles. “I know where I stand in the pecking order.” But this time both grandparents were absent and while Mrs Hurley understands that many people lived through tougher challenges during COVID, she found the separation from her children and new grandchildren difficult. Family is all-important to the Hurleys and, she admits, “I struggle a bit [with the idea] that perhaps I’m not a very good grandma because we’re not available. A lot of our friends can babysit or they have the grandchildren every Thursday and take them to the park. We can’t do that. “When we do have time with them, it’s very special. When they come down to Canberra and we have leave, then we can just sit on the floor and play. And Caitlin really wants Charlie to know us. She comes over whenever we’re in Sydney. But I do feel I’m missing out on being the grandma that perhaps I could be ... I guess our time will come.” When they were raising their own children – Caitlin (now 37), Marcus (35) and Amelia (31) – Mrs Hurley left her job as a teacher and for 15 years she was a full-time mum. The GovernorGeneral, then an army officer, was absent for long stints and the family moved often, across the UK, Germany, Malaysia, the United States and all over Australia. Yarralumla (Government House) and Admiralty House are their 28th and 29th homes in 44 years. But they don’t regret a minute of it. “The children haven’t always been angels,” Mrs Hurley begins. “But they’ve all grown up to be beautiful people,” her husband adds. “So in that sense, I wouldn’t change anything.”

These days, the Hurleys’ public roles require that they take the much wider Australian community into their care. And since the Governor-General came to office almost three years ago, that has involved spending time with those whose lives have been rocked by one disaster after another – fires, floods, a pandemic – while still bearing up to the everyday struggles of life. The Governor-General is endlessly surprised by people’s courage, and their willingness to share their stories. “They just open up, out of the blue sometimes,” he says. “I think it’s because of their trust in and their respect for the office of GovernorGeneral. They’ll tell you things that they wouldn’t tell anyone else, sometimes quite unexpectedly.” “I’ve met people who I will never, ever forget,” adds Mrs Hurley, who worked for a time as a pastoral carer in hospitals and hospices, and is a sympathetic listener. “There was one lady in particular – I would give anything to track her down and find out how she’s going. That was after the fires. We were in a big relief centre in Bairnsdale, in Gippsland, and I saw this lady who looked quite content, sitting quietly, crocheting. I thought, I won’t interrupt her, but she looked up and smiled at me. Thirty minutes later, she’d told me her life story, her history, and it had a lot of tragedy in it. She was looking after two grandchildren. Those boys were in her care when the fire came. Now she’d lost her home. There are so many stories and I write them down – I keep a diary – but I often think of that woman particularly.” The Hurleys have been moved to tears by some of the tragedy they’ve witnessed. “We went to Conjola Park,” the Governor-General explains. The town is perched on a steep hill overlooking a deep, blue lake on the NSW south coast. “We met a lady in the street who could stand there and point 200 metres away and say, ‘My husband died fighting the bushfire just there.’ “We went to Kangaroo Island and stood in a bus shelter in the middle of The Australian Women’s Weekly

Family nowhere talking to six ladies who had just lost their houses yesterday, and their husbands couldn’t come because they were out shooting stock and burying dead sheep. It was very confronting, but you’ve got to be there for them, and then you’ve got to follow up ... “You meet people who are just on their knees. They’re on their knees but they’re not out. They know there’s a positive future out there somewhere and we have to help them get there ...” In part, perhaps, people feel they can be open with the Hurleys because they are official, but not party political. They don’t have a barrow to push. “And we don’t have a bag of money,” Mrs Hurley points out. “Though sometimes I wish we did,” her husband adds. “Privilege is a word that is probably overused but we do feel privileged to be invited into so many people’s lives and experiences. We try to make sense of all this, and of what this office, this job, can offer in return. “One thing we can do is offer reassurance that the country hasn’t forgotten these communities. Also, I make notes and when we leave, I’ll write or talk to ministers or to Shane [Fitzsimmons] at Resilience NSW, and I’ll say, ‘We saw this or heard this and it didn’t seem right.’ Or ‘You’re probably aware of this but just in case you’re not ...’ Then it’s up to them to respond, but people are very receptive.” Visiting and revisiting these communities is a project that he says will occupy him throughout his term as Governor-General. Another is the reinvigoration of the Order of Australia, which he believes does not adequately represent the vibrance and diversity of contemporary Australia. The representation of women among award recipients is particularly concerning. Between 1975 and 2019, women made up only 19 per cent of Companions of the Order (ACs), 21 per cent of Officers of the Order (AOs) and 24 per cent of Members of the Order (AMs). And since 1975, three-quarters of the members of the council that assesses public nominations have been men.

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The Governor-General is on a personal mission to correct that, and to increase Indigenous and multicultural representation, too. “We’ve been approaching businesses, peak bodies, state and federal governments, local members and councils about looking out in your community to see who should be acknowledged,” he says. He’s also updated the organisation’s data system. “So I can now write to peak bodies and say, ‘Here is your data for the past 25 years on women’s and men’s nominations. You’re not doing well.’” And it’s making a difference.“Numbers of women have increased significantly over the last number of lists,” he says, “and the next list, on Australia Day, will be another step up.” This concern for equity was also a hallmark of General Hurley’s time as Chief of the Defence Force, where he introduced systemic change to address sexual harassment and

inequality, and to remove barriers to women’s full participation in combat. He was overwhelmingly considered a fair-minded and compassionate leader – qualities which have also defined his appointments as NSW Governor and then Governor-General. After a life of military service, The Weekly asks, how has he been affected by recent allegations against Australian troops of war crimes in Afghanistan, and by the troubling rates of PTSD and suicide among those who served there? The Governor-General sits quietly for a moment to gather his thoughts. “Warfare is hard business,” he begins. “Sometimes people think Afghanistan was more like peacekeeping, but it wasn’t. It was war. That doesn’t excuse anything that may have happened. When you hear of things that may have occurred, it’s deeply distressing. This is not us. I’ve been a professional soldier for 40-odd years

“We do feel privileged to be invited into so many people’s lives.” – David Hurley

The Hurleys take a stroll with Charlie. Opposite page: With Rosanna and Sabrina (left) and Caitlin and Charlie (right).

and I know it’s not us. I just find it really distressing.” And when the pressure leads to so much distress that veterans suffer intolerably or take their own lives ... “If you expose human beings to that, you must anticipate change,” he insists. “People will be changed by operational military service. For many people, it’s to the good – they grow as human beings – but unfortunately, there will be a percentage who will suffer grievously from what they’ve experienced. It’s the history of warfare. It’s not a new thing. If you

put people in those situations, the human mind responds to it, but our job as a society is to help those people when we get them back.” Breaking into this sombre conversation, from across the corridor comes a wave of music. Caitlin and Charlie are playing the grand piano in the drawing room. The Hurleys are a musical family. Caitlin and Amelia both play piano beautifully, and Marcus and Rosanna are involved in musical theatre. Mrs Hurley is renowned for the Christmas carol singing (at which

she dresses as an elf) and the musicals she has produced for staff, family and friends both at Government House and Yarralumla. And she has introduced singing to almost every official event. “I often write a song about the organisation we’re meeting with, but if not, we sing You Are My Sunshine, or a song I wrote called The Sunshine Song. Singing changes the vibe in the room. I know, when we started this, there were some who were antisinging. And there are probably still some people who think, ‘This is ridiculous. Why are we doing this?’ But you don’t seem to notice that too much anymore.” Have there been stand-out singers? “The National Judges Conference were brilliant,” she says. “They broke into harmony. I’d been nervous about that one. I was thinking, maybe not. But it surprises you. Then, when they were wrapping up their conference several days later, a group who had been here got up and suggested they finish the conference with You Are My Sunshine, and they did. So you have preconceptions about what organisations or people are like, but you can be totally wrong.” Those surprises, the GovernorGeneral believes, are among the most rewarding aspects of the role. “It’s important,” he says, “because you don’t want the job to become automatic.” Another reward is having his faith in human nature, and in Australians, reaffirmed every time he and Mrs Hurley hit the road. “There is an extraordinary richness of spirit in Australia,” he says finally. “Yes, we’ve got big issues but we’ve got great people. During the pandemic, in western Sydney and in Melbourne, people were just going out of their way to help one another. All these little organisations springing up and getting together and recognising that there was a need. We do that really well. I don’t need a survey to tell me whether Australians are good or bad, I see it every day. I always say I’m an optimist about Australia.” AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Interview

No joking matter

Days ahead of a hesitant start to 2022, Julia Morris gives her thoughts on how to embrace an uncertain new year – and not get cancelled while doing it. WO R D S b T F A N Y D U N K

How are you feeling as we prepare to head into a new calendar year? I’m feeling … tentative. I’m excited to be out of lockdown after two years in Victoria but without wanting to sound negative, I don’t hold great expectations for 2022. That’s not to say that it won’t be great, but the last two years have taught me that my expectations and hopes don’t actually have anything to do with how a year unfolds. So, this will be the year I let lead me, rather

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than going full steam ahead with my agenda. Do you usually make resolutions on December 31? No, I’m not really a New Year’s resolutions person. Every year I say, “Right, more money, less work.” Only half of that wish came true in 2021 – and I’ll leave you to figure out the mystery of which half. But I’ve definitely improved year-on-year as a human being, so maybe that’s the best I can hope for.

Given you co-host I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! each January, we’re guessing the first month of the year is a busy one for you? Definitely! And it prepares me for the unknown because every day is a forever-changing landscape, whether we are in Australia or South Africa. It also prepares you for the year because it means any other job you take on is a complete pleasure because it won’t be nearly as hard. You have always been a bit of a

PHOTOGRAPH BY NICK WILSON.

grafter, though ... I mean, I’m in an industry that is notoriously disposable of women. It’s getting a lot more female-skewed these days but lasting has been its own challenge along with non-stop work. Every year at 70 per cent of the wage definitely takes its toll. Literally the last person standing with the least amount of bitterness wins. And I’m hanging in there, I’m clinging on for dear life now! They say a year in a Hollywood marriage is like 10 for regular couples. It must be the same for women in TV? I don’t make that analogy as often as I should, but at 53 I am genuinely happy to have a job. You’ve also got to embrace the ebbs and flows. I know my days of being a romantic lead might be over, my years of being a sexy television compere might be over. Or did they ever start? We’re sure Dr Chris Brown would have something to say about that … I mean, I’m not even kidding – he is still obsessed with me, eight years into working together. I don’t know what to do about it. I’ve just got to give him a little snuggle and say, “I’m not for you.” Really, he’s a complete sweetheart who embraces any different flavoured joke. And he’s always been such a wonderful and kind support. Finding the funny side of things has been more important than ever over the last two years. How do you keep laughing through tough times? There have been loads of moments where you just feel like crying. So, keeping the humour alive isn’t even necessarily a choice – it’s just trying to instinctively find where those funny moments are and hoping that those around you feel the same way. I am in a constant state of hypervigilance of being cancelled. Obviously, it’s great that we are now very openly calling out misogyny, racism, power imbalances and more. But with cancel culture now so prominent, does it make it hard to joke without fear? It makes me very nervous. I made a passing comment that Dr Chris is

obsessed with me. It’s a long-running joke between us as people assume it’s the other way around. But what ran through my mind even as the words formed was that gosh, in the past 12 months a lot of people have battled with obsessive partners. I’m not one of them, but is that joke appropriate now and is it time to move on? There’s so much soul-searching to make sure that the humour you are hitting on is correct. Then you have to doublecheck it. Then maybe send it to someone else to ask if you are alright. So how do you navigate that line? My type of humour is that I make fun of myself. So, I feel that if I had to stand up for myself in a cancel culture moment, at least I would be speaking from the absolute essence of my truth. There’s loads of stuff on the internet lately where I’ve thought, “Why?” Or “How did you not know?” What scares me is when my crossover moment

And it feels like the rules keep changing … It’s like sending out a tricky email where you have to go over it 900 times and then take the sting out and then take out the facts. It’s a forever-changing landscape. And yet I know these changes will be positive for my girls when they start work. Just as it was better for me when I started in this industry – there had already been women who had fought the hard fight to allow me to be as open as I was. So, would you say that leading with kindness is a rule of thumb? Both in humour and how we treat ourselves? Yes, 100 per cent. No one that I have ever crossed paths with is nearly as hard on me as I am on myself. I wouldn’t let anybody else treat me that way. So, I love that I let myself do it. What??!! Are you getting better at being kinder to yourself as time goes on?

“There’s so much soul-searching to make sure the humour you’re hitting on is correct. Then you have to double-check it.” comes, I’m not going to know. And it’s coming, I know it is, because that’s a generational thing. I’m going to have to be ready to let go. How old are your girls? My ladies are 13 and 15. And let me tell you, they know about cancel culture. They let me know within a four-second turnover if what I have said is no longer correct. So that definitely helps. Should we all just surround ourselves with teenagers? Unfortunately, there is no grey area in the teenage years. Whereas I feel like there has to be some grey area where intention can be fought for. I understand that it’s a lot easier and cleaner just to not say some things at all, but then I also think, where is the room for grown-up discussion that is not saying things just to be inflammatory?

There’s a tremendous expression which I will misquote which says, “In your 20s you are scared that everybody is talking about you and by the time you get to your 50s you realise that nobody was, they were only thinking about themselves.” And on that note, we’ll sign off. Thanks for your time, Julia. I just hope I’ve said the right thing. Obviously between now and when you go to print I’ll be doing poos in my pants about cancellation. Can you imagine? Actually, it might end up being my dream in the next year or so to actually be cancelled, just so I can have a little bit of a break … AWW For the next little while, Julia Morris will be hard at work – and hopefully not cancelled – hosting I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! from Monday January 3, 7.30pm on Ten. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Royalty

Meet Mako Komuro, the Japanese princess who created a storm of controversy when she sacrificed her ties to family, wealth and title to marry the man she loves.

Escapingthe Chrysanthemum cage WO R D S b y G E N E V E V E G A N N O N

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a cool autumn day, in a palace sequestered behind silver birches and surrounded by a large moat, Japan’s Princess Mako began preparing for her long-awaited wedding. Four lonely years had passed since she announced her engagement to her college sweetheart, Kei Komuro, and in that time the first flush of public jubilation had turned into criticism, bullying and scandal. The couple was separated for three whole years, and the marriage delayed time and again. But the beautiful young royal never wavered in her devotion to the man she loves, and after many nights of distress and longing, she was finally going to become his wife and relinquish her royal title. As she arranged her shiny black hair into a simple chignon, her face was set in an expression of determination. “To me he is irreplaceable,” she would tell the world. “Our marriage is a necessary step for us to be able to protect our hearts in a cherishing way. We, the two of us, will start our new life. I guess there will be different types of difficulties, but we want to live together by working together.” The “difficulties” she refers to include the savage public reaction to her romance, egged on by the tabloid press, a mouthpiece for the conservatives who guard the reputation of Japan’s monarchy. Commentators have likened the media storm to the controversy that engulfed Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. Mako’s beloved was deemed “unworthy” after the media published details of a financial dispute involving his mother, putting immense pressure on the bride. That Princess Mako stared down the criticism is a testament to her courage, her loyalty and her love for the young lawyer who stole her heart, says Japan correspondent Julian Ryall. “She would have come under a huge amount of pressure both from the imperial household and from her parents – her father in particular – who would be keen to avoid any whiff of scandal,” he says.

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“To me he is irreplaceable. Our marriage is a necessary step for us.” Imperial House Law decrees that any princess who weds a commoner must give up her title, and since there are no eligible men with royal blood, a married princess must leave royal life behind. Princess Mako has always known this, but she would not have expected the process to be so brutal. As a princess bride and the Emperor’s niece, she was entitled to certain royal trappings. But she sacrificed them to deny her critics further ammunition. When she and Kei married on October 26, her bridal outfit was not the silk and gold threaded jūnihitoe that royal brides traditionally wear, but a pale green knee-length dress and matching jacket, paired with white

shoes that can only be described as sensible. She left the Akasaka Palace complex alone, bowing politely to her parents. Her younger sister Kako broke protocol by embracing Mako in a hug. A modest brigade of citizens lined Tokyo’s streets with Japanese flags and posters of Mako’s pretty face, but her car didn’t pass them, and it is probably just as well. Angry red placards carried messages like: Do not pollute the imperial house, and Stop this cursed marriage! It wasn’t a parade. It was a protest. “Leading up to the wedding, conservatives were saying awful things,” says Julian. “One said ‘I hope she gets divorced and has to come back

Royalty Clockwise from left: Princess Mako (left) with father Prince Akishino, brother Prince Hisahito, mother Princess Kiko and sister Princess Kako in 2011; protestors line the streets; Princess Mako and Kei Komuro on their wedding day.

and spend her life as a shrine maiden’. The suggestion is she should be unhappy. She abandoned the family and has to be put back on the correct path.” That afternoon, Princess Mako and Kei filed their marriage documents in a staid registry office and then addressed the press in a hotel conference room that had all the romance of a bank lobby. She was reserved, but resolute. “I want to continue joining forces with Kei, and walking together side by side,” she said. “Our loyalty to each other is thanks to our devotion to one another and the presence of all those who supported us.”

GETTY IMAGES. ALAMY.

A gilded cage

It is possible that behind closed doors another member of the Royal Family may have been cheering Mako on in her dash to freedom. In all likelihood Empress Masako thinks her niece is better out of the imperial compound than in. Once a commoner herself, The Empress was ruinously attacked for trying to hang onto some of her

independence after she married into the family in 1993. As journalist Ben Hills put it in Princess Masako, Prisoner of the Chrysanthemum Throne, “What she will go through over the long years ahead will make Princess Diana’s ordeal look like a picnic.” In Japan, a royal marriage is as transformative as the kiss that turns the fairytale frog into a prince. A princess is made into a private citizen with the flick of a pen. A commoner can become an empress. Though this requires rather more than a pen stroke, including a ceremony in which two virgins rub her belly with rice bran to ensure fertility. When Masako Owada married her beau, the then Crown Prince Naruhito, he was the heir to the Chrysanthemum Throne, and had been having trouble securing a wife. At 33, he was the oldest unmarried prince in the dynasty’s history and because of his tightly controlled life, most likely a doutei (virgin). He had met Masako at a palace reception for Spain’s Infanta Elena, Duchess of Lugo, when he was 26 and instantly fallen in love, but it had taken him seven years to persuade her to marry him. The highly accomplished Empress Masako, married to Emperor Naruhito, has admitted to struggling with royal life.

By then he was suffering from regular nightmares that he would be Japan’s last emperor. When she finally did say yes, Masako’s statement was more one of resignation than excitement. “If I can be of support to you, I would like to humbly accept,” she said. His reply was similarly cautious. “I will do everything in my power to protect you.” Observers predicted the union would end in disaster. Masako was a rising star in the foreign ministry, with degrees from Harvard and Oxford and an impressive command of five languages, yet she was giving up her hard-earned success to be locked up in a palace and produce children. “Her every move will be monitored. Her every word will be scripted. Her only role in life will be to play the part of demure and deferential consort, her only task to produce a son and heir,” wrote Ben, likening her gilded prison to “a luxurious safari park, in which the royal couple is the pampered last breeding pair of an endangered species.” No sooner had the betrothal been announced than the criticism began. Masako was educated in Russia and the United States, which was a black mark against her. Traditionalists fretted she was not Japanese enough, “not sufficiently deferential and too willing to speak her mind”. Her mother-inlaw, Michiko, The Empress Emerita, was also born a commoner and had suffered a nervous breakdown because of the strain and taunts from envious and catty elites. Masako faced the same fate but there was no escape. Divorce was unthinkable. The Imperial Family rules over a kingdom of contradictions. The Australian Women’s Weekly

Royalty To avoid being forced to allow a wed, she will almost certainly make Japan is a powerful G7 nation but at woman to sit on the throne, politicians herself a target for the hateful the heart of Tokyo’s glass skyscrapers have come up with other ways to tabloids, for what suitor could be and neon streets is the seat of the restock the family with “vintage good enough for the daughter of the oldest hereditary monarchy in the imperial blood”. One proposal would Emperor? If she does not marry, she world. The Chrysanthemum Throne allow older members of the family to must become a chaste shrine maiden. can trace an unbroken line back to the adopt a son from the descendants of “It is an insane tradition,” says first emperor, Jimmu, who is believed former aristocrats. The Emperor’s Julian. “The majority of the public to be descended from the sun goddess uncle, Prince Hitachi, could potentially [around 80 per cent according to a Amaterasu. The institution draws its do this, but he’ll have to move quickly recent survey] would be very happy power from this divine link, but the as he is 85 years old. with an empress, but the country is tradition it clings to also threatens It’s also been suggested that run by old conservative men. They to destroy it. princesses should be allowed to retain have no desire to change the status As of today, there are only 17 living their title and position after they quo.” Women are not even allowed to members of the Japanese Imperial marry, but this is not a popular Family and only four males. As women witness the coronation. proposal because any sons would “Every couple of years we have a cannot ascend to the throne, this puts not carry the male Y chromosome new commission set up with the task them in a precarious position. Mako’s inherited from the mythical Jimmu. of solving the crisis of a shrinking father, the Emperor’s brother, is the This is the medieval construct current heir but it’s likely her 15-year- Imperial Family. The government Princess Mako sought to escape when stacks it with conservatives, so the old brother, Hisahito, will be next to she refused to be bullied into giving final answer is always the same.” rule. Other than an elderly uncle, up the man she loves. there are no Mako’s cousin Mako’s siblings “In some ways, she broke other heirs. Princess Kako & Hisahito the mould,” Julian says. The fear of Toshi (next in line to throne) Mako’s public persona something is one of quiet obedience happening but there have always to one of the been hints of her precious royals free-spirited personality. is part of the Photos of her in her reason they traditional sailor-style are so tightly school uniform caused controlled. In the 1990s, the Below: Emperor Naruhito pilloried Masako waves to the public as other was frequently members of the Japanese likened to royal family stand beside him. Princess Diana, but the Mako’s grandparents Mako’s uncle & aunt Mako’s parents oppressive Former Emperor Current Emperor Crown Prince & protocols in Akihito Naruhito Princess Akishino Japan were and are far more arcane and restrictive than the British. “Most Japanese look at the Imperial Family as almost a possession of the Japanese people – not free and independent people,” Julian says.“They don’t really do royal like the British family do. They’re really very cloistered.” The situation is particularly restrictive for the women. Empress Masako’s daughter, Princess Toshi, 20, is known as the loneliest princess. She is an only child who lives in the palace compound with nobody her own age and faces a grim choice. If she does

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GETTY IMAGES. AAP. REUTERS.

a riot on social media and earned her legions of fans who now fawn over her style and beauty. In 2011 she adopted an alias and travelled to areas devastated by the earthquake and tsunami to help the recovery. Later she fought to do her postgraduate studies overseas. “She clearly wanted to go and do something and live another life,” says Julian. “In many ways, she got a taste for freedom while living this incognito life in the UK. She could go to bars and restaurants and be herself which was something she couldn’t possibly do here. It would have been extremely hard, when she came back, to fit into the role of the princess of Japan again.” The public’s vocal rejection of her choice of husband wouldn’t have endeared a life of royal service to Mako. She’s always been a dutiful servant of the Emperor, but her love for Kei is deep and sincere. She’s spoken of their time together at International Christian College, where her attention was captured by his “bright smile that seemed like the sun”. If she’d ever questioned whether she’d marry, falling in love with Kei made it clear to her that what she truly wanted was to have “a warm and comfortable household” and “a family full of smiles”. For a brief moment, the people of Japan rejoiced for her before the tabloids began digging around. They had always regarded Kei as having “a slightly dodgy” background. He was raised by a single mother; his father committed suicide. When one journalist aired allegations Kei’s mother was in debt to her former fiancé, the outcry was enough to derail Mako and Kei’s wedding plans. The scorn was initially directed solely at Kei, but when Mako stood by him, she became an object of derision too.

Above: Mako and Kei arrive in New York to begin their new life, a far cry from the traditions Mako lived as a princess (left).

The social media commentary was ferocious. “They were saying she’s a leech and that she has no right to marry this man,” says Julian. It got so bad Mako was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. “I’ve been scared, feeling sadness and pain whenever one-sided rumours turn into groundless stories,” she said.

Land of the free

When princesses leave the Chrysanthemum Kingdom, they are usually sent off with a farewell gift of 14 million yen (about $1.6 million), but Mako turned down the cash. She didn’t want to be seen to be taking public money. The newlyweds have now left Japan to begin the quiet life they have longed for together in New York. But Mako’s integrity may cause trouble down the line. Kei recently failed the New York bar exam, much to the delight of the tabloids. He can

retake the exam in February but in the meantime, he may not earn as much income as the couple had banked on. Mako still needs a security detail and the question of who will pay for this is a touchy issue in Japan. She is expected to get a job in a New York gallery and settle into married life. That doesn’t mean she and Kei will be left in peace. “They’ll still be fair game for a good while yet,” says Julian. “Every time they go out for a meal there will probably be a story in it for the Japanese tabloids.” Regardless of what lies ahead, Mako is sure life with Kei is her best chance for happiness. Even though nobody in their home country celebrated their union, it was clear from their tender words for each other that they were as happy as they could possibly be. “I would like to make a warm family life with Mako,” Kei said at the drab press conference after their wedding. “I would like to do everything in my power to support her. During happy times and even those that are not, I would like to stand by her, and be an invaluable part of her existence. “I love Mako. I live only once, and I want to spend it with someone I love.” AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Candice Burvill says there have been big strides in mining reform but there’s still a long way to go.

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Groundbreakers

WOMEN AT HE WO R D S b G E N E V I E V E G A N N O N

P H O T O G R A P H Y b RU S S E L L J A M E S

In the wake of harassment claims and a parliamentary inquiry, The Weekly meets four women stepping boldly into what they hope will be a new era in Australian mining. brilliant blue sky, the vast red earth, pits and trucks and workers in yellow hi-vis. This scene has been the picture of Australian prosperity for decades. But despite our wealth of coal, gold and diamonds putting Australia at the forefront of mining innovation, the number of women in the industry has remained stubbornly low. A push to increase female participation has only managed to lift it from 14 per cent in the 1990s to 18 per cent today. The masculine workplace culture has been blamed for this trend. More recently, allegations of rampant sexual harassment have revealed a darker side to the problem. Insiders say the industry is headed for a reckoning. 7KH LQTXLU\ LQWR VH[XDO KDUDVVPHQW LQ WKH :HVWHUQ $XVWUDOLD ),)2 ˌ\ LQ ˌ\ RXW LQGXVWU\ KDV uncovered things that are “absolutely heart-wrenching,” says mining board director Susie Corlett. “They can’t be explained away as a few bad eggs. It speaks to systemic structural and cultural issues in the industry that need to be addressed with urgent action.” But Susie and a new generation of female miners are leading a charge towards a more inclusive, vibrant industry. “It is no coincidence that we have seen a shift in the culture of the mining businesses as we’ve seen the step-up in female directors sitting on boards,” Susie says. And as a woman who has worked in mining for 30 years, she adds, “I’m loving that this conversation is now happening.”

The Australian Women’s Weekly

Groundbreakers

ANNA LEE WINMAR

Trainee Operator on Dump Trucks The Cat 785D mining truck can carry 150 tonnes and has tyres taller than a grown man. When she’s sitting behind the wheel of one of these beasts, with pop music blaring and the road to herself, Anna Lee Winmar, 32, feels on top of the world. After nine years working as a FIFO cleaner, she made the leap to working on the mines and couldn’t be happier. The FIFO life requires a lot of sacrifice but she knows she is forging a better future for her daughter, and her new role fills her with joy. “They’re huge, the Cat 785Ds,” she says, her enthusiasm for her new vocation shining through. “It’s crazy but it’s good. I was very nervous at first. I thought, Oh God, people are not going to like me. They’re going to shout at me and stuff. But I love it. I love driving. I never used to.” Anna works a 2-1 roster, flying to Kalgoorlie for two weeks at a time, then returning home to Perth for one week off. She relishes time at home. Being away from her 14-yearold daughter, Rashaye, is hard, even though they talk every day. “I was 18 when I had her. So I pretty much sacrifice my life to make a better life for her,” she says. She has previously worked on sites that were “a bit seedy” but that isn’t the case now. Anna spent eight years trying to get her foot in the door here and she says, “I’m finally in and I’m loving it. The crew’s good. The people – they make it. It’s pretty much my second home.”

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ELLE SMART Metallurgist

Elle Smart planned on being a dentist until she took a job on a mine during a gap year and fell in love with the work. “They have this amazing equipment that they use to recover the really fine gold and I remember seeing these floating bubbles of gold and thinking how incredible this process was. They were taking a dirty old rock and making it into this gorgeous gold bubble, and I was sold straight away. I applied to switch my degree,” Elle says. Now a senior metallurgist at the Mt Marion lithium mine, Elle, 27, loves her job, but she’s not blind to the barriers that discourage women from pursuing a career in mining. Straight out of school she landed on her first mine site and found she was the only girl in the camp. “There was no girls’ bathroom. It was all just a shared thing,” she says. “I rocked up and I was absolutely petrified. It took me a while to come out of my shell, but with the showering thing, the guys were really respectful. I had my own cubical and they stayed away.” Having grown up with a geologist father and big sister, Elle says she didn’t have “the shock factor” other women might. She worked alongside her sister early on and remembers thinking, “Wow, she’s holding her own and arguing and getting her point across. I’ll be fine. If she can do it, I can do it.” It didn’t take long for Elle to find her feet, but she acknowledges this isn’t everybody’s experience. “I’ve never had anyone overtly harassing me,” she says, “but I don’t want to give the impression that it’s a great, wonderful place all the time. It is still quite a big boys’ club.” The Australian Women’s Weekly

Groundbreakers

CANDICE BURVILL

SUSIE CORLETT

“From a very young age I learnt to say, ‘Stand up, even though your knees are shaking’, and say, ‘Hey, I don’t like that’,” says Candice Burvill, a First Nations woman who grew up amid the rugged beauty of the Pilbara and began working at a mine at age 19. The company she was working for presented itself as safe and inclusive, but she knew that wasn’t the reality for Indigenous people – racism was rampant. In the end, the hypocrisy got too much – she had to walk away from a job she loved. “I gave notice over what I didn’t think was right,” she tells The Weekly. “They were promoting something that I didn’t see on the ground.” For years, Candice, 51, pursued other opportunities. She walked the beat as a cop in Kalgoorlie and even ran her own business but, she says, “the Pilbara draws you back”. Now, she’s out there again, working as a community engagement officer with Indigenous businesses and individuals, creating pathways to work and economic empowerment. It’s a role she wishes had existed when she was starting out. Candice says she has seen reform in mining, and that gives her hope. “We’ve still got a long way to go, but it’s supported from the top down,” she says. Meanwhile, she’s determined to empower the workforce from the ground up. She knows that, if she can help someone find a role that’s right for them, it can make a difference for their family and their community as well. “I like to get out and meet people, do that face-to-face,” she says. “As they progress, their confidence seems to build. It’s about making a connection to someone seeking work and saying, ‘Don’t give up. There’s going to be someone who believes in you.’”

Susie Corlett arrived, an eager young geologist, on a Tasmanian mine site in the early 1990s, only to be confronted by an angry mob of miners who refused to work with a woman underground. The burly men actively protested against her presence, insisting that a woman would “upset the protective spirits” in the mine. For Susie (pictured right), it was a confronting scene. Watching senior executives break up the rabble, she realised that life as a geologist was going to be tougher than she’d anticipated. “I thought that equality had arrived already,” she tells The Weekly. “We were so far away 30 years ago. We’re still well off the pace today, as we are in many industries. But certainly, looking back, I didn’t realise how hard the road was going to be.” Raised in a family of boys, Susie was not deterred from pursuing her dream career in mining and exploration by the industry’s reputation. But the protest at the Tasmanian mine was just the first in a long line of challenges. “It was a time when naked women on posters in lunchrooms was common,” she says. “When I moved to one of the rougher mining towns, I opted not to live in the single men’s quarters because it didn’t seem like a safe environment. I caused a huge furore by renting my own home. And I wouldn’t wear dresses or skirts. I would be really conscious not to draw attention to being female ... I’ve put up with experiences that would be completely unacceptable in today’s workplace.” When she was younger, she missed out on opportunities because the employer “couldn’t see a young, blonde woman doing the job”. Later, she was passed over for leadership roles and “told I was ineligible on account of being female. That’s not that long ago.” There has also been what she calls “this overreach with unwanted physical contact ... I’ve had various powerful men leverage power to seek sexual favours on multiple occasions. I’ve left a dream role because the work environment wasn’t psychologically safe. In those days, there weren’t safe, effective reporting mechanisms.” But Susie believes mining is a fantastic career for women, and as a senior leader she has been “in the trenches making change”. This means safety audits, safe reporting mechanisms, transparency and clear industry standards – not just within her own organisation, but across the entire industry. “This is a watershed moment,” Susie says. For her, mining promised adventure and that’s exactly what she got. “It took me to all parts of the world and delivered on that promise to work on projects that make a difference.” And she wants other women to have those opportunities too. “I have no doubt,” she says, “that we’re moving through a really painful reckoning in the short to medium term, but it will lead to transformational change ... I hope that, in 10 years’ time, being a female in mining is such a normal part of the landscape, it’s totally unremarkable.” AWW

“WE’VE STILL GOT A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT IT’S SUPPORTED FROM THE TOP DOWN.” – Candice Burvill 74

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Board Director

PHOTOGRAPHY BY RUSSELL JAMES, RUSSELLJAMES.COM. PHOTOGRAPHED AT MINERAL RESOURCES MRL’S MT MARION LITHIUM, WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Community Engagement Officer

Slug

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Interview

My WEST

As West Side Story gets a reboot, Tinseltown legend Rita Moreno reflects on both her early years in Hollywood and the movie that would end up changing her life.

SIDE STORY WO R D S b y T I F N Y D U N K The Australian Women’s Weekly

Interview

her first day in Hollywood, 16-year-old Rita Moreno entered the MGM lot with equal parts trepidation and excitement. A talent scout had spotted the Puerto Rican-born, Bronx-raised teenager at a Spanish dance recital. Rita was signed on the spot days later by studio boss Louis B. Mayer himself, so blown away was he by her resemblance to another teenage star. “My God,” he’d declared as she arrived for their meeting (accompanied by her mother Rosa) at his penthouse suite in New York’s Waldorf Astoria. “She’s a Spanish Elizabeth Taylor!” “I’ll never forget that first day in the studios, it was so exciting,” says Rita, now 90 and speaking to The Weekly from her home in Berkeley, California. “I practically moved in there. I visited the sets, visited the commissary where they served food to the big stars. They had a steam table with real food, things like apple pie and Boston baked beans and roast beef with gravy. Stuff I never had at home – we had rice and beans. It was lunchtime when I was taken there and in walks Lana Turner and Elizabeth Taylor. I thought I would wet my knickers. Can you imagine?” With that, Rita emits a hoot, clearly still tickled that “this 16-year-old girl from the ghetto” could have ever found herself in such a situation. Growing up, Elizabeth was her idol – a young girl who, like herself, would make her dreams of movie stardom come true. For when she’d arrived in the US in 1936, at the age of five, there had been no Latina actresses to aspire to follow. Or rather there were, but they’d been forced to make themselves over to lose all traces of their true ethnicity. The most famous at that time was Rita Hayworth – or Margarita Cansino as she’d been born – who’d dyed her dark hair auburn and undergone an anglicised name change to play all-American parts. “She’s a good example of what happened at that time when you were Hispanic – you did your best not to be,” says Rita. Bizarrely, it was Hayworth’s uncle Paco who would prove to be young Rita Moreno’s (or Rosita, as she went by then) introduction to showbusiness. Not only did he teach her to dance, but he chose the talented youngster to accompany him at a nightclub appearance in Greenwich Village. “He was all of five feet tall and ferocious looking, he was little but mighty – he was like a bull,” Rita recalls now. “We did a partner dance with castanets and all I could think was that the audience absolutely adored me. How could they not? Who is not going to adore a little six-year-old girl with great big eyes and a Spanish dance costume? And I thought, ‘This is for me. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life.’” Fast forward to that fateful meeting with Louis B. Mayer and Rita was cast in her first film, 1950’s The Toast of New Orleans. But unlike the famous Rita who came before her, rather than whiteface, it was blackface she’d find herself

donning in a succession of roles in which she played a variety of “exotic” women. “Native girls, island girls or very over-sexed little senoritas,” she recalls. “When I see pictures of me with that dark, dark make-up which obviously didn’t suit my particular face I always feel so embarrassed for myself and sad.” Each time she felt a role would propel her beyond the stereotype, she was disappointed. She had a scene-stealing role in Singin’ in the Rain (1952), playing vaudeville star Zelda Zanders.“That’s my Christmas movie,” she exclaims now. “I watch it almost every year. I love that movie and of course one of my heroes was in it, Gene Kelly. He was a star.” Her turn as Tuptim – the Burmese former concubine of Yul Brynner’s king in 1956’s The King and I – also failed to lead her to meatier roles. But that wasn’t the only obstacle she was facing. In the 1950s Hollywood was run by men. And not all of them had the best interests of the young ingenues they signed at heart. “It was terrifying,” Rita says of the pressure – both implied and very real – that was put on young girls. “I felt very weak and powerless. I was one of those young women who was afraid to say no because that was how I was brought up. So, whenever some famous person or executive would make moves, I would be terrified. I had no power whatsoever.” Early in her career, she says, she was raped by her agent. Yet she stayed with him, not even realising that was what had actually happened to her, so indoctrinated was she by the notion she should acquiesce to whatever was expected of her. And then came Marlon Brando. In 1955 he was the hottest man in town; a sex symbol and an Academy Award winner. When Rita had visited the set of his film Désirée she was a goner. “I was instantly attracted to him, he was famous and he was powerful – and he was powerful because he was famous,” she says of the affair which would last on and off for eight years, eventually leading her to attempt to end her own life. “Of course, he was maybe the worst person in the world to hook up with because he was dreadful with women, he was just awful. He always had a woman on his arm, women in his life all over the place. And when I realised I wasn’t the only one – which shows you truly how naïve I was – I was heartbroken. Yet I kept seeing him. At one point I thought, ‘I can’t be beaten up emotionally all the time any more. And the only way I know not to have to live through this again is to get rid of myself.’ It was a horrible, sad time.” Salvation came in the form of work. Jerome Robbins had been Rita’s choreographer on The King and I. And he suggested she audition for the 1961 film he would be co-directing – a screen version of hit musical West Side Story. “My God, I wanted that part so badly. I did a screen test, I auditioned in person, I did an acting scene, then dancing. I worked so hard to get that part, so when I did, I just burst into tears. I was beside myself with happiness.”

“I worked so hard to get that part, so when I did, I just burst into tears.”

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Clockwise from top left: With husband Leonard Gordon in 1982 and 2008 – they were married for 45 years before his death in 2010; with Marlon Brando in The Night of the Following Day; Rita and Natalie Wood in West Side Story; with her fellow Sharks; on the set of Singin’ in the Rain; Rita and West Side Story co-star George Chakiris after their 1962 Oscar wins.

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Interview Anita was a first for Rita – and for audiences. Finally there in 1968’s The Night of the Following Day (the slap she was a role model for girls who’d had no-one who looked or delivered to him on-screen was the final outpouring of sounded like them to look up to. “For the first time I was emotion over their affair which would lead to some playing a young Latina who had an opinion and who voiced long-awaited healing). In the ’70s she moved into it,” she says.“A Latina who had feelings of dignity about children’s television and won a Grammy for her work on herself and a ton of self-respect. So of course, inevitably PBS series The Electric Company. She did Broadway and she became my role model very late in my life.” won a Tony; television and won two Emmys. The set was riotously happy, Rita recalls. Jerome and Through the ’80s,’90s, noughties and beyond she continued co-director Robert Wise forbade the actors playing rival gang evolving, picking up awards not only for her work but also members in the Sharks and the Jets from socialising. “They her activism. And when always wanted there to be some tension between us,” word spread in 2018 Rita smiles. “So, it was always the Sharks, the Sharks, that West Side Story was the Sharks. We were a very raucous group, as Latinos can getting a remake – one be, and I was certainly the leader of that kind of band.” that would only cast Once again, however, Rita was forced to wear dark Latino actors in Latino make-up – despite her Puerto Rican roles – she was among heritage. “It kept streaking through the first to hear the news. because it was so goddamn dark,” “I thought it was a she shrugs. “It was kind of insulting mistake,” she says candidly. but if you were going to be in this “That movie is so damned movie, you had to do that. That iconic, you know? But went too for leading lady Natalie then on the other hand, Wood. “She was ... okay,” says Rita, my favourite director choosing her words carefully when in the world, Steven asked about their working Spielberg, was going to relationship. “She wasn’t very ... direct it. And I knew this warm and friendly. She much: he can do just wasn’t cold either. She about anything that was kind of indifferent. he sets his mind to.” She did ask me to help The part of Valentina her with the accent. was created for Rita; That lasted only two she was also made an days and then she lost executive producer. interest. Let’s put it this “She’s a wonderful, sweet way – we were not close.” character. She’s nothing When West Side Story like Anita,” Rita says of was released in October Valentina, who is the widow of drug that year, it was a hit. store owner Doc (played in 1961 by Rita was nominated Ned Glass). “The original film was as Best Supporting more about the singing and the Actress at both the dancing and the music. The social Golden Globes and stuff was kind of glossed over ... From top: Rita pictured in the biography about her life, Just a Girl Oscars. Nobody was Obviously this version still has Who Decided to Go For It; as Valentina in the West Side Story more surprised than glorious music, fabulous dancing and remake; pure joy behind the scenes of the original film. her when she won both. all of the wonderful things that made Finally, she thought, her day had come – no more would the original an iconic film. And it’s one of the few times [in she be forced into blackface, to play the roles she’d fought my life] I’ve looked forward to watching my scenes. I love for a decade to shrug off. In fact, were they to be offered to myself in this movie – can you imagine?” And with that Rita is ready to sign off, but not before her, she said, she would instantly refuse. adding that she’s also thrilled with a recent film biography “Well, I showed them,” she says with a grim chuckle. “The about her life. You’ve lived quite a life, we tell her, upon only thing I got offered after that was more gang movies parting. “Oh, indeed I have,” she agrees. “And I’ve lived to on a lesser scale. I didn’t work for a year. I could not get a tell about it!” AWW job. It was heartbreaking and frightening ... I thought my career was over.” Utilising the inner strength she’d fought hard to attain, West Side Story is in cinemas now. Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Rita switched agents – and bided her time. She had a Decided to Go For It is available for digital download. If you’ve blazing comeback starring opposite her former love Marlon found this story distressing, you can reach Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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“I was playing a young Latina who had an opinion.”

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Unsung heroes

A dog’s life They work harder than any employee, never ask for a pay rise and – along with a positive environmental impact – help family businesses stay afloat. Now a new documentary explores the effects working dogs have on the farming industry. WO R D S b T I F FA N Y D U N K

The Australian Women’s Weekly

Unsung heroes

February 2021 residents in the Pilbara in WA heaved a collective sigh of relief: The drought that had gripped the region for four long years had finally broken. The unceasing lack of rain had been devastating, as Aticia Grey – a fourthgeneration grazier who recently inherited Glenforrie Station – can personally attest to. So, as those first drops fell, she knew that her primary focus needed to be on regenerating the country the station sits upon while ensuring they were better set up to react when drought hits again. While other owners in the area rely upon bikes, diesel-run trucks, helicopters and other machinery, she wants to find a way that is kinder on both the environment and the cattle. And that’s where her four-legged workers are helping to shift the dial. “The dogs were a big part in helping to manage our mob of cattle and going forward that is one of the biggest things,” the 33-year-old explains to The Weekly, having just returned from a last-minute mustering with her canine teams. “We’re having to shift one mob of cattle every month [to let the land regenerate] and I can do that with just the dogs. It’s not the big deal it would have been without them. Now we’ve got the option to shift our cattle more often and utilise and look after our feed better. As long as the dogs have water and shade and I look after them in the heat then we can do all these things that wouldn’t have been a possibility previously.” This is just one of the many unsung benefits of enlisting working dogs that a new ABC documentary, Muster Dogs, is hoping to reveal. The three-part series follows five farmers in different parts of the country as they each spend a year training up a young kelpie pup. And the differences the young dogs will make on both the properties they work and the farmers themselves is surprising. CJ Scotney, a 37-year-old Indigenous station owner in the Douglas-Daly district of NT is among those taking part. Back in 2005 she witnessed a station manager working with his dogs and was so astonished at the results that she knew she would do the same when she eventually bought a property of her own. “Those cattle were calm, they were content, they were grazing as they moved, they weren’t anxious,” she recalls. “That’s how we want our cattle.” “Because cattle and the dogs all work on body language, they understand each other a lot better,” adds Aticia, who has written a companion book about her experiences with working dogs. “The cattle understand what the dogs are asking of them and they are happy to do it. It takes out a lot of the confusion. And for the dogs, it just comes really naturally to them.” The Australian working dog has had a long and proud

history on our farms, yet as machinery became more readily available many were phased out of their jobs. But the simple fact, say those who are leading the charge to re-enlist them in larger numbers, is that one dog can do the job of five to six humans as well as reduce the need for gas-guzzling machinery. And those cost-saving measures mean that more money can be spent on those actually driving the revenue for the farm – the stock themselves. “As a small, family-owned Australian business, it helps us to be economically viable because we don’t have to be hiring extra employees to move stock,” explains CJ. “You’re happier-minded because you know your cattle and dogs are all moving happily, so it’s also safer for everyone as well. They help us to be successful.” Joni Hall, 39, is a top cattle trainer who traverses the length of the country with her 22 dogs. They live together out of a truck and trailers as she visits various properties. There, she puts her team to work and impresses upon owners the benefits they can receive. “Let’s say you’d usually use $100,000 in labour,” she explains of the flow-on effect farmers can receive from working dogs. “That money can then go into better feed for your stock, better water and a better environment for your country. Plus, instead of taking a week to do a job, you might be able to do it in two days because the dogs don’t make as many mistakes. And the cattle won’t get as hot, so you keep weight gain on them because they’re not getting stirred up. The dogs are all better at their jobs than we are at ours, for sure.” And it’s a job the dogs also love, all three women attest. When asked if it could be considered cruel to put a dog to work, Aticia says you only need to look at her pack to see how much they love it. “It’s what they were born to do,” she says simply. “They just live for it. My dogs are my best mates. They’re more than just a tool – they have never been that to me. To me the bond is the most important thing.” And when the time comes that they are ready to retire, all make sure their dogs are given plenty of love along with a happy new home to run around in – albeit without any livestock. “One of my dogs, Cheeky, is 12 this year,” says Joni. “She’s been working since she was six months old but she’s a fishing dog now – she comes fishing with me and rides on the front seat of my bike. She’s my co-pilot. She’s probably got one more year left before I take her somewhere to retire. This year’s chilling out with me time … but she doesn’t like chilling out much! There’s no telling her to slow down.” AWW

The Australian Women’s Weekly

Muster Dogs (narrated by Lisa Millar) debuts on Sunday January 23, 7.40pm, on ABC TV and ABC iview. Muster Dogs by Aticia Grey (ABC Books, $34.99) is available now.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEVE STRIKE. ATICIA GREY. MONICA O’BRIEN.

“We don’t have to be hiring extra employees to move stock.”

Clockwise from above left: CJ Scotney and Spice in action; cattle trainer Joni Hall; Joe, CJ and LIndsay Scotney with their kelpie puppy; Aticia Grey says the dogs and cattle understand each other. Inset: The kelpies are naturally hard workers.

The Australian Women’s Weekly

Humour

Things that go grunt in the night When darkness falls, an evening symphony descends on the household, one that sounds more like a chainsaw than a lullaby. I L L U S T R AT I O N b y B R E N T W

ouston, we have a problem. I’ve known it existed but until recently didn’t know the real extent of the issue and the impact it has on my nearest and dearest. I snore. Badly. Together for 25 years, husband has at times complained about my nocturnal noises but I’ve dismissed his concerns, thinking he was overblowing my air blowing like he’s overblown other things in our relationship – size of fish, size of my eBay addiction, size of diamonds, size of his … er … shoes. O’er the years, in an attempt to reduce my output, he’s been known to roll me onto my side and prop me up with pillows behind my back – a little like a volunteer would care for a beached whale. He’s also taken to shouting “on your side” in my ear in an effort to move me into a position where my pipes are less compromised, and a couple of times I’ve woken to him bearing down on my face with a pillow. Although I’m not sure if this was an attempt to shut down my snoring or for an entirely different reason. He refused to elaborate when questioned. I’ve always thought my snoring might be cute, like the sounds from a puppy when they’re curled up in their beds, or the gentle snuffles babies make. In my mind I was a kitten purring gently, my night-time sounds soothing to my better half who’d be happy he could hear his bedmate gently breathing, the odd, adorable snort punctuating the evening stillness. Until I recorded myself. There is an app for everything, and I’ve discovered the one that records your overnight overtures. Not just snoring, but flatulence and teeth grinding. Fortunately I don’t grind – unless it’s on a dance floor *BANG* (see what I did there?) – and my wind is as you’d expect from a woman who prides herself on having a diet large on legumes. Not wanting to go into too much

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SON

detail, dear readers, but I’m once or twice a night and I sound like a trumpet warming up. It’s quite lovely and musical. But it was the snoring that shattered me and my illusions. The app analytics said I had 13 clips of snoring and I snored for 2 hours and 51 minutes. Surely this was a mistake? The next night I propped myself up on pillows as the app suggested this might reduce snoring, but had 15 clips and snored for 3 hours and 27 minutes. This pattern’s continued unabated for weeks and one thought keeps flooding my mind – how the hell have I stayed married? Because I don’t sound like a cutesy feline, I sound like a feral warthog, a truck using air brakes, a pride of lions devouring a carcass, a bear emerging from a cave. At times it sounds like somebody has entered the room and is using a chainsaw or that the app has recorded a monster emerging from the deep. This is what I am – a monster, a creature unknown to my daylight self. For once husband has talked something down or has undiagnosed hearing issues because I honestly don’t know how he manages a wink of sleep. I asked the kids if they’d noticed it. “Yes Mum, you sound like a T-Rex,” said one. “A jackhammer,” said another. “A horse on a racetrack,” from the younger. The eldest: “Why do you think I moved my bedroom upstairs? It’s like being at the zoo.” So, this Christmas I’m giving my family a gift unlike anything they’ve ever received. In order for them to get uninterrupted shut eye, I’m going to say bye-bye and head off on a seven-day holiday by myself. Yes, it’s a great sacrifice and of course I’ll miss preparing meals, applying sunscreen, washing clothes, breaking up fights, hanging up towels, doing dishes and being the unpaid slave to a group of selfish and ungrateful people, but I’m prepared to make that sacrifice. Of course, they’ll miss me desperately but hey, you snooze, you lose. Right? AWW

BRENT WILSON/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM.

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Inspiration

“I wrote my own eulogy” Brooke McAlary thought she was doing everything right until she imagined how she’d be remembered and decided to completely change her life.

hen I was pregnant with my first baby in 2009, I had a very specific idea of what the next stage of my life would look like. I would somehow balance parenting a newborn and managing my business, as well as self-care, a social life and maintaining a good relationship with my husband. There would, of course, also be lots of long, quiet walks and giggles and playgroups and cute outfits and milestones, and I would be there for it all. In short, I had no idea what was coming. But in spite of my unrealistic expectations, I managed. For a while anyway. I ran my business and parented a newborn and did a lot of the other things I thought I should be doing. I went to the gym, kept up with friends, filled our weekends with social commitments and even had the occasional holiday. Even though it all looked good on paper, something was missing from my life. Looking back now I can see that I spent the first two years of parenthood numb and disengaged, and while I don’t remember most of it, I do remember assuming that this was just how it was meant to be for new parents – exhaustion, daily tears and an overwhelming sense of anger, grief and loss. It wasn’t until our second baby was a couple of months old that I discovered that what I had assumed was my new normal was actually severe postnatal depression.

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I consider myself one of the lucky ones. I was able to talk to my husband and my GP, who listened to me. I was able to see a psychiatrist the next week and for many years after. I was prescribed anti-depressant medication and responded well to it. My mental health gradually improved. And while all of those events were vital, it was my psychiatrist who gave me the greatest gift. She gave me permission to do less. To rest sometimes. To let go of the expectations that told me I needed to be everything to everyone. She encouraged me to find things I enjoyed doing, and to make time to do them, which is why I started writing again. Putting pen to paper felt like a homecoming, so when I wandered into a bookshop while on holiday and saw a book titled 642 Tiny Things to Write About, I picked it up and brought it home, hoping it might kickstart my writing habit again. It turned out to be more important than that. As I flicked through the pages of writing prompts, one stopped me cold. It said, “Write your eulogy in three sentences”. I was 32 at the time, and had never given my own death any thought, let alone wondered what people would say about me once I was gone. The whole thing felt morbid, so I closed the book and tried not to think about it again. But the question wouldn’t leave me alone. What did I want people to say about me when I was gone? If I pictured a room full of people gathered to say goodbye to me, who did I imagine standing in front of them, delivering my eulogy?

PHOTOGRAPHS SUPPLIED AND USED WITH PERMISSION.

I immediately pictured my two kids, and realised the question I really needed to answer was: What do I want to leave behind for them? The next day, I sat down to try and write my own brief eulogy. And even though it was only three sentences, I had no idea where to begin. I looked at my kids and husband and tried to imagine no longer being with them. The thought was painful and I felt guilty. But what I also realised as I struggled to get the words on paper is that a eulogy doesn’t leave any room for the unimportant things. The stuff we own, social media statistics, work success, having a nice home – I discovered that none of it really mattered. Eventually, I managed to write my eulogy in four sentences (I’ve always been an over-writer) and the moment I sat back and read it was a good one, because there, in black and white, was a summation of a life well-lived. Quick to laugh, creative, compassionate, with a wicked sense of humour, Mum was never without a new plan or adventure on the horizon. She made one hell of an Old Fashioned, was spontaneous, loyal, introspective and believed wholeheartedly that we all have a responsibility to leave the world a better place than we found it. Mum, we will miss you always. Thank you for our roots, but thank you even more for our wings. Imperfect (I didn’t even drink Old Fashioneds), a little cheesy and nothing more than a guess, really, because the truth is none of us has any idea what the future holds. It was also the best I could do and importantly, it felt good and right. Rather, it felt good and right for about half a minute. Because while I knew what the most important, eulogy-worthy parts of my life were – family, adventure, having a positive impact in the world – I realised I wasn’t living that life. When I looked at how I spent my days, my time and energy wasn’t going into family or adventure. It was going into the small stuff. The stuff that ultimately doesn’t matter, and that certainly won’t feature in any eulogy. Trying to fit back into my pre-baby clothes, keeping up with the Joneses, buying stuff I didn’t need in order to look like we were doing well – I knew none of it was important. And as a result, the truly important stuff was being neglected. So then and there I decided to start putting the big stuff at the centre of my life. Giving them the time and attention

they deserve and giving myself the chance to live a life like the one I had pictured. One where, hopefully, my adult kids can stand in front of a room full of people who loved me and share stories of how I lived. Full of laughter and adventure, grand plans and slow days. A life that saw me leave a tiny corner of the world better than I found it. One by one, I began making different choices. Some were small, like putting my phone down any time my kids walk into the room, and some were massive, like deciding to sell our house, give away most of our possessions and travel for a couple of years. And now, life looks vastly different from the “successful”, stressed, unfulfilled version of a few years ago. I changed careers and my husband and I are both selfemployed. We live in an old fibro farmhouse in a small village in the Southern Highlands in NSW and share our home with our wonderful kids, two dogs, lots of fruit trees, many wild birds who eat the fruit off said trees, and a window spider named Fred. It’s a great life that we’re extremely privileged to live. I want to tell you though, that life hasn’t worked out the way I pictured when I wrote my eulogy. I’ve had health issues, the pandemic knocked our business flat and I still don’t drink Old Fashioneds. But what hasn’t changed are those Writing her own eulogy has important things. My values. allowed Brooke to focus on The things I uncovered that day what’s important, including when I scribbled down my spending time with family. eulogy. Family. Adventure. Laughter. Spontaneous trips to the beach, good books and compassion. They were the centre then, and, even if the specifics look different, they’re at the centre now. Writing my eulogy didn’t fix everything. But it did give me something invaluable. It’s a compass that helps me navigate difficult conversations, gives me the confidence to explain my decisions and allows me to work out what issues are worth my time and energy, and which aren’t. Since that day, I’ve used my eulogy to help me make better choices. Where we live, the work I do, the way we parent, all these things are impacted by those four sentences, and when faced with a decision, I often ask myself, ‘Will this get me closer to, or further away from that eulogy life?’ Not only has it given me a sense of clarity and helped me steer through life’s inevitable challenges and obstacles, it also means that I’m participating wholeheartedly in my life. No more numbness, no more hiding. No more just going along for the ride. It’s made it clear to me that we get one life, and it’s my intention to make it a good one. Whatever that looks like. AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

Clockwise from left: The documents were in pristine condition and more than half had been signed by Elizabeth; an ink drawing of the execution of Mary; portrait of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Royal revelation

Who really killed

Mary, Queen of Scots? WO R D S b J U L I E T R E D E N

THE AMERICAN TRUST FOR THE BRITISH LIBRARY, LOAN MS 128 [3].. (C) BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2021. GETTY IMAGES.

History has pitched them as bitter rivals, but a thrilling new letter written by Elizabeth I in 1584 for the cousin she later executed changes everything we think we know about these two powerful queens.

was 2010 when Aussieborn Cambridge University historian John Guy took the phone call that would rock his world. On the line was Sotheby’s in London. The famed auction house had just been given a cache of newly discovered Queen Elizabeth I documents that they thought the Tudor expert might like to peruse before they went under the hammer. “Intrigued, I hurried down to New Bond Street. Breathtakingly, 43 documents in pristine condition, more than half signed by Elizabeth or her leading courtiers, were laid out on the desk,” John tells me with renewed excitement. He had no expectations but what he found was explosive. “The rules were the usual ones in these circumstances: no notes, no photos, as these were properties up for sale. All shed fresh light on the penultimate phase of Mary’s 19-year

imprisonment in England, many illustrating a mounting obsession over the possibility of her escape, as the threat of foreign invasion grew. But one thrilling letter changes our view of history.” John is talking about royal cousins Mary Stuart, Queen of Scotland before her forced abdication in 1567, and Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of King Henry VIII and the later-beheaded Anne Boleyn. Elizabeth ruled England from 1558 to her death in 1603 and Mary’s challenge for the throne made her a threat to her cousin, a rivalry that ultimately led to her execution. The mystery of what really happened between these two powerful female leaders, resulting in Mary’s horrific end (according to an eyewitness account Mary’s lips continued to quiver for “a quarter of an hour” on her decapitated head after a rather botched beheading), has fuelled histories, biographies, plays, films and literature.

Was Elizabeth a merciless despot or a perspicacious politician; Mary a maltreated innocent or a scheming traitor? Or, was this monumental moment in history the result of an external confederacy? As John Guy was about to discover, this letter proved to be the vital missing part of that puzzle, blowing apart the fake news surrounding the two queens. “Missing since 1762, the documents had clearly been purloined around that time, probably during a house move, from the papers of Sir Ralph Sadler, Mary’s gaoler in 1584-85, to whom most of them are addressed,” Johns explains. “They amount to around a third of Sadler’s archive relating to his custody of Mary and had been hastily ripped out of a bound volume. I could still see the original binder’s sewing-thread clinging to several of the loosely stacked pages.” The documents passed through the trade, until purchased by the late Lord Hesketh, whose estate sent them to The Australian Women’s Weekly

Royal revelation Sotheby’s. Sold for £349,250, they promptly disappeared again. Now, ˋQDOO\ WKHVH LWHPV DUH RQ ORQJ ORDQ to the British Library and if you’re in the UK you can get to see and read them as several star in the landmark exhibition Elizabeth and Mary: Royal Cousins, Rival Queens, which runs until February 20.

“The idea that Elizabeth and Mary were mortal enemies is wrong ”

Missing missive

The key record in this historical treasure trove has now been dubbed the ‘John Guy’ letter. “It proves FRQFOXVLYHO\ WKDW LQ GHˋDQFH RI KHU ministers, Elizabeth sought a lastminute reconciliation with her rival, possibly even a meeting – as per Friedrich Schiller’s play Mary Stuart, Donizetti’s opera Maria Stuarda and +ROO\ZRRG ˋOPV RI ZKLFK WKH ODWHVW is Josie Rourke’s Mary Queen of Scots (2018), starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, which is based on my 2004 biography,” explains John. “When the letter was written in October 1584, Mary had been imprisoned for 16 years. Overthrown by her Scottish rebels who ruled in the name of her young son James VI, KHU ˌLJKW DFURVV WKH 6ROZD\ )LUWK LQ 1568 had presented the Protestant Elizabeth with a stark choice. Should she protect her Catholic cousin, maybe even restore her to her throne, or treat her as a threat?” This was the issue at the heart of a tug of war between the two women that has beguiled royal historians through the ages. “Elizabeth’s chief minister, Sir William Cecil, and her spymaster, Sir Francis Walsingham, had no doubts. Just months before, Walsingham had frustrated a dangerous plot to kill Elizabeth backed by Spain, the Pope, and Mary’s Catholic relatives. The country was on red alert. Mary had once claimed to be the lawful queen of England. Elizabeth’s ‘security’ and the ‘safety of the state’ depended on keeping her locked up,” says John – at least that was the advice she was receiving. But in a “chilling” set of instructions also among these documents is a note from Elizabeth: “Use but old trust and

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espite their di erences, the letter proves Mary (left) and Elizabeth (right) believed a last-minute reconciliation was possible, but fate intervened. Above: Elizabeth’s locket ring, which dates back to 1575.

new diligence, your affectionate, loving sovereign, Elizabeth R.” Was the monarch beginning to suspect she was being played by the men around her? When Elizabeth yielded to her instincts, everything changed, says John. “The ‘John Guy’ letter is addressed to Sadler, but he was to show or read it to Mary. All wasn’t plain sailing. Two years before, Mary had asked that the ‘jealousy and mistrust’ she claimed her cousin had conceived of her should be removed. Elizabeth icily chided her for this, but swiftly softened, recounting that Mary had now written to her ‘in a most kind DQG IULHQGO\ VRUWȢ 7R DYRLG D ˋJKW WR the death, Elizabeth tendered an olive branch. She was ‘content to assent’ WKDW 0DU\ȢV FRQˋGHQWLDO VHFUHWDU\ Claude Nau, should ride south ‘to acquaint us with such matter as she shall think meet by him to impart to us’. He was to bring with him such

proposals ‘as might work upon good ground a thorough reconciliation between us, which as she seemeth greatly to desire, so should we also be most glad thereof’,” John quotes. In another part of the letter Elizabeth talks of her wish for ‘friendship’, their experiences ‘tied in blood’. “The idea that Elizabeth and Mary were mortal enemies, despite their religious differences, from the beginning to the end of the story is completely wrong,” says John.

Women’s perspective

“Mary always believed that, if they could meet woman to woman, they could settle their differences, and much of the time Elizabeth thought the same. The problem was always the men in their lives, especially Cecil and Walsingham in England, and Mary’s treacherous half-brother, the Earl of Moray, in Scotland, who were more politically and ideologically driven

ELIZABETH I ATTRIBUTED TO GEORGE GOWER, C.1567, ON LOAN TO THE EXHIBITION FROM A PRIVATE COLLECTION. THE AMERICAN TRUST FOR THE BRITISH LIBRARY, LOAN MS 128 [3]. MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, FRANCOIS CLOUET C.1560-61. ROYAL COLLECTION TRUST © HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH II 2021. (C) THE CHEQUERS TRUST.

and believed these queens had to be saved from themselves.” )RU -RKQ ˋQGLQJ WKH OHWWHU DQG having it named after him is a personal vindication. “I’d always suspected that a letter of this sort could turn up one day. They had planned to meet in 1562, and there was talk of another settlement in 1566, but events got in the way.” For the British Library the letters are also extremely topical, giving a rare insight into this unique and fascinating era through the eyes of the women involved. But John pleads, “This isn’t just the #MeToo version of history: I had reached all my conclusions 10 and more years before #MeToo began, because the archival evidence, which is voluminous, makes all things clear … Elizabeth wanted a

settlement with Mary, not so much because both rulers were women, although that played an important part, but because Mary was a sovereign ruler. Elizabeth believed, in accordance with the values of her time and what she’d learned from her father, Henry VIII, that rulers are accountable only to God, and not to their subjects or parliaments.” Six weeks after she wrote her letter, Nau presented Elizabeth with Mary’s proposals. “They’re in French, tucked away in The National Archives in Kew. I knew about them before, but not why Nau submitted them at this moment, nor did I realise their LPPHQVH VLJQLˋFDQFH ,ȢG DVVXPHG him to be acting off his own bat, thrashing about in the dark. Finding Elizabeth’s letter inviting them is the

missing piece. Closer investigation shows that Elizabeth took them so seriously, she disappeared for a month WR UHˌHFW RQ WKHP LQ FRQGLWLRQV RI absolute secrecy, to the consternation of her male advisers. “What Mary offered was close to total surrender in exchange for her freedom and the right to return to Scotland to rule jointly with her son, the young James VI. She said she would recognise Elizabeth as the lawful queen of England and never again claim her throne, would not support her cousin’s rebels, would not conspire against her.” The fact that it all failed cannot be laid at either queen’s door, says John; rather, it was the ambitions of Mary’s son, James, that sealed her fate. “The negotiations collapsed because James, now 18, had no intention of sharing his throne with a mother he barely knew. Instead, he informed Mary that he would honour her with the title of ‘Queen Mother’, but that was all. There could be no question of joint sovereignty or her return to Scotland. Instead, James made his own defensive treaty with Elizabeth. For Mary, this was matricide, the cruellest of betrayals. ‘I pray you to note,’ she fulminated in a letter to James, ‘I am your true and only Queen. Do not insult me further with this title of Queen Mother ... there is neither King nor Queen in Scotland except me.’ “Her unbridled, secret correspondence with her Catholic supporters across Europe over the ensuing months, which Walsingham intercepted, was her direct reaction to her son’s rejection. When in her desperation she connived in the infamous Babington Plot to abduct and kill Elizabeth, she left her cousin little choice but to put her on trial and reluctantly sign her death warrant. Now it was Elizabeth’s turn to sink into deep despair.” But why did Elizabeth go ahead and order her cousin’s execution? “Quite simply, Elizabeth’s advisers, notably her chief minister, William Cecil, put the frighteners on her,” says John … And the rest is history. AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

When the Man of the House does dinner, it’s a timely reminder of the importance of starting afresh. WO R D S b y PAT M C D E R M O T T

“How

I L L U S T R AT I O N b y E U N -YO U N G L I M

hard can it be?” asked the MOTH (the Man of the House) of no-one in particular. He was sitting at the kitchen table leafing through our collection of battered cookbooks. “What are you thinking of making?” I asked warily. This is a man, dear reader, who still struggles to find the business end of a can opener. I acknowledge that one Sunday morning in early 1984

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he successfully made a mountain of toast. We had wall-to-wall babies, toddlers and a whiny five-year-old and he won them over with blobs of strawberry jam and a lot of Milo. When two or three of us are gathered together, we hear about it still. “If it’s a cake you’re thinking of making,” I said helpfully, “you can’t beat The Australian Women’s Weekly Children’s Birthday Cake Book. It’s on the second shelf. The front cover is stuck on with that black tape the boys used when they played rugby.” “I’m not making a cake! I’m doing something special. I’m going to fire up

the barbecue and roast that leg of lamb I bought. It’s been in the freezer for ages!” My heart skipped a beat. The idea of MOTH vs MEAT was always a little scary. But with the giant mound of meat gone I’d finally have room for essentials like ice-cream and ‘easybake’ croissants. The MOTH prowled the bookshelf and found the copy of Larousse Gastronomique Ruff Red was forced to leave behind when he went back to New York after Christmas. “Too heavy mate,” said the cheery baggage handler at the airport. “Plane won’t get off the ground!” The MOTH lugged it to the kitchen table and began to explore the world’s most complicated recipes. Undeterred, he set off two hours later to an expensive gourmet grocery store with a scribbled list in his hand. He came home with assorted spices and a bottle of pricey Spanish olive oil. “It cost more than the champagne but the Spanish really know how to cook!” “But do you?” I asked. “Remember the Salmon Trout Berchoux? The recipe called for mushrooms, truffles and artichoke hearts sweated in butter and sprinkled with parmesan!” “We didn’t have heavy cream,” the MOTH said. “It needed heavy cream!” “I ended up ordering pizza!” But this time things went better. We dusted off the high chair, set the table on the terrace and found balls for small feet to kick round the garden. There was a new friend at the table, the lamb roast was hot and juicy, and we had cake and ice-cream for dessert. As dusk fell we sat back in our chairs, full of good food and grateful for the new year ahead. I thought for a moment about New Year’s Eve when I was a small girl in Canada. My dad would wake me up at midnight and take me outside into the snow. “See, there’s no footprints in the snow. It’s a new year. No mistakes made yet,” he’d say. “Always remember that every year we all get to start over again.” Happy New Year, dear readers. AWW

EUN-YOUNG LIM/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM.

Family matters

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Astrology special WO R D S b y L I L I T H R O C H A · I L L U S T R AT I O N b y C L AU D I A F R I T T I T TA

The Weekly’s astrologist, Lilith Rocha, is here to help you navigate the year ahead as she decodes what’s in store for your astrological sign in 2022. For your monthly horoscope, turn to page 178.

fter the turbulent uncertainty of recent cycles, Jupiter in the zodiac’s final sign this year offers deeper insights into the psyche of society and humanity’s destiny. Generous Jupiter in empathetic Pisces, the zodiac’s poet, suggests greater financial recognition of the arts, healing and teaching professions. While our solar system’s largest planet paints an uplifting, idealistic picture of future possibilities, its flip side can be unrealistic and its inflationary energy in a water sign predicts widespread flooding. Change maker Uranus continues rocking global politics and economies, bringing radical changes to the way we earn, spend and shop. Operating through Taurus, the most tactile of earth signs, it stresses the necessity of staying in touch with each other and the natural world. As we’re all called to make important decisions during the new abnormal of 2022, Saturn reminds us yet again that it’s not someone else’s responsibility to take care of the world – it’s ours.

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Astrology special

ARIES Mar 21-Apr 21

TAURUS Apr 22-May 21

Big Picture 2022 is about decluttering your inner and

Big Picture Jupiter makes this year’s choices less about

outer worlds in preparation for the fabulous mid-year rebirth of Jupiter in Aries. You’ll taste its first surge from May to October, then again from late December into next year. Money Matters Material wealth matters less this year than more important values, like are you making a worthwhile contribution? Several eclipses in your money sector could bring unexpected openings. Watch for a mid-year Mars/Jupiter meet-up revealing an untapped resource. Connections As Saturn completes its restructure of Aries relationships, social circles shift away from draining alliances in favour of collaborators who are a better fit. A previous enemy or competitor could now become a friend. The Inner You With this year enhancing your understanding of how the subconscious mind works, overcoming deeply ingrained fears and historic hurts could be quite pleasurable. Empathy and tolerance blossom by helping others, but remember to take care of yourself as well. Food For Thought “If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere. I have nature and art and poetry, and if that is not enough, what is enough? One can speak poetry just by arranging colours well, just as one can say comforting things in music. Love many things, for therein lies the true strength ... and what is done in love is done well.” – Aries artist Vincent van Gogh

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expectations, more about enjoyment. Uranus continues inviting you to let go of the familiar, to shed outgrown personas in your style, expression and presentation. Money Matters As Pluto overhauls long-term values Jupiter has a more immediate effect, and 2022 restores cautious confidence in your changing economy. While financial rewards from doing what you really love may or may not be less, the soul satisfaction is assured. Connections Jupiter’s genial boost loosens you up to new directions in romance, friendship and community groups. People coming into your life with interesting tech and networking skills are likely to be fun, inspirational and supportive – some of them your true tribe. The Inner You Taureans use comfort to cope with the chaos of life, grounding themselves in material surroundings that communicate serenity. As you appreciate the value of what you already have, the more authentic you that emerges might surprise others. Might surprise yourself … Food For Thought “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it.” – Taurean dancer Martha Graham

GEMINI May 22-Jun 22

CANCER Jun 23-Jul 23

Big Picture Jupiter’s status upgrade has 2022 looking

Big Picture As Jupiter explodes a depth charge in your

like your year in the limelight. Expect appreciation of your talents and accomplishments, bringing promotion, awards or career advancement – along with increased responsibility. Money Matters With Pluto winding up its final year of economic lessons, 2022 brings new financial opportunities – with the giant proviso that this period is notoriously fraught with unscrupulous fraudsters, so choose projects and friends wisely and carefully. Connections Look who’s the popular community player as supportive mentors flock to your orbit, and friendships flourish with colleagues who can further your business interests. A partner could be integral, and might also find you writing a new chapter in your personal book of love. The Inner You With so much external activity, avoid overdoing it. Set limits and boundaries. Time away from digital distractions and juggling a dozen different thought streams is more important than ever this year. Food For Thought “Those who contemplate the beauty of the earth find reserves of strength ... There is symbolic as well as actual beauty in the migration of birds, the ebb and flow of tides, the folded bud ready for spring. There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after the night and spring after the winter.” – Gemini conservationist Rachel Carson

belief systems and personal perspective, 2022 activates the enhanced understanding part of the Crab clan’s chart. It’s not easy playing truth sleuth in a culture of backstage power dynamics, but this year strengthens your courage to speak out for what you believe in. Money Matters Saturn might be organising Cancerian economics this year, but Jupiter could blow some of those old saving stories out of the water. If you normally have a budget that doesn’t quite work, try a plan instead that allots a specific sum for enjoyment and pleasure. While Saturn’s into money management, Jupiter just loves having fun. Connections With the pairing of Jupiter and Neptune in a fellow water-sign, unusual one-offs who aren’t usually your type can motivate and inspire. Look for a variety of personalities who invite your intuition and imagination to play. The Inner You As you ditch ideas that no longer apply, Jupiter’s influence on your mood makes minor inconveniences less stressful. While opening up your armour isn’t comfortable, being honest and vulnerable will attract intimacy you crave. Food For Thought “Men shouldn’t have to bear the burden of our remembrance. It’s not their function to remind us we are goddesses. It’s our function to remember it ... When we remember, they will too.” – Cancerian activist Marianne Williamson The Australian Women’s Weekly

Astrology special

LEO Jul 24-Aug 23

VIRGO Aug 24-Sep 23

Big Picture This is a year of getting to know yourself and

Big Picture Jupiter in Pisces makes 2022 a powerful year

transforming your relationships with others. As you delete outworn stories, you’ll be less caught in the drama of dominant narratives. Developing greater trust in your inner knowing, you’ll encourage others with confidence and creative style. Money Matters Combining resources and talents with the right partner could significantly improve this year’s financial outlook. While credit might be easily available, be wary of over-extending. Financial scammers are rife, making extra online precautions necessary. Connections As 2022 increases maturity and commitment in relationships, forgiveness could be a major theme. After Mars makes its late August appearance in your sector of friends and community groups for a rare seven-month stayover, be on the lookout for well-connected benefactors or professional mentors. The Inner You This year’s astral travel promo makes your internal landscape the trendiest destination ever. Trek to thrilling emotional depths. Dive and discover psychological knots from ancient history. Find buried treasure! Food For Thought “Heart is what drives us and determines our fate. That is what I need for my characters in my books: a passionate heart. I need mavericks, dissidents, adventurers, outsiders and rebels, who ask questions, bend the rules and take risks.” – Leo writer Isabel Allende

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for upgrading relationships and partner agreements. As you become more willing to compromise, your ability to negotiate mutually-beneficial arrangements expands exponentially. Money Matters This year supports a financial reset: getting more bang for your buck by brokering better deals with service providers, reducing fees and overheads. As you further develop your areas of expertise, funds earned with others could also bring an economic upturn. Connections As a magical Jupiter/Neptunian hook-up showers blessings, friendships that might have tired a little can revive. And that’s not all: for five months Jupiter in Aries jazzes up your social life even further, so be the one to initiate those overdue catch-ups. The Inner You With Saturn winding up in your work zone, don’t set yourself a punishing pace. Practise saying no, especially to your inner perfectionista. Forget apps: establish where happiness is most available to you in the real world. Above all, regularly lavish yourself with something luxe and utterly indulgent. Food For Thought “No-one yet has made a list of places where the extraordinary may happen and where it may not. Still, there are indications ... It likes the out-of-doors. It likes the concentrating mind. It likes solitude.” – Virgo poet Mary Oliver

LIBRA Sep 24-Oct 23

SCORPIO Oct 24-Nov 22

Big Picture During 2022 Jupiter pays its 12-yearly visit to

Big Picture Jupiter spends roughly every 12th year

buff up your health, habits and daily schedules. Libra’s biggest challenge will be addressing problems and upsets directly – but don’t forget you’re one of the zodiac’s visionary leaders. Money Matters In this year’s financial climate, the way things used to work may not apply and you might find your personal wealth in areas other than money. As 2022 tests Libran flexibility levels, the best economic results come from staying positive and developing mastery via further learning. Connections Jupiter in sharing, caring Pisces for half the year, and my-turn-now Aries for the other half offer an overall balance for your relational scales. Libra’s most valuable contribution is your expertise in scheduling events that get people together and bring out the best in them. The Inner You Saturn spending its last year in the joy division of your chart insists you find the delight in life, even in adverse circumstances. Look for the immense satisfaction available from being useful. Infuse more worth, pleasure and beauty into everyday activities by elevating routines into rituals. Food For Thought “One must think with the body and the soul or not think at all. The manifestation of the wind of thought is not knowledge, but the ability to tell right from wrong, beautiful from ugly.” – Libran political philosopher Hannah Arendt

in your astral house of fun and frolics, and 2022 invites your romantic, entertaining side out to play. As values of sensitivity and compassion gain greater traction, this is your year for self-expression and creative exploration. Money Matters For the first half of 2022, Jupiter offers a fertile cycle for increasing your income through developing a talent or passion. The expansive planet’s mid-year move to Aries calls time for bringing that creation into the world: marketing its presentation for maximum impact. Connections Saturn restructuring your family dynamics continues questioning how you want to live and who with. Scorpios are more about core connections than casual acquaintances, but stimulating artistic or philanthropic networks could infuse this year with deeper, meaning. The Inner You What to avoid this year? Strict definitions that don’t allow for alternative possibilities. Unhelpful criticism or fault-finding. Your phoenix spirit is ready to rise from the ashes of the past few years, so lean into the massive support available from a boundless universe. Food For Thought “If you can fill the journey of a minute; With 60 seconds worth of wonder and delight; Then the earth is yours and everything that’s in it; But more than that I know you’ll be alright; Cause you’ve got the fight, you’ve got the insight ...” – Scorpio singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Astrology special

SAGITTARIUS Nov 23-Dec 21

CAPRICORN Dec 22-Jan 20

Big Picture Every 12 years your ruling planet Jupiter

Big Picture With Jupiter switching on your communications

sends Sagittarians into nest-feathering mode, with 2022 set to change living arrangements, improve family dynamics and engage domestic upgrades. Since your gypsy spirit loves being on the move, this may involve relocating. Money Matters During 2022 worldly pursuits and professional ambitions could be less prominent. Pluto’s lessons in financial management caution against overextending on home renos or flashing the plastic too enthusiastically. Connections All relationships have the capacity to benefit this year, including your relationship with yourself. Family problems could resolve as you experience a desire to reconnect with your roots. Sagittarian social life explodes into Technicolor splendour, with Mars in party mode later this year. The Inner You With Jupiter in Pisces increasing your ability to go with the flow, you’ll be happier with what you have and likely to find that what you always wanted is what you’ve already got. This year makes it easier to make peace with past disappointments rooted in family history. Food For Thought “Historically, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between this world and the next. We can choose to walk through it ... lightly with little luggage, ready to imagine another world.” – Sagittarian author Arundhati Roy

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centre, this year finds you extra perceptive, fluent and persuasive. Others are receptive to your ideas and impressed with what you have to say. A busy, exciting year, but keep it simple and avoid overload. Money Matters Mercury’s early year retrograde works well for a rejig of your money mindset to keep expectations realistic. As Saturn completes its final year through your money zone, time management gets the best returns for your hard work. Connections Jupiter staying half the year in your home and family sector could see you spending more time with relatives. As you identify less with material achievements and empathy escalates, all relationships improve, but especially renewed intimacy with those who matter most in your life. The Inner You As Uranus continues your ongoing growth process, what used to make you happy may lose its attraction as you begin to feel the need for something different. Unexperienced pleasure portals open when you’re willing to experiment, and an error or missed opportunity could be the catalyst for something new and beautiful to emerge. Food For Thought “Sometimes ... we don’t want to feel like a postmodern, postfeminist, overstretched woman, but rather a domestic goddess, trailing nutmeggy fumes of baking pie in our languorous wake.” – Capricorn domestic goddess Nigella Lawson

AQUARIUS Jan 21-Feb 19

PISCES Feb 20-Mar 20

Big Picture Aquarians crave security, which this year

Big Picture Jupiter spends half of 2022 aligned with

arrives in the form of confidence in your own intuition as a navigation tool. Your self-assurance strengthens as Saturn applies the finishing touches to a cycle of maturity which won’t come round again for another 30 years. Money Matters Jupiter lights up your money sector once every 12 years and this is it. Income is likely to increase, although so will expenses. While this cycle benefits building on existing resources, it warns against overspending or jumping into new ventures without due diligence. Connections Yes, this year’s people are over-emoting; react and there’ll be a perceived lack of empathy on your part. If others don’t seem to be operating from the empire of the sensible, try this: whatever your love language is, just keep letting them know it. The Inner You Saturn only visits each sign once or twice in a lifetime, and as 2022 finalises its three-year cycle it asks you to craft a foundation you can trust: promises and commitments to yourself, regardless of external circumstance. Food For Thought “I imagine good teaching as a circle of earnest people sitting down to ask each other meaningful questions. I don’t see it as a handing down of answers. I’m always amazed that people will actually choose to sit in front of the television and just be savaged by stuff that belittles their intelligence.” – Aquarian writer Alice Walker

Neptune in your sign: a magical marriage blessed with a sense of flow and progress, a spirit of altruism and the panoramic wisdom of the big picture. Projects materialise, things come together, your faith is restored. Money Matters Jupiter’s golden influence in Pisces couldn’t be more auspicious. While the planet of abundance doesn’t just dump money in your lap, Jupiter’s vibrational frequency promotes a confident mindset that attracts financial windfalls, additional income and promising prospects. Connections 2022 opens and closes with Venus rearranging your social networks, which won’t all be plain sailing as friendships past their due date expire. But with Jupiter amping up your personal magnetism, there’s no shortage of interesting newbies jostling to get up close with you. The Inner You Feelings aren’t really effective unless they’re expressed. Actions speak louder than intent, and Jupiter encourages more effort in getting those emotions on the move this year – with particular focus on bringing your inner leader out into the world on behalf of what you care about. Food For Thought “We’ve got to hold on to what we’ve got; We’ve got each other and that’s a lot; For love we’ll give it a shot; Woah, we’re halfway there; Woah, livin’ on a prayer; Take my hand, we’ll make it I swear; Woah, livin’ on a prayer ...” – Piscean singer-songwriter Jon Bon Jovi AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

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“My inspiration behind this range is to inspire all Australians to cook food for the people that they love.”

ONLY AT

Good life

The Weekly’s January guide to fashion, food, beauty, homes and health

UNSPLASH.

“Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”

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Fashion Bondi Born bikini top, $175, bondiborn.com.au Camilla and Marc dress, $550, camillaandmarc. com.au Dissh hat, $79.95, dissh.com.au Scarf, stylist’s own.

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HAIR BY KEIREN STREET FOR WELLA. MAKE-UP BY KRISTYAN LOW FOR SISLEY PARIS.

Sun seeker

Keep your cool this summer by choosing flowing silhouettes in natural fibres. Just add a sun hat and swimsuit for extra ease in and out of the water. PHOTOGR A PH Y b y COR R E BOND

S T Y L N G b M AT T I E C R O N A N

Fashion

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Unik Space dress, $380, unikspace.com.au Hatmaker hat, $360, hatmaker.com.au Opposite page: Matteau one-piece, $300, matteau-store.com LMND shirt, $135, lmnd.com.au Hatmaker hat, $360, hatmaker.com.au

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Matteau dress, $600, matteau-store.com ASOS hat, $30, asos.com Alias Mae sandals, $199.95, aliasmae.com.au Adairs umbrella, $249.95, adairs.com.au Opposite page: Autark crop, $289, autarklabel.com Shona Joy pants, $260, shonajoy.com.au Lack of Color hat, $129, lackofcolor.com.au

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Fashion

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Fashion

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Jac Cadeaux T-shirt, $130, jaccadeaux.com Anna Quan jacket, $695, and pants, $420, annaquan.com.au Lusana visor, $34, lusana.online Opposite page: Bondi Born bikini top, $175, bondiborn.com.au Shona Joy shirt, $220, and shorts, $180, shonajoy.com.au Hatmaker hat, $360, hatmaker.com.au

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Fashion Bondi Born bikini top, $175, bondiborn.com.au Camilla and Marc tank, $280, and pants, $650, camillaandmarc.com Hatmaker hat $360, hatmaker.com.au Hello Trader beach chair, $199, hellotrader.com.au Opposite page: Country Road bodysuit, $69.95, countryroad.com.au Lee Mathews shirt, $299, pants, $349, and bag, $399, leemathews.com.au Canopy Bay by Deborah Hutton hat, $110, canopybay. com.au All prices are approximate.

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Beauty

Local

HEROES

WO R D S b B R O O K E

E P

We might love a sunburnt country of sweeping plains and mountain ranges, but it turns out, we also don’t mind botanical-packed, multi-tasking beauty formulas either.

here was a time when we were best known for Nicole Kidman,, ˌDW ZKLWHV DQG WKH *UHDW %DUULH HU Reef. Increasingly, however, ou ur home-grown beauty products are nearing the top of that list. Fuelled by an abundance of active ERWDQLFDOV OLNH ˋQJHU OLPHV DQG .DNDGX plum, a passion for no-nonsense formulas that soothe and protect, and some good old-fashioned entrepreneurial spirit, beauty y lovers are now spoilt for choice when it FRPHV WR ˋOOLQJ WKHLU EDWKURRP FDELQHWV with home-grown skincare and make-up. To follow, some cult products, new launchess and tried-and-tested favourites for an all-Australian beauty regimen full of effortless, yet effective, formulas.

Skin-loving screen Most sunscreens developed in Europe and the US do not cut it in on our shores. In fact, an SPF F 30 that works on a sun loung ger in n Ibiza is unlikely to give you an ounce of protection on Bondi Beach. So, every summer we restock our bathroom cabinets with home-grown formulas, one of our favourites being Ultra Violette Queen Screen SPF 50+ Luminising Serum Skinscreen ($47), a multi-tasking formula that gives normal-to-dry skin all the sun protection, plus a hit of healthy-skin luminosity.

GETTY IMAGES. ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.

The hair saver Our climate is tough on hair, which is perhaps why we are a hot-bed of innovation when it comes to strand-saving treatments. Our best-known export for bringing crowns back from the brink is Eleven Miracle Hair Treatment ($24.95), a multi-tasking, leave-in vegan formula that softens, strengthens and adds shine.

A calming spritz A genuine natural beauty pioneer, Jurlique led the way in natural skincare powered by science long before the notion became popular. For those new to the brand, its Lavender Hydrating Mist ($52) is one of the most refreshing on the market. A light misting will cool your complexion and serves as a way to reset when you feel a tad overwhelmed.

Best balmy lips

Most Australians appreciate the soothing power of lanolin, but it wasn’t until Lanolips hit the scene that it moved from a crisis-skin essential to make-up must-have. Worth adding to your make-up bag is the Hydrating Lip Luminiser ($14.95), with lanolin and vitamin E to nourish with a hint of colour.

Pink clay mask

While clay masks are nothing new, pink continues to trend in the skincare space. The reason is that it’s gentle enough for the most stressed-out skin, as well as being rich in silica, which boosts cell renewal, and minerals that help skin detox. Try Minenssey Rejuvenating Clay Mask, $79.

Lashes for days

At the height of summer, we need formulas that know their place. Tested in some gruelling circumstances, we can attest that Inika Long Lash Mascara ($45) deﬁnes every lash with rich mineral pigments.

Moistu e HIT

GOOD BODY SCENTS On holidays, we sometimes switch out fragrance for a gorgeously scented moisturiser. Enter %DQJQ %RG\ )LUPLQJ Lotion ($48), a fastabsorbing formula that leaves skin feeling soft and gently scented with pineapple and coconut. Handy for getting into that holiday mindset long before you hit the sand.

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Beauty Heav nly

Y D R AT O N

THE CURL REVIVER

Those with curly hair will know that a little oil goes a long ZD\ WRZDUGV GHˋQLQJ FXUOV DQG NHHSLQJ IUL]] XQGHU FRQWURO %HORYHG E\ RXU HGLWRUV ZLWK NLQNV WKLV ULFK EOHQG RI QLQH ERWDQLFDO RLOV FDQ EH XVHG RQ GDPS RU GU\ KDLU DV D OHDYH LQ RU UDNHG WKURXJK VWUDQGV DV D SUH ZDVK RLO WUHDWPHQW WR SURWHFW IURP WKH UDYDJHV RI ZDWHU RQ FXUO\ KDLU 'DYURH &85/L&8( +\GUDWLQJ +DLU 2LO

All-natural pointers

Insiders love Kester Black nail polishes ($26 each), which are made from plant-derived ingredients and are water permeable too, meaning they allow breathability for the health of your nails. In addition to the brand’s impressive B Corp certiﬁcation, the shade range is a kaleidoscope of colours and the polish long-lasting.

The radiance booster Devotees love the tingle when applying Alpha-H Liquid Gold Midnight Reboot Serum ($129), which has glycolic acid and granactive retinoid, to make skin look brighter and smoother over time. These two superstar ingredients aren’t often combined, which is why this formula has been such a huge hit.

Native blooms

The humble h brown Boro onia is a fussy plant that is hard to grow, and only flowers for a minute in n late winter. However, th he teeny bloom carries a sweet, herby note at th he heart of Grandiflora’s B Boronia EDP ($145), o often described as a wild floral scent w with notes of cognac a and tobacco too.

Nourishing handwash

Once you’ve cleansed hands with this gently exfoliating, botanical-packed wash, it’s almost impossible to go back. We also love that the lavender oil, which comes from Tasmania and France, has soothing properties. Saba Organics Hand Wash Lavender & Bamboo Exfoliant, $9.95.

AM antioxidant

This is an essential step for protecting skin from environmental damage and premature ageing, best applied before sunscreen. The best formulas are as hydrating as they are protective. Rationale #1 The Hydragel ($184) forms a shield against pollution and is powered by Australian botanicals.

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Zero-waste wash

Pack your bathroom with heavenly scented, seriously nourishing formulas that turn a daily chore into an enjoyable ritual – and are good for the planet to boot. We’ve added Clover Fields Shampoo With a Purpose Combined Shampoo & Conditioner Bar ($16) to our supermarket list. It’s loaded with argan oil and shea butter to give dry or damaged hair a hit of moisture and shine. AWW

Beauty

EDITED b y BROOK E LE POER TR ENCH

Time-saver

We’re loving Trinny’s doubleended wand, with a teeny brow-grooming brush at one end, which adds colour and hold, and a classic black mascara at the other.

H OT BUY

Trinny London Lash2Brow, $50.

An instant icon, Chanel Fluide Enlumineur in Or Ivoire, $91, is the ultimate multitasker: Just N

Apply all over for a gentle glow, dab on sparingly to catch the light, or add to your foundation for a radiance boost. Lock detox

Just landed

Summer is prime time for hair colour fade. R+Co’s latest formula is a light conditioning rinse that removes harsh metals and pollutants from your hair and helps lock in colour too. Use for a few minutes, weekly.

Beauty enthusiasts may know US drugstore brand, RoC Skincare, best known for its affordable retinol formula. Finally available locally, it’s our pick for ﬁne lines and wrinkles.

R+Co TEACUP Peacholine + Kombucha Detox Rinse, $32.

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Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Serum, $37.99, and Line Smoothing Eye Cream, $29.99.

Free radicals in the environment accelerate ageing; antioxidants in skincare protect. Now, SkinCeuticals (behind the gold standard C E Ferulic) has GHYHORSHG RQH VSHFLˋFDOO\ IRU RLO\ DQG EOHPLVK SURQH VNLQ $IWHU WHVWLQJ LQJUHGLHQW FRPELQDWLRQV WKH ˋQDO EOHQG 6LO\PDULQ &) KDV YLWDPLQ & IHUXOLF DFLG DQG VLO\PDULQ DQ H[WUDFW RI WKH milk thistle plant, which protects and reduces breakouts too.

GETTY IMAGES. ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.

thinking

Wellbeing

Good intentions Resolutions rarely become reality, and yet we continue to make them. The good news, however, is that there’s another way – and it makes them far more likely to stick.

WO R D S b y B R O O K E L E P O E R T R E N C H

hen the calendar ticks over to January 1, we begin to plot and plan. With Christmas behind us, the new year stretching ahead feels like a fresh start. And so we resolve to change. In ancient Rome, this involved making sacrifices to a two-faced god and promising to behave. Fast forward 2000 years, and our goals have become more nuanced. Mostly, they tend to fall into one of a few different buckets: body (drop a dress size!), mood (meditate daily!), money (get a better job!), and self-improvement (be a better daughter/wife/friend/mother!). “But often what is wrapped up in these goals is the belief that we are lacking or falling short in some way,” says entrepreneur and mentor Lorraine Murphy, author of Step Into You. And no matter how determined you feel in those early days of the year, statistics show most resolutions are abandoned by mid-January. The obvious answer is to stop making them, but there is real value in taking some time to reflect and reset. The trick, according to the experts we spoke to, is how we frame what we want and motivate ourselves to get there. “By definition, our resolutions come with a strong belief that something will

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happen or be the case. It’s a bid for control, when of course we can’t control the future,” says Madeleine Dore, author of I Didn’t Do the Thing Today, noting the answer isn’t to abandon all expectations, or the hope that comes with them. “Instead, another way is to let go of our attachment to particular outcomes and great expectations for our future self and soften resolutions into intentions.” An intention is lighter – it’s an aim, rather than an assumption. And ironically, it’s more likely to get you where you want to go.

Look back

One of the best things you can do to move forward is to peek in the rear-view mirror first. “Take a moment to review the year and consider what went well and what could be improved, keeping it simple,” says

Lorraine, noting that our brain’s natural negative bias means we always look for the fault or the weakness. “That way, before you even set intentions for the future, you find some closure.” Make it a ritual: Lorraine gets up early on New Year’s Eve and writes a list of all the things she wants to let go of from the previous year. “It might be negative self-talk or being snappy with my husband or berating myself because I didn’t hit that target in my business,” she says. And then she rips the list into pieces and burns it. “This might sound a little woo-woo, but I’ve done it for a few years now and it really does help me let go and look ahead with more clarity.”

Short story

One way to guarantee your goals don’t evaporate into thin air is to break them down into far more simple ideas. “For a long time I was drawn to writing extensive and exhaustive New Year’s resolutions,” admits Madeleine. “It was about changing and improving myself, as if the dawn of the new year meant I could now achieve this perfect version of myself.” Part of the problem, she explains, is to do with optimism. “There is a thing called time optimism, where you overcrowd your diary and to-do list because you’re overly optimistic about how much you can get done. And the same thing happens with our resolutions when we crowd too many goals onto the one list,” says Madeleine. “We actually need to create something more realistic.” So, for the past few years, she has scrapped the long list for one single word. “These words, like ‘trust’ or ‘joy’, become a kind of anchor and reminder of how you want to approach your decisionmaking this year. When you stumble or feel doubt, you can return to the word to get back on track.”

Dig deep

My husband calls it the “hospital pass”, which (for people, like me, who haven’t mastered a team sport) is a ball passed so poorly it is sure to result in injury. When we set our goals for the new year, we rarely factor in the science of habits, which can take weeks or even months to reset. We don’t always consider the support we might need to achieve said resolution. And we rarely think about the things that are standing in the way, within us. It’s as if

GETTY IMAGES.

Reading corner

Rather than writing your list, dive into these whip-smart books that challenge how we get things done.

taping it to the fridge will make it so, when the truth is that recurring goals that don’t ever seem to come together might require more introspection. “There may be patterns that are hard to face, or issues with your confidence that you need to address,” says Lorraine. For instance, finding a new job where you feel respected might be, in part, about working on your ability to set boundaries, or reaching new goals in your business might be about unpacking selfdoubt, which Lorraine says can show up as perfectionism and procrastination, too.

Start small

We put a lot of stock in setting our minds to something, “but the truth is that if you’re trying to create a new habit or change the way you behave, only a fraction of what helps us achieve that comes from intentional thought,” says Lorraine. Instead, it is the small rituals we establish that really allow us to achieve those loftier goals. For me, feeling calm and focused is something I want to bring to the new year. According to Lorraine, spending five to 10 minutes meditating or doing yoga each morning means I am now acting on those intentions I’ve set for myself. “These small, daily efforts are what will really keep you feeling connected with those goals and allow you to make them a reality,” she says.

Top drive

So how do we ensure our intentions have staying power? Consider what lies beneath, say Madeleine. That is, rather than focus on what you’ll be, think about how you want to feel. “For the longest time I wanted to exercise more, but no matter how hard I tried to cultivate the habit it would not stick,” she admits. On reflection, that’s because she was wholly focused on the bathroom scales, “and it meant that when the number didn’t shift, it was not only demotivating but very easy to sabotage”. The shift happened when she started to associate exercise with boosting her energy levels and providing mental clarity. “The whole process became more about delight than dread, and I found I was able to exercise consistently.” Rather than focus on your end point, which is an illusion anyway, “we just need to find the thing that allows for flexibility and growth, while still keeping us in the here and now”. AWW

1 2 3

1. Step Into You by Lorraine Murphy (Hachette). 2. I Didn’t Do The Thing Today by Madeleine Dore (Murdoch Books). 3. Dancing With Your Muse by Gilda Joffe (Exisle Publishing).

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Health

We think of testosterone as representing everything male, but it plays a crucial role in our oestrogen production, fertility and sexual functioning. And when levels drop after menopause, there’s a patch that can help.

WO R D S b y B R O O K E L E P O E R T R E N C H

anchovies and Spanx, testosterone is polarising. Australia is the first and only country to have a regulator-approved testosterone cream for post-menopausal women, and yet there’s still confusion. One reason for this, according to Professor Susan Davis, director of the Women’s Health Research Program in the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine at Monash University, who has led groundbreaking studies on the subject as it relates to women, is that we see it as a male sex hormone. “It’s essential in women’s bodies too, playing a role in the development of eggs and production of oestrogen,” she says. Another issue is that menopausal women don’t talk to their GPs about desire, or the lack of it. And when they do, many GPs don’t know what to do. “Studies show they don’t have the training or the interest to discuss sexuality,” she says. “Many feel it’s a can of worms.” But our ability to feel desire and connect with our partners in the Biblical sense matters. We asked Professor Davis everything you need to know about how testosterone may help you.

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Q: Why are some GPs not on board with this treatment, given the research?

“There is a lack of awareness with mid-life women’s health and a whole generation of doctors who have not been taught about menopause because HRT [hormome replacement therapy] went off the radar. They also put sexuality in the too-hard basket. Women are, to a degree, also their own worst enemy because there is a consistent belief that they only need to see a doctor if they can hardly function.”

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Anatomy of desire

pressure, red cell count or glucose. In fact, in these studies we had great compliance with women taking testosterone because it was working so well for them; it was women on the placebo that dropped out.”

Q: When do our testosterone levels start to drop?

“Between the ages of 18 and 39, blood testosterone levels fall by about 25 per cent. This is due to the ovaries and adrenals slowing down and producing less and less over time. It continues to decline with age.”

Q: How does this show up in our daily lives?

Burt Lancaster and Deborah Kerr sizzle in From Here to Eternity.

“Before menopause, sexual functioning is very much determined by our general health, relationships and environment. And that’s not just where you live, but how you live, whether you’re on medication, whether you’re depressed, and cultural beliefs. For instance, if you were always taught masturbation was bad, then your sexual functioning is not determined by hormone levels, but rather your guilt and shame. So while testosterone contributes to female sexual function before menopause, the overriding effect is what is going on with the rest of your life.”

Q: And after menopause? Q: There is a certain amount of fear that adding testosterone will cause side effects, like body hair and a deep voice. What do the studies tell us?

“If the dose is right, then there are no side effects. We did a systematic review of all the studies looking at the risks of women taking testosterone, published in The Lancet, and they are just not there. We also have an enormous amount of safety data, and there is no adverse effect on cholesterol, insulin, blood

“By the time women go through menopause, a large proportion have a reduction in testosterone that does impact their sexual functioning. And the evidence is irrefutable that testosterone replacement will improve low desire in the majority of women. Although, as I say to my patients, ‘I can increase your desire, but I can’t make you like your partner’. So if the primary problem is your relationship or depression or just not being happy at work, it won’t fix it. But all the studies have shown that there is clear benefit for post-menopausal women taking testosterone.”

Q: How do postmenopausal women take TGA-approved testosterone?

“It is a cream that comes out in a metered dose, which can be varied. It is a much weaker preparation than you would use to treat a man, so the margin for error is very small. If you do mistakenly use too much and get a little acne or oily skin, we adjust the dose a little.”

Q: How does testosterone affect women when they use the patch?

“It has central and peripheral body effects. In one study, menopausal women were exposed to non-erotic videos, like someone vacuuming the carpet, and erotic ones, followed by brain imaging. It wasn’t until they were given testosterone that their brains looked like those of premenopausal women being shown erotic videos. Physically, testosterone also increases vaginal blood flow and so it increases the ability to become aroused and to have an orgasm.”

Q: Once you start using the testosterone patch, how long does it take to kick in?

“About four weeks. Many postmenopausal women will describe the feeling of not wanting to be touched. They will say, ‘I want to go to bed and read a book and put a big line down the middle of the bed between myself and my partner’. I explain to patients their first response to treatment will be that when their partner initiates, they won’t even think about pushing them away. That ‘don’t touch me’ feeling goes and the receptiveness changes first and then it comes back strongly.” AWW To find a doctor well versed on women’s health issues, visit the Australasian Menopause Society site at menopause.org.au and search “Find an AMS doctor”. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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STOCKSY.

Health

The T secrets of women who live long, healthy lives

he longer your exposure to unhealthy things, the unhealthier you will be. Healthy ageing has two components. One is prevention and minimisation of disease, the other is quality of life and optimisation of ability – put simply, finding ways to make the most of what you have. Age is not a measure of years, it’s also a measure of your exposure to bad habits. The longer you eat poorly and are inactive, the greater your chances of getting degenerative diseases. Luckily, for those of us who worry a ‘healthy lifestyle’ involves difficult regimes, the women we studied were not fanatical. You do not need to become a health ‘fanatic’ to be healthy. In fact, research shows these people have worse health than those who opt for moderation in all things. The women at the heart of the Women’s Healthy Ageing project, which began in 1990, come from all walks of life. And these participants have shown us that things you do in your forties, fifties and sixties will help your health when you’re over 70. If you act on the secrets they revealed – to move, eat well, to stress but not distress, to connect – you’ll build your intrinsic capacity, your ability to weather the storms life throws at us. It’s what provides resilience in the face of inevitable change.

They do not stop

The key ingredients required for us to age well have been revealed in a groundbreaking study, led by Professor Cassandra Szoeke. Here, she reveals some of the things we can do every day to promote wellness and longevity. WO R D S b y P R O F E S S O R C A S SA N D R A S Z O E K E

When people decrease activity in retirement, there are consequences for their health. For example, early data shows the chance of getting dementia doubles every five years over the age of 65. However, what our research also reveals is that illnesses like dementia are not an inescapable part of ageing, but rather they are diseases that evolve due to persistent ongoing inflammatory damage to nerve cells. The way we live can change these outcomes. This is just one of the secrets we have learnt from women in our study.

They are active daily

If you’re expecting me to tell you exactly what to do, prepare to be disappointed. The most important thing is to do whatever activity you want. It doesn’t have to be the same activity either. You might do something when you are one age and another when you’re older. You might do one activity with friends, another on your own; a physical activity at home might not be the same as an activity away from it. Just be active, every day. Doing some form of activity you enjoy, or that’s an unavoidable part of life, is the key. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Health Physical activity has been shown to directly relate to how long you live, as well as how long you live without disease. The National Cancer Institute has published work showing patients with cancer who don’t exercise are more likely to die than those who exercise regularly. Numerous studies show how much you walk each day relates to how long you’ll live. So, Energ y EFFICIENT go for a walk today!

They take part in screening programs

They don’t diet

For those who worry a ‘healthy lifestyle’ involves a strict adherence to difficult eating regimes, these women were not fanatical. Research shows those who focus on a single thing – like rigorous diets – have poorer health than we’d expect. Interesting studies have shown people who are dieting are more likely to get infections. Researchers have tested the blood of people dieting and shown there are fewer natural-killer cells (the immune system cells that eat up bad things that end up in our bodies) compared with people not on a diet. ‘Eating healthy’ within the calorie limits your body needs is not dieting. We need to ingest enough. We should not ingest too much. This may seem straightforward but ‘enough’ and ‘too much’ mean different things to different people and can thwart our efforts to find the right balance. If there’s more energy going in, you put on weight. And the inverse is true too. Get the maths right, and you’ll be set for a healthy life and ageing. Your favourite health professional can help you calculate a tailored personal ‘required calories per day’ plan for you.

It’s a well-known phenomenon that those who continue in a research study longterm tend to have better health. Even being part of short research studies improves your health because the scrutiny picks up things that might otherwise go unnoticed. In our study, we found 60 per cent of our women had low vitamin D levels. Ours is an observational study, however, we share results with participants’ GPs and this resulted in women having vitamin D supplementation, so in subsequent years the women didn’t demonstrate the same deficiencies. This is an example of how even in observational research, taking part can influence health and we see less illness in participants.

They have a high positive mood score

Negative life events challenge mental resilience. They place us at risk of developing depression by lowering our positive mood. But rather than focusing on reducing negative impacts, at times outside our control, the key to good mental health is to augment our positive mood. This is akin to positive thinking and the feeling you really can do it, things are not that bad and you feel hopeful – and it’s a strong protector of mental health. Overall, the greatest influences causing negative mood in women boil down to three factors: daily hassles, stress and bothersome symptoms. To maintain health and wellbeing,

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women need to prioritise reducing hassles and stress. Research also shows if we can increase how we view our wellbeing, there are long-term positive changes in our physical and mental health. We get better at this skill with time. We’ve learnt from the amazing women in our study that nothing is more important than being optimistic. They’ve shown us that positive attitude and mood can be powerful in dealing with even dramatic and crushing life events. The adage ‘laughter is the best medicine’ is still in circulation for good reason. Bless the comedians; they are champions of public health.

They have purpose

When looking at each side of the health coin you may ask: What is ‘purpose’? In essence, purpose is what connects us to a feeling of being useful in our role, and that our service is of value. It correlates strongly with people feeling their lives have meaning. Overwhelmingly, the secret our women reveal to us time and again is ‘it’s the little things that count’. We’ve observed in our study that people have an incredibly wide variety of social connections and – most importantly – that a person can change their connections dramatically over time, sailing life’s winds as they alter. It’s the surprising secrets that are most precious, and one of the ones that surprised us most was that not all socially active women are fit and well. We saw a number of women volunteering, caregiving and grandparenting who had arthritis and reported active aches and joint pains, yet engaged despite these. They had better mood as they tended to focus on the positive attributes of their dedication, priding themselves on being responsible and reliable. Their communities appreciate this and reward them.

Multitask habits

What’s interesting about the healthiest women in our study is they don’t do the above in isolation. They’re wonderfully Fo MORE efficient. They integrate several activities at once. They’re active while interacting This is an edited extract from Secrets with friends and while caregiving or of Women’s Healthy volunteering. They bring a positive Ageing: Living Better, attitude to life and routinely find things Living Longer by to do that include being active, while also Professor Cassandra being mentally stimulating, which makes Szoeke, Melbourne University Press. them feel happy and purposeful. AWW

Wellness update

YO U R

gui e G R E AT NEW

Throw shade We obsess ess about p ur ski , but s a thought for your peepers. Overexposure to UV radiation from both natural sunlight and indoor artificial rays can damage the eye’s surface as well as the cornea and lens. An easy fix: Get into the habit of wearing UV-blocking glasses.

J it down Jot n Writing ing a t -do list may help anise putting n to per about your deeper thoughts, desires and memories can work wonders for your wellbeing and has been shown in many studies to promote emotional processing and mental clarity. If your interest is piqued, try Get Untamed: The Journal by Glennon Doyle, a journalstyle workbook based on the personal essays shared in her bestselling book, Untamed.

WE LOVE: Aussie brand Good Citizens Bronte sunglasses (goodcitizens.com.au) are made from recycled plastic water bottles.

Tr T H I S

GETTY IMAGES.

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Brain drain Is it time to make your next one a water? Recent evidence indicates that one in ﬁve Australians over 60 exceeds official guidelines of more than two alcoholic drinks per day, which is higher than any other age group and puts them at risk of long-term harm, plus an increased risk of dementia.

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Healthy meals

inspirations

P H O T O G R A P H Y b y A L C A TAY L O R

S T Y L I N G b O L I V I A B L AC K M O R E

Perfect for summer, these sharing-style dishes follow the healthy Mediterranean diet principles.

PHOTO CHEF: REBECCA LYALL.

Mediterranean

Mixed mezze

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Chargrilled chicken with fig & olive anchoïade

the Test Kitchen You’ll need to start this recipe a day ahead. To save time, ask the butcher to butterﬂy the chicken for you. The anchoïade can be made 3 days ahead. It will keep for up to 1 month in the fridge.

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Farro, haloumi & chickpea salad

the Test Kitchen

SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR 5 MINUTES

Farro is an ancient grain related to wheat. It’s gained popularity as a ZKROH XQUHˋQHG JUDLQ FRQWULEXWLQJ ˋEUH SURWHLQ LURQ DQG PDJQHVLXP to the diet, all with a delicious nutty WDVWH <RX FRXOG DOVR XVH EXFNZKHDW VSHOW RU EDUOH\ LQVWHDG LI \RX SUHIHU 1 cup (195g) roasted farro 225g haloumi 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 400g can chickpeas, drained, rinsed 6 (120g) fresh dates, pitted, torn 2 (260g) Lebanese cucumbers, sliced thinly lengthways 1 small (100g) red onion, sliced thinly 2 cups fresh ﬂat-leaf parsley leaves ⅓ cup (70g) pomegranate seeds ¼ cup (40g) pine nuts, toasted

If the dressing separates on standing, blend again brieﬂy to bring it together. You can use crumbled fetta instead of haloumi.

GREEK DRESSING 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 teaspoon dried oregano 1 tablespoon lemon juice ¼ cup (60ml) white wine vinegar ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil

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JDUOLF RUHJDQR OHPRQ MXLFH DQG YLQHJDU XQWLO ZHOO FRPELQHG :LWK WKH PRWRU operating, gradually add oil in a steady VWUHDP XQWLO FUHDP\ DQG FRPELQHG 6HDVRQ 3 &XW KDORXPL LQWR PP VOLFHV FXW HDFK slice into triangles. Heat oil in a large IU\LQJ SDQ RYHU KLJK KHDW &RRN KDORXPL IRU PLQXWH HDFK VLGH RU XQWLO JROGHQ 4 3ODFH IDUUR DQG FKLFNSHDV LQ D ODUJH ERZO ZLWK GDWHV FXFXPEHU RQLRQ DQG parsley with dressing; toss gently to FRPELQH 6HDVRQ 6HUYH WRSSHG ZLWK KDORXPL SRPHJUDQDWH DQG SLQH QXWV Not suitable to freeze. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Healthy meals

the Test Kitchen You’ll need 8 bamboo or metal skewers for this recipe. Soak bamboo skewers for 10 minutes in water before using to prevent burning; oil metal skewers to prevent sticking. For tzatziki, combine Greek yoghurt, grated and drained cucumber, chopped dill, lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Pork souvlaki SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 40 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION TIME)

Souvlaki can be eaten off the skewers, or served with salad and tzatziki. You could also wrap ingredients in flatbread or pitta wraps. 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons white vinegar 2 cloves garlic, crushed ¼ cup lightly packed fresh mint leaves, chopped coarsely

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2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind 800g pork scotch fillet, cut into 2cm cubes pitta bread, curly endive, sliced red onion and tzatziki, to serve 2 tablespoons lemon juice 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, extra

1 Combine oil, vinegar, garlic, mint, lemon rind and pork in a large bowl. Season. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, longer if possible.

2 Heat a barbecue (or grill or grill pan) on high. Thread pork onto skewers (see Tips). Cook pork, turning occasionally, for 10 minutes or until well charred all over and just cooked through. Transfer skewers to a plate; cover with foil to keep warm. 3 Serve skewers with pitta bread, endive, onion and tzatziki. Drizzle with combined lemon juice and olive oil. Uncooked marinated pork suitable to freeze.

Roast whole snapper with rice & lemon SERVES 6 PREP & COOK TIME 40 MINUTES

Mixed mezze SERVES 4-6 PREP & COOK TIME 35 MINUTES

Chargrilled chicken with fig & olive anchoïade SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 55 MINUTES (+ REFRIGERATION & STANDING TIME)

250g microwave brown and wild rice

1½ tablespoons cumin seeds ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil,

¼ cup (40g) dried currants ½ cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf

plus extra to serve 4 cloves garlic, crushed

parsley, plus extra leaves to serve

2 medium (240g) carrots, grated coarsely

1 clove garlic, crushed 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1 medium (175g) beetroot, grated coarsely 1¼ cups (350g) Greek yoghurt

2 tablespoons olive oil ½ cup (125ml) lemon juice

2 teaspoons lemon juice ¼ cup mint leaves, chopped finely, plus extra

1 whole snapper (2.2kg), cleaned 2 teaspoons smoked paprika

to serve ⅓ cup dill, chopped finely, plus extra to serve

1 teaspoon turmeric ½ teaspoon allspice

chargrilled pitta bread, to serve WARM MARINATED OLIVES

FIG & OLIVE ANCHOÏADE ⅓ cup (65g) firmly packed soft dried figs,

½ cup (125ml) tahini

2 cups (160g) drained kalamata olives

lemon wedges, to serve

1 cup (120g) drained Spanish green olives

chopped coarsely 1 tablespoon sweet sherry ½ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). Line a large oven tray with baking paper. 2 Heat rice according to packet directions. 3 Combine rice, currants, ¹/₃ cup of the parsley, the garlic, lemon rind, 1 tablespoon of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the lemon juice in a medium bowl. Season. 4 Using a sharp knife, make two shallow diagonal cuts in thickest part of snapper on both sides. Drizzle fish with remaining oil; rub both sides with combined spices, season. Fill the fish cavity with the rice mixture. Place on a lined oven tray; bake for 35 minutes or until fish is just cooked. 5 Meanwhile, process tahini, ¼ cup (60ml) water, remaining parsley and remaining lemon juice until smooth; season. 6 Serve fish with tahini sauce, extra parsley leaves and lemon wedges. DO AHEAD: The tahini sauce can be made a day ahead. Not suitable to freeze. Fo MORE Recipes from The Australian Women’s Weekly Food From the Mediterranean, RRP $34.99, available from all good booksellers and awwcookbooks. com.au

1 clove garlic, crushed 6 wide strips lemon rind 2 teaspoons fennel seeds ½ teaspoon dried chilli flakes 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary leaves

1.6kg whole chicken 4 cloves garlic, crushed 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind ½ cup (125ml) orange juice ½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 1 bunch rocket, trimmed 6 medium fresh figs (360g), quartered lemon wedges, to serve

⅓ cup (55g) pitted kalamata olives 8 anchovy fillets 2 teaspoons baby capers 2 small cloves garlic, crushed

2 fresh bay leaves ⅓ cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind

1 Stir 3 teaspoons of the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil, half the garlic and carrot; cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until carrot is tender. Season to taste. Transfer to a medium bowl to cool. Wipe pan clean. Repeat with remaining cumin, oil and garlic and the beetroot. 2 Place half the yoghurt in a food processor with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, half combined herbs and carrot mixture; process until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl; cover. Wipe processor clean. Repeat with remaining yoghurt, lemon juice, combined herbs and beetroot mixture. Transfer to another medium bowl; cover. Refrigerate dips until ready to serve. 3 WARM MARINATED OLIVES Place ingredients in a small saucepan; stir over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until heated through. 4 Top carrot and beetroot dips with extra herbs; serve with flatbreads and olives. DO AHEAD: Carrot and beetroot dips can be made a day ahead. Store marinated olives for 2 weeks in an airtight container in the fridge. Before serving, return marinated olives to a small saucepan, stir over low heat until warmed through. Not suitable to freeze.

2 tablespoons lemon juice

½ cup (125ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 Using a knife or poultry shears, cut down both sides of chicken backbone; discard backbone. Turn chicken skin-side up; press down on breastbone with heel of your hand to flatten. Pat dry with paper towel. Place in a large dish. 2 Combine garlic, rosemary, orange rind and juice, and ¼ cup (60ml) of the olive oil in a large bowl. Pour over chicken; turn to coat. Cover; refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Meanwhile, make Fig and Olive Anchoïade. 3 FIG & OLIVE ANCHOÏADE Place figs and sherry in a small bowl; stand for 10 minutes. Process softened fig mixture with parsley, olives, anchovies, capers, garlic, lemon rind and olive oil until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl; stir in vinegar and lemon juice. Season to taste. 4 Heat a covered barbecue (or chargrill plate) to medium-high heat. Remove chicken from dish, reserving marinade. Drizzle chicken with remaining oil; season. Cook chicken for 5 minutes each side or until well browned. Transfer to a roasting pan or ovenproof dish; drizzle with reserved marinade. Return chicken to barbecue; close lid and cook with indirect heat for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Rest for 10 minutes. 5 Serve chicken with anchoïade, rocket, fresh figs and lemon wedges. Not suitable to freeze or microwave. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Celebrity chef

RICK STEIN’S

PHOTO

GRA

PHY

JA M

Everyday dinners

Rose’s Korean prawn fritters with soy, cider vinegar & chilli Rose is Sas’s [Rick’s wife, Sarah] cousin’s partner and being Korean she has a fabulous repertoire of seafood recipes. What I love about this dish is its simplicity and the subtlety of soy and vinegar; also the fact that Rose finds parsley such an exotic herb. It’s lovely to experience the flavour through somebody else’s perception.

Sautéed red mullet with parsley, garlic & spaghettini This makes four large servings. The great thing about it is that the well-flavoured skin of the red mullet goes slightly grainy when it’s fried and seems to coat the spaghetti with the sweet taste of seafood. I also make this with monkfish, John Dory, bass or bream.

Rick Stein has spent his life travelling the world in search of cooking perfection. In his new cookbook he invites us into the rhythms and rituals of his cooking, sharing updated classics and brand-new dishes with stories and memories of family cooking moments. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Hot smoked salmon kedgeree This is the perfect dish for hot smoked salmon, which I now think makes the best kedgeree. I wonder whether my mother, sadly long departed, would have agreed; it was she who introduced me to kedgeree as a child. I often think how important the British Raj dishes were for instilling a love of Indian food into my baby boomer generation. They may be dismissed now as poor copies of the real thing, but we grew up familiar with flavours of cumin, coriander, cardamom, turmeric and even a little chilli.

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Celebrity chef Rose’s Korean prawn fritters with soy, cider vinegar & chilli SERVES 4–6 AS A BARSNACK OR MORE IF SERVED ALONGSIDE OTHER BAR SNACKS

Hot smoked salmon kedgeree SERVES 6

Sautéed red mullet with parsley, garlic & spaghettini SERVES 4

½ teaspoon fennel seeds 1½ teaspoons cumin seeds

4 x 150g red mullet, filleted

100g plain flour

½ teaspoon ground turmeric

450g dried spaghettini

20g cornflour 1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder 350g basmati rice

4 tablespoons olive oil salt and black pepper

200g raw peeled prawns, chopped good handful flatleaf parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon salt 4 eggs

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 medium-hot red chilli, finely chopped

2 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped 5 tablespoons sunflower oil

50g butter 350g hot smoked salmon, skinned and

4 plum tomatoes, chopped handful flatleaf parsley, finely chopped

DIPPING SAUCE

roughly flaked large handful parsley, chopped

extra virgin olive oil, to serve

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 Cut the red mullet fillets across into strips 2cm wide. 2 Bring a large pan of water to the boil and season with salt. Add the spaghettini, bring back to the boil and cook for 5 minutes or until al dente. Drain the pasta well and tip it into a large warmed serving bowl. 3 Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large frying pan. Fry the strips of mullet, skin-side down, for 3–4 minutes, then season with salt and pepper. Add the garlic and chilli to the pan and fry for 30 seconds, then add the tomatoes and fry for 30 seconds more. 4 Tip the contents of the pan into the bowl with the pasta, scraping up all the little bits that may have stuck to the bottom of the pan. Add most of the parsley and gently toss everything together so that the fish just begins to break up. Serve immediately, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with the remaining parsley.

5 tablespoons soy sauce 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar 1 teaspoon chilli flakes 1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 Whisk the plain flour, cornflour and salt with 200ml of water in a bowl to make a fairly runny batter. The consistency should be somewhere between single and double pouring cream. Leave the batter to rest in the fridge for an hour or so. 2 DIPPING SAUCE Make the dipping sauce by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside. 3 Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). 4 Stir chopped prawns, parsley and spring onions into rested batter. Add 2 tablespoons of the oil to a 28–30cm frying pan; place over a high heat. When pan is hot, add half the batter, spreading it thinly to cover the base of the pan. 5 Once the surface has lost its liquid texture and the underside is crisp and golden brown (2–3 minutes) slide the fritter on to a flat baking tray or plate. Add a little more oil to the pan, flip the fritter back into the pan and cook the other side for another 2–3 minutes until golden. Slide on to a baking tray and keep it warm in a low oven. Add another 2 tablespoons of oil to the pan and repeat with the rest of the batter. 6 Cut the fritters into roughly 3cm squares and serve immediately with the dipping sauce.

You can use coriander instead of parsley, if you prefer.

1 Place half the fennel seeds and half the cumin seeds into a dry frying pan over a medium heat and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant. Stir in the turmeric and Kashmiri chilli, then tip everything into a spice grinder and reduce to a powder. 2 Put the rice into a saucepan with 600ml of water and the salt and bring to the boil over a high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 8–10 minutes until all the water has been absorbed and the rice is just tender. After 8 minutes, check it by squeezing a grain between your fingers. You want rice that is soft on the outside, but still firm within. When done, stir gently with a fork to separate the grains. 3 Put the eggs in a small pan of simmering water and simmer for 8 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water until cool enough to handle. Peel the eggs and cut them into quarters. 4 Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over a medium heat, add the remaining fennel and cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds. Add the ground spices and hot rice and fry for 5 minutes until steaming hot. Gently fold in the salmon, parsley, lemon juice and eggs, then serve at once

You can now buy undyed smoked haddock with quite a heavy smoke which also works really well with the spice in this recipe. You’ll need to poach it first, though.

This is great with spaghetti or linguine too.

For MORE Extracted from RICK STEIN AT HOME by Rick Stein, published by BBC Books $55. © Rick Stein, 2021.

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In season P H O T O G R A P H Y b y J O H N PAU L U R I Z A R

ST Y LI NG b MICHELE CR A NSTON

Peaches & cream meringue cake

Divine summer sweets

From juicy mangoes to the sweetest cherries and stone fruit, you’ll find them in abundance. Enjoy them just as they are or make one of our dreamy summer show-off cakes. 140

The Australian Women’s Weekly

the Test Kitchen

PHOTO CHEF: DIXIE ELLIOTT.

For easy removal of cheesecakes and delicate cakes cooked in a springform pan, turn the base of the pan upside down before locking it in place. It’s the slight ridge on the base that can make removing the cheesecake difficult. The reverse side does not have a ridge.

Lemon, lime & mango no-bake cheesecake The Australian Women’s Weekly

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the Test Kitchen Swap out the cherries in this cake for Montague CROC EGGS™ plums. They are at their sweetest and most plentiful right now. Visit montague.com.au

Cherry & pine nut crumble cake

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In season

Lemon, lime & mango no-bake cheesecake SERVES 12 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR (+ REFRIGERATION TIME)

200g Anzac biscuits 100g macadamias, toasted lightly, coarsely chopped 100g butter, melted 4 eggs, separated 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind 2 teaspoons finely grated lime rind 1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice 1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice 3 level teaspoons gelatine 1/3 cup (80ml) water 500g cream cheese, softened 450ml thickened cream 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste fresh mango and passionfruit for decorating

1 Invert the base of a 24cm springform pan, lightly spray with cooking oil spray. Line side with a strip of baking paper. 2 Process the biscuits until fine and transfer to a medium bowl. Stir in the macadamias and butter then press mixture evenly over the base of the prepared pan; chill while preparing the filling. 3 Combine the egg yolks, ¾ of the sugar, rinds and juices in a large heatproof bowl. Whisk over a pan of simmering water for about 8 minutes, or until thickened slightly. Remove from heat. 4 Sprinkle the gelatine over the measured water in a small heatproof jug, then stand jug in the same pan of simmering water. Stir until gelatine dissolves; remove from pan and cool for 5 minutes. Whisk into egg mixture. 5 Beat the cream cheese in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Gradually add egg yolk mixture, beating well

between additions, until well combined. Place in the refrigerator 30 minutes, or until mixture starts to thicken and set slightly around edges. 6 Whip the cream and the vanilla bean paste until soft peaks form. 7 Beat the egg whites and remaining sugar in a clean bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Fold into the cream cheese mixture in two batches, then fold in ²/₃ of the vanilla whipped cream (reserve remaining cream for decorating). 8 Pour the filling over the biscuit base, smooth top. Cover cheesecake loosely with plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 6 hours or overnight. 9 Just before serving, give the remaining vanilla cream a whisk if needed. Decorate with dollops of cream and fresh mango wedges and passionfruit pulp. Undecorated cheesecake suitable to freeze.

In season

Peaches & cream meringue cake

Cherry & pine nut crumble cake SERVES 8 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR 35 MINUTES (+ STANDING & COOLING TIME)

SERVES 8 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR

Can’t decide whether you want to cook a butter cake or a meringue? Well, why not enjoy both in one cake. It starts with a butter cake base, which we’ve topped with a meringue layer, cooked the two together, then sandwiched with pillows of dreamy mascarpone cream and braised peaches, for a textural treat. 125g butter, at room temperature 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1¾ cups (385g) caster sugar 2 eggs ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour 2 tablespoons plain flour ⅓ cup (80ml) milk 4 egg whites ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 2 teaspoons icing sugar, for dusting BRAISED PEACHES 10 firm peaches, quartered, stones removed ½ cup (110g) caster sugar 2 tablespoons Cointreau or Grand Marnier CREAM FILLING 250g mascarpone 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 300ml thickened cream, whipped

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease 2 x 20cm round springform pans; line bases and sides with baking paper. 2 Beat butter, vanilla and ¾ cup of the caster sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Fold in combined sifted flours and the milk, in two batches. Spread the mixture evenly into pans. 3 Beat the egg whites and cream of tartar in a clean bowl with electric mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining 1 cup of caster sugar, beating after each addition until the sugar is dissolved

and the mixture is thick and glossy. Spoon meringue over the cake mixture in both pans. In one pan, smooth the meringue surface; in the other pan, use the back of a spoon to peak the meringue. 4 Bake cakes for 35 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool cakes in pans. 5 BRAISED PEACHES Meanwhile, place peaches and sugar in a heavy-based frying pan over very low heat. Cook, covered, shaking the pan occasionally, for about 8 minutes or until the sugar starts to dissolve and the peaches release their juices. Remove lid, add Cointreau and cook, over medium heat for a further 3 minutes, tossing gently or until tender. Refrigerate until cold 6 CREAM FILLING Whisk the mascarpone, lemon rind and 2 tablespoons of the peach syrup in a medium bowl until smooth and thickened slightly. Fold in the whipped cream. 7 Place the flat meringue-topped cake on a stand or plate; spread with ¾ of the Cream Filling. Top with half the drained peaches. Place other cake, meringue-sideup, on top. 8 Just before serving, decorate with remaining Cream Filling and some of the remaining peaches, if desired. Dust with sifted icing sugar. Not suitable to freeze.

The braised peaches can be made 3 days ahead. The cakes can be made a day ahead. Assemble the cake several hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator. Add cream and peaches to top of cake just before serving.

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150g butter, softened 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon rind 1 cup (220g) caster sugar 2 eggs ¾ cup (110g) self-raising flour ½ cup (75g) plain flour ½ cup (60g) almond meal (ground almonds) ½ cup (125ml) milk 400g fresh cherries, pitted 2 teaspoons icing sugar CARDAMOM CRUMBLE ½ cup (75g) plain flour ½ cup (110g) firmly packed brown sugar 1 teaspoon ground cardamom 50g butter, chopped ½ cup (80g) pine nuts SAUTÉED CHERRIES 20g butter 350g fresh cherries, pitted 2 tablespoon caster sugar

1 Preheat oven to 160°C (140°C fanforced). Grease a 22cm springform pan, line base and side with baking paper. 2 Beat butter, rind and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Stir in combined sifted flours and almond meal alternately with milk. Spread mixture into pan; smooth the surface. Place cherries on cake mixture. 3 CARDAMOM CRUMBLE Combine flour, sugar and cardamom in a medium bowl. Rub in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in pine nuts. Sprinkle over cake mixture. 4 Bake cake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave cake in pan for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool. 5 SAUTÉED CHERRIES Melt butter in a medium frying pan. Add cherries and sugar; cook for 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. 6 Serve cake with Sautéeed Cherries and dusted with sifted icing sugar. Cake suitable to freeze.

Store cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Test Kitchen

Quick bites E D TE D b y F R N A B D L AO U

e r r TA S T Y

Hand picked Here are some tips on how to choose the perfect peach or nectarine:

• Purchase fruit that is full of colour and smells great. • The softer the fruit, the sweeter it will be. • If you buy soft fruit, eat immediately. • If you buy hard fruit, let it sit at room temperature until it softens. • If not eating right away, keep under refrigeration. Remove the fruit when ready to eat and enjoy at room temperature. For more on this season’s fantastic fruit produce, follow @ausummerfruit on Instagram.

Galaxy fruits Being flat, Saturn peaches are easy to pack into lunch boxes, slide into your handbag, and eat on the go. Not only are they delicious, but as they have a small seed, there’s more flesh – so you get even more yummy peach to eat. Despite the fact they are flat, Saturn peaches are not genetically modified – in fact, the shape stems from the descendants of wild pan tao, originating in China over 150 years ago. lpgcutrifruitglobal.com

We’re loving ... Loco Love organic chocolate chips. There’s a dark 70% Peruvian chocolate or Mylk chocolate and we love that the packaging is home compostable, too. Use them in your baking, melt them to make a divine drink or eat them straight out of the box. These heavenly offerings are completely gluten, dairy and soy free, and sweetened with coconut blossom nectar. locolove.com Making the spud more a-peeling Thermomix has released the newest innovation to its family of accessories. The Blade Cover and Peeler takes the fuss and mess out of preparing the humble potato, leaving you more time to create the recipes you love. Check out thermomix.com.au

Pure chablis When you can’t visit France’s celebrated wine region, bring the French wine to you. Chablis is an easy match for a variety of seafood dishes thanks to its crisp acidity, gentle minerality and ﬂoral aroma. Try it with oysters or pan-fried ﬁsh, or as an aperitif with canapés. To learn more about this wine variety, visit chablis-wines.com

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Sweet treat

Cookingclass This month we’ve jumped on the artisan bakery trend of the panna cotta lamington. They’re super moist with a raspberry surprise inside, then dipped in a decadent chocolate ganache. They can be a little messy to make but very hard to resist. Panna cotta lamingtons MAKES 24 PREP + COOK TIME 1½ HOURS (+ OVERNIGHT REFRIGERATION TIME) 6 eggs

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOHN PAUL URIZAR. STYLING BY MICHELE CRANSTON.

⅔ cup (150g) caster sugar ½ cup (75g) plain flour ⅓ cup (50g) self-raising flour ⅓ cup (50g) cornflour 20g butter, melted ¾ cup (80g) frozen raspberries, crushed 3 cups (225g) shredded coconut 3 cups (150g) flaked coconut ⅔ cup (50g) desiccated coconut PANNA COTTA 1 cup (250ml) cream 1½ teaspoons powdered gelatine ½ cup (130g) condensed milk 2 teaspoons vanilla extract CHOCOLATE GANACHE 500g dark chocolate, chopped finely 1 cup (250ml) cream 100g butter, chopped ½ cup (125ml) boiling water

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Grease a 20cm x 30cm rectangular slice pan with deep sides. Line the base and long sides with baking paper, extending the paper 3cm over the long sides. 2 Beat the eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer for about 8 minutes or until thick and creamy. Gradually add the sugar, beating until dissolved between additions. Sift the combined flours twice onto a piece of baking paper. Sift flour mixture a third time evenly onto egg mixture. Using a balloon whisk or large metal spoon, quickly and lightly fold the flour mixture through egg mixture until incorporated. Drizzle the melted butter over the mixture and fold through until well combined. 3 Spread mixture into the prepared pan, the last scrapings from the mixing bowl should be placed around the edge of the pan, as this is the heaviest part of the mixture. Sprinkle over the crushed frozen raspberries. 4 Bake for 35 minutes or until sponge springs back in the centre and starts to shrink away from the sides of the pan. 5 PANNA COTTA Meanwhile, add ¾ cup (180ml) of the cream to a small saucepan; sprinkle over the gelatine. Stir over low to medium heat until gelatine is dissolved. Stir in the remaining cream, condensed milk, and vanilla. Remove from heat and transfer to a jug and set aside while sponge is baking.

6 Stand the cake for 5 minutes then pierce all over with a skewer or fork. Slowly pour over the Panna Cotta, starting around the sides then progressing to the centre of the cake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. 7 Turn the cake onto a baking papercovered rack, then flip onto a cutting board. Using an oiled knife cut the sponge into 24 rectangles. 8 CHOCOLATE GANACHE Combine all ingredients in a large heatproof bowl and set on top of a saucepan of simmering water. Stir until smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat and divide the Chocolate Ganache into 2 small clean bowls. 9 Combine the 3 types of coconuts in a large bowl. Transfer a third of the coconut mixture into a shallow dish (dipping in batches prevents all the coconut mixture becoming tainted by the chocolate). Line a large tray with baking paper. 10 Using an offset spatula (or fork) and a dessert spoon, dip one piece of sponge into the Chocolate Ganache coating all sides; drain off excess. Gently place into the coconut mixture and press onto sides; place on prepared tray to set. Repeat with remaining sponge pieces, replenishing the coconut mixture when needed. Suitable to freeze.

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Ham & tomato crostata

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Leftovers This month we make it easy to use up excess Christmas ham with these tasty recipe ideas, perfect for summer eating.

Delicious WAYS

PHOTOCHEF: DIXIE ELLIOTT.

HOTOGR A H Y b y OH N P UL UR Z R

STY

NG b y M CHELE CR NSTON

Potato salad with crispy ham

Leftovers Loaded ham & cheese pull apart SERVES 6 PREP & COOK TIME 30 MINUTES 150g softened butter 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons finely chopped chives ½ teaspoon smoked paprika 300g Gruyère cheese, grated coarsely 1 medium (640g) sourdough loaf 200g thinly sliced ham fresh basil leaves, to serve

1 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 2 Combine the soft butter, mustard, chives, paprika and ¾ of the Gruyère cheese in a medium bowl. Season to taste. 3 Using a serrated knife, cut the loaf into 12 slices without cutting all the way through to the bottom. 4 Spread butter mixture in between the cuts and insert ham. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese and wrap in foil. Bake for 20 minutes or until butter mixture has melted. Open foil to reveal top of loaf, bake for a further 5 minutes or until crisp and golden. Sprinkle with basil leaves to serve. Unbaked loaf suitable to freeze.

the Test Kitchen If you’re not keen on Gruyère, a combination of cheddar and mozzarella would also be delicious.

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Pork & ham dumplings

the Test Kitchen Using a fatty pork mince will give a juicier mouthfeel to the dumplings. Use green onions or coriander in place of chives.

Leftovers Ham & tomato crostata

Pork & ham dumplings

SERVES 6 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR

MAKES 30 PREP & COOK TIME 1 HOUR

Potato salad with crispy ham SERVES 4 PREP & COOK TIME 40 MINUTES

500g fresh ricotta 1 cup (200g) chopped leftover ham

250g pork mince 125g finely chopped ham

1kg Dutch cream potatoes, peeled, coarsely

1 cup (80g) finely grated parmesan

½ bunch chives, chopped finely

chopped

2 green onions, chopped finely ¼ cup chopped fresh dill

2 teaspoons finely grated ginger 1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 200g thinly sliced ham

1 egg, beaten lightly 12 mixed coloured cherry tomatoes, halved

1 teaspoon soy sauce ½ teaspoon sesame oil

3 green onions, chopped finely ½ cup parsley leaves

or sliced 4 small heirloom tomatoes in assorted colours

275g packet Gow Gee Pastry ¼ cup (60ml) peanut oil

½ cup (90g) cornichons, sliced lengthways LEMON DRESSING

smoked salt flakes, extra virgin olive oil (optional), extra dill sprigs, for serving

boiling water crispy chilli oil, soy sauce, toasted sesame

1 eschallot (French shallot), chopped finely 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

JATZ PASTRY

seeds (optional) for serving

⅓ cup (80ml) lemon juice

75g Jatz biscuits 1⅔ cup (250g) plain flour 150g cold butter, chopped into 1cm pieces ¼ cup (60ml) iced water

1 JATZ PASTRY Add the biscuits to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the flour and pulse until combined. Add the butter; pulse until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs. With the motor operating, add the water until the pastry just comes together. Turn dough onto a bench and form into a thin disc. Lightly dust a large sheet of baking paper with flour and roll the pastry out to form a rough circle approximately 32cm in diameter. Transfer the pastry on the baking paper to a large oven tray, refrigerate for 20 minutes. 2 Meanwhile, combine ricotta, ham, parmesan, green onions, dill and half the egg in a medium bowl. Season. 3 Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan-forced). 4 Spread the ricotta mixture evenly in the centre of the pastry, leaving approximately a 6cm border. Arrange the tomatoes on top. Lift the sides of the pastry up over the edge of the tomatoes and pleat in place. Brush the pastry with the remaining egg and sprinkle pastry and filling with smoked salt flakes. 5 Bake on the lower shelf of the oven for 50 minutes or until pastry is crisp and dark golden. 6 Serve sprinkled with smoked salt, olive oil and dill sprigs. Suitable to freeze.

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1 Line a large tray with baking paper. 2 Place pork, ham, chives, ginger, garlic, soy sauce and sesame oil in a medium bowl. Mix until well combined. 3 Working with one wrapper at a time, place wrapper on a chopping board and lightly brush the outer edges of the wrapper with water. Place about 3 teaspoons of filling in the centre, then fold the wrapper in half and pinch together the meeting point at the top. On each side, make two pleats, starting with the inside (closest to the centre). Then make two more pleats on the outer corners, again towards the centre. Press lightly to ensure seams are sealed. Place on the prepared tray and repeat with remaining ingredients. 4 Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large non-stick frying pan with a lid over medium high heat. Add 10 dumplings in a single layer, pleated side up; cook for 1-2 minutes or until well browned underneath. Carefully add ½ cup boiling water; partially cover the pan and cook for a further 4 minutes or until the water has almost evaporated. 5 Transfer to an oven tray to keep warm while cooking the remaining dumplings in batches. 6 Serve with crispy chilli oil, soy sauce and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Uncooked dumplings suitable to freeze.

⅔ cup (160ml) extra virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons honey

1 In a medium saucepan, cover the potatoes with cold water and season with salt. Bring to the boil and cook over medium heat for 12 minutes or until just tender. 2 Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the ham and cook until crisp. 3 LEMON DRESSING Combine all ingredients in a screw-top jar; season well with salt and freshly ground pepper. Shake until well combined. 4 Drain potatoes and place in a medium bowl with the green onions and parsley; add half the Lemon Dressing and carefully fold through, trying not to break up the potatoes. Transfer to a serving dish and top with the ham, remaining Lemon Dressing and cornichons. Not suitable to freeze.

the Test Kitchen We used Dutch cream potatoes for their waxy yellow flesh and rich buttery taste. If you can’t find them, desiree potatoes also work well.

Fresh & fast

Cooking for one With a nod to Australia Day, here’s an easy summer lamb dish, perfect for solo dining but easy to scale up to feed more. BBQ lamb cutlets with hummus and a mint & almond tabbouleh SERVES 1 PREP & COOK TIME 12 MINUTES

1 In a medium bowl, combine the almonds, tomato, chopped herbs, lemon zest, juice and olive oil. Season and toss to combine. 2 Bring a barbecue grill plate or non-stick frying pan to a high heat. 3 Brush a little olive oil onto the cutlets and season well with salt flakes and freshly ground pepper. Grill the cutlets for 3 minutes on each side, or until cooked to your liking. 4 Smear the hummus onto a serving plate, drizzle with a little olive oil. Top with cutlets and serve with tabbouleh. Not suitable to freeze.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY CON POULOS. STYLING BY AMBER DE FLORIO. PHOTO CHEF: DIXIE ELLIOTT.

¼ cup (35g) slivered almonds, toasted 100g heirloom cherry tomato medley, halved ½ cup mint leaves, chopped coarsely ¾ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped coarsely 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil, plus extra 3 (170g) trimmed lamb cutlets 2 tablespoons (50g) hummus

the Test Kitchen To prevent wastage, on the following day roughly chop the remaining herbs and combine with any leftover hummus. Use as a topping on crispbread or toast.

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Home

Howtomake a In his new book, Green Thumb, indoor plant expert Craig MillerRandle reveals new ways to innovate with your indoor plants. You will need

1 Start by visualising where you want the plants to sit on the wall; it helps to do a sketch and decide in advance. Draw in where brackets · Pencil and paper · 6 white-painted L-shaped or hooks will sit as well as a rough outline of 150 × 125mm shelf where each plant will hang. Asymmetry looks brackets with 12 screws to best, with some pots higher and others lower, fit or 6 heavy-duty and when you look at the wall from a distance adhesive wall hooks with plants should all have roughly the same amount transparent backs of empty space around them for a balanced · 12 plaster mates look. Mix trailing plants with clumping (if affixing brackets to species for visual interest and allow for plasterboard walls) trailing stems when positioning pots. · Power drill · 6 lightweight decorative 2 Mark wall with a pencil where you need 14cm polypropylene (PP) to affix each bracket or hook. Secure each pots with no drainage bracket or hook to the wall (follow directions holes (14cm) is ideal for provided on the packaging for the latter). the bracket size specified, 3 Next, make three evenly-spaced marks and ensures your plant is around the perimeter of each decorative pot a workable weight for with a pencil, each about 1cm below the top removable hooks edge. Visualise a triangle on the top of the · Clear, high-strength fishing line (16kg break pot to assist in positioning holes: you’ll have point and above) a hole at each point of the triangle. Carefully · 6 small plastic saucers drill the three holes through each planter. Keep that fit inside the bottom them as small as possible, though large enough of the pots for you to thread the fishing line through. · 6 potted plants 4 Now cut three lengths of fishing line for each pot to the length you want each plant to

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hang, adding another 20cm to each to allow for tying off at both ends. 5 Take a pot, thread a piece of fishing line through each hole and double-knot its end. Carry pot to the wall. If you’re hanging the pot from a bracket, hold the three pieces of fishing line together above the pot at the length you want it to hang, and thread lines through the hole at the end of the bracket, making sure top of the pot is level. Tie lines together in a double-knot above bracket to fasten; cut off stray ends to tidy things up. If you’re using removable hooks, hold the three pieces of fishing line together above the pot at the level of the hook, making sure pot is sitting against the wall at the length you want it to hang. The top of the pot will be on an angle: to level it out, pull fishing line closest to the wall up so it’s shorter than the line furthest from wall. Tie lengths into a double knot, trim off stray ends and hang pot on the hook. Repeat for each decorative pot. 6 Put a small plastic saucer upside down in the bottom of each pot. 7 Now your hanging holders are ready to accessorise with their plant partners. Have fun with different combinations of plants. AWW

PHOTOGRAPHY BY MARK ROPER & CRAIG MILLER-RANDLE.

For MORE Green Thumb by Craig Miller-Randle, published by Plum. Photography by Mark Roper and Craig Miller-Randle. Available in store now.

Homes 1

3 4

Different strokes

Be they wide, thin, curved or multi-coloured, stripes of any kind are the hottest accessory for your home this season. S T Y L E D b y SA R A

STERN

1. Aeyre towel set, $159. 2. Bang & Olufsen speaker, $350. 3. Schots Home Emporium light, $119. 4. Richard Brendon decanter, $425, spenceandlyda.com.au 5. Missoni Home cushion, $470, spenceandlyda.com.au 6. Basil Bangs umbrella, $199. 7. Outdoor cushion, $49, domayne. com.au 8. Linen House vases, $39.99, and $49.99. 9. In the Round House plate, $29. 10. Makers’ Mrkt candle holders, $105 each. 11. Louise Rose vase, $220, spenceandlyda.com.au 12. Nathan Yong credenza, $7785, spenceandlyda.com.au 13. Nadi basket, $299 for set of three, domayne.com.au 14. Ames Maraca armchair, $2821, smallable.com 15. Australian Woodwork salt + pepper grinders, $395. 16. Country Road beach towel, $69.95.

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ALL PRICES ARE APPROXIMATE.

D-I-Y tips

E D I TE D b y G E O RG I NA B I TC O N READER PRIZE

Empty herb or spice bottles with shaker tops make perfect specimen vases for small flowers with short stems, each threaded through its own hole. Band stand

Ask The Weekly

Cover up Use a ﬁtted sheet to stretch over a child’s paddling pool or sandpit overnight to keep out leaves, insects and cats.

My canvas outdoor umbrella is looking the worse for wear. How can I clean it?

After juicing a lemon, sprinkle coarse salt

on a chopping board, scrub with lemon sskins, rinse and allow to dry – it cleans, disinfects and deodorises all at once. Speed dial

GETTY IMAGES.

Adding cola to your compost heap occasionally can make the composting process faster: the sugar attracts micro-organisms that break down organic matter and the acid boosts the process.

Tasty leftovers Before throwing out an ‘empty’ jar of mayonnaise, add a little

oil, a splash of vinegar, some Dijon mustard, salt, pepper and shake well for a creamy dressing.

Eggs-celent hack Instead of taking whole eggs with you when camping overnight, break the required number of eggs into an empty jar, shake to combine and keep cold until ready to scramble for breakfast.

Slide elastic hair bands onto an empty cardboard tube and keep them neatly on hand in a drawer or bathroom cabinet.

Dry spell If you put your dormant cyclamen out in the garden for summer, gently lay the pot on its side to prevent the tuber getting overly wet and rotting.

Caffeine hit Don’t throw out leftover black coffee – sweeten it (optional) then pour into ice cube trays and freeze for use in iced coffee.

If the cover can be removed, machinewash and stretch back onto frame to dry. Otherwise, open it, wet thoroughly, scrub with 2 tablespoons each bicarb soda, washingg up detergent an 4 tablespoons hyd en peroxide; leave f hour, hose and let ry.

Ticked off If you live in or visit a tick-prone area this summer, keep an ether-containing spray (from pharmacies) in your ﬁrst aid kit. Using tweezers to remove ticks is not recommended.

Go nutty Small scuffs and scrapes on your wooden furniture will disappear if you e with a shelled wal alnut.

domestic secrets

Send your handy hints or questions to: The Australian Women’s Weekly, GPO Box 4178, Sydney, NSW 2001, or email openline@aremedia.com.au. We pay $75 for the reader’s prize hint each month.

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Travel

The (new) Australia WO R D S b y C AT H E R I N E M A R S H A L L

With international travel off the menu, last year we rediscovered our own beautiful backyards. Here’s our state-bystate guide to destinations to inspire you in 2022, and beyond.

The Lady Musgrave HQ bunks have views underwater; upper-deck glamping (below). Bottom: Swimming with turtles.

Qld

GETTY IMAGES. TOURISM AND EVENTS QUEENSLAND. MARNIE HAWSON. TRACY OLIVE.

Not Noosa

Some of the things you won’t find in Noosa: mountains, a meadery, and a one kilogram doughnut. You’ll have to head inland from the swanky coastal precinct and hit the Sunshine Coast hinterland’s food and brew trail, where you’ll discover quiet foodie achievers and sublime country flavours. Pull up a stool at Pomona Distilling Co’s rustic bar and sip gin flavoured with foraged botanicals while watching the world (or the village, should we say) go by; sip the fermented fruits of the honey harvest at Amrita Park Meadery in Pinbarren; down a hand-crafted beer at Noosa Hinterland Brewing Co, and a charcuterie and cheese board, in Cooran; and if you’re up to the challenge, squeeze in a mammoth doughnut from Kenilworth Bakery (we recommend the Nutella and cream option). For more visit sunshinecoasthinterland.com.au

R e e f WO N D E R

South is the new north

Think you’ve seen the Great Barrier Reef? Not if you’ve bypassed the Capricorn Coast, gateway to the lesser-explored Southern Great Barrier Reef region. Jump on a ferry at Yeppoon (east of Rockhampton) and you’ll be snorkelling off Great Keppel Island within the hour. Romantics can retreat to an eco-cabin on the nearby wind-andsun-powered Pumpkin Island. Or, for a truly adventurous stay, gather a group of 10 or more and book your bunks in the underwater observatory of the Lady Musgrave HQ, a pontoon located in Lady Musgrave Island Lagoon southeast of Bundaberg. Check out visitcapricorn.com.au; pumpkinisland. com.au; ladymusgraveexperience.com.au

Vic

A d v e n t u re S P I R I T

The other peninsula

The Bellarine Peninsula curls into Port Phillip Bay, almost touching the Mornington Peninsula. Separated by a narrow port, The Bellarine bears many similarities to its famous sister: beaches, vineyards, restaurants, shops and lodgings; it’s also just 90 minutes by car from Melbourne. There’s no limit to adventures to be had: surfing, hiking, growers’ markets, a vintage train, galleries and museums. If you’re keen on a girls’ weekend, head to The Woods Ocean Grove cabins (left), a short drive from Ocean Grove’s retail strip and beach. Gather goodies for an evening of wine and cheese around the fire pit or dinner in the outdoor kitchen. See visitgeelongbellarine.com.au and thewoodsoceangrove.com.au

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Travel Start at the very beginning

For a globally-revered cultural treasure, Lake Mungo is rather unassuming, a low-profile and largely unpeopled landscape in the state’s remote southwest. But scratch the parched surface and you’ll discover a time capsule crammed with primordial artefacts – campsites, rudimentary tools, cremation sites – and evidence of extinct megafauna. For 50,000 years ago, the nowfossilised lake bed comprised a vast inland sea which sustained the country’s earliest Aboriginal inhabitants – including Mungo Lady and Mungo Man, whose remains are among the oldest Homo sapiens’ relics found outside of Africa. Despite the lake’s subsequent desertification, this UNESCO World Heritage-listed site (part of the Willandra Lakes Region) is still flush with native fauna – kangaroos, emus, reptiles and a diversity of birdlife including pink cockatoos and brilliant parrots, whose numbers are expected to explode in 2022 thanks to recent rains. A visit to this region with Echidna Walkabout’s Mungo Outback Journey is doubly immersive, with guests engaging in citizen science by tracking and recording wildlife, monitoring signs of climate change and feral species intrusion and identifying artefacts – all while tracing the footsteps of Australia’s First People through an extraordinarily timeworn landscape. See echidnawalkabout.com.au From top: Native fauna at Lake Mungo include emus, pink cockatoos and kangaroos. Below: Rock hopping on the Fish River; gliding on Lake Cargelligo.

T y ALSO Cool down at one of Central NSW’s many watering holes. Our favourites? Flat Rock on the Fish River near Bathurst, where the kids can rock-hop while parents laze in crystalline pools; and the 8km-long Lake Cargelligo, located in the town for which it’s named, where visitors can birdwatch while kayaking, sailing or gliding along on an inflatable flamingo. More at visitcentralnsw.com.au

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ACT PARKS AND CONSERVATION SERVICE. © TOURISM NT/MARK FITZPATRICK. BARRY ARMSTEAD.

NSW

Sail into Saltwater Country Watch the Top End unfurl in ribbons of ancient culture, art and Indigenous and colonial history during Renaissance Tours’ new Lands of the Saltwater People cruise, hosted by broadcaster Geraldine Doogue, Aboriginal art expert Wally Caruana, the Art Gallery Society of New South Wales’ Liz Gibson and local Indigenous leaders. This singular journey grants participants access to hard-to-reach sites and exposure to legendary artists from the Yolngu community in north-east Arnhem Land and Bathurst Island (one half of the Tiwi Islands) offshore from Darwin. In between, guests stop off at Goulburn and Elcho Islands in the Arafura Sea and Victoria Settlement where the ruins of a 19th century British colony remain. More at renaissancetours.com.au

Hot digs, cool waters The turquoise waters of the Arafura Sea in the Top End, where ancient cultures and stunning scenery await.

Self-isolate

ACT

Not quite ready for post-isolation life? Head to Nil Desperandum, a secluded cabin in Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve 45 minutes’ drive southwest of Canberra, and your only company will be the Aussie bush and its native inhabitants (think koalas, platypuses and kangaroos). With solar lighting, a wood stove and limited mobile phone reception, this historic property transports guests to its 19th century origins (long-drop included) and allows them to decompress as they explore some of the 24 marked trails running through the reserve. The cabin sleeps four people; access is by 4WD or AWD vehicle, or a 12km return walking trail. More at tidbinbilla.act.gov.au

Can you hear the siren song? It’s luring you to Bremer Island in East Arnhem Land, where Banubanu Beach Retreat offers exclusive beachside eco-glamping for 12 guests. You won’t really find sirens – but you might see dugongs. If they’re elusive head for the pool, cast a line for barramundi, attend a healing ceremony with the island’s Yolngu owners or explore beaches where four of the world’s six turtle species nest. At Litchfield National Park settle into one of three luxe cabins – repurposed from shipping containers and set amidst bushland and close to swimming holes – at Hideaway Litchfield. More at banubanu.com; hideawaylitchfield.com Tr y A L S O Further south you can round off a day spent exploring Nitmiluk National Park with a cosy fireside chat, a spot of stargazing and a restorative slumber in one of the new bell tents at Katherine Outback Experience. See katherineoutbackexperience.com.au

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Travel Tas

Somewhere down that lazy river The world’s third longest navigable waterway, the Murray, sluices a 2500km trail through some of the world’s driest terrain. During a Murray River Safari guests sail downriver from Paringa in a pontoon cruiser, water flushing the hull, limestone cliffs rising beside it. These riverbanks lay claim to world firsts: the largest stand of river red gums, the largest ibis rookery; the lower floodplain through which the safari glides is a biodiverse network of channels, creeks, swamps, lagoons, billabongs and lakes comprising the Riverland Ramsar Wetland of International Importance. You’ll see abundant birdlife – blue-billed ducks, wedge tailed eagles, striped emu chicks in spring – and a parade of marsupials. See murrayrivertrails.com.au

Great southern lights See that pearlescent glow illuminating the bottom of Australia? It’s our very own “aurora borealis”, better known as Aurora Australis, a phenomenon whereby highenergy solar particles cascade towards earth. Unlike the northern hemisphere’s season-induced borealis, our Aussie lightshow can be viewed – conditions depending – year-round. One of the best places to view the spectacle is Cockle Creek, near Australia’s most southerly point, a two-hour drive from Hobart. Visit during winter or at the spring equinox in September for a more vivid display; and if the light is a no-show, sink into the outdoor tub at Huon Bush Retreats and enjoy the dazzling stars instead. See huonbushretreats.com Below right: Rowley Shoals offers visitors a diverse range of marine life.

SA Tr y A L S O

Australia’s ark has emerged from the ashes of the 2020 bushfires, cloaking itself in new growth and nourishing the next generation: echidnas scurrying through the scrub, koalas feasting on eucalyptus, fur seals barking orders and basking on rocks, and the kangaroos for which the island is named growing fat on fresh shoots. This place of immense skies, booming seas and crystalline air feels like both the edge of the world and a whole new world, where life has only just begun. But the practices that sustain the island’s human residents and underpin its tourism industry – farming, winemaking, artisanal food and drink production, art – are age-old, and their practitioners are busily preparing for our return. All facets of this menagerie are explored on Walk Kangaroo Island, a series of 11 independent walks

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(ranging from 1km to 12.5km) and taken over five days through divergent landscapes, habitats and communities. Expect to see shipwrecks, climb dunes and hike along clifftops, taste wines and farm-fresh produce, meet artists, swim in the open ocean and learn about the post-fire conservation work that is returning this kingdom to its magical former self. See walkkangarooisland.com

GETTY IMAGES. CRAIG WICKHAM/EXCEPTIONAL KANGAROO ISLAND.

Magic returns to Kangaroo Island

Sink into this living aquarium Move over, Great Barrier Reef, it’s the Rowley Shoals Marine Park’s time to shine! The atolls within this park are like enormous fish bowls submerged above a bed of snowy icing sugar hundreds of kilometres off the Kimberley coast. Their remoteness means few Australians visit; those who do must surely believe they’ve arrived in some heavenly paradise. An astonishing diversity of marine life – more than 650 species of fish and 250 species of coral – drift through these wild aquaria; the naturally formed bowls fill with water as the tides rise and become so shallow when it dips visitors can wade across the seabeds. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime journey, to be sure; travel in a style suited to this remarkable destination with True North’s five-day Coral Atoll Cruise, which includes activities such as snorkelling, diving, whale watching and fishing. See truenorth.com.au

Holiday with heart

Women (and men) of WA have plenty of time to train for Wild Women on Top’s Coastrek, held in WA for the first time this year. The annual hiking challenge is a great opportunity to enjoy the country’s majestic coastline while raising money for Beyond Blue. Set about getting fit and raising funds with the help of Coastrek’s specialised resources. Treks are either 30km or 60km long; they take place in the Margaret River in late 2022 (register your interest on the website), as well as Sydney (March 25), the Mornington Peninsula (May 27), the Sunshine Coast (July 15) and the Fleurieu Peninsula (September 2). See coastrek.com.au Tr y A L S O Vino aficionados will say cheers to Vasse Felix Epicurean, a behind-the-scenes exploration of Margaret River’s founding wine estate and the region’s enduring food culture. You’ll meet the estate’s winemaker and chef while feasting on their specialities. See ultimatewineryexperiences. com.au

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Join the

Plant Protein Challenge

Tofu 100g of tofu contains 14g of protein

Looking to try something new this summer? A small change can make a big diference to your health, the planet and for animals. worldanimalprotection.org.au/plantprotein

Reading room

C L A S S I C R E I M AG I N E D

EDITED b JULIET RIEDEN

Beautiful Little Fools by Jillian Cantor, Simon & Schuster

GREAT READ REVIEW BY JULIET RIEDEN. PHOTOGRAPHY BY GALEN C. EVANS. ILLUSTRATION BY LIZ ROWLAND/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM.

hen it was first published in 1925, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was a commercial flop, but in the ensuing decades this heady Jazz Age love story exposing the empty heart of the American Dream in a flurry of passion and murder found its voice. Today it’s considered a classic and what with the films, stage plays – even a dance interpretation – you may think there’s little more left to say, but hold on to your cloche hats and pearls and buckle up for the roller-coaster Beautiful Little Fools. Its billing as a “feminist reimagining” of the Gatsby narrative undersells the tension, vigour and drama of Jillian Cantor’s version. This is passion at full pelt with the inner stories of the women as its heartbeat. This is the 11th novel by “Every time I reread The Great bestselling author Jillian Gatsby, I would find myself Cantor, who was born and thinking about the women in the raised in Philadelphia and story, sure there was a lot more spent her childhood “buried going on with them beneath the in novels”. She first read surface,” explains Jillian. “Daisy The Great Gatsby, on which says in the original novel that the Beautiful Little Fools is based, best thing they can be as women at high school and was are ‘beautiful little fools,’ but immediately smitten. “It was one of the first classics that I felt certain that neither Daisy I truly loved,” Jillian tells nor Jordan were truly fools.” The Weekly. “I read it again The story opens with Jay Gatsby in college, and I’ve kept my brazenly naked as he strides, college copy ever since, puffed up with arrogance, towards coming back to it every few his swimming pool – only to be years … it has everything – felled by a bullet shot by a drama, suspense, heartbreak, mystery woman. Filling in the gorgeous prose.” Jillian backstory to this crescendo, we currently lives in Arizona with learn of Gatsby’s all-consuming her husband and two sons crush on vivacious Daisy and of and is working on her next reimagining of a classic. her troubled marriage to boorish,

About the author

philandering Tom Buchanan. We see the cruelty of Tom’s fling with local woman Myrtle who, running from her own abusive marriage, is swept up in the glamour of Tom’s promise. We meet Myrtle’s feisty sister Catherine, who wants to save her sister. And we delve into the messiness of Daisy’s best friend Jordan Baker’s heartbreaking love affair. These plots all meet in the moment of the murder. In Fitzgerald’s original it is Nick – Daisy’s cousin – who is the narrator but now the women take over, exploding Jay Gatsby’s famous charisma. We saw this man “through Nick’s fascination with him,” notes Jillian. “Everything about Jay – from his grand house to his lavish parties to his gold suits – seems larger than life to Nick.” Here, instead, we see a more knowing vision from the women in the story, whose roles are still defined by the era but who ultimately wrest control to – well – explosive effect! The Australian Women’s Weekly

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SUMMER READING Dive into a book this holiday season.

Contemporary fiction Birds of a Feather by Tricia Stringer, HarperCollins Upstanding town councillor and partner in the Wallaby Bay ˋVKLQJ ˌHHW (YH QHYHU IRUJHWV WKH GD\ \HDUV DJR her duplicitous husband died. 6KH ZDV DERXW WR OHDYH KLP ZKHQ WKH FDOO FDPH WKDW D winch had fallen on top of KLP 5HFXSHUDWLQJ IURP VXUJHU\ (YHȢV SRVLWLRQ RQ WKH FRPPLWWHH LV WKUHDWHQHG E\ PDOLFLRXV VPDOO WRZQ JRVVLS DQG WKH ˌHHW ZDQWV KHU WR sell her partnership. In walks UHFHQWO\ OHW JR UHVHDUFK DVVLVWDQW (YHȢV JRGGDXJKWHU -XOLD DQG QXUVH VRPHWLPH FOHDQHU /XF\ PRWKHU RI WZR SDUWQHU ZRUNLQJ the “Fly In/Fly Out” jobs to earn extra cash. Can this troubled trio unite and soar?

The Hush by Sara Foster, HarperCollins This dystopian thriller is set in an XQFRPIRUWDEO\ QHDU IXWXUH &29,' FOLPDWH FKDQJH DQG IRRG VKRUWDJHV DUH JULSSLQJ WKH 8. JRYHUQPHQW VXUYHLOODQFH LV RXW RI FRQWURO DQG IRU WKH SDVW ˋYH

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PRQWKV VRPHWKLQJ HYHQ PRUH DODUPLQJ KDV KLW ȟ D ZDYH RI VWLOOELUWKV ZLWK VHHPLQJO\ SHUIHFW QHZERUQV UHIXVLQJ WR GUDZ EUHDWK 0LGZLIH (PPD LV H[KDXVWHG DQG GLVWUDXJKW DQG WKHQ KHU \HDU ROG /DLQH\ GLVFRYHUV VKH LV SUHJQDQW Gripping and chilling all at once.

Wild Abandon by Emily Bitto, Allen & Unwin /LNHDEOH :LOO LV XQ IUHVK RII WKH SODQH IURP 0HOERXUQH LQ 1HZ <RUN &LW\ KHDGLQJ IRU KLV EURWKHUȢV EHVW PDWHȢV SODFH +H SUD\V WKH WLPH LQ WKLV FLW\ ZLOO EODVW DZD\ WKH ȤSKDQWRP RI /DXUDȥ DV KH GUDJV KLV ȤYDJUDQW ERG\ȥ XS WR WKH DSDUWPHQW 6HHNLQJ RXW ȤVRPH ULFK VXEVWDQFHȥ WR HDVH KLP LQWR WKH ȤJORULRXV GRRPHG PDVV DURXQG KLPȥ KH EX\V WZR EDJV RI FRNH $IWHU KLV KLW KH IHHOV ȤWKH EHQHYROHQFH KH was born lacking and found EULHˌ\ LQ /DXUDȥ :LOOȢV VKDPH RYHU KLV H[FHVVLYH EHQGHUV UHYHDO KLP DV DQ XQVRSKLVWLFDWHG EXPSNLQ KH VHOI GHSUHFDWHV %XW DW DQ DUW H[KLELWLRQ SDUW\ the gallery owner sees his QDLYHW\ Ȥ+LV IDFH WKLV ER\ȢV ZDV ZLGH RSHQ EHDXWLIXO LQ WKH UDUHVW SRVVLEOH ZD\ ZLWK no awareness of its own beauty.” Bitto burnishes bright. Cue Ohio road trip.

The Book of Magic by Alice Hoffman, Scribner 7KH 2ZHQV IDPLO\ KDV EHHQ SODJXHG E\ DQ DQFHVWRUȢV FXUVH VLQFH $Q\RQH ZKR IDOOV LQ ORYH ZLWK WKHP GLHV RU PHHWV WUDJHG\ 8QDZDUH RI WKH ZLWFKFUDIW OLQHDJH D VLVWHU RI WKH QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ ˋQGV URPDQFH <LNHV

True stories Chronicles of a Cairo Bookseller by Nadia Wassef, Hachette When Nadia and her sister founded a bookstore in bustling Cairo, their mother suggested the name Diwan – “a collection of poetry in Persian and Arabic and ‘Diwani’ a type of calligraphy.” Illiteracy had reached an all-time high in Egypt. Premises found, ﬁercely independent Diwan was born on International Women’s Day, 2002. Wassef recounts how some customers returned a book asking for their money back because they didn’t like it. “We are not a library,” she would say. She now lives in London with her daughters, after running Diwan for 14 years – a dream come true.

In the Time of the Manaroans by Miro Bilbrough, Ultimo When Miro was seven she was sent to live with her grandmother in Wellington. What is crucial about this book is its tender language, which allows you to visit this “drowning and waving” coming-ofage as if watching a shuddering movie reel. Sent to live with her father at 14 at his commune in Manaroa Bay, NZ, he told her a woman in the local shop was illiterate. Bookish Miro ruminated “in uncomprehending grief”. Her poet mother credited Miro’s word facility with the fact she got stuck in a loo with Roget’s Thesaurus when she was pregnant.

REVIEWS BY KATIE EKBERG AND JULIET RIEDEN.

Love Stories by Trent Dalton, HarperCollins “Sentimental writer collecting love stories.” This was the sign Trent Dalton perched against a makeshift desk set up on the corner of Brisbane’s Adelaide and Albert Streets hoping to record matters of the heart on his sky blue 1960s Olivetti typewriter. It was bequeathed by his mate Greg’s mother, Kath, a woman Trent clearly adored. While some of the stories are more powerful than others, the result offers a wonderful snapshot of real life at a time when everything feels surreal.

Love etc Fancy Meeting You Here by Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus, Allen & Unwin Evie Berry, 30, aches to be a VFUHHQZULWHU $IWHU VWXG\LQJ ˋOP DW XQL VKH ZRUNV LQ D /RQGRQ FLQHPD EDU KRVWV D SRGFDVW ZLWK EHVW PDWH %HQ DQG VSHQGV PRVW ZDNLQJ KRXUV swooning over actor and author Hugo Hearst. Then a psychic FDWDSXOWV KHU OLIH EDFN D GHFDGH ZKHUH VKH PHHWV SUH IDPH +XJR Ȫ LV WKLV KHU FKDQFH WR ZRR KLP" )URWK\ DQG DW WLPHV KLODULRXV LI D WDG SUHGLFWDEOH

The Spy’s Wife by Fiona McIntosh, Penguin $ GRXEOH LGHQWLW\ VS\ WKULOOHU VHW LQ *HUPDQ\ 0D[ DQG KLV -HZLVK ZLIH 5DFKHO ZHUH DZDLWLQJ D second baby when persecution of -HZV EHJDQ 'LVWUDXJKW 5DFKHO JRHV LQWR DQ HDUO\ ODERXU DQG ERWK PRWKHU DQG EDE\ GLH :H PRYH WR 1RUWK (QJODQG ZKHUH D stranger, Roger, captivates Evie, the widowed daughter of the VWDWLRQPDVWHU $XWKRULWLHV ZDUQ D VS\ LV LQ WKHLU YLOODJH /LWWOH (YLH OLS UHDGV WR FRPPXQLFDWH IURP RSSRVLWH SODWIRUPV DQG RQH GD\ ȤUHDGVȥ DV KHU 5RJHU VHHPLQJO\ URZV ZLWK D PDQ ,V KHU EHDX WKH VS\"

Anything Could Happen by Lucy Diamond, Hachette *UH\ H\HG (OL]D LV RXW WR ˋQG KHU UHDO IDWKHU DIWHU GLVFRYHULQJ WKH PDQ ZKR EURXJKW KHU XS OHIW DIWHU OHDUQLQJ VKH ZDVQȢW KLV *UH\ H\HG %HQ ȟ ZKR KDG D JLGG\ ˌLQJ LQ 1HZ <RUN \HDUV DJR ȟ LV DERXW WR PHHW DQ DQJU\ WHHQ DQG KHU PXP /DUD 6RPH WKLQJV DUH PHDQW WR EH

The Things We See in the Light by Amal Awad, Pantera $XVWUDOLDQ ERUQ 0XVOLP 6DKDU OLYHG LQ -RUGDQ IRU HLJKW \HDUV ZLWK KXVEDQG .KDOHG )DOOLQJ LQ ORYH ZLWK GRFWRU EURWKHU LQ ODZ 1DHHP WKHLU FRQQHFWLRQ LV VSLULWXDO DV they work together at refugee FDPSV :KHQ 6DKDU ODQGV RQ KHU IULHQGȢV 1HZWRZQ GRRUVWHS /DUD LV VKRFNHG .KDOHG GRHVQȢW NQRZ VKHȢV OHIW 6DKDUȢV WUDXPDWLF -RUGDQ H[SHULHQFHV DUH LQWHUVSHUVHG ZLWK EUHDNLQJ WKH PRXOG ZLWK QHZ SDOV DW WKH SDWLVVHULH ZKHUH WKH passionate cook creates. Owner 0DJJLH ȤGRHV D OLWWOH GDQFH ZLWK KHU VKRXOGHUVȥ ZKHQ 6DKDU DFFHSWV D MRE $ WUXO\ EHDXWLIXO ERRN LWV ODQJXDJH DV OLTXLG DV WKH VZHHSLQJ PRYHPHQWV RI WKH FKRFRODWLHUV The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Memoirs Ciao Bella! Six Take Italy by Kate Langbroek, Simon & Schuster In the olden days lovers would correspond in code and one such missive was ITALY (I Trust And Love You), Kate Langbroek delightfully tells us. When her family followed a dream of living in Italy, it felt like madness: they didn’t speak Italian and Kate had a top job on a radio show. But this tight-knit unit had already been tested. In 2009 son Lewis was diagnosed with leukaemia, undergoing four years of treatment. So, it was farewell St Kilda, ciao Bologna! A truly inspirational magic carpet ride with this fabulous family.

Suspense & mystery The Fossil Hunter by Tea Cooper, HarperCollins $ FXULRXV FKLOG ˋQGV D SODFH WR EHORQJ ZKHQ VKH PHHWV SDODHRQWRORJLVW $QWKHD :LQVWDQOH\ LQ DW %RZ :RZ *RUJH 16: 0RWKHUOHVV 0HOOLH KDV EHHQ ZDLWLQJ IRU KHU 'D EXW GRHVQȢW NQRZ KH ZDV H[HFXWHG IRU PXUGHU :KHQ EHQHIDFWRUV VHQG KHU WR VWD\ ZLWK Ȥ$XQWȥ $QWKHD WKHUH LV D GHHS FRQQHFWLRQ /RQGRQ $XVVLH 3- PHHWV 6DP D IHOORZ DPEXODQFH GULYHU RQ WKH )UHQFK IURQW DW WKH 1DWXUDO +LVWRU\ 0XVHXP +HU WZLQ EURWKHUV ZKR GLHG LQ WKH WUHQFKHV ORYHG IRVVLOV 7KHLU PHPRU\ OHDGV KHU WR WKH JUDYH RI $QWKHD LQ /\PH 5HJLV DQG WR WKH %RZ :RZ JRUJH 3- IHHOV Ȥ Ȫ WKHUH LV D VDGQHVV LQ WKH JRUJH DV WKRXJK VRPHWKLQJ LV WUDSSHG DQG ZDQWV WR EH VPRRWKHG ȥ

56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard, Allen & Unwin 4XHHQ RI WKH WLJKW NQLW WKULOOHU +RZDUG UHRSHQV D FDVH RI WKH PXUGHU RI D ER\ ZKHQ 'XEOLQ ', /HDK 5LRUGDQ DUULYHV RQ WKH VFHQH RI D ERG\ LQ D VKRZHU ȟ PDJJRWV FUDZOLQJ IURP WKH YLFWLPȢV KHDG 6HW DW WKH WLPH WKH FLW\ ZHQW LQWR &29,' ORFNGRZQ +RZDUG

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We Were Never Here by Andrea Bartz, Penguin (PLO\ VXIIHUV SDQLF DWWDFNV LI RQO\ EHVWLH .ULVWHQ ZRXOG PRYH EDFN IURP 6\GQH\ WR 0LOZDXNHH Ȥ.ULVWHQȢV FRQˋGHQFH ZDV D EHOO MDU RI VHFXULW\ LQ D JQDUOHG ZRUOG ȥ 2Q WKHLU DQQXDO JHWDZD\ WR &KLOH (PLO\ ˋQGV .ULVWHQ VWDQGLQJ RYHU WKH ERG\ RI D PDQ ZKR ZDV ȤURXJKȥ ZLWK KHU /DVW \HDU .ULVWHQ NLOOHG D PDQ VH[XDOO\ DVVDXOWLQJ (PLO\

The Way It is Now by Garry Disher, Text 3ROLFH RIˋFHU &KDUOLH KDV EHHQ VXVSHQGHG DQG PRYHV EDFN WR KLV IDPLO\ KRPH +HUH \HDUV DJR KLV PXP ZHQW PLVVLQJ DVVXPHG PXUGHUHG KLV GDG WKH SULPH VXVSHFW &KDUOLH UHRSHQV WKH FDVH

The Boys by Ron Howard & Clint Howard, HarperCollins In her foreword Bryce Dallas Howard, daughter of actor and director Ron, describes her grandparents’ Rance and Jean’s progressive set of “Midwestern Zen” values, which laid a foundation for multi-generations. “They proved it was possible to grow up on set and have a childhood. Dad was in his crib while they performed in summer stock.” Jean appeared in Ron’s Apollo 13 as astronaut Jim Lovell’s mother, who famously says, when there’s an accident on board the shuttle, “If they could get a washing machine to ﬂy, my Jimmy could land it.”

Cry of the Kalahari, by Mark and Delia Owens, Hachette First printed in 1984, this memoir follows idealistic students Mark and partner Delia – the latter author of Where the Crawdads Sing – who ﬂew to Africa to set up a wildlife project. They settled in the “Great Thirst”, a remote wilderness with only a few “Bushmen”. They had to haul water 100 miles and with a third-hand Land Rover began their seven-year study of animals never exposed to humans. Their most rewarding moment was waking up surrounded by sleeping lions.

Historical fiction

more dangerous. Jade, 10, is apprentice to courtesan Silver. After a rape, Silver’s daughters Luna and Lotus, and Jade, are taken to Seoul for safety. Jade becomes a celebrated courtesan and movie star.

The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles, Penguin A hankering for the American road trip, this novel starts in Kansas in 1954 where Emmett, 18, is released from a juvenile facility on compassionate grounds. The warden driving him home counsels, “You are not one of them … It was the ugly side of chance.” Emmett hit a boy who mocked his cancer-stricken father, but his head hit the kerb and he died. Emmett wants to take brother %LOO\ HLJKW WR ˋQG KLV ORQJ ORVW mother. Except two opportunistic inmates hopped in the back of the truck and persuade him to go to New York where they say a relative has a hidden fortune in the woods.

Beasts of a Little Land by Juhea Kim, One World

REVIEWS BY KATIE EKBERG AND JULIET RIEDEN. GETTY IMAGES.

A debut literary sensation that starts with poetry in motion as Korean hunter Nam JungHo shows his respect for the tiger, for whom winter on the

The Women of Troy by Pat Barker, Hamish Hamilton This is multi-awardwinning Pat Barker’s gutsy sequel to The Silence of the Girls, in which she reimagined the Trojan war, and while it may be based on Homer’s classic The Iliad, the language and feminist stance is notably 21st century. We start at the end of the war, inside the famous Trojan wooden horse with the Greek soldiers, sweating and fearful, and examine the aftermath. A challenging tour de force.

mountain is just as hard. Both need food and rest but Nam determines to last longer than his prey to feed his starving family. Only kill a tiger if you have to, his father taught him. Rice is more expensive than it has been in 5000 years in the “Land of Tigers” since Japanese occupation. He saves the life of a Japanese captain by warning him that a shot tiger becomes

The Kitchen Front by Jennifer Ryan, Pan Macmillan It’s 1942 and Winston Churchill wants the women to join the war effort. A BBC radio show is devised to show housewives how to make rations into FXOLQDU\ JHPV DQG WR ˋQG LWV IHPDOH co-host a competition is set. The hopefuls – war-widow Audrey, her assured sister Gwendoline, top chef Zelda and kitchen maid Nell – face off.

Young adult page-turners Medusa by Jessie Burton, Bloomsbury Fabulous feminist retelling of the Greek myth. Burton’s Medusa has been in hiding with her two winged sisters on a rocky island since she was 14, following her molestation by sea god Poseidon. Her tresses are replaced with a skull of writhing snakes by jealous goddess Athena. When a golden-headed boy rocks up, Medusa is smitten. Perseus is hungry, lost. “He can’t ﬁsh or read stars? …

Devils in Danger by Samantha Wheeler, UQP Important storytelling as schoolgirl Killarney fights to protect a Tasmanian devil found camping beneath her house. “I fell in love with these shy, elusive creatures,” says Wheeler of her endangered species subject. Wheeler first fell in love with animals when she was given a pet tortoise at six. She went on to study agriculture, work with dairy farmers and teach science, until writing her first book, inspired by koalas.

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JODI PICOULT Trouble in paradise Prepare to be gripped as Diana O’Toole’s resilience is tested to the limit in an emotionally-charged novel set against the backdrop of the pandemic.

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was supposed to be a romantic holiday on the breathtaking Galápagos Islands, where Diana expected her surgical resident boyfriend Finn to propose marriage days before her 30th birthday. But then the pandemic hits, Finn is needed at the hospital, and he urges Diana to head off alone ... not realising she is about to be stranded alone with no food, no luggage, and nowhere to stay.

The next morning, my flight to Santa Cruz goes off without a hitch. But there is a sea lion between me and the ferry to my final destination. It sprawls across the dock in the sunshine, a slug of muscle, whiskers twitching. I edge closer toward it with my camera, thinking I can send a picture to Finn, but the minute I’m within striking distance its head and shoulders swoop upward and its eyes fix on me. I run, leaping over its tail as it lets out a yawp and a roar, and I nearly drop my phone. My heart’s still pounding when I reach the boat. I glance over my shoulder, certain that the beast is right on my heels, but the sea lion is immobile again, splayed on the bleached boardwalk like a lazy dog. There are only two ferries a day to Isabela Island, but the afternoon trip isn’t as crowded as I expect it to be. In fact, there’s only me and two other passengers. In broken Spanish, I ask the man who helps me board if I am on the right boat, and get a sharp nod. I take a seat outside. And then, suddenly, we’re afloat and Santa Cruz Island starts to get smaller and smaller. The Galápagos are a collection of islands flung into the ocean like a handful of gems on velvet. They look, I imagine, the way the world did when it was newly born – mountains too fresh to gentle into slopes, mist spitting in valleys, volcanoes unravelling the seam of the sky. Some are still spiky with lava. Some are surrounded by water that’s a dozy turquoise, some by a dramatic froth of waves. Some, like Isabela, are inhabited. Others are accessible solely by boat, and home only to the bizarre collection of creatures that have evolved there. For two hours on the ferry I am sprayed, jerked, and yanked through choppy waters. One of the passengers,

who looks to be a college kid backpacking around, is an unsettling shade of green. The other is a girl with the smooth brown skin of a local. She seems young – maybe 12 or 13? – and she is wearing a school uniform: a knit polo shirt with a school crest embroidered over the heart and a pair of black pants. In spite of the heat, she is also sporting a long-sleeved sweatshirt. Her shoulders are hunched, arms clutching a duffel; her eyes are red. Everything about her says: Leave me alone. I keep my eyes on the horizon of the water and try not to throw up. I mentally compose a text to Finn: Remember the time we took the ferry from Bar Harbor to Nova Scotia for your roommate’s wedding and everyone on board got sick? The ferry does not, as it turns out, go all the way to Isabela. It stops at a mooring, and then the backpacker, the girl, and I share a water taxi the final leg of the journey – a short distance to Puerto Villamil. I am squinting at the sugar-sand beach and palm trees when the backpacker beside me laughs with delight. “Dude!” he says. He grabs my sleeve and points. Swimming beside the boat is a tiny penguin. As we get closer, the mass of land differentiates into individual sensations: hot gusts of wind and hooting pelicans; a man climbing a coconut tree and tossing the nuts down to a boy; a marine iguana, blinking its yellow dinosaur eye. Sidling up to the dock, I think that this could not be any more different from New York City. It feels tropical and timeless, lazy, remote. It feels like a place where no one has ever heard of a pandemic. But then I realise that there is a horde of people waiting to secure the services of the water taxi. They have the sunburned look of tourists who are already refitting themselves into

the mindset of home, shoving and yelling over each other. One man holds out a fistful of cash, waving it at our driver, who looks overwhelmed. “What’s going on?” I ask. “La isla está cerrando,” he says. Cerrando, I think, rummaging through my limited Spanish vocabulary. “I don’t understand,” I say. The young girl is silent, staring at the dock ahead. The backpacker looks at me, and then at the crowd. He speaks in Spanish to our taxi driver, who responds in a stream of words I don’t know. “The island’s closing,” he says. How does an island close? “They’re locking down for two weeks,” the boy continues. “Because of the virus.” He nods at all the people waiting on the dock. “They’re all trying to get back to Santa Cruz.” The girl shuts her eyes, as if she doesn’t want to see any of them. I can’t imagine how all these people are going to fit on the small ferry. The taxi driver asks a question in Spanish. “He wants to know if we want to go back,” the boy says, glancing in the direction of the ferry, still moored a distance away. “That’s the last boat off-island.” I do not like it when plans change. I think of Finn, telling me to leave New York City. I think of the paidin-full room waiting for me within walking distance of these docks. If the island is locking down for two weeks, then they must be assuming that’s how long it will take for the virus to be controlled. I could spend those two weeks fighting with this angry mob to get a seat on a flight back to New York, and hole up in our apartment while Finn works. The boy tells the driver something in Spanish, then turns to me. “I told him you’ll probably want to go back.” “Why?” He shrugs. “Because you look like someone who plays it safe.” The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Exclusive fiction extract Something about that smarts. Just because there’s a small glitch doesn’t mean I can’t adapt. “Well, actually, you’re wrong. I’m staying.” The backpacker’s brows rise. “For real? Shit,” he says, with grudging admiration. “Well, what are you going to do?” I ask the kid. “Go back,” he says. “I’ve already been in the Galápagos for a week.” “I haven’t,” I reply, as if I need an excuse. “Suit yourself,” he says. Two minutes later, the girl and I get off the water taxi onto Isabela Island. The knot of anxious travellers parts and flows around us like a current as they hurry to board the small boat. I smile at the girl shyly, but she doesn’t respond. After a while I realise she isn’t by my side anymore. I glance back and see her sitting on a wooden bench near the pier, her duffel beside her, wiping tears off her face. Just then, the water taxi pulls away from the dock. Suddenly it hits me: in an effort to seem more chill than I actually am, I have just stranded myself on an island. I have never really travelled on my own. When I was little I went on location with my father when he went to restore works of art – at museums in Los Angeles, Florence, Fontainebleau. When I was in college, my roommates and I spent spring break in The Bahamas. I spent one summer with friends, working in Canada. I’ve flown to Los Angeles and Seattle with Eva to schmooze potential clients and evaluate pieces of art for auction. With Finn, I’ve driven to Acadia National Park; I’ve flown to Miami for a long weekend, and I was his plus-one at a wedding in Colorado. I’ve met women who stubbornly insist on traveling by themselves to the most remote places, as if belligerent self-sufficiency is even more Instagrammable than foreign landmarks. But that’s not who I am. I like having someone share the same memories as me. I like knowing that when I turn to Finn and say,

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Remember that time on Cadillac Mountain ... I do not even have to finish the sentence. You are on an adventure, I remind myself. After all, my mother used to do this effortlessly, in places that were far less civilized. When I look back at the pier again, the girl is gone. I slide my carry-on tote onto my shoulder and walk away from the docks. The town’s small buildings are jumbled like a puzzle: brick walls with a thatched roof, a brightly painted pink stucco, a wooden breezeway with a bar/restaurant sign above it. They are all different; the only thing they have in common is that the doors are firmly shut. La isla está cerrando. Land iguanas wriggle across the sand street, the only signs of life. I pass a farmacia and a store and several hostales. This is the only road; it stands to figure that if I stay on it, I will find my hotel. I keep walking until I spot the boy I saw from the boat who has been catching the coconuts. “Hola,” I say, smiling. I gesture up and down the road. “Casa del Cielo ...?” There is a light thud as the man who has been in the coconut tree drops down behind me. “Casa del Cielo,” he repeats. “El hotel no está lejos, pero no están abiertos.” I smile at him, all teeth. “Gracias,” I say, even though I have no clue what he said. I wonder what the hell I was thinking, coming to a country where I do not speak the language. Oh. Right. I was thinking that I was coming with Finn, who does. With a little polite wave, I continue in the direction he’s pointed. I have gone only a few hundred yards when I see a faded wooden sign, carved with the name of the hotel. I reach the front door just as someone is exiting. She is an old woman, her face so creased with wrinkles that it looks like linen; her black eyes are bright. She calls back to someone still inside the building, who answers in Spanish. She is wearing a cotton dress with the logo of the hotel

over the left breast. She smiles at me and disappears around the side of the building. Immediately following her comes another woman – younger, with a rope of hair down her back. She is holding a set of keys, and starts locking the door behind her. Which seems really strange, for a hotel. “Discúlpame,” I say. “Is this Casa del Cielo?” She cranes her neck, as if to look at the roof, and nods. “Estamos cerrados,” she says, and she looks at me. “Closed,” she adds. I blink. Maybe this is a siesta kind of thing; maybe all businesses on the island close at (I glance at my watch) ... 4:30. She gives the door a sharp tug and starts walking away. Panicked, I run after her, calling for her to wait. She turns, and I rummage in my tote until I find the printed confirmation from the hotel; proof of my two weeks, paid in advance. She takes the piece of paper from me and scans it. When she speaks again, it is a river of Spanish, and I recognize only a single word: coronavirus. “When will you be open again?” I ask. Then she hunches her shoulders, the universal sign for, You are shit out of luck. She gets on a bike and pedals a way, leaving me in front of a rundown hotel that has charged me in advance for a room they won’t give me, in a country where I don’t speak the language, on an island where I am stranded for two weeks with little more than a toothbrush. I wander behind the hotel, which backs up to the ocean. The sky is bruised and tender. Marine iguanas scuttle out of my way as I sit down on an outcropping of lava and take out my phone to call Finn. But there’s no signal. I bury my face in my hands. This is not how I travel. I have hotel reservations and guidebooks and airline mileage accounts. I triple-check to make sure I have my licence and passport. I organise. The thought of

“She gives the door a sharp tug and starts

GETTY IMAGES.

walking away ... I am stranded for two weeks with little more than a toothbrush.”

wandering aimlessly through a town and rolling up to a hotel and asking if there are vacancies makes me sick to my stomach. My mother had once been in Sri Lanka photographing water buffalo on a beach when a tsunami hit. The elephants, she said, ran for the hills before any of us even realised what was coming. Flamingos moved to higher ground. Dogs refused to go outside. When everything else is running in one direction, she said, it’s usually for a reason. At the touch of a hand on my shoulder, I jump. The old woman who exited the hotel is now standing behind me. When she smiles, mostly toothless, her lips curl around her gums into her mouth. “Ven conmigo,” she says, and when I don’t move, she

reaches out a bony hand and pulls me to my feet. She holds on to me as if I am a toddler, leading me further down the sandy street of Puerto Villamil. It is not wise, I know, to allow myself to be dragged somewhere by a stranger. But she hardly fits the profile of a serial killer; and I am out of options. Numbly, I follow her past the locked shops and closed restaurants and silent bars, which give way to small, neat dwellings. Some are fancier than others, hiding behind low stucco walls with gates. Others have bicycles rusting against them. Some have yards made of crushed seashells. The woman turns toward one little house. It is square and made of concrete, painted pale yellow. It has a small porch made out of wood, and

wrapped around the legs of its columns are vines thick with a riot of flowers. Instead of climbing the steps, though, she takes me around the back of the house, which slopes down toward the water. There is a courtyard with a metal café table and a rope hammock, some potted plants, and a break in the knee-high wall that leads directly onto the beach. The waves are spreading rumours down the shore. When I turn around, the old woman has stepped through a sliding glass door and is waving me closer. I walk into a tiny apartment that looks both lived in and not. There is furniture: a worn, ugly brown plaid couch and a driftwood coffee table, scattered rag throw rugs. There is a rickety table big enough for two, with a blushing conch shell in the centre holding down a stack of paper napkins. There’s a refrigerator and an oven and a stove. But there are no books on the shelves, no food in the open cupboards, no art on the walls. “You,” she says, the English sharp on her tongue, “stay.” I can’t help it, my eyes fill with tears. “Thank you,” I say. “I can pay you. Dolares.” She shrugs, as if it is absolutely normal for a stranger to offer up a home for a displaced traveller, and money is beside the point. Then again, maybe on Isabela, it is. She smiles and pats her own chest. “Abuela,” she says. I smile back at her. “Diana,” I reply. AWW This is an edited extract from Wish You Were Here by Jodi Picoult, Allen & Unwin. On sale now. The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Finance EF E ZAHOS s a money comme Canstar and C

Your 2022 finance workout If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution to become the best financial version of you, this simple money checklist could help you achieve your goals. 1. Review your spending

Run a ruler over the services you pay for.

The best way to start the new year is to review where your money went last year. This can be as easy as printing out your online bank statements and highlighting your expenses. What you’re looking for here are answers to these questions: • Did you overspend in some categories? • Is your spending in line with your goals? • Do you have too many discretionary ‘tap and go’ purchases? • Do you need to review some of your household bills? • Do you need to make any changes in the new year?

Take car insurance, for example. If you’re not using your car very often or only drive short distances you could cut around $100 annually off your premiums with an insurance policy that rewards low usage. Sometimes these are called pay-as-you-drive policies, but they’re not your only option. You can DOVR ˋQG FDU LQVXUHUV WKDW RIIHU ORZHU premiums to people who drive less.

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2. Download one money app to help you save or make money Whether you’re looking to save some money at the bowser or track your

cash as you spend it, there’s an app for that. Here are a few ideas to get you started: You want to save on groceries ... Half Price This is essentially an online catalogue and, as the name suggests, it tracks down everything that’s 50 per cent off at Coles and Woolworths. Liquorland and BWS specials are usually included too. The specials get updated every Wednesday morning. You can ‘favourite’ the ones you want to buy to create a shopping list to consult when you head to the supermarket. You might also like: Frugl and ShopFully.

You want to save on food wastage … SuperCook You enter information on the ingredients you have in the fridge and pantry and the app will come up with recipes you can make using what you have at home. You might also like: Tasty and Yummly.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY ALANA LANDSBERRY. GETTY IMAGES. ANY ADVICE PROVIDED IS GENERAL ADVICE AND DOES NOT TAKE YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES INTO CONSIDERATION. READERS SHOULD SEEK THEIR OWN FINANCIAL ADVICE.

You want to save on fuel ... Fuel Map Australia It’s a crowd-sourced database of petrol stations and fuel prices from across Australia – so the information comes from other motorists. You can then use it to find the best price for petrol near you. You might also like: GasBuddy, FuelWatch (WA), MotorMouth, MyFuel NT, NSW FuelCheck and PetrolSpy. You want to track your spending ... Canstar App The Canstar app lets you see your financial accounts – transaction and savings accounts, credit cards and loans – on a single dashboard. This means you don’t have to sign in to apps or websites to get the info. You might also like: Humaniti, MoneyBrilliant and Pocketbook.

Delete one app that’s costing you money.

While there’s no shortage of apps that deliver meals, convenience comes at a price. Between delivery, service and priority fees, a $10 burger can easily turn into a $20 buyer’s regret.

3. Start investing (if you haven’t already)

There’s a big difference between saving and investing. While it’s important to have a cash account, don’t expect money in the bank to make you rich. What’s exciting about investing is that even small amounts can make a big difference to your wealth over time. And it’s all thanks to the magic of compound returns. Compound interest is essentially where you earn interest on top of any interest already earned on your savings. It can be a powerful force and with the benefit of compounding under your belt, your investments can grow exponentially over time. Just take a look at the table below which shows how regular investments can grow over time. Assuming you started investing just $20 a week 10 years ago your investment balance would now be about $16,857. This is based on an average annual net total return of the S&P/ASX 200 over the 10 years to August 3 which was 10.04%pa.

Save little, save often but watch the fees.

No matter how you choose to invest, whether it’s through small change or a regular sizable investment, the thing to watch out for is fees. Don’t just look at the dollar value, but what they work out to as a percentage of the money you have invested.

Making regular investments Investing even small amounts, like $20 a week, over time can make a big difference to your wealth, thanks to the power of compound returns.

Started investing

Weekly investment

Total invested

Total fees

Total earnings

Total balance

10 years ago

$20

$10,400

$341

$6798

$16,857

$50

$26,000

$445

$17,284

$42,839

$100

$52,000

$656

$34,739

$86,083

SOURCE: CANSTAR. PREPARED ON 4/08/2021. BASED ON THE WEEKLY NET TOTAL RETURN OF THE S&P/ASX 200 INDEX OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS (EFFECTIVE TO 3 AUGUST 2021). CALCULATIONS INCLUDE THE AVERAGE ACCOUNT KEEPING FEE AND BROKERAGE OF A SELECTION OF MICRO-INVESTING PLATFORMS, WITH THE ACCOUNT KEEPING FEE CHARGED AT THE END OF EACH YEAR. OTHER TAXES, TRANSACTION COSTS OR ACCOUNT FEES MAY APPLY. PAST PERFORMANCE IS NOT A RELIABLE INDICATOR OF FUTURE PERFORMANCE.

No matter how you choose to invest, the thing to watch out for is fees. Don’t just look at the dollar value. 4. Give your super some love

If you were born in 1970, your super balance should be close to $271,000 if you’re hoping to be on track for a ‘comfortable’ retirement, as defined by ASFA. If you were born in 1980, your super balance should be close to $154,000. How much super do you have? Some quick ways to play catch up include knowing the fund fees you’re paying. So, how much is a fair amount to pay? Well, super fees can vary depending on a number of factors including the asset class you’re invested in and the fund manager you’ve chosen. To work out your fees expressed as a percentage, take the total fee amount, divide it by your balance and multiply it by 100. So, let’s say you paid $1500 in fees and your balance is $120,000 your fees come to 1.25%. That is higher than the average amount for that balance. Ideally, if you’re in a balanced super fund, you’d want that number to be around the 1% mark or lower. It’s also important to note that a higher fee does not necessarily mean a better return or vice versa. Instead, focus on the net benefit: that is the investment return minus fees and taxes.

Check if you’re on track for a comfy retirement. You can use the calculator at superguru.com.au/calculators/ super-detective to work out whether you’re on track or have some catching up to do. AWW

The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Horoscopes

In the stars

E D I TE D b y L

TH RO C H A I L LU STR T O N b y K ATI E FO R D

Capricorn Dec 22 - Jan 20

Capricorns love a list, so when the sun and new moon in your sign on January 3 throws open your Happy Birthday Cappy portal for planning the year ahead, don’t forget to include regular self-care routines and plenty of playtime. This month’s retrograde of Venus in your sign flashes a red-light reminder that success in life is not just about agendas and milestones. Enjoying the moment is more important than ever, especially during the last days of January, when Venus emerges refreshed to join the moon, Mars, Mercury and Pluto all in your goaty sign for a joyous Capricornian cavort.

Aquarius Jan 21 - Feb 19

Pisces Feb 20 - Mar 20

Aries Mar 21 - Apr 21

January’s celestial weather report issues a warning about this month’s mouthy, outspoken Mars, posing the question: Is airing your opinions more important than offending a friend? You be the judge. Mercury’s mid-month retrograde in Aquarius is an excellent opportunity to make friends with your thoughts and feelings. Yes, they’ll be tumultuous at times, but your own intelligence and intuition are the internal compass you can trust this year. When your planet ruler Uranus starts stirring up life on Earth for all of us around mid-month, set your sights on January’s grand ˋQDOH VXQ MRLQLQJ 6DWXUQ LQ \RXU VLJQ to celebrate all things ‘Aquirkyan’.

You’re the winner of January’s astrological jackpot, because what more assured way to start 2022 than with hearty Jupiter, the planet that makes things happen, aligned in Pisces with your celestial mentor, Neptune, for months to come? Questions to consider DV \RX WDNH WKH FRQˋGHQW QHZ HGLWLRQ RI yourself on this year’s road are: Where do I need more structure and discipline? And how can I balance my ideals with what’s realistic? Mercury retrograde from mid-month onwards recommends double-checking the details of all business dealings carefully, because WKH ˋQH OLQH EHWZHHQ IDFW DQG IDQWDV\ is extra sketchy right now.

How does expansive Jupiter broadening and extending Aries perspective beyond immediate, what’s-next thinking affect you this January? By strengthening your ability to manage pressure and stress. And by making the choices about what you face head-on, and what you don’t, simpler and clearer. Mars is presently initiating a powerful push to let go the weight of outgrown attachments, onerous obligations and unnecessary accumulations. Follow his encouragement to liberate yourself from suffocation, even just a little each day, and watch your brighter self become increasingly free to share more of your radiance with the world.

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KATIE FORD/THE ILLUSTRATION ROOM.

Taurus April 22 - May 21

Gemini May 22 - Jun 22

Cancer Jun 23 - Jul 23

This month prioritises quality over quantity as Venus spends her retrograde phase in ambitious, thoughtful Capricorn. In this position she emphasises the therapeutic possibilities available from connecting to nature and growing things by planting seeds, both literal and metaphorical, for the coming year. As they grow, these provide support when spontaneous Uranus, planet of the unexpected, rockets out of retrograde in Taurus mid-January to continue shaking your comfort couch. Unsettling? Yes. Exciting? Absolutely, especially when you approach decision-making with the queries ‘What if?’ and ‘Why not?’

January kicks off with mentor Mercury in planning mode, so get what you can done during the first fortnight, because the communication planet’s mid-month regression brings the usual Zoom issues, travel troubles and frazzled misunderstandings. But you know the drill by now: slow down. And don’t take things personally, because today’s roadblock is tomorrow’s breakthrough. Neptune hasn’t exactly made things clear-cut recently in the worldly part of your chart, and while Jupiter making a welcome appearance won’t totally cancel out career uncertainty, it will help you to go with the flow.

Getting straight to it, January 3 throws open your new moon lunar portal for tuning into what you want from this year, which pretty much corresponds with what you’re prepared to give it. Like the famous advice from St. John of the Cross –“Where you do not find love, put love, and there you will find it ...” – the same applies to your happiness and success accounts, with withdrawals depending on deposits. Smiling and giving generous appreciation to any life situation automatically makes it more joyful, particularly round January 18’s annual full moon in Cancer, your personal standout date this month.

Leo Jul 24 - Aug 23

Virgo Aug 24 - Sep 23

As change-maker Uranus exits its hibernation in Leo’s work zone and you start rethinking long-term goals, is there someone older, bolder and more experienced you’d consider as a mentor? Blazing Mars in go-getting mode is currently igniting ambitions, but an overenthusiastic or too pushy approach could lose this month’s hirers and buyers. Jupiter suggests a looser, more fluid style than usual until at least mid-year, so when Mercury serves up the first of 2022’s interruptive techno tangles and communication snafus around mid-month, that’s your cue to play it cool, majesties.

As Saturn completes its work in Virgo’s healing zone, Jupiter sprinkles stardust on this month’s relationships. With your caring side ascendant, your advice as consultant or counsellor is likely to be in demand.Virgo’s master planet Mercury heading retrograde mid-month offers the perfect opportunity to set the tone for what you’d like more (and less) of this year. Celestial chemistry recommends focusing on the glass half full and the beauty of the rose, despite the inevitable thorns of these times, because a genuine gratitude practice is the most grounding foundation for days of change to come.

Libra Sep 24 - Oct 23

Scorpio Oct 24 - Nov 22

Sagittarius Nov 23 - Dec 21

With love planet Venus sulking and Mercury up to all sorts of communication mischief, partnership arguments, domestic unrest and the triggering of relationship flashpoints are par for the course this month. On the bright side, whatever services of value and assistance you provide for others will be highly gratifying, because the current Jupiter in Pisces cycle is less about accolades than establishing exactly who and what makes you happiest, so you can do more of it with more of them. Even if that means sometimes declining invitations and just staying solo to think things through ...

Jupiter, planet of abundance, presses ‘start’ this January on a year when Scorpios could achieve more by doing less. While it wasn’t a Scorpio who coined the famous phrase, following your bliss could be 2022’s most reliable PGS (personal guidance system) because if you enjoy something, aren’t others likely to want some of whatever you’re having? When mid-January’s planetary peristalsis and mercurial curveballs throw a spanner in the mix for all the zodiac’s control freaks, step back and clarify what you’d most like to achieve this year, and what you’re prepared to do to make that work.

January gets a good Sagittarian gallop up as Mars in your sign canters into the year like a cosmic firebrand. Though as always (sigh) conditions apply: which are that Mars in bargeabout mode tends to step on toes. And get noses out of joint, especially when Mercury goes rogue mid-month and Sagittarian foot-in-mouth moments escalate. Bold assertions of belief and opinion will only upset, polarise or antagonise others this month, so for meaningful communications take a quiet minute to find the kinder phrase that builds connection rather than severs it. Then repeat all year. AWW The Australian Women’s Weekly

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Puzzles JA N UA RY 2 0 2 2

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K R A B Y G N I R T S C E C K K C D N I R A M A T H O N O R

C A A B G C E C O S E T I A A

9 11

A H O S A O U N U L V O T D B L X E C U E P R I M O N N N N L L

I S L A B H A P R E E A O

14 15

E A I A T E R G O C G A P R R R N L L L N N I U R N S R A I

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23 24

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1. 5. 10. 11.

2. 3. 4. 6. 7.

As a rule Minute particle Car engine Coldest seasons, harsh … 12. Messy knots, … in the rope 14. Newborn infant 16. Imprudent, foolish 18. Higher in rank 20. Story opening, Once … a time 21. Okay, adequate 24. Comes into sight 25. Animal enclosures, cattle … 27. Thread, tapestry … 28. Points of view

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The Colossus ACROSS 1. 4.

8. 13. 16. 17. 18. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26. 27. 29. 32. 34. 35. 38. 41. 42. 45. 47. 49. 51. 53. 55. 56. 59. 61. 63. 64. 65. 70. 73. 74. 76. 77. 78. 80.

Strike with the foot, … the ball Body of water between the British Isles and France, … Channel Employ for a particular purpose Affliction of the eyelid Radio-tuning knob Well-made, … quality Group of nations Nature, … and fauna Crab’s pinch Latin American dance Curved doorway Flog, lash Bottom, the … of the hill Bone next to the radius Large expanse of salt water More youthful More pleasant Attracted to or fond of, I’m … on him Capital of Croatia Belittled, disparaged Literary composition Spiral movement Become overcast, the sky will … Walked through water Latin for “so” or “thus” Article of faith Played within a building, … cricket Masculine, virile Waterproof covers for tents Price charged for service Tormented Professional cook Unknown author (abbrev) Oily fish, Spanish … Evaluate again, … the damage Wind in rings Go past, … the mark Religious wrongdoer Movie, Thank … He Met Lizzie Vietnamese soup, beef … Set on fire

82. Iceberg disaster liner 85. Repeating, emphasising 88. Partakes of food 91. Momentous, an … event 92. Mum’s sisters, eg 95. Leading, showing the way 96. Number of players in a netball team 99. Permanently frozen Arctic plain 100. Brought to mind 102. Covered in beach grains 104. Makes tidy 105. Sparred in the ring 108. Obtains, … hold of 109. Ancient Egyptian goddess 111. Smooth peach-like fruit 116. Motoring hold-up, … jam 121. Pushes with elbow 122. English hill, Glastonbury … 124. Item for auction 125. Piece of gossip, a nasty … 127. Pre-electricity form of illumination 128. Lion’s bellow 130. Struggles to decide, … over which to select 133. Proposes, … a solution 137. Cowshed 138. Teething biscuit 140. Captivating, absorbing 142. Movie, Catch Me If You … 144. Large outdoor advertising placards 147. Thatched roof material 149. North American burrowing rodent 150. Amber substance 151. Beach resort area in Spain, Costa del … 152. Boiling water vapour 154. Shop, … outlet 157. Small colourful bedding flower 159. Messy lumps, … of paint

161. Cure for social reticence 163. Spend up big, … the cash 167. Double-reeded wind instrument 169. Numbers game 170. Storage compartments in clothing 174. Indian yoghurt condiment 176. Stingy, miserly 178. Nancy Sinatra hit, These Boots Are … for Walkin’ 179. Boat’s underside 180. Fibber 181. Over, concluded 182. Available to rent, to … 183. Fork tine 185. Long story 186. Make well, … the sick 187. Showily creative 188. Animal flesh 189. People from Nairobi, eg 190. Non-professional 191. Pensive poems

DOWN 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 14. 15. 19. 23. 28. 30. 31. 33. 36.

Israeli community farm Circus comedian Large African water mammal (abbrev) Sprite, pixie Adult (5-2) Venice’s country Worshipper of Brahma, etc Unclip from clothesline Place in a grave Batting period in cricket Skyhooks song, … Is Not a Dirty Word Grave, gloomy Number in a trio Alcohol added to fuel Manager of a meeting Awry, crooked Enrich with a gift of money Killer whale species Gentle whirlpool Weather diagram Song and movie, Sweet Home …

African language Smell strongly Coarse string Looked up and down Unruly protesters Capital of Ukraine Cushion stuffing Pimples condition Orange strand spice Least dirty Fencing weapon Musical, Guys and … Onion-like vegetable Hot red pepper Water diviner Stretches resources, … out supplies 65. Pulped, … potato 66. Built 67. Woolly female farm animals 68. Mixer drink 69. Sobbed 71. Shade of green 72. Pencil drawing, eg 73. Baby’s bed 75. Greek letter between upsilon and chi 77. Natural talent or skill 79. Rarely, … in a blue moon 81. Initial opinions, first … 83. Lagos is there 84. Italian wine style 85. Mimic, ape 86. Trendiest, most hip 87. Memory loss condition 89. Spiritual emanations 90. Enjoy greatly, … in 92. Commercials (abbrev) 93. Short name for grandma 94. Salty Asian sauce 96. Convulsive cry 97. Irritate, irk 98. Sleep, the Land of … 101. Country whose capital is Kampala 103. Performance by two people 106. Skip over, … the chapter 107. Illegally takes, … authority 110. House linked to another 112. Tooth on a wheel 113. Serving salver 114. Races involving batons 37. 39. 40. 41. 43. 44. 46. 48. 49. 50. 52. 54. 57. 58. 60. 62.

115. Fails to look after, … the garden 117. Most uncommon 118. Loose fatty tissue 119. Retaliation, tit … tat 120. Ladder crossbar 123. Rome, the … City 126. Hair-setting products 129. Muscular dog breed, … terrier 131. Venetian canal transport 132. Arctic area, … Pole 134. Perform, portray 135. Toy bears 136. Unfasten 139. Lebanese flatbread 141. Indian dress 143. Originated, … from 145. Farm storage sheds 146. Thumb tacks, drawing … 148. Sicilian volcano 150. Rekindled, … the fire 153. French for “Thank you” 155. Ballpoint pen 156. Worry constantly, … over 157. Difficult matter, it’s a … for us 158. Vow, … an oath 160. Expand, … your outlook 162. Sing-along entertainment 164. Green citrus fruits 165. Airplane storage sheds 166. Brainy, smart 168. Nebraska’s largest city 170. Northern Italian city 171. Mild viral illnesses, common … 172. Actor in a crowd scene 173. Colour of old photographs 175. Japanese dog breed 177. Antelope with twisted horns 181. Large antelope 184. Type of fish

Solution in next month’s issue.

The Australian Women’s Weekly

183

Insider Be excessive Thick cord or twine

Curly herb Our star: Claudia –

Win 5 x $50 The clues for this puzzle are all within the grid itself. Write your answers in the direction shown by each arrow. All answers run left to right or top to bottom. When you have finished, the letters on the shaded squares will spell the winning answer. When you have the winning answer, write it on the coupon on the last Puzzles page for your chance to win $50.

Fish eggs Writer: Roald – Short sleep

Dog’s foot

Plead

No longer in use: the system is –

Consumed food

MiddleEastern ruler

Surrounds, overruns

Penalty: traffic – Mineral source

Joke Yours and mine Fuss, bother

Vegie: Brussels –

Acquire knowledge Number in a quartet

Showed the way Wacky Light mist

Not on

For ever

Family car

Charges, costs Suppose: what –? Upper limb

Period of 10 years Scales star sign Oak, ash Sunscreen: pink –

Norway’s capital Flightless bird Shady tree

Moved TV sci-fi Become to and show: unwell fro Doctor –

Old Soviet Anger, fury space One in the station know

Top card in the suit

Married woman Golf peg

Pub counter

Bunny Building site lifting device

Lacking in rigour

GETTY IMAGES.

Short for “hello” Serious and grave

Our star: Guy –

Solution in next month’s issue.

Clueless 8 7 10

8 1 20 14

14 14

12 20

11 14

The Australian Women’s Weekly

14 5

19 24

14 15

In this puzzle, each letter of the alphabet is represented by a number from one to 26. We’ve put in three numbers and their 5 x $50 corresponding letters in the top panel. Fill this in as you go, then use your letters to fill in the squares below the panel to get your winning answer. When you have the winning answer, write it on the coupon on the last Puzzles page for your chance to win $50.

Win

Solution in next month’s issue.

8 5

12 20

5 19

13 4

15 14

18 9

25 20

20 4

13 2

14 5

15 13

7 22

184

13 24

5 5

24 4

26 21

2 19

24 24

7 6

Want more fun with puzzles? The AWW Puzzle Books are packed with crosswords, clueless, find a words, cryptics and more, plus hundreds of great prizes! Issue 74 is out now, issue 75 goes on sale on January 10. $9.99, available at stores and newsagents.

Cryptic Crossword 1

12 13 14

17 18

ACROSS

7. Place of learning can be a bit fishy (6) 8. Thoroughfare for a meeting or concert hall (6) 9. Pleasing slice to middle of leg (4) 10. I follow Basil to California church (8) 11. Famous guitarist is strange narcoleptic (4,7) 14. Noisy ghost got reptiles upset (11) 18. Drink with Cher’s tutors (8) 19. Endlessly long 12 months (4) 20. Medicine Matt took in movie theatre (6) 21. Bigger beer on right (6)

DOWN

1. Get to hear a choir (7) 2. Nothing turns up in Penong (4) 3. Gal catches throw around the world (6) 4. Refuse Pa’s drink (4,2) 5. Excellent but not rare (4,4) 6. Fruity drink is a hit (5) 12. Note stitch in time (8) 13. Runs from mid-west capes (7) 15. To pace back on part of boot (6) 16. Small noise made by stock theft (6) 17. Domestic animal it is small (5) 19. Distance dray reversed (4)

Solution in next month’s issue.

Spot The Difference

Test your powers of observation. The two pictures at right may look the same, but we’ve made five (5) changes to the one on the right. Can you spot them all?

Solution page 191.

The Australian Women’s Weekly

185

Word Maker

A I Y T N P E L T

How many words of four letters or more can you make using the letters given here? Each one must include the central letter and you should have at least one nine-letter word in your total. Avoid plurals, proper nouns, hyphenated words, those with apostrophes and verb forms ending with “s”, eg, “bakes”.

Solution page 191.

24 SMART 27 TERRIFIC 30+ BRILLIANT!

Five Square

Use the clues below to fill in the squares. The words read the same horizontally and vertically. When you have finished, the shaded squares, reading from the top, will spell the mystery word.

Solution page 191. 1

Lose a Letter

Each of the squares in this crossword has two letters. Cross out one letter in each pair so the remaining letters spell a word in each direction to complete the grid. Solution page 191.

A I

R 2

R 3

E 4

A International award, ... Peace Prize The Marriage of Figaro, eg Hot snack, baked ... on toast Actor and TV star, ... Dingo Beam of light used in surgery

Bogglewords

Can you work out the words or phrases depicted here?

Solution page 191.

P B

I L

O T U S

E N

E L

T A

O V

R D

tRoUble

STAFOURNCE

D G

VA DERS The Australian Women’s Weekly

CORK LOOM SATE HYPE

A E

R O

U T

S O

Solution page 191.

S S

R S

S W

M I T

A P

N U

Fit the eight words here into the grids to form another set of four-letter words reading downwards.

ARIA THAI EACH OMAN

B O

Word Play

186

1 2 3 4 5

A C H

D R P M A

C R

D N

E R

L S

E P O G T

Bit Parts

Guess Who?

Using the words listed below, turn the four-letter words in the grid into eight-letter words. When you’ve completed the grid you will have two words left over. Put these two words together to create another eight-letter word. Solution page 191.

FORE NECK

WIND POST

HORN WOOD

B A N D

B E A N

All-A-Grams

Instead of clues, we have given you anagrams of the words that fit into the grid. Work out each letter jumble, then work out where each word fits. Solution page 191.

E L A C E

S H O E

1. TEA ARUM 2. DATE DEB 3. HERS FLY 4. CRY SEEN 5. FLATLY RUE 6. OMEN CREWS 7. GAMES MINT

Work Out

Use the letters from the words given below to fill the squares in the grid to create six five-letter words. We’ve put in five letters to get you started.

Solution page 191.

E D AWS

H A N D

G A T E

Solution page 191.

1. Emery board, nail ... (4-10-12-2) 2. Very large (6-7-1-8) 3. Greg Norman’s sport (9-3-11-5)

When you have worked out the answers to the clues at centre, transfer 2 the letters into the numbered spaces. 3 Reading from number 1, these letters will 4 spell the name of a former athlete.

TELL POLE

T A L

HEAD FALL

CLUES

HEAR LOAN

S UG

L I N L Y

Letter Chase

Hidden in the square is a term associated with boxing. Starting at the shaded square, move from letter to letter in any direction to find what it is. You can only use each letter once.

Alpha Sudoku

Solve the puzzle as you would a normal Sudoku but using the letters A-I instead of numbers.

Solution page 191.

A H

Solution page 191.

G D I H C A B I C H E F D H D G A G C D F H C I D The Australian Women’s Weekly

187

Pairs

Solution page 191.

Trivia Quiz

1. The Silver Ghost is a famous model of which car? 2. The Snowy Mountains hydro scheme officially started in which decade? 3. By which other name is the African river the Limpopo known? 4. Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen was a judge on which reality TV show? 5. Nanki-Poo and Yum-Yum are characters in which comic opera? 6. A ketogenic diet is rich in fat and low in which type of foods? 7. Who writes the Alex Cross series of novels? 8. Which crypto-currency pioneered blockchain technology? 9. How many moons does Mercury have? 10. Which Tom Hanks character has an IQ of 75? 11. The Mexican Wave is named after which sporting event? 12. What is the smallest breed of dog? 13. The Impossible Dream (The Quest) is a song from which musical? 14. What does a palaeontologist study?

Kerpow!

Using a word from both columns each time, can you work out the names of these 10 superheroes?

Solution page 191.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

188

Silver Doctor Green Iron Captain Lara Flash The Wonder Astro

A B C D E F G H I J

America Phantom Croft Strange Boy Woman Surfer Man Lantern Gordon

The Australian Women’s Weekly

15. Prosciutto comes from which animal? 16. What is a becquerel used to measure? 17. What is the Speedo logo? 18. In US currency, what do two quarters make? 19. What confectionery is used to top a simnel cake? 20. Mozambique has a coastline on which ocean? 21. How is Dutch spy Margaretha Zelle better known? 22. What is a male seal called? 23. Which name is shared by a tennis great and a Michael Jackson hit? 24. Outside of Africa, what is the only country to have native lions?

F W Z P

GETTY IMAGES

A W RI A S L N Q E Y G I D N J B XHC V B G Y K R C O F J L O U ME T V Q P H T Z X M

Cross out all of the letters that appear twice. When you do, you’ll find there are four letters left over. Rearrange them to form a word.

25. What are held in place by periodontal fibres? 26. James Comey was the head of which US security agency? 27. Who used a ball of string to escape the Minotaur’s labyrinth?

Solution page 191.

Add One

Add one letter to each of the words on a line to make four new words. Write in that letter at the start of that line, and when all letters are found, it will spell the mystery word.

Solution page 191. 1

CLAM

PIER

SLOE

LANE

WITS

PARK

PART

LEST

LIED

REEL

OUCH

SALE

LATE

GRIP

POTS

SWAT

LIPS

ARCH

TEES

SOCK

BING

QUIP

LOSS

BRED

EARS

GASH

GRID

RAVE

FLUE

LATE

RAIL

URNS

Colours Crossword 1

15 16

22 24

ACROSS

7. Very shy person, shrinking … 8. Reddish brown pigment, burnt … 9. Coloured part of the eye 10. Shade of elephant tusks 11. Termite, white … 12. Type of pulse, black … 14. Gloomy and grey, under a … sky 16. Purple wound mark 18. Nickname for Australian Military Police, Red … 19. Light shade 20. Fabric colorants 22. Pale and sickly-looking 25. Reddish hair colorant 26. Red gemstone 27. False front used to make a tooth look whiter 28. White fur

Solution page 191.

DOWN

1. Lemony shade of yellow 2. Turn red in the face, … fiercely 3. Coloured band 4. Queensland sporting colour 5. Having auburn hair (3-6) 6. Blackness 8. Azure (3-4) 13. Beer, pale … 15. Bronzed, … skin 16. Went suddenly white, his face … 17. Bright yellow crystalline chemical 18. Favoured youth, golden … 20. Famous waltz, Blue … 21. Hard natural tooth covering 23. Animal lacking pigment (6) 24. Covered in dirt or soot

Fill In

Use the words below to fill in the grid at right. The coloured squares will reveal the mystery word.

Solution page 191. 3 LETTERS AGO DID OFF PEN RAT 4 LETTERS ADDS DIES FILM V TO 5 LETTERS AHEAD CROSS DRAMA FALSE INNER NOTED OWNED PEARL STEAM STUNT UPSET WRONG

6 LETTERS ATTICS BRIDGE COWARD DOLLAR EMPLOY LENGTH OCEANS RICHER SECRET STITCH

9 LETTERS ADDRESSES AUSTRALIA RECORDERS RELIGIOUS

7 LETTERS BONFIRE ENDINGS EXECUTE IMAGINE NEEDING PROUDLY

11 LETTERS COLLECTIONS EXPERIMENTS

10 LETTERS ELECTRICAL EMPHASISED OCCASIONAL POSTPONING

13 LETTERS CONGRATULATES UNCOMFORTABLE

8 LETTERS DREAMING SHEPHERD SUPERIOR WELCOMED

The Australian Women’s Weekly

189

Sudoku

Each number from 1 to 9 must appear in each of the nine rows, nine columns and 3 x 3 blocks. Tip: No number can occur more than once in any column, row or 3 x 3 block.

1 3

6 4 5 8 9 4 2 6 9

7 8 4

Solution page 191

5 9 5

6 3

5 1

Fill in the blank squares in the puzzle using all the letters of the alphabet, using every letter exactly once. When you have finished, the shaded letters, reading from the top, will spell a mystery word. Solution page 191.

O B ON O F T H I E R S A P

H I R E L L F L U ON L E C E H U S A L L Y I N A C R O C K A T L E E P E R S U

A E S O R I O N

Complete the words below by adding the same letter at both ends

Solution page 191.

– CLIPS –

– ESEARCHE –

– INIMU – – ICKE –

– REGAN – – RGENTIN –

– OGISTICA –

– REETIN –

– OSMETI –

– ANDAL –

– INDO –

– EMOLISHE –

Futoshiki

A-Z

E C E S S

Top And Tail

Fill in the blank squares so that each row and column contains all the numbers 1, 2 and 3 in the smaller grids, and 1, 2, 3 and 4 in the larger grid. The symbols will tell you if the number in each square is larger (>) or smaller (<) than the number next to it.

Solution page 191.

E L E 0 R OU P S O E S E E A S E D U O I N O I E S T C E I T E

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Knock-Out

Hidden in this word list is a common kitchen item. Knock out all the words that match the clues and the remaining words will reveal the mystery answer.

Solution page 191.

190

The Australian Women’s Weekly

BROLGA

GLIDER

MIXING

LORIKEET

GOLD

PALLADIUM

SCULPTURE

GALAH

CRUNCHY

MURAL

SEAPLANE

PRUNE

PLATINUM

TWO

BRUNCH

SPOON

GLUE

PORTRAIT

HELICOPTER

CANOE

CROSS OFF ALL: 1. Words containing “RUN” 2. Precious metals 3. Types of aircraft 4. Words rhyming with “YOU” 5. Forms of art 6. Australian birds

Answers SPOT THE DIFFERENCE: 1. Tie shorter on man, top middle. 2. Glasses rim a differ colour on woman, middle left. 3. Hair longer on woman, middle right. 4. Top has changed colour on man, bottom left. 5. Glasses missing from woman, middle bottom. WORD MAKER: Alien, Alpine, Ante, Anti,

Aplenty, Elan, Entail, Entity, Inapt, Inaptly, Inept, Ineptly, Inlay, Inlet, Lain, Lane, Latent, Lean, Leant, Lent, Line, Lint, Litany, Nail, Nape, Nattily, Natty, Neap, Neat, Neatly, Nett, Nitty, Pain, Paint, Pane, Panel, Pant, Patent, Patently, Patient, Patiently, Penal, Penalty, Pent, Pine, Pineal, Pint, Plain, Plaint, Plan, Plane, Planet, Plant, Plenty, Pliant, Taint, Talent, Tent, Tinea, Tinplate, Tint, Tintype, Tiny.

FIVE SQUARE:

1. Nobel, 2. Opera, 3. Beans, 4. Ernie, 5. Laser. Mystery word: Ears.

BOGGLEWORDS: 1. Wish upon a star. 2. You are in trouble. 3. For Instance. 4. Space invaders.

R I G A ND M S R P A S T A R M B E V I A S A S S E N C E D L S U A V E I L G E R S H Y

A N N U L L

A LETTER CHASE:

E S S A Y

Light Heavyweight

ALPHA SUDOKU:

C A D B I H G F E

G I F A E C B D H

E H B D G F A C I

H C G I F D E A B

D B E C A G I H F

A F I E H B C G D

B G H F C E D I A

I D C H B A F E G

F E A G D I H B C PAIRS: Dusk

O O M

C O

O M A

BIT PARTS: 1. Telltale, 2. Gatepost,

3. Headband, 4. Beanpole, 5. Forehand, 6. Firewood, 7. Necklace, 8. Shoehorn. Mystery word: Windfall

GUESS WHO: 1. File, 2. Huge, 3. Golf. Mystery title: Geoff Huegill

1. Amateur, 2. Debated, 3. Freshly, 4. Scenery, 5. Tearfully, 6. Newcomers, 7. Magnetism. In grid: (Across) Newcomers, Magnetism, Tearfully; (Down) Debated, Scenery, Amateur, Freshly.

S I O N A L T C D E E N D I A A S M I N G P S C C S B O N O D N WR O N G A L R A R A L I A D A T P R O U D S L T R I C A L I N T T N E E D C E S H E R D E

4 1 3 6 2 9 7 5 8

2 7 6 5 8 1 4 9 3

8 5 9 7 4 3 2 1 6

7 9 4 1 3 8 6 2 5

3 6 5 9 7 2 8 4 1

Mystery word: Wild

R N I S I E N N K D K I H R Y N E B L E A D E S D U B E R E T S D O W A Y E S L G N R U B N A I I M E R M I N O Y L

N Y E

N O T E D D I D

1 8 2 4 6 5 3 7 9

5 2 8 3 9 4 1 6 7

9 3 7 2 1 6 5 8 4

6 4 1 8 5 7 9 3 2

A- Z:

COLOURS CROSSWORD: M S A T R R I V O O P E A N L S E U D L A P H E N U U B R E

R E L I G I O U S

SUDOKU:

1. Clamp, Piper, Slope, Plane; 2. Waits, Parka, Apart, Least; 3. Lived, Revel, Vouch, Salve; 4. Elate, Gripe, Poets, Sweat; 5. Limps, March, Teems, Smock; 6. Being, Equip, Loses, Breed; 7. Nears, Gnash, Grind, Raven; 8. Flute, Latte, Trail, Turns. Mystery word: Pavement

B C V I O L E U T I R I S H O B A N T S B R U I N L P A S T E A N N C N H V E N E E D D

S U P E R I O P M M G S P E A R E L G S T P O N I N Y N I R E V E T I B E C O R D E R H I X H E A D P E R G E Y S E C R E L I W E L C OM E F N R E I N G OWN E L T S T M P H A S I S E U N C O M F O R T A B L E

Mystery word: Musical

ADD ONE:

1G: Silver Surfer, 2D: Doctor Strange, 3I: Green Lantern, 4H: Iron Man, 5A: Captain America, 6C: Lara Croft, 7J: Flash Gordon, 8B: The Phantom, 9F: Wonder Woman, 10E: Astro Boy.

O C C A F O F A L S L D R E A R C A T T I M I A G O N A U S T D D I E S R X E L E C S C S T U N E T S H E P

R E C E S O O K B ON F I O F L T H I E F R U S AMP L Q E U S U A L I N A R O C K Y T L E S P E A R

KERPOW!:

ALL-A-GRAMS:

1 Rolls-Royce 2 1940s (1949) 3 Crocodile River 4 House Rules 5 The Mikado 6 Carbohydrates 7 James Patterson 8 Bitcoin 9 None 10 Forrest Gump 11 1986 FIFA World Cup in Mexico 12 Chihuahua 13 Man of La Mancha 14 Ancient life (fossil animals and plants) 15 Pig 16 Radioactivity 17 Red boomerang 18 50 cents 19 Marzipan 20 Indian Ocean 21 Mata Hari 22 Bull 23 Billie Jean 24 India 25 Teeth 26 FBI 27 Theseus

WORD PLAY:

W O R L D

TRIVIA QUIZ:

LOSE A LETTER:

F A T B I A U B ONU S R T E A R L O U V HUM E O R T I T L E E U A L I GH T

FILL IN:

WORK OUT:

T H R E L L I P ON E C E C H L Y C L A E S U

WE L V E A O X G R OU P E S O S T E N S E E H A S E D O U R O B I N I J O Z I E S T O C E N I T E D

TOP AND TAIL:

1. Eclipse, 2. Minimum, 3. Ticket, 4. Logistical, 5. Cosmetic, 6. Window, 7. Researcher, 8. Oregano, 9. Argentina, 10. Greeting, 11. Sandals, 12. Demolished.

FUTOSHIKI:

2 3 1 3 2 1 3 3 1 2 1 3 2 4 1 2 3 2 1 3 1 2

4 1 2 3

1 2 3 4

2 3 4 1

KNOCK-OUT: Mixing spoon.

The Australian Women’s Weekly

191

How to enter & win! Write your puzzle answers on the relevant line, then cut out the whole coupon and MAIL to:

AWW Puzzles 2201 PO Box 414, Eastern Suburbs, MC NSW 2004 Entries must arrive by January 26, 2022. Draw date and time: 12:00pm AEST/AEDT on February 2, 2022.

Answers CHRISTMAS EASY CROSSWORD:

INSIDER:

Winning answer: Tinsel.

Winning answer: Ginger.

S H A R C D E R A I O P E N S W E D E G C E M E N M E U M U T I N

M O O N N A T T Y

K C G I S H E M O H M O D L E I N E M P T O A R A S S A L T L I I A A S L A N E P A S T R A C H E

E N C R Y P T

N I C T M WH I T I T G R A S S T G E A S M I D S R A S T A T H W K N I

T E M O L A P O N A S E C T A L E R E P

T E L

COLOSSUS:

To enter ONLINE simply go to nowtolove.com.au/ awwpuzzles click on 'Australian Women's Weekly Puzzle Entries', select the relevant magazine issue and fill in the issue's answers. Only one online entry is accepted per issue.

Find A Word: Easy Crossword: Insider: Clueless:

S L O P P E D

OM E P E T I S

E V G A C S U E B E A S N A L O T D C O H L L E I E T I T B E S T A A N S S L U M O E S T

H E A D I V A C N U L H U D A U L C E R A A D E N P E A E MM O N S L A N I N G L A S S E M E S R A T I N G A R T S I V E L F L L K A I R WS L Z A P I Z Z A Y N AM O I L S P O T S I O S R N D D I P E R E D G E M D R H I O P I A N E S O N E S T E A E O V O R M S P E O A I S E G N A U F I A P E X C E B E T E O R B O U V B L OW E P E L E

K E L P I E A A T H I N E P E N S E S T R T E R S T R O E S T T U R K R A A E L Y T H A E E T D I S H

P E E B N E R N A E E S S O P X S I S H D A I C K S E E S

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: R M A R K E W O T R A R I S A R H A N E L S S I M I U S O B S O S O D S S D F A R M I L E O Y A N U M T S H I P E I A P R O V A E N A H H L OM A C E A O E F I L L K L O L E G S K D S G M A A R S L A S T S C O A U L E M I L V N I J A P N D U N I E N T

C H O K I N G L W L U O I I S L AM M N N D B A G E G Y P S U S T S O S A K P O D O A F Y E A R N D L Y S U E O V P E R R E E F S E N P M I N E T E E N C E A B U H E A D S T A R A U O G P O S N N E P T A A I V E S T H A L R A N Y E N S U I N A A P T O E D U F O S A S N S P E E K W A T A S H O L E S S O A D D E B A R R S M O M P L A I N T S O O I T T E D T O N O O H R Y G R I L L E M N S D R A G G E D

E N I G H P T Y A A N T C E O E M D S T E R V D O I K E G P B U G R R T O W N S I C D R M O M

A F U A S U B S H Y O T R I T

A T U P T O O R A T I H E Y OM U O G OM N G E R B R O O R A F R O I S T G Y

U U I G U T T E R P R E S S E T E S C O P E

A R O I O F P E R M S O R E N A L Y S E X M A L A T S D S E N O L O P T S E A D C H Y E S T O S O M F U C A H

G E N E R A L

R A R E R I E V A I L

T R A E G M A R P E O N E

N D I O S E W R N V E C O C K L H O O L V E D I S E A C T D A H R C E A B S E R T T T I N I A X S N L H I G H L I

D O N E O P I T O C T C H R E N T I N G

E S L C E I N G H H T

FIND A WORD:

Winning answer: Cranberries.

CLUELESS:

1=E, 2=R, 3=V, 4=T, 5=J, 6=L, 7=P, 8=O, 9=Z, 10=D, 11=K, 12=B, 13=Y, 14=W, 15=G, 16=X, 17=M, 18=H, 19=Q, 20=U, 21=I, 22=F, 23=S, 24=C, 25=N, 26=A. Winning answer: Elves.

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usic fan Simon Goss fondly recalled his Sunbury 1972 experience on ABC Radio 20 years later: “I went with a friend,” he said. “We were utterly gormless! We burnt the tent down, got margarine through the tobacco, I couldn’t see the guy on the surfboard or the weird guy doing WKH ˋUH EUHDWKLQJ EXW LW ZDV DPD]LQJ MXVW WR EH ZDQGHULQJ DURXQG ZLWK DOO WKH \RXQJ SHRSOH ȥ Technically, the festival site was on George Duncan’s farm at Diggers Rest, Victoria, 5km from Sunbury, but near enough to adopt the name. George famously said he was happy to welcome the hippies and music fans because he “believed in young people”. Which was lucky because 35,000 of them teemed through the farm gates, paying $6 for three days of rock‘n’roll and cheap watermelon (sold by then baby entrepreneur, later Mushroom Group ERVV 0LFKDHO *XGLQVNL 7KH ˋOP RI WKH :RRGVWRFN )HVWLYDO (released 18 months earlier) provided a blueprint for this Aussie gathering: baking in the sweltering summer sun, skinny-dipping in Jackson’s Creek, slip-sliding on muddy riverbanks and soaking up the vibes. YeW WKLV ˋUVW RI IRXU 6XQEXU\ IHVWLYDOV ZDV DOVR WKH ELUWKSODFH RI $XVWUDOLDQ rock‘n’roll as we know it. Yes, local stars had emerged in the 1950s and ’ V EXW 6XQEXU\ KDG D KXJH UDQJH RI RYHU WZR GR]HQ KLJKO\original artists with an unmistakable Aussie sound. There was the quirky Glenn Cardier (who is still going strong), the spacy Tamam Shud, the powerful voice of Wendy Saddington (the only woman with KHU QDPH RQ WKH ELOO DQG %LOO\ 7KRUSH DQG WKH $]WHFV ZKRVH Most People I Know (Think That I’m Crazy) hit the top of the charts on the back of their Sunbury performance. Ian “Molly” Meldrum was there as a reporter for Go-Set PDJD]LQH IDPRXVO\ LQWHUYLHZLQJ VNLQQ\-dippers.“We’d had other festivals,” he told The Age back in 2012, “but nothing like this at all.” And in an era of rock festivals, Sunbury is still our most legendary, half a century on. AWW

M 194

The Australian Women’s Weekly

WORDS BY TOBY CRESWELL. NEWSPIX. GETTY IMAGES. FAIRFAX PHOTOS. NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF AUSTRALIA.

Memory lane

Ronald McDonald House. Where family life carries on. 3 years old, 65 nights at Ronald McDonald House. The simple pleasure of a warm bath. Raph couldn’t be happier. And when he’s happy, his parents are absolutely radiant. You see, Raph was born with an undiagnosed, neurological disorder that’s aﬀected everything from his heart to his hearing and meant that he’s spent the ﬁrst two years of his life in and out of hospitals.

Help family life carry on. Donate today at rmhc.org.au

So, anytime Raph’s parents get to see him loving bathtime just like any other kid, that’s a moment they treasure. And with the help of Ronald McDonald House, where Raph has spent 65 nights, they get plenty of bath times together. You can help family life carry on for Raph and the other 10,000 families like his who rely on Ronald McDonald House each year.

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The Australian Women's Weekly - January 2022

Articles inside

Fiction

Money

Horoscopes

Memory lane

Travel

Cooking class

Mango magic

Rick Stein’s everyday dinners

Healthy ageing: the

The anatomy of

Say no to resolutions

Local heroes: the best of

Pat McDermott: the joy

Bonus: your 2022 horoscopes plus bumper puzzles and summer reading

My story: how writing her own eulogy has helped one woman live her best life

Royal revelation: the

Humour: Amanda Blair’s night-time symphony

A dog’s life: working dogs

Interview: West Side

At the coalface: the

Royal scandal

Julia Morris: embracing

David and Linda Hurley

High-flying heroes: the

A mother’s love: the

Royal column: behind

Stanley Tucci

Game, set, match

Nicole Kidman

Silver salties: meet our

Editor’s letter