I was sitting in my friend's backyard yard. When I say back yard I really mean paddock. Actually I mean small village, her place is huge. I was sitting there on her 23 acre property, next to the dam and watching a platypus happily splashing about in the water. That... Read more →

I snuck out of town for a couple of days last weekend to visit a very good friend who has just moved to Tassie. She's swapped the congestion of inner city Melbourne for acreage near Deloraine in the Central Western Tiers. It's a little piece of paradise. She woke me... Read more →

It's been thirteen years since I've had a window seat on a plane. These days it's my girls who get to peer out the window while I sit in the aisle. The view from up there is incredible. Especially when you're flying from Launceston to Melbourne as I did. I'd... Read more →

After the launch of Mountain Secrets (the Ginninderra Press anthology of poems) I spent time with my family exploring the Blue Mountains. I haven't explored the area for years. When we come we usually catch up with friends and miss all the spectacular scenery. This time, however, we made sure... Read more →

On the weekend I travelled to the Blue Mountains for the Ginninderra Press launch of their latest poetry anthology, Mountain Secrets. I'm chuffed to say my poem, Gunnung Batur is included in the collection. I wrote the poem when I was on holiday in Bali. The deadline for submission to... Read more →

I spent last week camping in the bush at Hawks Nest in New South Wales. I was there with my daughters to attend the Jon Young Music, Nature and Storytelling Workshop. Jon Young is a naturalist, tracker and mentor from North America. He's also an author (What the Robin Knows... Read more →

There's just so much to love about Bali. The warm, tropical weather. The patient, friendly Balinese. The bustling streets and chaotic traffic. And for me, all the beautiful handicrafts. People are still using traditional methods to make the things they need. The Balinese still use their hands and time to... Read more →

I'm back home and finding it hard to settle into everyday life. I miss the weather, the vibrancy and the exoticness of Bali. Most of all I miss all the people at the hotel we would chat to every day. When I'm travelling, I relax and I'm much more open... Read more →

I finally got to visit a silversmithing workshop in Bali. The town of Celuk (pronounced Cheluk) is famous all around the world for it's beautiful silver jewellery. When I came here on my honeymoon in 2003, it seemed far too hard to organise a car and a driver to get... Read more →

In a trip packed with highlights, our visit to the remains of Karta Gosa in Klungkung was another highlight. Karta Gosa was one of the many royal places dotted thoughout the island of Bali and you can still see some of the remains. Sadly, when the Dutch invaded, then colonised... Read more →