“All truly great thoughts are conceived by walking.” - Friedrich Nietzsche

It’s time to get serious about being fit for work.

It’s no secret. Staying physically fit is essential to provide the stamina and wellbeing required to stay at the top of your game. It also enhances brain health and function, boosting memory, cognition, and mood, reducing stress and promoting better sleep. In other words it is critical to better thinking. It's physical activity that gets business moving.

From an individual perspective, staying on the move increases cerebral blood-flow supplying essential oxygen and nutrients to the energy hungry brain along with the release of brain chemicals including BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) that nurture neuronal health, synaptic function and neurogenesis — the production and survival of approximately 700 new neurons every day.

Regular exercise has been shown to maintain white matter integrity, promoting speed of information processing, improving cognitive performance and reducing stress. Chronic severe stress reduces access to the prefrontal cortex, the executive suite of conscious thought, and is associated with loss of brain volume in the hippocampus, the area of the brain associated with learning and memory. High levels of the stress hormone cortisol are potentially neurotoxic, best avoided using regular exercise.

Stand up for your brain and walk the walk

CEOs can lead the charge by encouraging the move to stand more. Walking meetings as advocated by Nilofer Merchant provides the opportunity not only to get out into some fresh air, it boosts attention, promotes more open dialogue, and is particularly useful for one on one conversations.

For larger groups standing meetings work well by keeping focus on the agenda and shorter — a bonus for busy executives seeking to maximize the value of their time spent at work.

Create new insight

Walking stimulates creativity whether inside or out. While spending time in green space is great for stress reduction, walking anywhere has been shown to get those creative juices flowing, stimulating greater insight and problem solving, thereby giving your ideas some legs.

Boost your mood

The neuropeptides of a positive mood including dopamine, serotonin and endorphins are all enhanced by physical activity. This promotes adaptability, a more open mind, and a willingness to take on and overcome challenges, as well as promoting mental wellbeing.

Give your brain a break

Focusing your attention for too long is cognitively exhausting and denies the brain the time required to recoup and reenergize. Implementing several 15-minute brain breaks across the day in addition to taking a proper lunch break away from the office, to eat and include a workout, primes your brain for improved mental performance and mood across the afternoon.

Take time out to learn a new sport

Taking up a new sport in midlife has been shown to stimulate cognitive performance. Signing up for paddleboard lessons, tennis or snow boarding is great for increasing grey and white matter because the complex thoughts required drive your brain's plasticity. It's the learning that counts, not how good you are at it.

 Do the Downward Dog

If running or walking isn't your thing, yoga has been shown to boost cognitive function. Yoga’s meditative quality calms the mind and stimulates the mind-body connection. While an aerobic session will always boost cognitive performance, somewhat surprisingly a 20-minute Hatha Yoga session will produce a more immediate benefit to cognition.

From a business health perspective, encouraging all your staff to stay active will help reduce some of the economic burden of physical inactivity. A recent article in The Lancet estimated the global cost of inactivity, based on data from 142 countries, to be around US$67.5 billion, equivalent as the authors point out, to the total annual GDP of Costa Rica.

Taking the lead to incorporate greater physical activity in your business has the potential to increase productivity, performance and wellbeing and boost the bottom line.

Watching the feet of those before you leave the ground at iFLY Indoor Skydiving doesn’t prepare you for achieving something that people have spent centuries and billions of dollars trying to perfect — flight.

After being kitted out in a skydiving suit and taught the basic moves — body straight, hands semi-clawed, legs gently curved, chin up, mouth shut — I step into the giant glass vertical wind tunnel, housing fans capable of creating 250 kilometre-per-hour wind speeds. It’s enough to blow anyone away, literally. And once you’re flying, it’s also hard not to maniacally grin, although that means a smile being awkwardly plastered across your face while you are blown about, ungracefully to start with, in the wind currents.

It might seem like a miracle while you’re up there, but flying at iFLY is a meticulously calculated feat that military and professional skydivers have been familiar with for decades. It started out as training for flying, sans the aircraft, and has gradually been developed so that now, the average person with no experience whatsoever, can take off and experience the joy of flying.

Just like skydiving, there’s a massive adrenaline rush when you take off, followed by a feeling that nothing on Earth really matters in those moments when you’ve managed to defy gravity — except that you are as close as you’ll ever be to being a bird. Which makes it an ideal corporate team-building exercise for those who are burdened by stress, anxiety, and concerns that are the too-often inherent elements of corporate life.

After being flipped about in the wind tunnel and doing some crazy circular loops with an instructor, I caught up with Wayne Jones, CEO of Indoor Skydive Australia Group, and former Special Forces officer.

“During my career in the military, simulation training was integral to maintaining the skillsets required to be at the top of your game,” he explains. “Parachute training was always one of those skills that was hard to remain current for the Australian Military, as it is often very expensive and dangerous training that needs to be conducted regularly. So now wind tunnels are used to simulate the freefall stage by overseas military groups to create a controlled environment where soldiers can practice emergency drills, test new equipment, and conduct initial training.”

Wayne says as well as the military, there’s a 3,000-strong skydiving community in Australia and a booming tandem skydiving industry with more than 160,000 tourists taking the plunge from planes every year. “These skydivers and adventure tourists use wind tunnels around the world regularly to train in new techniques and tricks. They’re having a great time in a safe environment, without having to worry about weather conditions, planes, and the short amount of time available between jumping from the plane until having to open your parachute!”

In 2010, Wayne and his mate Daniel Hogen (also from the Special Forces and now the Indoor Skydive Australia Group COO) started planning how they were going to bring this to Australia. “Setting up the business was a very turbulent ride, but it worked because we surrounded ourselves with a good team, we had supportive mentors, a very flexible plan with multiple fall-back plans, and we committed ourselves 100 per cent to the end goal. Daniel and I risked all of our savings, reputation and quit our stable jobs in the military to move across Australia and make it happen.”

Staff are key at iFLY. “Our customer experience is one of the most important things to us as a company. Our customer service personnel are highly trained and love their jobs — and having a wind tunnel at the work place is great for moral. Retention of staff is paramount to the growth of any company, having opportunities to grow with the company, being able to move up through the ranks with clear career paths, and to have goals that are achievable.”

Today iFLY attracts all sorts of people, from kids as young as three, to their oldest flyer, at 93, and corporate events are extremely popular. “It’s a great experience for corporates and businesses to reward their employees,” he says. “And it creates a real team bonding atmosphere as everyone is thrown into a totally new experience — indoor skydiving!”

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By the side of the road, half an hour’s drive from Kangaroo Island’s Kingscote airport, there’s a motley crew of mailboxes near the road heading to Vivonne Bay. Ask any local or driver and they’ll point you in the right direction, as its one of the island’s more eccentric landmarks. The reason you should give the ramshackle mailboxes some of your precious time — bar fridges, oil drums, an 80s microwave oven, and little sheds on stilts among many others — is because one of them also has a sign for passersby that sums up the pride that the locals have for their home. The note, in bright yellow paint on a neat piece of metal painted a deep green, reads: “If you live on Kangaroo Island, you’re better off than 99.9 per cent of the population.”

Setting off down the road to Southern Ocean Lodge, with the sun setting, and warm rays of light splintering through the gum trees and eucalypts, we’re anticipating some of the many things that so many people come to Kangaroo Island in search of: wild landscapes and just as woolly seas, kangaroos and wallabies a-plenty, koalas, seal lions, an abundance of fresh, lovingly made produce, huge expanses of the great outdoors with hardly anyone to crowd it, peace of mind, and a lack of contact with the rest of the world. That feeling of remoteness had been with us since the moment our 32-seater Rex plane had touched down at Kingscote, when we both quickly discovered that neither of us had any mobile reception at all. Phones off, we both sat back and watched the sun set around us as Southern Ocean Lodge’s driver expertly navigated the route to our secluded destination.

En route, our driver shares some funny local stories and some of the island’s history, including the fact that Kangaroo Island was bestowed its name when early explorer Captain Matthew Flinders and a hungry crew discovered it in 1802. They found no inhabitants of the human kind, but Flinders recorded the joy of finding something else in his diary: “The ship’s company was employed this afternoon in the skinning and cleaning of kangaroos. They stewed half a hundredweight of heads, forequarters and tails down into soup for dinner … and as much steak, moreover to both officers and men as they could consume by day and night. In gratitude for so seasonable supply, I named this south land, Kangaroo Island.”

Despite its name, the majority of people who visit Kangaroo Island are there to see koalas in their natural habitat, as there are tens of thousands of them living on the 4,405-square-metre island.

In 1920, eighteen koalas were taken across the sea to Kangaroo Island as a precaution to prevent their extinction. Today, their numbers are completely out of control, and thousands of the animals have to be de-sexed every year, with some relocated to control the population that is literally eating itself out of its home. Their vast numbers however, mean that it’s easy to see them in the wild, and the fact that they have thrived is due to there being such a lack of introduced pests on the island — it really is one of the world’s last unspoiled wilderness regions. It also means that Kangaroo Island is home to some of the Australia’s more unique and photogenic creatures, such as echidnas, sea lions, fur seals, eagles, and even leafy sea dragons. There’s a very good chance you’ll see some or even all of them in just a few days.

Some people come to the island to be right amongst the wilderness, opting to stay in the many small lodges, hotels, caravan parks and rental homes on the island, and others come for the fine food, wine, and luxurious offerings of Southern Ocean Lodge, which has recently been named the fourth best hotel in the world in the US’s Travel + Leisure magazine’s 2016 ‘World’s Best Awards’, and as the best hotel in Australia. Stepping through the lodge’s grand entrance at the end of a timber walkway surrounded by low-lying native bush, and taking in the 1,548-square-metre architectural spectacle that splays like the wing of a giant bird over the island’s south west coast, there’s no wondering why.

Designed by award-winning Adelaide firm, Max Pritchard Architect, from dawn until dusk and throughout the night, the building is like a reflective mood ring, absorbing the actual world and inherent energy in it. And everything — from the pale timber bespoke Khai Liew lamps and furniture, to the leaf collages created by local designer Janine Mackintosh, and the floor-to-ceiling glass windows that frame the unforgettable views — was chosen to create a relaxing oasis where nature is always centre-stage, and relaxation is the aim of the game.

The granite-grey hues of the rooftops, the pale and bright blues and natural fibres in the decor, the natural stone, glass, and locally-sourced wooden floorboards all come together in the architectural masterpiece to reflect the surrounding natural elements — it’s a finely orchestrated success story of man merging with nature, and there is so much to watch from the cliff-tops: waves lashing against the coast’s many rugged escarpments, rainbows coming out after storms, rain sweeping over the tough-as-nails lime green and deep brown scrub, and sunrises and sunsets that take your breath away.

Upon arrival (once you’ve picked your jaw off the floor) there’s no better way to absorb whatever mood the lodge is in, than with canapés and champagne, seated in leather lounges facing the ocean and cliff-tops, while you sign in. The delightful lodge staff then lose no time settling everyone in and setting the scene for what is to come — and that’s a continual, around-the-clock offering of fine food and wine on a par with the best restaurants in Australia. Match that with impeccable service, and at first it seems a shame to leave the lodge at all. The manager assures us that many choose not to.

However, after a sampling of Kangaroo Island’s many offerings put together courtesy of Mother Nature the the passing of time, its easy to slip into a typical Southern Ocean Lodge experience: late breakfasts, followed by a leisurely activity, a three-course lunch with perfectly-paired fine wines, perhaps another activity, canapés and après activity drinks, followed by dinner and dessert, paired with more of those fine wines. Guests can help themselves to most of the wines in the cellar, with other ultra top-shelf tipples (think Henschke Hill of Grace, Penfolds Grange, and the best Bordeaux) available upon request.

For guests looking for activities that are more challenging and strenuous, mountain biking, trekking, diving, sailing, and a host of other great things to do are on offer. And for those who want to indulge in all of the island’s bountiful produce on a week-long foodie holiday — the Kangaroo Island Food Safari is held every August and is usually headed up by the legendary Maggie Beer and another celebrity chef.

We choose to take in three of Kangaroo Island’s most iconic activities during our three-day stay, including visiting a sea lion colony in Seal Bay, taking in the Remarkable Rocks, and venturing into the wonderful world of Admirals Arch.

At Seal Bay Conservation Park, there are no cages or enclosures — it’s a truly wild colony of sea lions, and if you time things right, you could be there after naptime, when the sea lion pups are loping about with cheeky cartoon-like beauty. A winding wooden walkway takes visitors through the scrubland that the sea lions call home, and out over the beach, where white sand, blue skies, and unspoiled vistas sprawl in every direction, it’s a real check-in with reality. Life has not changed here for these creatures for thousands of years. Their home is as it has always been, albeit with more people taking photos and smiling at their antics. There are sleeping sea lions everywhere, crashed out on the beach, in the dunes, and on the grass, after big swims and hunts in the ocean.

There are plenty of warnings about not getting too close to the sea lions (a protective bull can weigh up to 350 kilograms), and the guides are very strict about protecting the natural habitat.

After spending an afternoon with the sea lions, we visit one of the island’s most beautiful landmarks: the Remarkable Rocks in Flinders Chase National Park. A stunning ensemble of granite boulders atop a granite dome, these natural sculptures are thought to have been formed during the post-Cambrian period, around 500 million years ago. The unusually beautiful shapes, and vibrant orange and white colouring, were caused by rain penetrating the upper layer of the rock, decomposing it into separate, boulders. The wind, waves, and lichen then worked their wonders — erosion leaving a gathering of boulders in a gorgeous display of various vivid natural sculptures. It’s a sight like nothing else in the world, and one of the most photographed things in South Australia.

And just when you think Mother Nature couldn’t possibly indulge one remote island so much by giving it even more surreal natural wonders, there’s Admirals Arch. It’s a partly-underground world of ancient caves where the wind, rain, and waves have transformed the cave system into a natural bridge, and stalactites grip the top of the arch like natural chandeliers. The spectacle has huge geological significance and has been designated as a geological monument, attracting more than 180,000 visitors a year.

And to add another layer of entertainment, New Zealand fur seals love this rocky playground with many a sheltered nook, and there are literally hundreds of them cavorting about, looking as though they are posing for photos as they clamber up their well-worn paths and slip and slide about on the rocky escarpments. It’s easy to spend hours simply watching these creatures enjoy their protected island.

We arrive back from another nature walk and indulge in a tapas-style Sunday lunch where the tables are practically bowing under the weight of sensational local offerings — cheese, oysters, meats, breads, and inventive salads galore — and then raise a glass of champagne to our fellow travellers and the view. As we do, a sun shower unexpectedly sweeps across the ocean before us, and within moments, the sky is clear once more, a rainbow arching across the island. Then we had to do one of the hardest things we’ve ever done — pick ourselves up and leave Southern Ocean Lodge.

On the ride back to the airport in the lodge’s mini bus, dodging kangaroos and keeping our eyes peeled for echidnas and koalas, a fellow passenger lets the driver know that they haven’t seen the legendary row of arty mailboxes near Vivonne Bay, so he soon pulls over, and we all chuckle at the assemblage of random recycled objects used to connect the locals with the outside world. Heading back off down the road, surrounded by a tunnel of gum trees and cruising along the edge of Australia, I suddenly understand the conviction of the island’s residents — they really are much better off than so many of us on this planet, living on this unspoiled patch of wildly peaceful paradise.

tourkangarooisland.com.au

There are great views, and then there are sensational views that extract an unexpected sigh as you relax and drink them in. Club InterContinental, on level thirty-one of InterContinental Sydney, has views of the latter variety. The lounge and bar has the only wrap-around deck in a five-star hotel in Sydney, and uninterrupted views taking in the Harbour Bridge, Royal Botanic Gardens, Sydney Opera House, and Circular Quay, making it a surprisingly tranquil spot to unwind.

If work does continue into the evening, guests have access to the latest technology, and the Club can be a private retreat for conducting business. And then there’s the Supper Club to look forward to, with the city lit up, sprawled below in all of her glittering glory. It’s all happening from 9pm until late, and there’s no skimping here — with twenty-seven champagnes ranging from Taittinger to Ruinart on offer, alongside cocktails whipped up by a talented mixologist. Club guests also enjoy exclusive benefits, such as private check-in and check-out, deluxe buffet breakfasts, all-day light refreshments, twilight canapés and beverages, wi-fi for up to five devices, shower facilities for early arrivals, and the pressing of two clothing items per stay.

Anyone familiar with the InterContinental group’s signature style will already know that the special service from staff and the endless elements of luxury flow on to all of the rooms and into every public space in the grand, dome-topped, nineteenth-century building. The lounge area next to the lobby for instance — with its four-storey high domed ceiling, layers of sandstone and brick arches and balconies, and plush circular booth seating set upon large expanses of white marbled floors, encapsulates the elegant, modern style that the hotel chain is globally renowned for.

There are 509 rooms in the hotel, including twenty-eight high-end suites designed to merge business, with pleasure. If you’re lucky enough to be staying overnight for New Years Eve, the Harbour Bridge View Rooms, Opera House View Rooms, and the Harbour Executive Suite are the ones to lock in early, as they all have superb views of the fireworks, and the Deluxe Eastern Harbour View Rooms have stunning views over the Royal Botanical Gardens.

All of these luxurious suites have large comfortable daybeds within the expansive windows for taking in the beautiful spectacle of Sydney all year ’round.

Raising the luxury stakes is the Premium Suite Collection, which includes the Governor Suite, with a separate lounge, and dining room and marble bathroom, and the State Suite — a luxuriously appointed 150-square-metre space with a lounge, dining room to seat eight, gallery kitchen, study, spacious marble bathroom with spa, walk-in wardrobe, grand piano and a guest bathroom. The Australia Suite is the supreme pinnacle of the hotel’s offering, floating twenty-nine floors above Sydney Harbour. It has a private terrace to enjoy the view and the fireworks on New Years Eve, and is one of the most coveted suites in the city. It has a private lounge with grand piano, dining room, appointed kitchen, study, master bedroom, over-sized marble bathroom with a rain shower and private spa bath, with views, of course.

An onsite fine dining restaurant is often one of the reasons behind many a busy person’s hotel choice, and InterContinental Sydney always exceeds guests’ expectations with 117 dining, which is the 2016 winner of ‘Best Luxury Hotel Restaurant’ in the World Luxury Restaurant Awards. Indulge in ‘A Taste of Truffle with 117 dining’ degustation menu, and there are no surprises as to why the culinary accolade was bestowed.

The menu kicks off with some sake that has a fungi taste to it — surprisingly delicious, matched with butternut pumpkin, with grated black truffle, maple syrup, manchego cheese, and rye. It then smoothly transitions to grilled eryngii with mushroom truffle dashi, housemade tofu, turnip, and shaved truffle. A biltong tartare then steals the show, served with radish, truffle aioli, brioche, and fresh truffle, and the Spatchcock 2 Ways comes with a shitake truffle puree, delectable burnt apple offering, Swiss chard, and grated truffle. A Tajima top sirloin follows, which is a sticky Wagyu cheek, with parsnip and sliced truffle. The experience wraps up with ‘truffle hunting’ in a wickedly tasty serving of dark chocolate sable with vanilla ice cream, quince, and black truffle. The courses are matched with a range of wonderful wines, and the staff are as refined and professional as they are entertaining and attentive. They mirror the sophistication that this grand dame is renowned for.

Morocco is the brash colour of bazaar spices, the lilting call of the muezzin, pink rose-petals against blue tiles, the scent of mint tea. It’s a country of spectacle and colour, a rich and satisfying cuisine, and a millennia-old history of conquerors and nomads. In the last decade, Morocco has also realigned itself as a contemporary, tolerant society that blends Islamic, European, and North African influences. Sun-seekers jet into Marrakesh, and solo travel becomes ever easier. Those wanting to truly experience Morocco, however, should consider a bespoke tour with By Prior Arrangement: it will reduce travel complications and provide insider knowledge unavailable to the aimless wanderer.

Rabat is a good place to slide cautiously into Morocco. The capital is its most ordered city, cosmopolitan and glamorous in an old-fashioned way. It’s emerging as a cultural centre, with good museums and a redeveloping riverfront, which includes a stunning Zara Hadid-designed opera house. Most of the city dates from the French-colonial era, and features wide boulevards and open squares shaded by orange trees. Unexpected layers of history include Roman and medieval ruins where storks nest, and a kasbah (citadel) of blue-and white alleyways and teahouses overlooking the ocean.

From Rabat you might head inland to Meknes, whose fortifications are draped over successive hillsides in concentric rings around crumbling palaces. The old imperial capital has subsided into provincial obscurity and isn’t yet touristy enough to have lost its traditional crafts. Tailors trim in tiny shops and shoemakers fashion yellow or red leather slippers with pointy toes, fit for a vizier. The main market glistens with pyramids of olives and bags of nougat tied with yellow ribbon.

It’s only an hour east to Fes, approached along wide boulevards framed in flowers and flags. The world’s largest intact medieval city sprawls splendidly over several hills and is crammed with World Heritage-listed mosques and courtyard houses resplendent in stucco and stained glass. This is the spiritual centre of old Morocco and an ancient trading city for Berbers and Arabs, and the medina (old town) seems scarcely to have changed in centuries. Prepare for butchers selling flyblown camel meat, tailors sewing striped djellabas (robes), and craftsmen tapping at copper pots and dyeing leather. Ever-narrowing alleys provide constant charms: medieval archways, tottering buildings, tiled fountains.

A big surprise in Morocco is the beauty of its landscapes, which vary from high mountains to wave-pounded coastlines, lush green northern farmland, to scalloped southern sand dunes. The road beyond Fes brings you over undulating hills bursting with springtime wildflowers to Volubilis, a ruined second-century Roman town notable for gorgeous mosaic floors. Down the road is Moulay Idriss, a town of cubist houses wedged into a steep mountain gap. A bespoke tour might give you access to Scorpion House, run by Englishman Mike Richardson, where you can sit on the terrace and tuck into a lunch of charcoal chicken, maakouda (potato fritters), and spiced beef kebabs as you learn about expat life and the tribulations of house renovations.

There isn’t much to bring tourists to Casablanca, other than its exotic name. Yet there’s an exhilarating buzz to this city, economically Morocco’s most important. Nightclubs and seafood restaurants line the coast, and grand Art Deco-era squares contrast with older, Andalusian-style alleys. Hassan II Mosque, one of the world’s largest mosques, is an eruption of marble topped by a whopping 210-metre minaret; in the evening, it resembles an illuminated space rocket.

As you head south and inland, the landscape becomes a reddish, treeless plain ringed by purple hills. Then Marrakesh appears, a pink city of medieval ramparts against a snowy barrier of Atlas Mountains. Behind its walls is a fabulous medina in whose winding, high-walled alleys you’ll easily get lost. Never mind: you might come across a crumbling palace, magnificent tiled mosques, and stuccowork tombs with ceilings of gold. There are shops where craftsmen work in cedar wood, bakeries straight out of Ali Baba, café tables at which to sip mint tea and stickybeak at the ceaseless bustle. As sun sets, hit legendary Jemaa el-Fna square. Monkeys juggle, fortune-tellers mutter, street performers drum. Locals come out to munch on snails, slow-roasted lamb, or bags of dried nuts.

Beyond the medina’s timeless hustle, however, is another Marrakesh of spas and luxe courtyard hotels, chic nightclubs, and innovative restaurants. You’ll also find Jardin Majorelle, created by Yves St Laurent, who holidayed here in a blue villa surrounded by cactus and extravagant bougainvillea. If you’re keen on shopping that goes beyond the camel bags and wood carvings of the bazaar, take a private shopping tour to the suburban studios and workshops of forward-looking Moroccan and expat French designers in suburban Sidi Ghanem: another great insider look at the many facets of this intriguing country.

Reminiscent of luminaries like Sir Winston Churchill and Frank Sinatra, bow ties have an old worldly charm that speaks of refinement and decorum. Although modern-day fashion tends to be less distinguished than in years gone by, Melbourne-based start-up, That Dapper Chap, is proving that the humble bow tie is an accessory for the ages. With the power to transform even the most uncultured of men into dapper gents, this little company’s unique bow ties have taken the business and fashion worlds by storm.

As tactile as they are visually endearing, these bow ties developed out of a collaboration between a group of friends. Co-Founder of That Dapper Chap, George Bauer, speaks with The CEO Magazine about the company’s origins, and the future of the ever-dapper bow tie.

The CEO Magazine: Tell us about the origins of That Dapper Chap.

George: My friend Ben Dye originally came up with the idea of hand stitching uniquely designed bow ties as a way of expressing his distinctive sense of fashion. And I was keen to embark on a project to test the theories and skills I was learning in my bachelor of business. After doing a bit of research, I realised there was a definite customer base in Melbourne for handmade self-tie bow ties, so we started the business and launched our first collection in the summer of 2013.

How has the business, and your team, since evolved?

We have been a flexible team from the outset. At one point — due to particularly high demand — we had six team members, and now we just have a team of three; including myself running the business. On a more practical level, we have transitioned from making bow ties in Ben’s kitchen — while eating takeaway Chinese — to making them in a proper studio and workshop in Brunswick East.

Talk us through the design process your products go through.

Each of our collections, and the subsequent products we construct, take on a theme. For instance, one collection was based on the personal inspiration of each team member. Once we have the theme, we design the collection’s patterns, and decide upon the different fabrics and colours we want to use. We then get spend some time with our favourite fabric suppliers to find the perfect match.

Your fabrics are so tactile. How do you source them?

We have dealt with a few different fabric suppliers over the past three years. Our mission from the start has been to break the taboo of the bow tie, and experimenting with different fabrics has played a big role in achieving that. We like to support the local industry and work with fabrics sourced from local suppliers. For one collection, all of our products were made with fabrics sourced from Phillips Shirts, one of the longest running menswear labels in Melbourne.

Can you describe the experience of your first sale? 

Our first wholesale drop-off was to Mitchel McCabe Menswear, which is on Clarendon Street in South Melbourne. We walked in with all the stock we had; it had taken all week for us to make and package it. We were extremely nervous and thought Andrew, the store owner, might take half of it at most. But he took the whole lot and paid us right there and then. We were ecstatic, and ran over to the bank to watch our bank balance go up by the hundreds for the first time. It was such a memorable day that gave us a huge boost in confidence.

What role does ‘dapper’ play in today’s fashion context?

Dapper for us, is all about self-confidence and self-care. We believe that, if you feel comfortable and confident in how you dress, you can act with conviction in your day-to-day life. From the start I was adamant that we’d be creating a brand platform rather than a product line. I wanted people of all generations, demographics, and genders to connect with our brand; and we get to see this firsthand through our custom orders, conversations at markets, and interactions online.

What achievement are you most proud of to date? 

I’m most proud of bringing together separate individuals, with their own sense of creativity and unique flair, to the brand. For instance, the photo shoot we did for the 2016 Transitions Collection brought eleven different designers together, all working to create beautiful content; from the stylist to the videographers.

From supermarkets and chemists to specialty health and wellbeing stores, our marketplace has been inundated with vitamins and supplements which, when taken regularly, are purported to propel us into a state of optimal health. Available in a number of sizes, shapes, flavours, and forms — capsules, tablets, powders, chewables, softgels, and liquids — these products and the burgeoning industry they represent are the subject of both accolades and disparagement. On one hand they are revered for safeguarding us from the perils of modern-day living; poor diets, sedentary lifestyles, and largely indoor existences. On the other, they are deemed unnecessary and potentially harmful.

Despite the scepticism surrounding the industry, there is no disputing that it’s on the rise. Market research company Future Market Insights calculated the global dietary supplements market revenue to be US$123.3 billion in 2015, and forecasts that it will more than double to US$252.1 billion by 2025. This corroborates information provided by the CEO of Australian-based supplement and wellness company Swisse, Radek Sali, who says: “The industry is turning over around AU$3.5 billion annually in Australia alone. That’s expected to grow to AU$4.6 billion over the next three years.”

Asked why he believes the industry is growing at such a rapid pace, Radek points to the fact that health and wellbeing has become aspirational; something that everyone wants to attain. “I think there’s a rising consumer understanding around wellness,” he says, “and wellness is something that we all strive for. Our lives are precious; we want to live as long as we possibly can, which means doing the right things for our bodies. Exercising, having a good state of mind, and choosing the right nutrition — including supplementation — all add up to better health outcomes.”

“Our lives are precious; we want to live as long as we possibly can, which means doing the right things for our bodies.” - Radek Sali

However, this is only one view in what is a very fractious debate. Dr Rachael A Dunlop, a Senior Scientist from the Institute for Ethnomedicine in the US, has interpreted the industry’s growth entirely differently. Beyond simply being drawn to the promise of wellness, Rachael believes that the industry is growing so quickly because consumers are enticed by the promise of a magic pill; a ‘get healthy quick’ cure-all that supplants the fundamental problems typically causing ill-health; things like diet and exercise. “The promises of the supplement industry are extremely seductive,” she explains. “You’ll look younger, skinnier, and have more energy; all the things many of us want. But in a time poor world, and where otherwise significant effort is involved, we’d rather take the easy way out.”

Of course, this so-called ‘easy way’ is not without risk. In many instances supplements simply don’t do what they claim to and, in more extreme cases, have been known to cause harm.

Global Standards

One of the largest problems when evaluating the safety of supplements, is that each country in the world regulates its own industry. While there is an overwhelming trend for under-regulation, there are huge discrepancies from one country to the next. For instance, in the UK supplements are considered to be foods, and are consequently regulated by the Food Standards Agency and the Department of Health (FSADH). Therefore, unless a medical claim is made by the manufacturer, supplements aren’t subject to the same stringent regulatory process that the UK’s Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency apply to medicines.

Similarly, in the US supplements are regulated under the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act, a branch of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This means that the onus is largely on supplement manufacturers to self-regulate, as they are not required to obtain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) before marketing dietary supplements. The FDA’s website states: “Before a firm markets a dietary supplement, the firm is responsible for ensuring that: the products it manufactures or distributes are safe; any claims made about the products are not false or misleading; and, the products comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act and FDA regulations in all other respects.”

Conversely, in Australia supplements are considered to be complementary medicines, and as such are regulated by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). However, when labelling products, the TGA divides medicines into two categories; Aust L and Aust R. While Aust R medicines include prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines, which are checked against safety and quality criteria, the majority of supplements fall into the Aust L category, which is far less tightly regulated. When it comes to Aust L products, the onus is again on the manufacturer to certify that they have only used pre-approved low-risk ingredients, and evidence is not required by the TGA.

“The TGA is known as a paper tiger because it has no teeth,” says Rachael. “Manufacturers are required to state they hold evidence for the product’s use and benefits, but are not required to present such evidence before it is licensed. Not to mention the standards of evidence can be very tenuous, such as ‘used in antiquity’, which merely requires companies to say that a product has been ‘used by the ancient xyz African hill tribe for generations’ and they get a listing for their product.

“Furthermore, the system is reactive not pro-active, relying on people to complain rather than the TGA conducting its own investigations. Often when products are deemed to breach regulations, the TGA still don’t enforce directives, because the cost to prosecute is regularly greater than the fine.”

Despite these pitfalls, Australia’s supplement regulation is heralded as being one of the best in the world. “All supplements manufactured in Australia are manufactured as a therapeutic product, so they’re subject to the same scrutiny as drug medicine,” explains Radek. “Only Canada has a similar system; the rest of the world legislate the manufacture of products under food standard. So if you’re not buying a product from a plant that’s manufactured under TGA or the Canadian equivalent, you’re going to be buying a product manufactured in a food grade plant, which doesn’t require as stringent testing and cleaning as a drug plant.”

Online Markets

The inconsistency in global standards combined with an increasingly digital marketplace exacerbates the potential risk factor of supplements. Not only are the regulatory standards of products bought online unclear, but there is also a large market for imitation and illegal products to be sold online. “Some supplements have been found to be contaminated with drugs such as steroids, or even heavy metals, and these are not something you want to be unknowingly consuming,” says Rachael.

Recently there has been a spate of health complications that have arisen from the consumption of weight-loss products containing green tea extract. In 2014, the American College of Gastroenterology released findings that green tea catechins could be toxic and cause liver failure. Despite this, weight-loss supplements containing green tea extract continue to be sold online. Earlier this year, an otherwise healthy 27-year-old man in Australia had to have an emergency liver transplant after consuming a protein powder containing green tea extract that he’d bought online.

However, as Radek points out, most retail consumption — including the purchase of supplements — is trending towards online markets, and there are legal avenues providing for the online sale of supplements. “Currently there is a process where you can sell online as long as you are registered in the original country of sale,” he says. “Swisse is the number one brand for selling online into China, and we also trade in the UK, Holland, Italy, and Singapore; and all of those countries have different regulations in place for supplements.”

"Supplements by definition are drugs, thus they are capable of interacting with other medication people may already be taking.”- Professor Rachael A Dunlop

Contraindications

The majority of people who take vitamins and supplements self-medicate, believing that there’s little or no danger in taking complementary medicines. However, there are certain people who face a higher risk from the side effects of supplements, including people taking other medications, people recovering from surgery, pregnant and breastfeeding women, people undergoing cancer treatment, and children.

“Supplements by definition are drugs,” says Rachael, “thus they are capable of interacting with other medication people may already be taking. This can either reduce the efficacy of the drug or increase it, potentially causing toxicity and adverse events. People generally self-diagnose the supplements they need and are also unlikely to reveal their supplement use to their doctor, and this can make for a potentially disastrous situation.”

Do you need them?

There are two schools of thought when it comes to taking supplements. The first is that, on account of our poor diets and lifestyles, the majority of us struggle to meet basic dietary requirements and should therefore take supplements as a precautionary measure. “These days It’s pretty hard to find someone without some sort of dietary deficiency,” says Radek. “According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, more than 90 per cent of people don’t eat enough fruit and vegetables, so everyone should take a multivitamin in order to ensure that they’re at least getting their basic nutritional needs met.”

On the other hand, there is a strong argument that, unless diagnosed with a nutritional deficiency, the majority of us don’t require supplements. “There are certainly benefits to taking supplements if you have been diagnosed by a doctor and are being prescribed a pharmaceutical-grade product,” explains Rachael. “Otherwise, if you have a pretty balanced diet, then you’re probably just creating expensive urine.”

Fresh is best

It’s the position of the American Dietetic Association that the best nutritional strategy for promoting optimal health and wellness is to choose a wide variety of foods.

This view is supported by Dr Trent Watson, accredited practising dietitian and spokesperson for the Dietitians Association of Australia who, in conversation with independent consumer advocacy group Choice, says: “In the western world, even those not following such great diets are usually getting adequate nutrition, and it’s not necessary to take multivitamins for general health.”

Additionally, there are several benefits that real food has over supplements. For instance, food contains fibre and polyphenols, which have been proven to help prevent degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Whole foods also contain a range of vitamins and nutrients in different forms, which are beneficial when it comes to the ability of the body to absorb certain nutrients. As an example, many forms of calcium exist in different types of foods, and — because calcium is better absorbed in conjunction with substances like proteins and vitamin D — foods remain the best source of calcium when compared to supplements.

A balmy sea breeze envelopes me, and a distinctly ‘holiday’ smell — sunscreen, combined with salt water and frangipani — lingers in my nostrils. This is the scent of Bali, an Indonesian island renowned as much for its intimations of paradise as for its party scene. I am here for the former; a relaxing break that takes full advantage of the region’s tropical waters, vivid coral reefs, and deep cultural history. And nowhere captures the essence of a ‘relaxing break’ more than the luxurious The Oberoi, Bali.

Located just thirty minutes from Denpasar Airport, The Oberoi boasts an intimidating list of former clientele. As I walk through the perfectly manicured garden that leads to the hotel’s reception, I begin to get a sense of what attracted them. Vibrantly coloured flowers are interspersed between rustling palm fronds and baobab trees, and the sound of trickling water has an immediately calming effect on me. The lobby itself has glossy marble floors and a high thatched ceiling. I’m struck by the way tradition melds with modernity here — statues of the Hindu God Ganesha are positioned just centimetres from wall-to-ceiling glass sliding doors — and feel somehow soothed by the atmosphere it creates.

Looking around at the patent lavishness, I can’t help but muse that I don’t quite meet the caliber of the hotel’s other guests. After all, I’m walking in the footsteps of celebrities like Julia Roberts, David Bowie, and Gianni Versace, all of whom have stayed here before, no doubt indulging in a little relaxation of their own.

My feelings of inferiority are soon assuaged, however, by a cheery and attentive staff member greeting me with a heartfelt handshake. I’m then shown to my room by a young man in traditional garb who wears a toothy grin that doesn’t abate throughout my entire stay. In fact, his smile only broadens as he leads me through the customary Balinese entrance of one of the hotel’s Luxury Villas. Furnished with rich, polished wood and embracing a natural colour scheme, the villa is indulgence incarnate. But it’s the minutiae — the attention to detail — that really has me falling in love with the Oberoi.

Laid out on my side table, innocuously enough, is The Oberoi’s pillow menu. It lists four different pillows to choose from to ensure the perfect night’s sleep. I test out the royal cotton and supreme fibre comfort pillows before finally settling on the duck down; my indecision apparently a pleasure for the jaunty housekeeping staff. Another minor detail is the daily weather forecast I receive, completely unsolicited, proving that the hotel’s staff is aware of my needs well before I am.

Of course, the room itself is something to behold. It comes complete with a grand four-poster bed, views over the Indian Ocean, a private garden and dining pavilion, and a sunken marble bathtub, which is every bit as relaxing as it sounds. In addition to the resort’s fourteen villas and sixty lanai rooms, is the hotel’s ever-popular Royal Villa. Perfect for honeymoons and wedding nights, the private little oasis is an immense 400 square metres, has its own six-metre long private pool, the option of hiring a private butler, and a fully-equipped kitchenette — not that there is any reason to cook, with the hotel’s various restaurant offerings, and 24-hour in-room dining services.

Somewhat overwhelmed by that prospect, I venture out for a pre-dinner cocktail at Kayu Bar. Sipping a mojito while perched atop a plush, velour bar stool — the crashing sound of the surf playing out as a soundscape — it occurs to me that life doesn’t get much better than this.

However, I’m proven wrong not two hours later as I tuck into a delectable meal at the hotel’s fine dining venue, Kura Kura. Including Kayu Bar, which is perfect for nibbles or a light meal with drinks, there are four different restaurants at The Oberoi, Bali. And while they are all excellent, an evening at Kura Kura is an experience to remember for a long time to come. The menu is such that I’d be happy ordering almost anything on it; the selection ranging from traditional Indonesian dishes and tasting plates, to à la carte modern-fusion dishes. After much deliberation I decide on the Asian mixed pepper and black vinegar-glazed yellowfin tuna, which comes with Kombu dashi, udon noodle, grapefruit, young ginger, avocado, and crispy nori. The synthesis of flavours is like magic in my mouth.

Having been serenaded by the lyrical sounds of the angklung (an Indonesian instrument made from hollow bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame), I slowly amble back to my villa, the waves crashing violently on Seminyak Beach in the background. Contemplating what tomorrow will have in store, it occurs to me that while Seminyak is celebrated for its beach clubs, massage treatments, and selection of good food, The Oberoi offers all of these things within its fifteen perfectly landscaped acres. No matter what I decide to do tomorrow, I will be able to do it without having to venture out of the comfort and outright luxury of my resort.

If I told you that by going to the gym every day for ten minutes you could make your biceps bigger, then I’m sure you would easily agree. But if I said that through regular meditation practice you could choose a particular region of your brain to grow bigger, then you might be more surprised.

Regular meditations shown to grow the prefrontal cerebral cortex

This science of how the brain can change itself is not new. Neuroplasticity has been thoroughly researched with hundreds of published articles and a Harvard study showing regular meditators were able to grow their prefrontal cerebral cortex, a part of the brain responsible for paying attention, emotional regulation, and sensory management (Lazar et al 2006). What does this mean for you?

Brains are your biggest assets, both your own and those of your staff. With 10 billion neurons and 10,000 synaptic connections between each neuron, the number of possible on–off combinations of the average human brain is thought to be bigger than the number of atoms in the known universe.

Brains are capable of producing incredible creativity and productivity. What if you could increase the efficiency of all the brains in your organisation by 10 per cent? Can you imagine the impact on your bottom line?

Cultivate both mental focus and emotional calmness

The distracted mind is not an efficient one and regular meditation can help cultivate both mental focus and emotional calmness.

We are living in a world of exponentially growing distractions and stimuli. We have open-plan offices with colleagues leaning over to ask questions, calendar alerts, email notifications, text messages, beeping to-do lists, plus the ability to click on any of our devices wherever we are and be taken to whatever information we desire, work-based on not.

IQ suffers a 10 point decrease when multi-tasking

Multi-tasking is a myth; what we are actually doing is flitting from one task to another and this comes with a switching cost. One study by the Institute of Psychiatry in London shows a ten-point decrease in IQ through multi-tasking — a worse effect than smoking marijuana or losing a night’s sleep.

Meditation is an attention training exercise for the brain. It involves deliberately focusing your attention on one thing at a time, be it your breath, your physical sensations in your body or for more advanced practitioners, the stream of thoughts or emotions coming into your mind. This process activates and therefore grows the prefrontal cerebral cortex, the part of the brain responsible for your ability to pay attention. This ‘executive control function’ is the most evolved part of any primate brain and the part you really want to be developing.

Boost meta-cognition — a highly evolved brain function

Once your ability to pay attention increases, you instinctively start to notice your stream of consciousness, particularly the underlying patterns of repetitive thoughts, physical sensations, and emotions that can influence your behaviours and decision-making. This ability to be able to observe your thoughts, emotions, and sensations is called meta-cognition and is perhaps the most evolved of all human brain functions.

This skill of being able to take a step back from the mental chatter allows for greater perspective and objectivity. Decisions will be made with improved clarity of mind, better reasoning, and with less influence from inappropriate emotions or fears.

The distraction mind is not an efficient one and regular meditation can help cultivate both mental focus and emotional calmness.

Having the self-control to be able to stay focused on one challenge at a time, even if only for a few minutes, will start to deliver efficiency dividends and you will be able to solve more problems, more quickly, with greater ease. You will notice yourself being able to pay better attention in meetings, and perhaps start noticing subtleties of communication that you might have previously missed. It will also allow you to practice the art of truly listening, when so often what we do is listen with one half of the brain while thinking about what we want to say with the other half. This will lead to less miscommunications and potentially less conflict.

Set realistic expectations

Once you have set the intention to learn meditation it is important to be realistic with your expectations. It might take a while to find the right teacher, the right training, or the right method. What’s right for me is not necessarily right for you. This is brain reprogramming and it doesn’t happen overnight. Neuroplasticity has been shown to be more effective in novel surroundings, so perhaps a retreat venue with a completely different environment to your usual one would be the most effective. Don’t give in too soon though, and remember: practice makes perfect.

Whether it’s the quantity and quality of the snow; the unrivalled choice of well-groomed beginner and intermediate runs, expert double blacks, challenging chutes, and terrain parks, the lack of lift lines, or simply the Wild West experience that gets your adrenalin soaring, these winter destinations tick all the boxes. A visit to the ‘Real America’ in winter may mean getting up close to the unique wildlife such as buffalo, elk, moose, and wolves, straddling a saddle to belly up at the bar, or resting your head in an historic lodging or slope-side luxury, all with a heaped serving of supersized Western hospitality.

The scenery is equally compelling. From the mountain passes and dramatic peaks of Wyoming’s Teton range and the volcanic geysers of Yellowstone, to Montana’s rugged and beautiful Gallatin Gorge, Big Sky country, and Glacier National Park, it’s a scenic drive truly worthy of the name and as fulfilling an experience as the destinations themselves. The CEO Magazine took a memorable road trip to find out why increasing numbers of Australians are keen repeat visitors at ski resorts where the wild things are.

Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, Jackson Wyoming

Jackson Hole has a worldwide reputation for its challenging advanced terrain, authentic cowboy attitude, and proximity to famed Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. But there’s so much more to Jackson for Australian skiers and boarders.

Jackson Hole signage

Direct flights to Jackson from Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Dallas make it a seamless trip for those who want to be on the slopes the day after they leave Australia.

Revelling in the late season dump of snow bringing the year’s total to more than 762 centimetres, we trialled the brand new Teton Quad Chair Lift, which has opened up more intermediate terrain and easier access to experts-only back country. We found the extra long groomed runs a great warm up for the more challenging black (in other resorts, double diamond black) lines for which the resort has earned its reputation.

Ride the famous red Aerial Tram to the summit (and back down, if skiing the mountain is not an option) of Rendezvous peak for the views alone; and the waffles at Corbetts Cabin. The legendary chute where the most daring (or foolhardy) skiers gain serious bragging rights or retreat in fear —  Corbetts Couloir — is also mesmerisingly visible from the safety of the tram.

The local wildlife is not an optional extra but something you’re more than likely to experience without trying. The US’s only National Elk Refuge, a tract of land protecting a wild elk herd numbered in the thousands is minutes from Jackson and the herd often visible from the road. We came across moose crossing the road (yes, to get to the other side, where two more moose were grazing) and a wolf running along a culvert toward the trees. If accidental encounters like these aren’t enough, half-day wildlife tours will give you a naturalist’s expert introduction to the local fauna that abounds in winter.

Food in both Jackson and on the slopes is a welcome culinary world away from the usual fare found in ski resorts. A new casual dining outlet, Piste Mountain Bistro at the top of the Bridger Gondola features healthy and locally sourced dishes; and a few metres from the base of the lifts you’ll find restaurant choices for every taste that stack up against any in the city for menu and wine offerings. Try Villaggio Osteria for creative Italian, Spur for tasty American family-style dining, or the very civilised indoor/outdoor Ascent Lounge at Four Seasons for après drinks.

The range of accommodation available at Jackson, or on snow at Teton Village, will suit any budget or preference. At the top end, the resort’s own range of lodging offers a choice of exclusive slope-side corporate houses, set front and centre to the action, or spacious apartments for families just a few minutes easy drive from both the lifts and the centre of Jackson with its bars, restaurants, and art and craft galleries. Hotel choices are many but to stay with the Western vibe, we tried the historic Wort Hotel located in downtown Jackson, an awarded small boutique lodge. Regular live music nights showcasing authentic bluegrass music in the Silver Dollar Bar attract a loyal cross section of local cowboys and girls. If you play your cards right you may just be asked to swing dance. If ski in/ski out is a non-negotiable requisite, the best choices are the top shelf Four Seasons Hotel and Teton Mountain Lodge or Spring Creek Ranch, which is a short drive from the slopes and offers seclusion and views to the Tetons.

Travelling with family members or friends who are not into downhill snow sports doesn’t have to mean they settle for a good book and a fire. Take a full day dogsled trip to the hot springs, enjoy a sleigh ride through the Elk Refuge, admire or shop for unique Western art, bespoke cowboy hats, clothes by local designers, and watch some of the US’s best country, bluegrass, and rock music at regular festivals throughout the season or in local venues.

Grand Targhee Resort, Alta Wyoming

Our next stop was an hour’s spectacular drive from Jackson over the Teton Mountain pass to the western side of the range. Grand Targhee, relatively little known to Australians, is a favourite with US locals and savvy international skiers and boarders. Often boasting heavier snowfalls and more powder than many better-known resorts, it has an excellent range of primarily intermediate terrain offering a great experience for all abilities. It is a laidback family-style resort that delivers the goods without the glitz.

Snowcat skiing is available from Grand Targhee across 243 hectares of untracked powder; or try an evening snowcat tour for a mountain sunset, stargazing and to hear about wildlife, history, and local legends.

On a clear day, the view to the Teton peaks is nothing short of stunning. Don’t miss a visit to the avalanche dogs at the top of the Sacajawea Lift. On Saturdays, the ski patrollers and dog rescue team demonstrate how they find skiers and snowboarders in the event of an avalanche. Snowcat skiing is available from Grand Targhee across 243 hectares of untracked powder, or try an evening snowcat tour for a mountain sunset, stargazing and to hear about wildlife, history, and local legends.

All the services and facilities you would expect are provided on a smaller scale in the compact but complete base village, including an excellent ski school. Accommodation from lodges and condos to hotel rooms is available slope-side, in the nearby towns of Alta or Victor, with easy mountain access for a less expensive option. Or you can do a day visit, as we did, from our base at Jackson Hole.

Big Sky Montana

The drive from Wyoming to Big Sky in Montana, located an hour from the major city of Bozeman, is about eight hours of road trip magic from Jackson Hole. It is the ideal way to combine a rest before the next skiing adventure, with a trip through one of the most diverse and magnificent American winter landscapes. Big Sky and adjacent Moonlight Basin merged in 2013 to offer a combined 2,347 hectares of terrain, only now beaten to the title of largest US ski resort by the newly linked Park City and Canyons resorts in Utah. The terrain, although skewed toward advanced skiers and boarders, is so vast that even the choice of intermediate groomers and beginner slopes appears never-ending. The resort is less well known to Australian skiers and boarders but the characteristic lack of lift lines everywhere, except at the base of the Lone Peak Tram on a fresh powder day, will make it a resort to add to everyone’s top must-visit list and, even more tempting for value-conscious families, children under 10 stay free at resort-run accommodation.

We ski much of the available intermediate terrain from the high speed quad lifts over three thrilling days and often have the unnerving experience of being the only visible inhabitants of the still untracked corduroy on the many long tree-lined groomed slopes. But if a ski or boarding challenge is what you’re here for, you won’t be disappointed. The Lone Peak Tram delivers advanced and expert skiers to a choice of narrow chutes, and steep double black diamond runs peppered with rocks, worthy of ski-porn movies, with names to match, such as Hell Roaring, Hells Acre, and Rips.

For non-skiers or as a welcome break from the downhill activity, try snowcoach or snowmobile tours to see Yellowstone National Park’s geysers, hot springs, and variety of wildlife including bison, elk, moose, and even wolves. There’s also the Big Sky zipline experience, ice-skating, sleigh rides, or snow-shoeing for a change of pace.

The three star Huntley Lodge is modest but comfortable and centrally locatedwith restaurants, cafes, bars and lounges on the property. Other accommodation ranges from huge and luxuriously appointed private homes available for rent slope-side at the famed celebrity enclosure of the Yellowstone Club, to modern condos and apartments in the Big Sky and Madison villages, or at the base of the mountain at Meadow Village. Similarly, the people who frequent the resort vary from very well-heeled celebrities such as Kim Kardashian to families who return annually from Canada, the US and now increasingly, Australia.

Whitefish, Montana  

Three glorious skiing days and one snow dump later, we thanked the snow gods and returned to the road for the last leg across the true Big Sky country of Montana to Glacier Country and the northern resort town of Whitefish. It’s another eight-hour drive but one that is enjoyable, scenic, and easy to negotiate. Although far from the mainstream resorts, in both distance and atmosphere, Whitefish is on the so-called ‘powder highway’; close to both Calgary and Fernie in Canada and accessible by Amtrak, road, or the nearby airport at Kalispell. It offers great snow, good value for families, and plenty for Aussie skiers and boarders to make a visit worthwhile.

The town of Whitefish lies at a much lower elevation than Jackson, Big Sky, and other popular US resorts and the mountain itself is lower at the peak, so it’s much easier to acclimatise to any effects of altitude.

With an elevation of more than 2,000 metres and an average snowfall of 700+ centimetres, this intimate resort is bigger than it looks, offering more than 1,200 hectares of excellent bowl and tree skiing and is evenly split between intermediate and advanced terrain, with enough steep and deeps and five-terrain parks to keep both experts and boarders happy. The local slogan, “we measure acres per skiers, not skiers per acre” says it all. It’s plenty wild too, with part of the mountain closing early each year on 1 April, to protect the grizzly bear habitat.

Hidden Moose Lodge is a 15-minute drive from the mountain. The huge roaring fire, visiting deer, and cozy western-styled decor make this a relaxing option for couples and families who want more than a hotel room and need easy access to both town and the slopes. Alternative accommodation is available in town, just eight kilometres away by shuttle, or in spacious on-snow condos at the small base village at reasonable rates.

The town has a good selection of eateries, a craft distillery, and decent coffee, which appeal to the lifestyle choice population and the huge summer visitor influx for nearby Glacier National Park. Whitefish is an attractive all-round alternative for powder hounds, families, and skiers and boarders looking for value, or to experience more than the mega-resorts on a ski trip to the US in the northern winter.

Once a twenty-something runaway in Prague, dreaming of a future in film production, to now celebrating twenty years of running one of Australia’s most beloved free art exhibitions, David Handley says his famous event was only meant to be a side project. “Sculpture by the Sea was meant to be this little thing that I did on the side that might earn me a little bit of money while I had films in development,” he laughs. “This shows my naivety at the time. Once I got started with the exhibition, I didn’t look up for seven years. It was absolute tunnel vision.”

As this November marks the twentieth anniversary of the very first exhibition along Sydney’s coastline, David puzzles over whether he would do it all again if he had known how challenging it would be. “I’d like to think I would,” he says. “I had no idea how hard it would’ve been to get here.” It’s no mean feat creating positive change in both the community and the art world, as well as taking on a new life direction — as Nobel Prize winning biologist Alexis Carrel once said, man cannot remake himself without suffering, for he is both the marble and the sculptor.

“When I think of the free art exhibitions we’ve inspired around the world; the children whose understandings of art and sculpture we’ve grown, the artists’ careers we’ve launched, sustained or evolved — it’s very humbling.” But what drew him to pursue this new path in the first place? “Naivety and exuberance,” David laughs. “I had an interest in the arts, and the world needed more free things. In my twenties I felt that the world was overly commercial and that was a drain on too many souls. Fantastic free events like Symphony under the Stars and the concerts in the Domain really added so much to our sense of community, and I wanted to be a part of that.”

What started as a one-day free sculpture exhibition along the Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk in 1997 has grown to become the largest annual sculpture exhibition in the world, running for eighteen days every spring, attracting 520,000 visitors, viewing more than 100 sculptures by artists from around the globe. The popularity of the Sydney exhibition also led to five one-off exhibitions in Noosa, Darwin, Albany, Bondi, and the Tasman peninsula as part of the 1998 Olympic Arts Festival’s A Sea Change, commissioned by the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games.

"When I think of the free art exhibitions we’ve inspired around the world; the children whose understandings of art and sculpture we’ve grown, the artists’ careers we’ve launched, sustained or evolved — it’s very humbling.”

In 2003, David oversaw the establishment of Sculpture by the Sea Incorporated as a not-for profit entity to manage the Australian exhibitions, permit access to grants from philanthropic foundations, and allow the generous contributions of donors to be tax deductible — a move that has seen annual sponsorship grow from $30,000 to $400,000. Another Sculpture by the Sea exhibition was later launched at Cottesloe Beach in Perth, and has been staged every year since 2005, featuring more than seventy sculptures and enjoyed by 260,000 visitors annually. This year the exhibition will feature its 2000th sculpture at the Sydney show.

In 2009, the first of three international editions of Sculpture by the Sea was staged in the City of Aarhus, Denmark, under the patronage of Prince Frederik and Princess Mary after the pair had enjoyed the exhibition so much while in Australia. Many artworks that once featured in the public exhibitions are also now a permanent fixture in Australia’s public places. “Sculpture by the Sea has achieved — and hopefully will continue to achieve — what I had set out to do all those years ago,” says David.

David was first drawn to sculpture as an art form during his time in Prague, when he was taken to an outdoor sculpture park set among thirteenth-century ruins in northern Bohemia. “Playing among the ruins and sculptures one night with my Czech art school friends, I had my first experience of the majesty of sculpture,” he says. “When I first noticed the theatricality and also the subtlety of a sculpture, I thought — this is the art form that I’ll work with for this public event. It has been so hidden from the world. Now this project has been a very big part of the evolution of the Australian cultural scene over the last twenty years. That’s very daunting and humbling to consider.”

Despite this, sourcing finance has been an issue since day one, with the first show staffed entirely by volunteers working out of David’s living room, on a shoe-strong budget of $11,000 — $8,500 of which went to the exhibiting artists in the form of sculpture awards, including the Sydney Water Sculpture Prize after the public organisation became the first principal sponsor. Sydney water provided $5,000 and assisted with advertising costs. The event’s first major sponsor dollars did not show up until twelve months later.

Today, public donors and corporate sponsors play a huge role in the continuation and development of Sculpture by the Sea, which has often been overlooked by national funding bodies. “Strangely enough, the public arts funding bodies don’t seem interested in sculpture. That makes it very challenging, both in terms of operations and our ability to support the artists.” Fortunately, support is still available. Thanks to the backing of Arts NSW and the Helen Lempriere Scholarships, plus the generosity of corporate sponsors like Rio Tinto, Hyundai, Allen Linklaters, and just recently Aqualand, the exhibition is still able to showcase sculptures, and even provide awards and subsidies for local and international artists taking part.

With the help of sponsor Iluka Resources, for the first time this year Sculpture by the Sea has provided beach access matting for its Cottesloe visitors with limited mobility and those using wheelchairs. “We had something like 200 people in wheelchairs come through on that day. They were able to get up close to the sculptures and we had numerous people in tears, both the visitors and those who made it happen. We even had a teenage boy tell us it was the first time he’d been on the beach in his life,” says David.

The future certainly looks bright for the not-for-profit, which has an upcoming smaller Sydney habourside exhibition in conjunction with the Barangaroo Delivery Authority. It also recently announced its involvement in the inaugural Sydney Sculpture Conference, taking place October 27 at the Sydney Opera House to provide a platform for discussion and critical thinking around the challenges, impact, and possibilities of sculptures in public spaces. Meanwhile, the art exhibition continues to grow in popularity and global exposure — featured artists hail from sixty-eight countries, with the majority of foreign representation spanning Japan, Denmark, the US, New Zealand and the UK.

“Any artist in the word can apply to be in Sculpture by the Sea. There is no entrance criteria except for quality, and since we don’t have a theme, the artists can exhibit whatever they want, and that artistic freedom is very important,” says David. “I love the idea of artists as dreamers, and I want to continue to help facilitate those dreams.”

Folding back the wooden concertina shutters decorated with swirls of gold leaf, I look through the turret’s mullioned dormer window, across a sky bursting with deep pink, orange and purple hues. A storm is on its way. Big black clouds are gathering, and as the colours disappear into the night, I look down onto the immaculately pruned English-style garden. In the light spilling from the castle’s lower chambers, I can see mist swirling through the trees, around the rose bushes and hedges, and across the lawn’s stepping stone path.

Then the rain hits, heavy and hard on the sharply sloping slate roof of our circular chamber. The winds follow soon after, like banshees howling through the trees, and then we’re in the eye of the storm that has hit the Adelaide Hills.

I smile at the aptly dramatic weather, as we happen to be in the safest, sturdiest place we could possibly be — the tallest turret of a castle that we reached via a steep, narrow, stone spiral staircase that is like a portal into the past.

I close the windows surrounding our bed and ascend into the lounge and dining room that’s adjoined to our bedroom with a few steps. Another door opens on to a circular spa bath that has its very own turret — two storeys of its circular wall peppered with gold stars that gradually disappear into a royal blue marble dome.

As the rain continues to fall, we take our seats at the eighteenth century antique dining table by a window overlooking more of the castle’s grounds, and raise our glasses to good health, and good fortune.

We could be in Scotland in the thirteenth century, France in the Middle Ages, or simply in a fairytale where we are king and queen, dining in our chambers while a storm rages through the villages. But actually, we are in Thorngrove Manor in the Adelaide Hills.

Three elegant crystal glasses — one for champagne, one for wine and one for water — are perfectly positioned next to bone china dinner plates with a delicate gold trim, and a silver bread basket is laden with freshly baked dinner rolls. The seventeenth century hallmarked cutlery laid out — three neat rows for the courses to come — was forged 400 years ago for British royalty. Peach silk ribbons are tied around our pressed antique Irish linen napkins, and two slender candles sit in their crystal holders, their flames reflected in the silverware and in the glass windowpanes.

Ask Kenneth why he embarked on this remarkable labour of love that is already three decades in the making, and his simple answer belies the myriad intricate imaginings.

Everything about the Thorngrove Manor has been meticulously chosen by owners Kenneth and Lydia Lehmann, who both have an irrepressible love of arts and crafts, a penchant for antiques and treasure hunting, and an utter passion for the stories linked to everything they have collected for their beloved castle. Rooms and spaces have, in many cases, actually been created around a particular object that one or the other has found, to fit it into the grander Thorngrove Manor scheme.

Ask Kenneth why he embarked on this remarkable labour of love that is already three decades in the making, and his simple answer belies the myriad intricate imaginings and heartfelt philosophies that are woven into the castle’s creation: “I’m still a boy at heart, and I love my wife dearly,” he says. “And who wouldn’t want their wife to live in a castle?”

A seventeenth century French tapestry covers the wall of our lounge-room, depicting lords, ladies, and a hound hunting in the flower fields before a castle. The detail in the tapestry is impressive in itself, but just like everything at Thorngrove, look closer and even the the two matching bulbous antique French Passementerie silk tassels hanging to either side of it are intricately detailed handmade works of art.

We sip on our red wine (a 1.5-hour drive from Thorngrove will have you at the Henschke Estate so it would be rude to not stock up on some of their finest) and listen to the storm.

Then a bell rings, and our dinner experience begins, with Kenneth ascending the spiral staircase to set up a foldout table in the hallway. Antique, of course. Then he disappears again to fetch our entrees.

Kenneth has to be one of the fittest hoteliers in the country. He could bring everything at one time, but that’s not his style — he’s a perfectionist who wants his guests to have the complete experience and that means everything is done (removing plates, adding more bread) separately, lovingly.

First course is a delicately assembled tower of King Prawns with asparagus and caviar, every element on the plate obviously fussed over — it’s perfect in its compilation despite the many stone steps that Kenneth navigated.

Second course is tenderloin steaks, cooked to perfection with an assortment of artfully placed homegrown garden vegetables, and gravy, which looks like strokes from a paintbrush. “It’s all Nydia’s marvellous handiwork,” Kenneth says, admitting gleefully that he is charge of the thick, hand-cut chunky potato chips, which he has beautifully stacked like criss-crossed sleepers. They’re lip-smackingly good.

The fascinating thing is, absolutely everything has a specific reason for being exactly where it is, tying more of Kenneth’s dream tightly into place.

Dessert is an apple and raspberry crumble tart, and a mixed berry pavlova adorned with a spider-web thin entanglement of hardened caramel, that is one of Nydia’s specialties. Once our meal is over and coffee and tea is served (Kenneth must have made more than fifteen trips up and down the stairs for us and there hasn’t been a puff or pant emitted), we relax and talk to the highly entertaining king of the castle, thirsting after more stories tucked away in this Aladdin’s cave.

One of Kenneth and Nydia’s most impressive finds is an invaluable four-panel stunning 1860s leadlight artwork over four-metres long from Scotland’s historic town of Selkirk, that was created for the House of Lords — Parliament House. A local recently discovered its whereabouts at Thorngrove Manor, and a party doggedly attempted to buy it back, understandably to no avail. “They asked me how I got them out of the country and I told them I bought it and had it shipped back,” says Kenneth, grinning from ear-to-ear and still completely delighted by its heritage and his luck at securing it.

There are obvious nods to English and French history throughout Thorngrove, but during a special tour, Kenneth often refers to William Morris, who was an artist, poet, writer, and socialist, and also a leading member of the arts and crafts movement in the nineteenth century. Morris was best known for his intricately patterned designs, particularly applied to fabrics and wallpapers. He brought art and industry together by merging fine art with commercial design. Once you spot the Morris influence in Thorngrove, not only are there elements of his art and approach in many things that Kenneth has created, you can also glean a little understanding of Kenneth’s similar approach, in that Morris believed that a designer should have a working knowledge of any media he used. That meant, like Kenneth today, he dedicated much time and effort to teaching himself different arts and crafts techniques. Kenneth works with wood, plays with plaster, paints, builds, commissions designers for stained glass and sewing projects that result in other pieces (such as a Morris-inspired quilt cover by one artist and a stained glass artwork in the King’s Chambers door to complement his Selkirk masterpiece) that become another detailed part of his own masterpiece.

“Yes, I built Thorngrove,” Kenneth says, “But that’s not it. This place would be like a wedding cake with no decoration on it if weren’t for the pieces within it.”

Floors are covered in slate, and the unbelieavable montage of shimmering slate shingles on the many roofs that give the castle its fairytale appearance is a startling feat in itself. The thick walls are constructed of Angaston marble, lending quietness to each suite. And to add another level to this feeling of seclusion and privacy, there are seven staircases in the castle, and a separate entrance for each suite, so that guests do not see one another. Kenneth and Nydia only like to have two suites occupied at any one time anyway, to also ensure that guests have everything they need and that they can offer their finest service.

Interesting objects set Kenneth off on new and challenging missions: the life-size Auguste Moreau bronze statue appeared on his radar for instance, and off he went, constructing everything else around it, and taking many an idea from it. The dining room off the King’s Chamber is another example of his creativity, with the entire room built to fit around the gold candelabra chandelier that holds twenty-five candles.

Sometimes Kenneth zeroes in on an element of a piece — a woman’s body, a wolf engraved into a chair, or a fleur-de-lys, and then he replicates it and adds it to other things. The wooden fox, for example, was replicated with plaster castings, and then recreated to adorn a bedhead. The figure of a woman, taken from a sculpture, is replicated to adorn wall space by a fireplace. He might take a flower from a quilt design and replicate it upon hand-sewn pillow covers, or it might become a part of a painting on a stairwell. The Queen’s chamber, has a false ceiling made of 3,600 individually cast pieces of plaster, every single one of them made, and replicated, with his deft hands.

The fascinating thing is, everything has a specific reason for being exactly where it is, tying more of Kenneth’s dream tightly into place. It’s almost like a game. And a fun one too, that Kenneth will never tire of. “I’ve never grown up!” he says, beaming.

Calling Thorngrove Manor a building, a hotel, or a home, doesn’t do Kenneth’s creation justice. And if you boil down its many astounding elements in an attempt to get to its essence (its doubtful that anyone can do that, even perhaps Kenneth) then it could be viewed as an ever-evolving work of art, encapsulating thousands of smaller works of art. Like a lovingly handmade kaleidoscope. It’s also solid proof of a man’s love for his wife — evidence of Kenneth’s determination to turn a fanciful dream into a regal reality.

thorngrove.com.au

“Naturopathy has the possibility of reducing rising health costs and lowering the disease burden because its fundamental tenet is dis-ease prevention.” - Eta Brand, President, Australasian Integrative Medicine Association (ANPA)

In today’s fast-paced business world, many corporates rely upon stimulants like caffeine and sugar to stay alert throughout the day, with little time to exercise or eat a wholesome meal for lunch or dinner — especially when working overtime and juggling family responsibilities, as is the case for many of us. Rather than relieving stress, these quick fix habits exacerbate the problem. Although caffeine and sugar provide a momentary high, this high is quickly followed by a crash — a plummet in energy, concentration and motivation — and therefore daily productivity. Cravings for another caffeine/sugar hit are then triggered in the brain, perpetuating the cycle. Without a balanced diet, regular breaks and exercise during our work day, the body is missing out on fundamental vitamins, minerals and movement needed for sustained energy release. Opportunities for stress management and fitness-boosting activities are also missed, like yoga, jogging or a gym work-out. These activities lower our risk of developing obesity and chronic diseases. Naturopaths have identified that poor eating habits and limited physical activity — two factors which result from long hours sitting down in the office — increase our risk of developing obesity and chronic illness such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease, reducing productivity and increasing absenteeism. With stress and obesity on the rise in Australian workplaces, we need to find new ways of achieving a work–life balance, treating stress, weight problems and chronic illness as interrelated health concerns. Naturopathy is a holistic health care discipline that looks at the whole picture — the missing ingredient in your daily productivity.

What is Naturopathy?

Naturopathy is a form of integrative health care that’s grounded in a mixture of Eastern and Western medicine, science, philosophy and spirituality. Naturopaths practice according to the following fundamental principles:

• Harness the power of nature. The belief that the body, mind and spirit have the inherent ability to self-balance and achieve homeostasis.
• First do no harm. Aim at all times to nurture and guide people on a restorative path to balanced health and wellbeing — never to do harm.
• Find and treat the cause where possible. Seek to identify and treat the underlying cause(s) of the problem, not just the symptoms.
• Treat the whole person. Treat an individual according to their specific needs, taking into account health, dietary, lifestyle, genetic, emotional, environmental and spiritual factors.
• Education is key. The belief that Naturopaths are teachers and facilitators who inform, empower and guide people towards leading happier and healthier lives, by taking health into their own hands.
• Prevention, not quick fixes. Unlike conventional medicine, Naturopaths look at the whole picture, with the aim of treating a person’s dis-ease before it becomes a diagnosable illness. Naturopaths are prevention medicine specialists.

Benefits of Naturopathy for corporates

Naturopathy can be tailored to suit people of all ages and backgrounds and achieve beneficial results. It’s an ideal form of healing for busy corporates, who often suffer from a range of mental and emotional stresses as well as physical symptoms.

Naturopathy is growing in popularity as an alternative to conventional medicine, as it aims to treat the root cause of the problem, and looks at the individual as a complete whole, as opposed to separate parts. Naturopaths take a detailed patient history, spending up to an hour with you, and often conduct a series of tests. Naturopathy aims to restore the body’s ability to heal itself through the use of food as medicine primarily, as well as supplements, herbal medicines and other complementary therapies.

Naturopathic treatments are safe and gentle, without the side effects associated with many conventional medicines. Naturopaths create personalised treatment plans that suit the specific needs of corporates.

Naturopaths also have a distinct focus upon educating the patient to make healthy lifestyle choices – an approach that will filter through the employee and into the workplace, lifting both individual and team productivity.

Another benefit is that you don’t necessarily need to be unwell to visit a Naturopath. Corporates can visit a Naturopath to gain the full picture, using a variety of non-invasive tests for a general health assessment. This will determine any areas that need improvement. Naturopaths then provide expert advice and recommendations to help restore balance to your health and wellbeing, reducing mental and physical stress in the long term.

What gets bigger the more you take away from it?

A hole. Dad jokes aside, what gets better the more you take away from it? A BMW M car.

It’s widely recognised that the BMW M3/M4 siblings are among the best value sports cars on the market today. With tonnes of grunt, brilliant steering, grippy handling and rear-wheel-drive, they blend ability and everyday usability in a delectable package. But to take something away seems like a recipe for disaster. After all, what could be removed to improve what’s arguably the most complete automobile on sale? One word: weight.

As the late Colin Chapman once said, “Adding power makes you faster on the straights. Subtracting weight makes you faster everywhere.” So, rather than trying to take all the luxury out of the M4 Coupe to shave off the kilos, BMW’s aim was to create a smaller, lighter M car. And the 2 Series is the perfect candidate, as it’s set up to be rear-wheel-drive from the get-go.

The formula is simple. Flare the wheel-arches, widen the track, stiffen the suspension, add a super tricky diff, and shove in a powerful engine. Of course, this is an oversimplification, but the result is absolutely more than the sum of its parts.

Under the long bonnet lies another iteration of the twin-turbo six-cylinder that BMW is renowned for. In M2 guise, the thoroughly reworked N55 engine makes 365bhp and 465Nm. They’re not massive figures in this world of 500hp-plus machines, but the M2 is capable of sprinting to 100km/h in just 4.3 seconds. Sure, there are quicker machines out there in a straight line, but launching from a standing start doesn’t give you a real appreciation for how ferocious its rolling acceleration is.

It piles on the speed and reels in the horizon at an eye-widening rate, the rear wheels squirming as they try to deal with all that torque being delivered to the tarmac. This top-end acceleration is hilarious, but it would be quite alarming if it wasn’t for the fact that the M2 is equipped with massive brakes. With 380mm front and 370mm rear discs (which are cross-drilled with M-specific brake pads), there’s a reassuring amount of bite, and the pedal-feel is excellent.

Backing up the motor is a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which left to its own devices behaves just like any other auto. The difference comes when you choose Manual mode. Push the lever across to Sport mode, pull one of the paddles, and you get complete control. Suddenly, under load, the shifts sharpen dramatically — accelerating each successive ratio feels like a huge shove in the back; there are no slurred shifts here. It’s a Jekyll and Hyde transformation that doesn’t require fifty switches to be pressed to activate. One simple movement and you’re into the quickest setting available.

That dual-clutch transmission also has some impressive functions stored in its electronic brain, with “Launch Control, Stability Clutch Control, Creep on Demand” all buried in its settings. Then there’s “Smokey Burnout” mode. Yes, that is indeed the official BMW name for that mode.

But rather than driving around destroying tyres, the M2 can be driven in such a way that it becomes a devastatingly quick track car. Thanks to its suspension, it can be thrown into corners (using its pin sharp steering to communicate how those front wheels are gripping) with the initial part of the spring travel absorbing most of the weight transfer. It then progressively gets harder as it compresses, transferring the G-forces and crushing the tyres into the road. Yet because its spring rates are so well judged it doesn’t ride like a Group B rally car. Sure, its focus is on handling, meaning the ride is on the firm side, but it doesn’t crash over sharp ridges or crash over potholes. Rather, its spring and damper combination work in unison to absorb big hits and provide a beautifully balanced machine.

Also helping here is the M-differential. Because it works on torque delivery and electrically controlled clutches, it taps into the yaw rate sensors, meaning it knows exactly whether you’re gunning for maximum grip or maximum slip. Call on it to hang onto the road and glue the back end down like the tyres are made from Velcro. Push a bit harder and it recognises your mirthful intentions and once the slide starts it locks up both wheels so you can progressively play drift king for as long as the road or rubber allows. And it’s so communicative; any monkey can master it.

As a sports car for under £50K, there’s not much that can touch it. Surely there are negatives, though? Well, the interior doesn’t quite reflect the price tag, with some cheap plastics dotted about the place. And the back seats aren’t exactly expansive, but they’re fine for either a (very) short stint with a couple of adults or two kids.

Apart from that, the M2 covers all bases. It can be driven sedately, or hammered in anger. It can satisfy your craving for speed, yet it’s comfortable enough to take to work and back. It can be quiet, or sing to the heavens with its glorious six.

BMW really has nailed it with this one; the M2 is perhaps the most complete sports car this side of a Ferrari. Not only is it the best M car in years, it is arguably the best car you can buy this year.

Forty kilometres out of Bordeaux at the market town of Libourne, you slip across the lazy, swan-paddled Dordogne River. Houses and convenience stores peel away and rolling countryside appears, stitched together with rows of vines and topped by the needle spires of churches. To your left, the Church of St John sits on a rise in Pomerol village like an exclamation mark announcing the pleasures of the vineyards beneath.

Pomerol is a legendary name hereabouts. So is Pétrus, Vieux Château Certan, and Cheval Blanc, all labels that any lover of wine longs to try — though perhaps just once or twice, given the prices they command. Driving through the vineyards feels as if you’re falling Alice-like into a land of legends: the Hollywood of wine country in the days when Hollywood still had class and mystique. Not that time stands still, though some of the wine villas are baroque beauties. The cellar at Château La Dominique has a shiny red façade designed by Jean Nouvel, and Château Cheval Blanc is a twisted alien spaceship in white concrete.

You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate its charms. It has everything a good French town ought to have: cobblestones and cloisters; chocolate shops and dozing cats

At the heart of it all is Saint-Émilion, not just a notable wine appellation but a delightful hilltop town, elegant in golden limestone against a background of dark green vines. You don’t have to be a wine connoisseur to appreciate its charms. It has everything a good French town ought to have: cobblestones and cloisters; squares filled with cast-iron café tables under the shade of plane trees; chocolate shops and dozing cats. It has gourmet restaurants such as creative Le Clos du Roy and Logis de la Cadène, whose truffle risotto is indulgent perfection. Les Belles Perdrix restaurant just outside town bagged a Michelin star this year and has a gorgeous setting in a grand cru vineyard. And of course, Saint-Émilion has wine merchants, some of which are one-stop shops that bring together the region’s vintages. Comptoir des Vignobles offers dégustations of palate-tingling delight and has a full collection of top wines from 1945 onwards; some retail for thousands of euros.

Château Grand Barrail hotel outside Saint-Émilion

lace du Marché in Saint-Émilion old town

La Grande Cave wine shop in Saint-Émilion

Saint-Émilion old town

Vineyards below the old walls of Saint-Émilion town

Saint-Émilion is World Heritage listed, and not just for its wine pedigree. History rises in layers from the eighth-century catacombs where Saint-Émilion’s eponymous saint once lived, up shop-lined alleys and flights of steps before culminating in a cloud-scraped church whose gravelled terraces supply views over red roofs and wine country. A bench here is just the place to nibble on a macaron, a Saint-Émilion speciality, soft and golden as the limestone from which the whole town is built. Then clamber up the bell tower or the castle keep and you can see Pomerol’s church once more across six kilometres of undulating vineyards.

Saint-Émilion’s speciality macarons; Flowerpot in Saint-Émilion old town

A tasting here is interesting because it might offer you three merlot-cabernet franc blends, all from the same grapes and year and yet grown on different terroir

The region’s châteaux — which means wine estate hereabouts — are surprisingly small, and the most famous can understandably be reluctant hosts unless you reserve in advance for a private grand cru tasting and tour of the vineyards and cellars, best organised through a local tour company or wine store. Some, such as legendary Château Cheval Blanc, are only open to wine professionals. There are, however, plenty of more modest, visitor-oriented properties for those who prefer a less premeditated experience. One of these is Château Siaurac, with its English-speaking owner Paul Goldschmidt, whose wife’s family has lived here since the downfall of Napoleon. “We have a beautiful château, a garden, three vineyards, and many marvellous trees, how lucky we are! And we should share our wine,” he says, “imagine if Mozart had kept his music all to himself.”

Paul will show you around the three vineyards at Château Siaurac, some of whose vines were planted seventy years ago before the infamous great frost of 1956 hit the region.

Across his boundary stream lies Pomerol, whose land is stratospherically expensive and now owned by large corporations.

Paul is talkative and amusing, saying: “The life of a wine barrel is sad, after two years we send them to Belgium, where they are cut in half for flowerpots.” But informative too, explaining the strict controls imposed on the famous wine region’s viticulturists, and the vagaries and benefits of the weather — 2009 and 2010 were particularly fabulous years. A tasting here is interesting because it might offer you three merlot-cabernet franc blends, all from the same grapes and year and yet grown on different terroir, and consequently strikingly varied in taste. The estate’s clay soils provide blackberry-cherry tones, the south-facing limestone more delicate florals, and the gravels a complex intensity.

“If you were American, you would say it’s orgasmic at the end, a big flavour,” concludes Paul of his gravel-produced Château Vray Croix de Gay. “This is the magic in the stones of Pomerol, the vines’ roots go down six metres to get water and minerals. It’s a tough life for the vines, but lovely for us. And don’t you think we should drink to that? Santé!”

All eyes are on Baltazar Ushca as he tells of his life’s work chipping huge chunks of ice from Ecuador’s mighty Chimborazo volcano, loading it on to his trusty mules and trudging for hours back to his hometown to sell it at the local market. It’s been a family tradition — both his grandparents and parents were ice collectors known as hieleros — and Baltazar, 71, has literally carved his way into Ecuadorean history.

His daughter, Carmen, who says she’s definitely not continuing the family tradition, translates for us as we stand in the country’s highest train station at Urbina, in the shadow of the snow-topped Chimborazo. She says her father is very proud of his work transporting the hefty twenty-kilogram chunks of glacial ice around, but even prouder that his mother made the treacherous journey barefoot.

Known as Ecuador’s last ice collector, he has been to New York to talk about his feats and is even the star of a YouTube clip, but these days he just enjoys talking to train passengers about his adventures. Flashing a grin, he offers us shards of the sacred ice and talks of how indigenous Quechua people believe it has healing powers. It is just one of the many highlights of a four-day, three-night, journey travelling on Ecuador’s smartest train, the Tren Crucero — train cruise — that weaves through the lofty Andes between the cities of Quito in the north and Guayaquil down south.

Avenue of Volcanoes

­­ We follow the Avenue of Volcanoes — there are sixty-one in Ecuador — passing the country’s highest peaks with several coach excursions along the way to see local attractions, enjoy lunch at charming haciendas, and stay overnight at varied accommodation.

The train caters for fifty-four passengers who spread out over two dining cars, a lounge with comfy couches and a bar, and an open-air observation deck from which to watch the world go by.

The infamous Devil’s Nose is still considered one of the most daring railway construction ventures in the world.

Hacienda La Compania de Jesus at Cayambe.

The colourful Guamote market day is a great place to meet the locals and take photos.

Travel is stylish and slow — it takes about four days to cover 500 kilometres, travelling at thirty kilometres an hour, but the rewards are many as we view an ever-changing snapshot of the country and its people. The landscape alternates from bustling cities to small towns and wide open farmlands where llamas roam amid scenery that leaves you in awe of nature’s finery.

We board at Quito’s Chimbacalle Station and first stop is Cotopaxi National Park where we view the majestic Cotopaxi volcano and walk around Limpiopungo, a glacial lake, watching for the famous Andean condor. We huff and puff as we adapt to the high altitude which creeps up and leaves me feeling like I have scaled Cotopaxi rather than viewing it from afar.

Morning tea is served back on the train where we are attended by staff who are proud of their country and the railway system that was resurrected in 2010 at a cost of US$280 million.

Train love

The train remains a novelty for locals and as we pass by, they drop what they are doing to wave, school children cheer, women take a break from hanging out the washing, and teenagers capture it all on their mobile phones. We are accompanied by several dark uniformed motorcyclists who ride ahead to check the train crossings are clear, and hold up the local traffic as we pass. Highlights of the trip include a stop at the town of Guamote on market day, which is one of the most authentic markets in Ecuador.

Market day

We discover a riot of colour with women wearing scarlet, fuchsia, red, and blue embroidered ponchos, full skirts with lace-trimmed petticoats peeping out from beneath them and felt hats perched perkily on their heads. They bargain for fresh produce, homewares, soap, fruit, and livestock and it’s a noisy affair.

Baltazar Ushca, known as the last ice man of Ecuador.

Lunch is made from fresh market produce and cooked by train staff, but it’s the vibrant market that takes centre stage here and it’s hard to resist the colourful embroidered bags, fluffy alpaca toys, and brightly coloured rugs and tableware for sale. There’s plenty of action as we watch a small feisty woman pull a stubborn lamb along on a rope and another herding a fat sow while carrying squealing piglets under each arm.

“People come from the mountains to trade and barter and you can stand for hours watching what goes on,” says our guide who  describes the indigenous Quechua people as “Japanese in ponchos”, referring to how polite they are.

Devil’s trip

Another highlight, especially for train buffs, is the hair-raising descent down the infamous Devil’s Nose, through a series of switchbacks between Alausi and Bucay that takes about fifteen minutes. The train does zigzag manoeuvres so it can descend 200 metres of altitude while travelling over three kilometres of rail. Completed in 1902 by a workforce of 4,000 Jamaicans, 2,000 perished on the project that’s still considered the most dangerous railway in the world.

“Marvellous, marvellous,” says David, a train buff from England, who appreciates the finer details of the engineering feat. “I’ve come a long way to see this and it’s all worth it.” David is a happy man again when the train is hitched to a steam locomotive for the homeward run into Guayaquil. Throughout the trip, locomotives are changed to suit the track.

Time out

We enjoy lunch at two stunning properties including Hacienda La Compania de Jesus at Cayambe, set on a working rose farm where thousands of blooms are grown and exported.

Rose petals in the fountain of the striking Hacienda La Compania.

The house is filled with antiques and magnificent roses and we dine on a three-course meal and then tour the world famous rose farm.

Next day we visit the elegant Hacienda La Danesa, a charming farmhouse owned by the Olsen family who run a traditional cacao farm as well as accommodation and activities, including horseriding and water sports.

We wander around the manicured garden, dine on the best steak we have had in Ecuador and sip pisco sours while Nils Olsen tells us about his family business.

At night we stay in hotels and haciendas — the standout being the quirky, rambling Hosteria La Andaluza Hacienda Chuquipogia built 243 years ago, that sits in the shadow of the Chimborazo volcano. And no, you aren’t seeing things we’re told — there really are snow white rabbits that hop around the rose-petal-filled fountain.

Ecuadorian farewells

Back on board, as we near our final destination, Guayaquil. We toast life on the railway with a pisco sour as a traditional Ecuadorian band plays, and we dance as if no one is watching.

Except they are.

Locals clap and cheer as they watch the train pull in and we unload bags bulging with market bargains and yes, an Ecuadorian hat and poncho — just impossible to resist.

No matter what anyone says to prepare you, there is no getting around it, or indeed past it quickly — Manila’s traffic is quite literally a show-stopper.

However, as the Philippines — one of the world’s most rapidly emerging market economies — confronts massive growth and industrialisation, the wheels are in motion so that its capital, Manila, can adapt to its newfound status as one of Asia’s most frenetic business hubs. Massive fly-overs are being constructed (in particular, ones close to the airport), under-road pedestrian walkways are spreading like rabbit warrens beneath the city, and more of the sheltered air-conditioned walkways that Hong Kong is famous for are on the way.

So when a business trip to Manila beckons, or if you’re understandably keen on experiencing this incredibly historic city that owes some of its culinary offerings, vibrancy, and cultural diversity to centuries of Spanish rule, there’s all the more reason to ensure that at the end of a long day, you can retreat to a sanctuary of luxury and calm.

Peninsula hotel staff across the world are renowned for surprising guests with special touches that many of the larger chain hotels overlook, and stepping into my Executive Suite after a long ride from the airport, I see that they have truly outdone themselves. On the coffee table is a miniature typewriter with a draw in its base. Opening the drawer reveals a row of truffle chocolates, which is a delight in itself. Then, upon close inspection, the feature article clippings resting beside the typewriter as though they’ve just been zipped out of the spool (recent features from The CEO Magazine) are made from white chocolate, and so are entirely edible. I can’t wipe the smile off my face, as I eat my words with a cup of tea before retiring to bed.

There are many levels of rooms and suites at the The Peninsula Manila, and the Executive Suites exemplify The Peninsula Manila’s attention to detail in the many luxurious appointments. There’s a choice of one- or two-bedroom configurations (management having noted that many executives travel with family or assistants), a spacious living area with lush sofas and daybeds, and a separate master bedroom with a large walk-in closet, dressing area, and an ample marble bathroom with a bath.

The Peninsula Suite takes things to an entirely different palatial level, and it’s whispered about in some circles, as the dignitaries and celebrities in the know do their best to keep it a secret. A grand marble-floored entrance foyer has been bestowed with a beautiful mixed media artwork by an award-winning Filipino artist, and the floor-to-ceiling windows looking out over the city have anyone lucky enough to enter into the space awestruck by the views of Manila by night or day. Handmade silk rugs, deep-pile carpets, opulent cream silk upholstery, classic and contemporary furnishings, and magical lighting ensembles make the place even more of a fairy tale. A resident butler and an awarded chef ensure that guests can have their own meals prepared, and anything else they need delivered, 24 hours a day.

There’s a range of impressive dining options in the hotel, such as the Escolta International Buffet for those in a more of a hurry — it has live cooking stations, home-baked breads, fresh pastas, hand-rolled sushi, charcuterie, Chinese noodles, carving stations, artisanal ice creams plus a ‘farm-to-table’ concept that highlights fresh produce and a range of favourite Filipino dishes. There are pool-side snacks and drinks to be had, dining in the grand Lobby any time of day, room service, or if the agenda is more focused on Champagne or cocktails, Salon De Ning is an intimate 30s nightclub space inspired by the fanciful socialite Madame Ning. Art Deco objets d’art bring to life the foxy former era, and the signature Ning Sling cocktail is a must. There are four themed private rooms: the Boxing Room, which pays tribute to the legendary Joe Louis, a boudoir dedicated to shoes, a silver-strewn Zeppelin-themed room, and an Oriental-inspired alcove.

For a memorable experience that brings the offerings from two of the hotel’s most revered dining hotspots together, embark on a moving culinary journey to experience Filipino appetisers at Spices (a South East Asian restaurant), and some clever gastronomical delights and a main course at Old Manila, the hotel’s fine-dining restaurant. Spices is in a warm, inviting, Balinese-inspired gazebo-type space next to the pool, overlooking tropical gardens. The dishes offer a tantalising mix of exotic flavours from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore, Sri Lanka and India. A specialty chef from Thailand is at the reins, and it’s like being in a haven within a haven, the calming buddhas, purple- and green-hued décor, and soft oriental music creating a serenity that is in complete juxtaposition to the world outside in Manila’s busy CBD. Make sure you try the Yam Pla Duk Fu — crispy catfish salad with green mango, lime and shallots — it’s tongue-tinglingly refreshing.

Across the Lobby, tucked behind the reception area, is a glamorous two-level fine-dining restaurant that has been seducing gourmands for years. Fine food and stunning artworks unite in this Art Deco inspired space: award-winning photography, sculpture by Kenneth Cobonpue, and a modern chandelier comprised of many pieces of hand-blown glass that seem to fly like a flock of birds, are enough to take the breath away. The bold black lines and swanky 20s references guide the rest of the décor choices, and the chef behind the scenes, is nothing short of a magician. For lovers of foie gras, the pan-seared foie gras with Yellowfin tuna, caramelised apple and pickled ginger is worth rejoicing over (with a flute of fine Champagne) and the lobster bisque made from Slipper lobster, red gambas, and clams is simply sensational.

Continue on with this marvellous moving feast in the hotel’s lobby, where Manila’s movers and shakers can often be found seated at the marble tables for breakfast, lunch, and dinner meetings. Here, indulge in a rightfully famous local treat named the Halo-Halo Harana, which is a cooling tropical dessert made with shaved ice and tropical fruits topped with purple yam ice cream. If you’re lucky enough to be in town when a famous singer or orchestral band is performing on the balcony fanning out from the hotels’ upper tier like a private opera box, beneath the soaring ceiling complete with a gigantic sun-inspired copper sculpture, you won’t want to leave. Why would you, when The Peninsula Manila’s mission is to bring the most magical moments right to you?

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Rubbing my eyes, I peer from my four-poster bed and out the balcony doors to see the silhouette of a giraffe slowly loping past, back-lit by the pink-and-orange sky. I sit up in excitement, then quickly dive back under the warm covers; it’s a perfectly fine vantage point to watch the lanky African creatures tucking into their breakfast. A few ostriches also wander past and in the distance herds of graceful blackbuck and deer-like eland roam about.

It’s not every day you get to watch such spectacular creatures from the comfort of your bedroom in a luxe safari tent as you get ready for the day — especially not when you’re in Australia, far from the animal-rich savannahs of Africa that these animals usually inhabit. Sending a photo to a friend I’d seen only days before, the reply I get is one of confusion, ‘What?! Where ARE you?’. ‘I’m on Zoofari!’ I tell her. The Zoofari Lodge is the luxurious way to experience Dubbo’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo and I’m thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.

Accommodation at Zoofari Lodge consists of fifteen impressively sumptuous African-styled ‘tents’, each with their own animal name, like wild dog, zebra, rhino, and meerkat. The safari tents feel secluded, backed by the bush and with a deck that overlooks the ‘African Savannah’. A moat cleverly hides the fencing throughout most of the zoo, so the animals seem as though they’re in the wild.

An African-style safari tent at Zoofari Lodge.

Bike riding pass giraffes.

Visitors to Taronga Western Plains Zoo have the option to cruise the circuit in an electric safari cart.

Feeding giraffes is a highlight; Dubbo’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo is home to an African elephant as well as Asian elephants.

Corporate Deluxe Suite at the Quality Inn Dubbo International.

Playful giraffes

The delicious porridge at talked-about café, Press.

Relax by the fire in the comfortable Zoofari Guest House.

The tents are on solid raised platforms with a canvas ceiling and walls cloaking a beautiful bedroom and spacious ensuite, complete with double basin and freestanding double bathtub. Stylish timber pendant lighting, a vintage-looking timber drinks cart, mosquito netting draped beautifully above the bed, a pair of binoculars, and polished tree stumps for bedside tables all set the scene.

There is more to the Zoofari experience, however, than tastefully decorated lodgings with savannah views. After check-in guests are invited to step aboard a zebra-print mini bus for an exclusive afternoon tour of the zoo. Keeping with the safari theme, the tour stops by the enclosures of African animals. These visits are timed to fit in with animal feeding times or treats dispensed by tour guide and ex-zookeeper, Steve. So you’re guaranteed to see the animals while they’re active.

We stop to see the beautifully-patterned African wild dogs devour a kangaroo carcass — in about ten minutes — and we learn about their pack-hunting nature. We have front-and-centre views of the excited frenzy and unusual high-pitched yelping as they feed and share. We also meet the only African elephant in the whole of Australasia, Cuddles, and a family of hippos get a snack of lettuce, one of which is also named Cuddles. Steve points out that zoo animals don’t get cute names like this anymore, instead being given more meaningful names that relate to their place of heritage, like the lion named Asali, which is Swahili for ‘honey’. With its wide open plains and abundance of space, the zoo has many hoof and grazing animals, Steve points out, but will soon focus more on the big cats with a new lion pride experience set to open at the end of 2017.

We also meet the only African elephant in the whole of Australasia, Cuddles, and a family of hippos get a snack of lettuce, one of which is also named Cuddles.

The zoo has a six-kilometre circuit of display exhibits along with kids’ play areas, picnic areas shaded by covered areas and trees, and an abundance of pathways. The grounds span 300 hectares and as we cruise around I realise there is a whole other world of zoo life going on behind the scenes; it feels special to get a glimpse of it. Most notable are the zoo’s successful breeding programs and commitment to educating visitors on the plight of many of the rare and endangered animals they house. From the threat of poaching to habitat loss, it’s a sad, familiar story, but one with a positive message from zoo staff: yes, each and every one of us can make a difference. As a collective whole, we have the power to put pressure on businesses and governments to do something to save these beautiful animals from extinction. Innovations like Taronga’s Wildlife Witness app, which allows travellers to report threats to wildlife (such as animal parts being sold on the black market) allow individuals to take part in battling the $19 billion illegal wildlife trade.

Back at Zoofari Lodge after our tour, there is time to relax on my deck’s built-in daybed, warm up with an indulgent hot chocolate and soak in the tub before heading up the bushy path to the Guest House for a pre-dinner wine tasting. The restaurant area, bar, and lounge space is tuned in to the safari vibe and as the open fireplace crackles, we toast the evening with wine from local producers of the Central West region, including the likes of Orange winemaker Philip Shaw. Seated at long dinner tables among new friends we tuck into an impressive African banquet. Among the abundance of food is a camel stew with couscous, fruity African-style roast chicken and Moroccan lamb with quinoa.

It’s not every day you get to watch such spectacular creatures from the comfort of your bedroom in a luxe safari tent as you get ready for the day — especially not when you’re in Australia.

Up at dawn the next morning there is a 7am behind-the-scenes zoo tour. Before breakfast we spend about an hour-and-a-half immersing ourselves in the morning routines of some of the rare and endangered animals. The giraffes I’d watched from my balcony earlier are now stretching over a fence as we feed them carrots, their long purple tongues curling around the food. There’s time to hear the plight of the stripey bongo and the endangered white rhino and we also stop by the lemur exhibit, where Steve carefully launches banana pieces to the cute black-and-white creatures (that are actually monkeys). The huge, heated shed that houses the zoo’s elderly elephants overnight is a real highlight. Not accessible to the everyday zoo visitor, we are fortunate to see two loving zookeepers go about their morning routines with the cheeky, enormous animals. There’s their daily wash and painting to see; using her trunk, Gigi — a retired Stardust Circus elephant — is guided by the elephant-keeper to paint a canvas artwork as a way to distract her while the zookeepers give her foot a treatment soak.

Dubbo’s size, infrastructure and position make it a busy regional outpost with all the conveniences of a major city. Most visitors are there on business, while holidaymakers are lured to the famous Taronga Western Plains Zoo. It is a big drawcard, however beyond that the city is thriving, with more than 4,000 hotel beds, new infrastructure, residential developments, and a growing retail precinct.

Keen to see the rest of the town, after checking out of Zoofari I stop in at the Dubbo Farmers’ Market, near the Information Centre in the Macquarie Lions Park. Held twice a month, the markets attract people from near and far to peruse the sixty-or-so stalls. There are many farmers from Dubbo as well as Mudgee, Orange, and further afield. There’s fresh bread, native dried flowers and fruit trees, cheese from a local goat farm, milk, honey, sauces and jams, fruits and vegetables as well as local farmers and plenty of other producers. My love for chocolate draws me to Spencer Cocoa’s stall: chocolates handmade in Mudgee, using cacao sourced from Vanuatu. I also meet Linda of Linda’s Chilli Relish, who is serving tasters and she even shares her secret ingredient with me, and I stop by the honey stall for a good yarn about their industry and the importance of bees to farming. As always, the farmers’ market is a chance to chat to local growers and get a feel for an area, and I must admit that I find the people in Dubbo to be extra friendly folk.

The wide streets of Dubbo are lined with shops and there are more than a few pubs, cafes and restaurants, which give it a cosmopolitan air. Buzzing corner spot Church Street Café and Bar (CSC) is the talk of the town and I’m a little surprised that you need a reservation — this is not the quiet regional city I’d been expecting. It’s modern, and the food is delicious. Another hot spot is Press, which has taken up residence at the former site of The Land newspaper, hence the name. The heritage home of Press has been beautifully furnished and renovated to blend the old with the new. With a sunny front patio and big bunches of flowers placed on countertops and tables throughout, it’s trendy and chic with a great atmosphere. The café has a strong focus on good coffee, attributed to the owners’ first venture as boutique coffee roasters. The food is to be applauded, too, with innovative, tasty dishes made from local ingredients.

With still plenty to see in Dubbo, I check in to the Quality Inn Dubbo International’s newly refurbished Corporate Deluxe Suite. The new rooms have transformed family suites into sophisticated bedrooms complete with separate study and swish ensuites. It’s perfect for the corporate travellers that frequent the motel, though with a swimming pool and some remaining family rooms, it’s also a suitable option for those with little ones in tow. The motel’s Reflections Restaurant and Bar is a sophisticated space with a top London-trained chef drawing in locals seeking a fine-dining experience. It also hosts cocktail classes and I decide to join in on the evening class. It’s fun and hands on, with about eight of us shaking, pouring and learning how to master the perfect cocktail while we share nibbles.

Immerse yourself in spooky history on the Beyond the Grave tour at the Old Dubbo Gaol.

As we move around the historical gaol by torchlight we learn the fascinating stories from the inmates who were imprisoned there around 150 years ago.

After whipping up the Reflections Bar’s special cocktail, plus a whisky sour, and an espresso martini, I’ve suddenly got the courage to participate in the Beyond the Grave night tour at the Old Dubbo Gaol. On this creepy, adults-only tour we are given electro-magnetic field (EMF) readers so we can be alerted to the presence of spirits and try to communicate with them. As we move around the historical gaol by torchlight we learn the fascinating stories from the inmates who were imprisoned there around 150 years ago. It’s truly frightening, but also captivating and thrilling. There is plenty of action on the EMF readers and a ghost with a sad tale by the name of Maryanne seems to take a liking to me. Guides Nick and Jessica are fantastic and the night tour is a great way to engage in the history of the site.

Ghost tours aside, Dubbo has a rich historical past, the remnants of which are evident not only in sites like the Old Dubbo Gaol, but also in its heritage pubs and its wide streets that were designed to accommodate the horse-pulled buggies of bygone days. The Western Plains Cultural Centre houses the former collections of the Dubbo Museum and the Dubbo Regional Gallery. The museum’s People, Places, Possessions pieces are ideal for a close look at the region’s history; there’s a well-preserved heritage classroom set up and the former school hall is filled with 5,000 personal items and tools from a range of professions, such as the old local seamstress, barber and farmers. Adjoining the museum and gallery space is a lively eatery, Outlook Café and the regional gallery has four exhibition spaces that host national, emerging, local and regional exhibitions in state-of-the-art facilities.

There are also conference rooms for hire and community spaces, such as the black box theatre for drama performances and film screenings and events. The centre’s building itself is a modern structure that converges with a former school site — it’s a fitting representation of this regional city that successfully blends the modern with the historic.