SHOW YOUR SUPPORT
THE FIRES HAVE LEFT MANY REGIONAL BUSINESSES STRUGGLING. VISIT ONE OF THESE STORES, OR ONLINE, TO FIND BEAUTIFUL ITEMS AND HELP THE LOCAL COMMUNITY AT THE SAME TIME.
NEW SOUTH WALES Saloon
Walking into Braidwood store Saloon is like taking a step back in time, to an old-fashioned dressmaker’s boutique from the early 1900s. Through the timber shutters you might see Jane Magnus cutting patterns under the large red bordello chandelier, or Dena Pharaoh-pezzano masterfully stitching dresses on her big industrial sewing machines. The designer and dressmaker opened Saloon’s doors two years ago, with the help of a host of Braidwood locals, in what Jane describes as “one of the most beautifully restored buildings on the main street”. Built in the 1890s, it has a tiled entry, original leadlight and a midnight blue tin ceiling. Aside from the inspiring space, Jane and Dena are creating incredible garments, juxtaposing Liberty London’s famous Tana Lawn cottons with natural fabrics from other cultures, including African, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander prints, Indonesian batiks and other retro motifs from around the world. Stop in and try on one of Saloon’s ‘it’ pieces — their Prairie dress. There’s a winter incarnation named Countess, too. Jane explains the signature style is designed to emphasise a woman’s curves without being tightly fitted. “We are so proud of how amazing this dress looks on just about every woman who tries it on,” she says. Those not near Braidwood can shop Saloon online. 139 Wallace Street, Braidwood, 0400 280 275, saloondesignhouse.com
Halcyon Atelier
If you’re yet to visit Halcyon House on NSW’S Far North Coast, it’s likely you’ve seen pictures of the photogenic hotel on Instagram. With supreme service, beach frontage and utterly delightful rooms designed by Anna Spiro, a few days here feels like pure paradise. When the adjoining spa opened in 2018, so too did a sun-bathed boutique in its entrance. Halcyon
Atelier, with a recently expanded range, gives guests and visitors a chance to peruse designer holiday essentials and resortwear at their leisure — either during their stay, before a treatment or after lunch at restaurant Paper Daisy and now, from back home in reality, via their new online store. Spa and boutique manager Alessandra Viel works closely with the hotel’s owners to source pieces that reflect Halcyon House’s signature relaxed sense of luxury. Browse Lucy Folk accessories, Ruby Phyllis earrings, men and women’s clothing and swimwear by the likes of Cecilie Copenhagen and Le Dog, plus Halcyon House branded T-shirts, hats and candles (a collaboration with Lumira). Cushions in Anna Spiro’s covetable textiles and other designer prints are now available, too.
21 Cypress Crescent, Cabarita Beach, (02) 6676 1444, halcyonatelier.com.au
NORTHERN TERRITORY Mixed Lollies
A lot of things happened in 2005 for Anastasia Byrnes — she got married, had a baby, moved back to her home town of Alice Springs and, as if three major life changes weren’t enough, opened a clothing boutique. What began as the answer to her longing for her fashion-filled Sydney life, quickly evolved into an ode to her innate ’70s style. Mixed Lollies stocks well-known brands such as Bec & Bridge, Hansen & Gretel, Shona Joy, Stevie May and
Rolla’s denim, all of which, Anastasia explains, are curated by her to produce a “Stevie Nicks meets Bianca Jagger” feel. She says the shop is a bit like walking into your big sister’s bedroom, with items from her childhood adding to the display. Mixed Lollies’ online shop and the boutique’s presence in a remote area mean locals and visitors keep returning… once they’ve discovered it. “We’re a town in the middle of the desert, so people are so surprised to find my store. It’s like a little oasis,” says Anastasia. 1A/54 Todd Mall, Alice Springs, (08) 8953 6060, mixedlollieslove.com
QUEENSLAND Florence & Marabel
Florence & Marabel was opened by mother-daughter team Donna Mills and Alexandria Cook in Toowoomba in 2015. A recent move to the town’s smart Grand Central Shopping Centre has meant a luxe new store fit-out and plenty of parking for their busy customers. Donna tells us the fashion boutique, being locally owned with a hand-picked collection of designer labels, really stands out in the Centre. Along with their extensive range of womenswear, customer service plays a large role in securing Florence & Marabel’s loyal following. Many of the shop’s clientele receive personalised emails before their favourite brands land in store (often resulting in sell-out lines before stock hits the floor). Can’t find what you’re looking for? Donna and Alex will >
happily send you on to fellow Toowoomba businesses in a lovely sign of community spirit. An impressive website complements this commitment to customers — shoppers can log on and browse photographs of garments taken on women in the store (as well as those provided by designers), making sizing and style decisions a breeze. Shop 1062, Level 1, Grand Central Shopping Centre, Margaret Street, Toowoomba, (07) 4564 8385, florenceandmarabel.com.au
Leela Chakravarti Pottery
With its proximity to the Great Barrier Reef and the renowned James Cook University, Townsville beckoned Leela Chakravarti all the way from England. She moved to complete her PHD in marine biology and explains she spends her days “researching ways to preserve our beautiful coral reefs against the devastating effects of climate change”. Leela’s creative outlet is working with clay, and it’s amazing to see a deep knowledge of the ocean shine through in her work, with its glossy blues, seaweed greens and sandy creams. “Soda firing transforms the surfaces of pottery in the kiln, so it looks like it’s been buried in the ocean for hundreds of years,” Leela says.
Along with the mugs, cups and vases she sells, her tealight fisherman’s cottages bring repeat customers. “They’re kind of addictive”, she says. “Once you have one, you need another and another until you have an entire village!” The sweet little houses can be placed over a tealight candle, making the windows light up and smoke come out of the chimneys. Meet Leela on the second Sunday of each month at the local Renegade
Handmade markets or visit her website to shop online. North Queensland Potters Association, 15 Flowers Street, Townsville, 0477 900 222, leelachakravarti.com
SOUTH AUSTRALIA High Street Trading Co
Returning home to visit family on South Australia’s picturesque Fleurieu Peninsula, Callan Sundberg and Wade Kluske stumbled across a charming property for sale on High Street in Strathalbyn. They instantly fell in love with the heritage windows, worn original floorboards and beautiful stone walls. And so began the story of High Street Trading Co. Six years on, the store is well-known for its quality furniture, homewares, gifts and fashion. Shop Armadillo & Co floor rugs, Papaya ceramics, Salus skincare and Cultiver linen, plus there’s a great selection of lifestyle books, entertaining essentials and rustic Indian timber bowls (don’t
Baker & Co began as a side project for Fiona Mcalpine when she converted a horse float into a little French-style patisserie...
miss the gorgeous footed serving boards). Callan offers his interior styling services from the shop, too. 13 High Street, Strathalbyn, (08) 8536 8441, highsttrading.com, instagram.com/highsttrading
TASMANIA Baker & Co Providore and Patisserie
Baker & Co began as a side project for Fiona Mcalpine when she converted a horse float into a little French-style patisserie and, unsurprisingly, gained a loyal following at Hobart’s Farm Gate Market. Leaving full-time work to pursue her dream of becoming a bona fide baker, Fiona now owns her own providore, patisserie, homewares store and café in the thriving village of Geeveston. The shop has a distinctly European feel, with wide timber floorboards, antique oak furniture, communal tables and vintage scales overflowing with warm muffins, freshly baked pastries and pies. There’s a selection of kitchenware, cookbooks and gourmet food lines, with a strong emphasis on quality. Fiona’s is the only store in the Huon Valley that sells international cheeses from the wheel and she stocks the UK’S quaint Kilner range of fermenting jars and butter churners. Many of the homemade products “regularly travel in hand luggage to Sydney, Melbourne and as far afield as London,” Fiona says.
Bestsellers include her turmeric and ginger cookies and jars of raw honey from a nearby apiarist. 3 Church Street, Geeveston, 0417 151 399, instagram.com/bakerandco_ huonvalley
That Little Shop
Hidden in the small town of Balnarring lies is this little gem — a lifestyle boutique with an interesting mix of homewares, gifts, fashion and furniture. Mornington Peninsula local Zoe Woolley is responsible for the vibrant collection, featuring both well-known and under-the-radar Australian labels. Fun pieces include Jones & Co wall hangings, Kip & Co floral bed linen and cheeky Nudie Rudie bath mats by Sage x Clare. Animal lovers will delight in bright printed dog beds from Pooccio and quirky mouse and bird lamps from Seletti. Kate Eliza’s whimsical paintings don’t last long in store, nor do White Lightly earrings made with gemstones in their natural form.
Shop 19, Balnarring Village Shopping Centre, 3050 Frankston-flinders Road, Balnarring, (03) 5931 3083, instagram.com/that_little_shop
Moti Clothing
This unique clothing store in Barwon Heads, originally established in 2001, was taken over in 2016 by Marilyn and Christine Shady. The stylish twin sisters curate and design a popular collection of Indian-made apparel “for women who want to wear interesting clothes made from natural fibres,” they tell us. The garments are chic and comfortable — qualities paramount to their creative and well-travelled clientele. Natural fibres of cotton, silk, linen and wool feature prominently, with much of it handloomed or block-printed. The store is also a treasure trove for scarves, shawls, nightshirts and artisanal homewares sourced from Marilyn and Christine’s travels to India and beyond. Shop cushions, kantha throws, quilts, cotton appliqué bedspreads and curtains, as well as a range of dohars which are “soft cotton voile covers used during summer in India — perfect for hot weather in any country,” explains Christine. Pop in store these summer holidays or check out Moti’s new website to buy online.
Shop 3, 41 Hitchcock Avenue, Barwon Heads, 0407 804 526, 0438 778 661, moti.com.au
WESTERN AUSTRALIA My Darling Valentine
A one-stop shop for baby and children’s products, this charming store has a sense of enchantment, thanks to owner Clare Mcculloch’s vision and the support of her partner Kai Hale. The industrial space has been given a vintage, romantic feel, with soft toys, earthy colours and macramé wall hangings. Clare’s passion for quality, long-lasting wares is easy to recognise — she stocks well-respected labels, such as Jamie Kay, Numero 74, Olli Ella, Tiny Harlow and Rylee and Cru, as well as some of her own pieces. Most notable of Clare’s creations are the rattan doll’s prams she produced, hoping they’d be purchased and passed down for generations as heirlooms. The designs, named Audrey and Connie, were picked up and stocked internationally by the likes of Liberty London and are so popular they repeatedly sell out. Not in Geraldton anytime soon to experience the magic? Visit My Darling Valentine online.
161 Marine Terrace, Geraldton, 0475 199 467, mydarlingvalentine.shop
Know a great shop in regional Australia? Email austcountrystyle@ bauer-media.com.au