January 2020

The Australian Women's Weekly

The Weekly is loved for its engaging features, delicious recipes and the best in beauty, fashion, homes, books and so much more.

The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Welcome!
Sometimes bad things happen,” my four-year-old daughter tells me matter-of-factly as I try desperately to steer her away from the heartbreaking sight of a dead baby bird on the footpath in front of us. “But I don’t want you to be sad,” I say, as I tu
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
In Brief NEWS BITES
THE ORGANISERS of the Golden Globes might do well to consider relocating the ceremony Down Under given the number of Australian nominees. Nicole Kidman, Cate Blanchett, Margot Robbie (left), Russell Crowe and Toni Collette are all in contention for a
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
The Best Of Us
As a young doctor in Iraq, Munjed Al Muderis was ordered to mutilate the ears of military draft evaders. Following orders would have contradicted his core values as a medical professional. Refusing would have resulted in death at the hands of Saddam
The Australian Women's Weekly11 min read
Zara & Mike A perfect match
When Zara Tindall was pregnant with her first daughter, Mia, we talked about how she would fit motherhood around her decidedly unsocial schedule of competitive horseriding, which involved her travelling all over Britain and overseas, sleeping in her
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
Animal Rescue
Listening to the morning news, on Tuesday, November 12, Kristie Newton realised that the catastrophic fires in Queensland and NSW had created a wildlife emergency. “It is the worst crisis that WIRES [NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Ser
The Australian Women's Weekly10 min read
Courage Under Fire
The noise. That’s what you don’t get in the footage and photos. The terrible, terrible noise of a big bushfire. The malignant sound of the wind as the fire sucks in the oxygen it needs to grow. The hissing and popping of eucalyptus trees, the explosi
The Australian Women's Weekly9 min read
The Power Of Love
The local theatre at Warrnambool in country Victoria was packed to the gills as Kay Rendell took her seat ahead of the first performance of that year’s holiday musical, Les Misérables. Her daughter Gorgi was about to take the stage playing the role o
The Australian Women's Weekly6 min read
They’ll Bury Me In My Yellows
Charmaine Sellings keeps a close eye on inky clouds rolling around the horizon. “Just one crack of lightning on a stormy day could be disastrous,” she says, looking across brittle paddocks sweeping up to the edge of the parched forest surrounding her
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
Clive’s LAST TANGO
There’s a painting on the wall of Clive James’ Cambridge home that depicts him engrossed in writing, sitting in front of another painting where he’s dancing with a beautiful woman. The vivid canvas captures Clive emphatically, not just with its studi
The Australian Women's Weekly11 min read
The Mother Of All Mix-ups
On a cold New York day after the usual nine months of nesting and anticipation, Donna Fasano gave birth to two darling boys. She and her husband, Richard, were both in their late 30s and had enlisted an IVF clinic to help them conceive, so when the t
The Australian Women's Weekly9 min read
The Ash effect
With barely a bead of sweat on her brow, Ash Barty walked off the tennis court in Shenzhen last November and straight into a packed press conference, the eyes of the world’s media trained on her. Minutes earlier she’d proudly held aloft the coveted B
The Australian Women's Weekly10 min read
JACINDA ARDERN “You Don’t Have To Be Perfect To Be Prime Minister”
It’s a slight running joke that Jacinda Ardern is not one for introspection – not because she doesn’t see the value of it, but because at this stage of her life, there just isn’t time. The New Zealand Prime Minister has inadvertently become quite an
The Australian Women's Weekly8 min read
Waiting For The APOCALYPSE
The village of Ruinerwold lies in what the rest of Holland calls the “forgotten land”, a thinly populated expanse of dark forests and peat bogs, popular with hardcore hikers who provide most of the passing trade at Chris Westerbeek’s main street bar.
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Summer in Australia
For much of the 20th century, home ownership in Australia was considered not merely something to aspire to, but almost a societal right. In our land of sweeping plains, space seemed endless – cities could simply expand into surrounding fields and for
The Australian Women's Weekly8 min read
The Woman Who Saved 25 Lives
Eight years ago, for her 50th birthday, Galy O’Connor’s celebration was characteristically caring. The enthusiastic mountain climber and personal trainer taught a fundraising fitness class at her local gym, where she asked participants to donate to t
The Australian Women's Weekly7 min read
Keeping It In The Family
Over 15 years ago, Melissa Doyle experienced two events which would change the course of her life – one gloriously happy, the other heartbreaking. The former, needless to say, was the birth of her daughter, Talia, on December 18, 2003. With her today
The Australian Women's Weekly10 min read
Falling In Love Again
Isabel Allende has news, surprising news, and for the feminist best-selling Chilean novelist it came out of nowhere. “I find myself at this old age, for the first time in my life, adored by someone. And let me tell you it’s a very weird feeling,” she
The Australian Women's Weekly8 min read
Song of Joy
“I can be tough, but I think I’ve mellowed,” says Joy McKean with the sort of smile that tells you she hasn’t mellowed an inch more than she wanted to. It’s a warm summer morning when we meet at her house in a retirement village on Sydney’s leafy Nor
The Australian Women's Weekly14 min read
Your Stars For 2020
Will the dawning of the new decade arrive quietly? With a rare triple conjunction of expansive Jupiter, contractive Saturn and eruptive Pluto ending and recommencing for three giant planetary cycles, the answer is, “probably not” – especially conside
The Australian Women's Weekly9 min readMedical
Let’s Talk About Death
The look on his face told her everything. Vashti Whitfield had rushed to Auckland where her rapidly deteriorating husband, Andy, was receiving acupuncture treatment designed to boost strength in cancer patients. But the Welsh-born actor, who had stea
The Australian Women's Weekly6 min read
Elsa Pataky A Strong Mind+body
The first step to a better you is a mental one. What do you want to change? Do you want to walk up a flight of stairs without becoming breathless? Do you want to look in the mirror and be pleased with what you see? The important thing is to be true t
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
Gone To The Dogs
January is the month universally recognised as the time to diet. Resolutions are made, protein powders purchased and poundage pledged off via strict caloric reduction. This year the health expert told me to get serious. I have to replace half of eve
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Training With A Partner
I love training with Chris. We do our own exercises separately, but then we really enjoy spending 30–40 minutes doing something we both like together. I also train with my family – my brother, his wife and our cousins will come to our house every now
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Leek And Goat’s Cheese Omelette With Cashew Pesto
Serves 2 4 organic eggs sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper3 tablespoons roughly chopped tarragon leaves2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil1–2 leeks, white part only, chopped½ cup (60 g) crumbled goat’s cheese micro herbs, to serve (op
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
How To find Your Voice
After my memoir Becoming was published, I heard a similar reaction from a lot of people – strangers, friends and family alike. They said, “I just can’t believe you remembered that much.” It’s a comment that usually gave me a bit of a chuckle, because
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
31 Questions To Ask Yourself
• Where did your ancestors come from and what challenges • did they face? What kind of childhood did your parents or grandparents have? How was it different from and similar to • your own? Who do you care for in your family? How does that relations
The Australian Women's Weekly5 min read
This Is Healthy Eating
It seems with every passing year that there is new advice about what is healthy to eat, and what is not. Some of this advice comes from well-intentioned but unqualified people promoting the latest ‘fad diet’. These fad diets are usually based on the
The Australian Women's Weekly1 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Plan Of A Snack
When it comes to munching between meals beware of physical and emotional traps, such as mistaking thirst for hunger, pecking out of boredom, eating out of habit or turning to treats to soothe ourselves. To snack mindfully, nutritionists recommend tak
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
Best Footing Forward
If it had been up to my dad, Peter, he would have spent every New Year’s Eve watching his favourite ice hockey team, the Montreal Canadiens, lose another game. “Played like donkeys, the lot of them,” he’d mutter before heading up the stairs to read t
The Australian Women's Weekly1 min readFashion
Fashion News
The festive new collection from jewellery and homewares brand Dinosaur Designs celebrates the colours of summer, with new colours such as melon, guava and honeycomb. Designers Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy, who will spend the holidays enjoying tim
The Australian Women's Weekly6 min read
Love Your Legs
At one time or another, you’ve probably stretched your legs up a wall. Perhaps to quell puffy ankles after a flight, or ease achy calves after a long day. In yoga, this pose is called Viparita Karani – Inverted Lake Pose or Legs Up The Wall (of cours
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Health News
Your swimming can help raise the spirits of some very sick kids this summer. Sign up for the Starlight Children’s Foundation Super Swim challenge, from 26 January to 24 February, and every splash counts. You simply set your distance, gather sponsors,
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Ask The Doctor
Q My 24-year-old daughter has developed a small, pea-sized lump behind her ear. There’s no change to the skin and it doesn’t seem to bother her apart from wondering if it’s okay or not. What could it be and should she see our GP? K.B., NSW. It is mos
The Australian Women's Weekly6 min read
Food With Heart
This beautiful book is about food, community and bringing people together around the table to eat and talk. Nutritious recipes it has but Two Good Cookbook also has essays on food memories and the power of food from four of Australia's finest contemp
The Australian Women's Weekly5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
25 Minute Dinners
SERVES 4 PREP AND COOK TIME 15 MINUTES (+ STANDING TIME) ½ cup (80g) coarse burghul2 large (640g) avocados, halved3 green onions, chopped coarsely½ cup small basil leaves220g bocconcini, torn125g heirloom cherry tomatoes, halved ¼ cup (60ml) extr
The Australian Women's Weekly5 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Feel-good food
SERVES 2 PREP AND COOK TIME 30 MINUTES THIS RECIPE IS GLUTEN FREE. THIS RECIPE IS PORTABLE 120g skinless, boneless salmon fillet140g drained, rinsed canned cannellini beans2 teaspoons grated lemon rind1 baby (130g) fennel bulb, fronds reserved, s
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min readDiet & Nutrition
Revitalising Tonics
MAKES 4 CUPS PREP TIME 5 MINS (+ CHILLING) Place 2 rose lemonade cold water-infused tea bags and 2 cups water in a large jug; stand 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Add 2 cups sparkling water and 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice. Refrigerate 1 hour or un
The Australian Women's Weekly1 min readDiet & Nutrition
Shopping & Decoding Labels
When comparing products, use the 100g column, as the ‘per serve’ column will send you astray. Even if it’s a similar product, the manufacturer decides how big or small the serve is to seem more appealing. Fibre will make you feel fuller for longer,
The Australian Women's Weekly6 min read
Lush Fruity Desserts
SERVES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 45 MINUTES (+ COOLING AND FREEZING TIME) 10 (650g) limes3 cups (660g) caster sugar2 sprigs mint6 fresh kaffir lime leaves3 cups (840g) Greek-style yoghurt3 (2kg) small papaya, halved½ (650g) small rockmelon, seeds remove
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min readCooking, Food & Wine
Quick Bites
MasterChef Australia 2017 winner, Diana Chan, is all set to tantalise your tastebuds with a new food show, Asia Unplated, airing on SBS Food, and her range of Australian-made dumplings from Golden Wok. These tasty morsels are your secret hack when e
The Australian Women's Weekly3 min read
Going Native
With water restrictions affecting many of our gardens, a switch to natives – which have evolved through droughts, pests and disease – makes sense. But there are a few maintenance myths you’ll need to bust first in order to get the best out of your Au
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
Home Hints
Before poaching or frying eggs, put them in hot water for a couple of minutes before cracking them. This way they won’t spread too much and will maintain a good shape when cooked. D. Bowden, Rosebud, Vic. Before throwing out an ‘empty’ marker pen
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
THE Reading room
It’s 10.51pm on Friday night and Emira is with her girlfriends, celebrating Shaunie’s 26th birthday when she receives a bizarre phone call. Her boss, Mrs Chamberlain, needs Emira to collect her almost-three-year-old daughter and take her “to the groc
The Australian Women's Weekly7 min read
Summer Reading
A wealthy bibliophile brings a treasured manuscript to her Paris binder. The pages are creased, yellowed and pungent with the nutty aroma “that old paper exhales as it decays”, and underneath the title is a jumble of figures. It is an alternative pag
The Australian Women's Weekly4 min read
Kimberley Calling
“Ready for take-off ? ” asks my pilot. I give a thumbs up, and the blades spin to life with a ‘wump, wump, wump’ that I can feel through my body. A small plume of dust dances around us before we rise up from the arid savannah, tracking towards the Bu
The Australian Women's Weekly1 min read
Back To The’ 20s
Back in the early 1900s, the Hydro Majestic Hotel, at Medlow Bath in the NSW Blue Mountains, was the place to be seen. By all accounts wealthy wild child owner Mark Foy loved a decadent Gatsby-esque party with lavish entertainment and great feasts, a
The Australian Women's Weekly2 min read
A Plan Of Action
They say nothing is certain but death and taxes yet both are topics we’d rather avoid. So it’s easy to see why we put off estate planning, which involves both. But avoiding this important task can have dire consequences for loved ones left behind. If
The Australian Women's Weekly5 min readAstronomy & Space Sciences
Horoscopes
With Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and the sun in your sign setting this month’s table for a feast of Capricorn splendour, the new decade couldn’t offer you a warmer welcome. Yes, mid-January’s Saturn/Pluto conjunction could have widespread consequ
The Australian Women's Weekly4 min read
Open mic WITH Claire Hooper
In 2019 my kid started school, but I learned more lessons than she did. I’d heard prep was a big adjustment – that she would be tired and overwhelmed, learning new skills and making new friends – so we needed to cancel all extracurricular activities

The Australian Women's Weekly

More Issues From The Australian Women's Weekly