Photo - Claire Cottone Issue 4 - October 2014

Editor

Josephine Flynn

Layout

James O’Malley

Cover Image

Claire Cottone

The days are warming up, the early mornings are lighter, the evenings are lasting longer and the sweet sweet smell of spring is in the air. Our October issue celebrates all things spring from Swell Sculpture Festival to spring cleanses. This issue also sees two articles brought to life that we (Jade and I) have been very passionate about for some time and have been wanting to discuss with you. With more and more live local music venues having to close their doors (the infamous Swingin’ Safari being one), we wanted to investigate why this is happening and what we, as a community can do to stop it. Local organisation Save our live music Gold Coast have been working tirelessly on this issue, and we are very pleased to have joined forces with them to create awareness around this very important topic.

Another subject we feel very close to is the struggle for consumers to identify what exactly is in the food they are eating – Palm oil being the main offender. Disguised by manufacturers under two hundred different names, this ingredient is destroying rainforests, habitats and communities in Borneo, Malaysia and Indonesia. We want you to become informed in what you can do to help and provide you with links to organisations that can provide more information.Alongside the serious, of course we celebrate those in the community that are doing incredible things and provide some uplifting stories about people doing what they love.We hope you enjoy the October issue, one that has become very close to our hearts.

Love Josephine x

EDITORS LETTER

EMMA GARDNER

PRO BIOSKIN

UP THE ANTEA

DEATH OF LIVE

SWELL SCULPTURE

FEST

PALM OIL

CLAUDE HARVEY

06

12

20

23

27

30

34

AKOVA

SARAHHOWELLS

SPRING CLEANSE

GROMS THATRIP

ECOVILLAGE

PILATES BY LISA

40

44

53

58

64

70

EMMAGARDNER

Art

Words – Jade Hopley / Pictures – Care of Emma

It seems there is an increasing theme amongst all of the artists

we have interviewed. They all spread themselves across a

variety of mediums. Our latest Artist Emma Gardner is no

exception! Working across painting, sculptor, digital design and

public/performance art. We recently caught up with Emma to

talk about her inspirations, travels and recent exhibition. This is

one Emerging artist to keep an eye out for! I know we will be…

You work in many mediums do you have a

preferred one?

Not necessarily, painting is most accessible for

me as I can set up with paints, easel and canvas

easily, but I don’t like to limit myself to one

medium. I find that sometimes painting isn’t

the best tool to use with some of the ideas I am

trying to convey. I love that investigations into

art can be made through limitless processes, I

really enjoy making sculptures and working

with installations, taking art into the public

arena so that it engages with people that

might not attend galleries or spaces where

it is exhibited. It seems that a lot of festivals

are really pushing the importance of art and

interactive elements to combine with the

music. I think this merge is awesome and it’s a

field that I would like to move into.

How long have you been an artist? Where did

you train?

Creating is something that I have always

done, ever since I was a kid. It’s a feeling that

builds up inside me and I have to get it out, it

doesn’t matter if there is an audience or what

the outcome, it’s personal drive. I’m always

tinkering with things. As I’ve

gotten older and through

my studies I am learning

to develop and articulate a

thought process along with

my expression. Currently I am

completing my second year

of a Bachelor of Visual Arts

at Southern Cross University

in Lismore. The course is

conceptually based and has

really pushed me to ask

questions about the statements

or impact I’d like my art to

have, or if there is any at all;

if it is just an investigation

into the process of material

thinking, I think it’s ongoing

and ever changing. Before uni

I was at the Tafe in Lismore,

also having studied at the Tafe

in Coffs Harbour, but between

all the formal studies art is

something that I practice on

my own, it is a passion.

Your latest exhibition with

fellow SCU student Judie

Richardson at The Lone

Goat Gallery in Byron

‘Exploration into Strength’

finished recently. What was

the inspiration for the works

within this exhibition?

Judie and I have been studying

together for three years now,

so to get to this stage where

we both had a body of work

that could tie together under

this title was really exciting.

Although the actual meaning

behind our works was very

different, strength and its

representation was the unifier.

My fascination with the

differences in masculine and

feminine qualities were I

have begun to explore how

strength, something usually

associated with the masculine,

can be synonymous with the

nature of grace or tenderness.

Exploring this notion through

the often clichéd traits of

females, decoration. Finding a

way through the history of pattern, repetition

and colour to stimulate these feelings. Working

through a variety of processes and mediums to

explore how different materials and imagery

could convey the idea behind my thoughts my

investigations were between oil and acrylic

paint on canvas, and mixed media trials. I used

the motifs of the female figure, represented

through abstracted form and shape along with

varying types of flowers based loosely on lilies

and roses, with decorative patterning to create

a commonality amongst the set of work.

Your off to India soon, is it your first trip? How

does traveling influence your practice?

Yes I am, I’m so excited! India is actually the

first leg of my trip, I have been awarded a

scholarship to go on exchange through uni

to Barcelona, so I’m tying in my trip to India

with the research that I’ll be doing for the

scholarship. It is based around a progressive

body of drawings that reflect on Public and

Private spaces. I’ll be doing a drawing every

day of my trip which will directly respond to

my experiences. In India I am doing my yoga

teacher training certificate, so the drawings

will not only reflect the vibrant culture of India

but this more personal exploration. Barcelona

is all about art, being influenced by great

Masters like Gaudi, Picasso and Tepes. The final

outcome will be an essay that investigates the

differences within the drawings. It is going to

be such a great experience and something that

I think will change my arts practice forever.

I lived in London for some time and traveled

through different parts of Europe. All the

cultures and the ways in which they represent

things, as simply as how they build their houses,

is so visually stimulating. It makes you see

things with new eyes. I think that everything

you do and every place you go influences you

in different ways, whether you are directly

aware of it or not, so I’m sure that my art has

been impacted by all of these journeys in one

way or another.

Are there any other local artists you can

suggest our readers have a look at?

One of my girlfriends has been really inspiring

me lately, we studied together at Tafe and she

has always been passionate about portraiture,

focusing on Rock’n’Roll stars. Her paintings are

realistic but still hold elements of expressionism

which I thinks makes them more intriguing.

But another artistic avenue which she has been

trying to get into for years is tattooing, and just

recently she started an apprenticeship and has

begun to ink people up! I love it when people

pursue their dreams and

after time they begin to pay

off and become reality! It’s so

inspirational. Her tattoo style

draws on the old school flash

style, I think it’s so wicked that

I just got a signature rose of

hers branded onto my leg! Her

name is Emma Eriksson, she is

working at Tatt22 in Byron,

check her out!

www.emagardner.com

Business

Established 4 years ago ProBioSkin is a Mother, Daughter run

super house of health and wellbeing. As soon as you walk

through the doors at Number 1 Paradise you feel at peace. The

light open space is filled with the scent of essential oils and you

are greeted immediately with a smile and a hug. ProBioSkin is

not just another skin care company; their aim is to look after

your body from the inside out, with a range of all natural

concentrated skin care products, and nutritional supplements.

There is also an array of workshops and practitioners who run

out of the space, this business is the epitome of Holistic Health.

Read on to find out more…

PROBIOSKIN

How did the business start

and how long have you been

running? 

Where do we begin...I guess

our roots are back in the

beginning of my career 25

years ago  when I completed

my training as a Remedial

Therapist & Beauty Therapist.

I worked with a beautiful

Woman Vera Shepherd & her

daughter Diane for several

years as a therapist & teaching

in their academy. They were

strong women highly thought

of in both their profession and

in their principles, involved

with a lot of international

bodies and new government

criteria that formed what is

now the teaching platform

for government & private

institutes in Beauty Therapy

and Body Therapies. Great

times.

I felt very aligned with Vera

& Diane’s philosophy and

practice as they had their own

chemical free natural skin care,

a passion for aromatherapy

and helping people with their

health and wellbeing. Beauty

was more than skin deep in

this practice in a time where

not many people were thinking about nutrition

as a key part of having beautiful skin.

Over many years in my own businesses and

practice, I have tried to uphold these principles

and methods with my clients, having their

trust in my advice is something I treasure. 4

years ago my Mother & I decided to put our

beliefs into something more of our own hearts

and Probioskin was born. Kind of a full circle

really and with a little of the universe’s sense

of humour as probioskin.com is also a Mother

Daughter team. Our business is an expression

of our life practice and beliefs going global!

We understand you do not only skin care, but

supplements as well including capsules and

powder, which products came first and where

to from here?

Yes part of our core philosophy

is that our inner world is

intimately connected to our

outer world. So once again the

belief that beauty is more than

skin deep. Balance between the

two worlds is the key to good

health and vitality. We believe

in the power of concentrated

nutrition for healthy cells

and our DNA, the energy

and resilience needed for the

world we live in today. Our

skin care is the gift of Natures

science in a bottle. With wild

crafted, organic and natural

ingredients, there are no

GMO, palm oil, questionable or

toxic chemicals allowed in our

serums and lotions for face,

body and hair.

Bioactive cell food for your skin.

Technically our skin care came first, within the

next breath our nutritional supplements. A bit

like twins being born I guess. We have organic

herbal teas and pure essential oil aromatherapy

blends about to birth with our new updated

web site about to release early November. The

family is growing which is very exciting and a

lesson in patience for me!

Tell us why your products are different to

other skincare and supplements in the market

at the moment.

At times we feel we are a very small fish

swimming in a very big sea. Those days we

just keep swimming and doing what we do

best. Usually these are the days we get an

email from someone using our skin care or

health products commenting on how they

are enjoying our products, the difference they

have felt and seen in their skin or energy

and thanking us. It’s a mental high five when

you get that feedback and an

affirmation to keep swimming.

We are pretty stubborn in our

ethics and desire to stick with

concentrates in our skin care

and nutritional supplements.

For example, we don’t use

maltodextrin to bulk out our

greens, 1 teaspoon of pure

plant power goes into your

juice or smoothie.

Our skin care is the same,

concentrates with no inert

substance bulking up the

lotion or serum so it can look

like more, or be cheaper to

produce. We go to the source

with our ingredients to obtain

the best quality and best

practice of harvest, process

and purity so that what is

in the bottle sitting in your

bathroom practically walks

over to you when you go to put

it on. We want the lifeforce in

our skin care. If you have seen

the movie “Like Water for

Chocolate” you will connect

with the way in which we

create our skin care and health products. Made

with loving purpose for a purpose.

We understand you have a unique packaging

model, tell us about that.

Our skin care is packaged in glass in order to

preserve the vitality of the contents. Glass is a

personal favorite medium of mine, with one of

my favorite artists being Chihuly, an incredibly

talented Glass blower who has made the most

amazing items in glass. Even to making a glass

didgeridoo played once by Stu of the Australian

band OKA and now in a museum.

We don’t use boxes for the majority of our

products in order to reduce the amount of

waste materials when you purchase our skin

care. When we do create a particular gift

package, we try to do so in a way that is not

excessive but aesthetic.

Pure essential aromatherapy oils are best in

a metal or glass container, as they will perish

plastic over time. We have stepped away from

boring brown glass as being visually stimulated

is a part of the process of engaging with the

beauty and magic within.

Are you a vegan friendly company?

Yes we are vegan and animal cruelty free.

Ethics is an important part of our business

practice from the ingredients through to our

business model.

We love that you support local, tell us a little

more about how that is included in your

business model.

We love being a part of the very creative

community that is the Gold Coast. Friends

and colleagues are talented fashion designers;

photographers, practitioners and we love being

able to incorporate their work in our journey.

For example Lisa Brown Fashions are often

perfect for the mood we want to create in a

photo shoot for a new product or blog post with

our ambassador Jessica Green. Finding a shoot

location on the Gold Coast is never difficult.

We are so fortunate to be living in this part of

the planet.

We have everything here and the community

is positively bursting with talent. As a local

business it feels so right to reflect our local

community in our expression of what is

probioskin.com, to the rest of the world. It’s

a bit like in quantum physics, and reaching

critical mass. Boom pow, here we are world!

You have a lovely space in Miami, what else is

it used for?

Thank you. We often receive compliments

about the serenity here and I feel this reflects

the energy of the Wellness Centre with

the Holistic Facial and Remedial Therapies

happening. The aromatherapy oils permeate

everything and often I can’t smell them at

all after half a day of giving treatments.

There are a unique team of specialist

practitioners with a depth of knowledge and

ability forming the family at Number 1 in

Paradise. Along with a variety of seminars

and workshops regularly on the calendar,

this is another local part of the expression

that for us is essential for Carpe Diem, and

living the full life. Yoga and Meditation

classes, Nutrition and Naturopathy, Massage,

Reflexology and Facials are a healing part of

the week and create the serenity. Some of

these practitioners already skype and email

consult to reach beyond their local clients and

we are in the process of creating the ability to

hold webinairs so we can reach more people

with the tools and techniques we have in our

wealth of experience and

ability. Sharing the love.

Hiding underneath that

peaceful healing vibe is the

slightly chaotic business and

admin part of life also going

on here at Number 1.

We understand you are

friends with our lovely

friend Ronaldo Fullieri, tell

us how you met and how you

continue working together

now?

Ronaldo came into our lives

via our healthy café, The

Shack Superfood Café at

Nobbys Beach. He had just

released his first cookbook

Volume 1 and was talking

about his book and cooking

classes. After he had spent

30 minutes with my husband

Eddie, one Virgo to another

and coincidently 1 day apart in

birth dates, they were pretty

much brothers on a mission. 4

years later we are an extended

family and have shared many

times together in the kitchen,

life and business. Some people are drawn

together and our friendship is reflective of this

energy. We have similar beliefs, passion and

personal goals to reach with what our purpose

in life is. He is a beautiful person with a smile

and heart to match.

Where can our readers find you and can they

still buy your products if they are overseas?

We are online with all our products available

on our website. We love being a part of the

global village with people in Russia, UK, USA,

Hong Kong being on our newsletter mailing list

and having purchased from us online. We get

so excited when our products go to a town or

country for the first time. We feel like a part

of us is going there too. Our social media is a

fun way of engaging with the global village

too, we’re all virtual neighbours thanks to

instagram, facebook, tumblr google plus etc.

To connect with Amanda or find out more

about the beautiful products of probioskin,

follow the links below:

W – www.probioskin.com

FB - www.facebook.com/probioskin

T – www.twitter.com/ProBioSkin

I – www.instagram.com/probioskin

UPTHE

ANTEA

Two girlfriends coming

together from an obsession

with tea and a knack for puns,

Up the AnTea are a beautiful

organic tea company that

have just hit the Gold Coast.

If you’re already a lover of

delicate teas, or if you’re new

to the “tea obsession”, this little

company is one to look out for!

How many times have you

found yourself sitting around

with your best friend/

partner/family member

dreaming about starting up

a business that you’re really

passionate about? Sometimes

it’s related to a field you’re

already working in, but more

often than not it feels like a

pipe dream that’s too risky to

jump into…boots and all. Best

friend’s Danielle and Jessica

did just that.

When asked how Up the

Pictures courtesy of Up The Antea

Business

AnTea was born, the girls replied “Funnily

enough, neither of us have a background in

hospitality! Up The AnTea was born from

procrastination. We used to sew together

and we drank tea when things got too hard!

Eventually our obsession with tea grew and it

seemed like a natural progression to create our

own blends.”

With clever names like PretTea (organic rose

petals and rose buds), CinnaMinTea (organic

peppermint leaves and cinnamon chips),

MasculiniTea (for men’s health) and DiviniTea

(organic calendula petals), it’s evident the girls

are having fun creating and expanding their

brand. “Most of our tea’s names are born from

banter and pun-tastic jokes. We both have

quite big personaliTeas (see what we did there?)

so it’s never too hard to come up with some

funny stuff.”

With the small business market a difficult one

to crack and a few gourmet tea companies

already established, we asked the girls how

they got the business off the ground and what

makes them different. “We only had 3 flavours

to start with. We just started really small and

let it grow from there and are looking forward

to expanding further. We’re

both really into health so

our main focus is on health

and wellbeing and not

including any ‘natural’ flavour

enhancements. Every flavour

in our tea comes directly from

the actual ingredient itself.

We work really hard to ensure

all of our ingredients are

organic. We also try to bring

the fun to our tea and appeal

to everyone, not just your

stereotypical tea drinkers.”

Whether you’re a local, or

from across the pond, Up

the AnTea organic teas are

available online. The girls

are hoping to branch out into

some local stores shortly, so

keep an eye on their website

or facebook page to keep up to

date with the new and exciting

company.

W- www.up-the-antea.myshopify.com

F - www.facebook.com/UpTheAnTEA

Words - Natasha Leventhal

Music is so much part of human existence that where

it originated and dated from is one of life’s unanswered

questions. We do know that Live Music has been performed

by all of mankind as we know it, from the Aboriginal

Corroboree to Mozart’s opera’s to Kiss’s endless reunion

tours.

SAVE OUR LIVE MUSIC GOLD COAST

Music

Sadly, new generations are missing out on

the full and true experience of live music,

and artists are fighting a fruitless battle

in trying to accelerate their careers let

alone just earn a minimal living, as more

and more unreasonable restrictions are

placed on venues. Noise level restrictions

is the main contributor to this issue as

Queensland Government has ruled a

sound level regulation averaging 95Db.

To give you a basic understanding of Db

levels, most Live venues have monitors set

to 95Db only 3m directly in front of the

stage, and if you stand on the shoreline of

one of our beautiful beaches on a windy

day the average reading is 105Db.

Imagine telling Mozart that his symphony

could not play or his opera singers could

not sing any louder than 95Db or the

performance would be shut down?!

Imagine telling Pavarotti he could

not raise his vocals to more than this

volume? Gold Coast Tenor, David De Vito

has been recorded singing

at 152 decibels, which is

extraordinary but gives you

the general idea.

Once upon a recent time, the

Gold Coast was alive with live

music venues where our local

artists could earn their living

and practice their craft in a

real environment for their

careers. This was a city where

we were entertained with live

music and dance. National,

international and local

acts would honour us with

performances we still talk

about decades later. We could

dance without inhibition and

sing out loud with the band,

without being self-conscious

of being heard over the top

of the band which is the case

of today. Venues thrived as

their establishments were filled with revellers

because they had a reason to be there – Live

Music.

New generations don’t know the exhilaration,

freedom and honest emotion that comes with

seeing Live Music and it has come to a point

where we need to educate them. Artists are

unable to hone their talents in an environment

suitable to prepare for the world stage, and

live venues have closed their doors all around

us. It’s time for all of us to see reason and save

Live Music – a past-time that goes beyond our

knowledge of history.

In upcoming articles for Save Our Live Music

Gold Coast we’ll talk in depth about contributing

factors to the unfortunate decline of our live

music industry as a whole. More importantly,

we’ll offer some reasonable, valid solutions that

can help revive this industry, as well as show

how it can and is a viable solution to some of

our city’s nightlife social problems.

Save Our Live Music Gold Coast encourages

community involvement and discussions to

ensure all voices are heard and appropriate

action can be taken. Your feedback and support

are encouraged on our Facebook page.

F- www.facebook.com/solmgc

Words and Pictures – Jade Hopley

Every year for ten days, the tranquil Currumbin

beach foreshore is transformed into a bustling

arts community. Entering its 12th year in 2014,

Swell did not disappoint. This is a lot more than

just a sculpture festival. If you had the pleasure

of walking down the esplanade as we did, you

were taken on a sensory journey; the warm

spring sun beating down upon your skin, the

waves lapping at the sand and elephant rock

(which was brought to life with a giant octopus

overtaking its highest point.) Drumming

workshops, local musicians playing their sweet

SWELLSCULPTURE

FESTIVAL

Art

tunes, creative workshops,

performance artists and the

scent of the kitchens of the

local cafés firing at full pelt. It

was a day to be remembered!

However it is indeed the

sculptures that we were all

there to experience. I could

sit here and babble on all day

about all my favorites but ill

let the photos do the talking in

this case.

AwardsSwell Sculpure Festival Award – Daniel Clemmett – Keeping up with the Kalashnikovs

Max Fabre Foundation Environmental Awareness Award - Mike Van Dam – Intervention

Jennie Neumann OAM Emerging Artist Award – Glen Star – Erebus

Groove Café Artist Peer Award – Jina Lee - Harmony

Currumbin Beach SLSC People’s Choice Award – Ivan Lovatt – Wolf

School of Humanities Griffith University Kids Choice Award - Filthy Luker & Pedro Estrellas - Octopus Attacks

Environment

This is a topic we have been extremely

passionate about for some time, and in a way,

was one of the driving forces behind creating

Holistic Living and HL e-magazine. We all

know it is important to know where our food is

coming from and what is in that food, but now

food companies have become more cunning

in hiding the ingredients we, as an informed

society are trying to avoid. One of those

ingredients is Palm Oil. Read on and you will be

amazed at what cupboard favourites contain

this (mostly) environmentally un-friendly and

unsustainable oil.

What is Palm Oil?

Palm oil is a type of vegetable oil derived from

the fruit of the oil palm tree. Its origins are

traced back to West Africa. Palm oil is grown

and exported globally from Africa, North and

South America and throughout Asia. However

these days most of the palm oil (85%) used in

the products we purchase is imported from

Palm oil plantations in Malaysia and Indonesia.

Why should we avoid Palm Oil?

The production of this oil is linked to many

environmental and social injustices. Including

the degradation of animal, and rainforest

habitats, as well as the exploitation of the

indigenous peoples of the

lands. In order to grow the oil

palm, hectares of rainforest

are being cleared annually to

make room for the plantations.

The destruction of these

rainforests in Malaysia and

Indonesia in particular has

brought many species under

threat. Studies have shown

that species such as the

Orangutan could be extinct

within the next 5-10years as a

direct impact of deforestation.

How do I avoid Palm Oil?

Currently 40-50% of all

household products contain

palm oil. It is becoming

increasingly harder to know

whether a product contains

palm oil. This is because

there are no government

regulations and because of

public outcry against the use

of the product, the producers

have cunningly come up with

a list of different names to

disguise the fact their product

contains it. There are currently over 200

different names for Palm Oil, therefore making

it harder for the consumer to be aware when

buying their groceries.

Thankfully there are many websites out

there that have done the hard work for you.

Our favorite is Palmoilinvestigations.org.

They have a great little resource that you can

download and cut out to fit into your wallet

with a list of alternative names companies use

to disguise their use of Palm Oil.

You can find it on this link

palmoilinvestigations.org/names-for-palm-oil

The wonderful people at Palm Oil Investigations

Australia have also compiled a list of Australian

products containing Palm oil as well as an

alternative similar product so you can make

an informed choice next time you do your

shopping. I have listed a few below, but please

make sure you check out this website for the

full list. They are also working on a handy app

so you can just scan a barcode when you are

out shopping and the app will tell you if the

product is palm oil free or not. How great is

that!

WHAT CONTAINS PALM OIL?

Bakery and Bread Products

Coles Bakery Breads

Woolworths Bakery Breads

Mission Wraps (certified)

Alternative Bread Products

Abbotts Bakery

Mountain Bread Wraps

Sourdough Bread

Candle Products

Angels Rising

Ecoya

Dusk (certified)

Naturally Inspired

Alternatives Candles

Eco soy Candles

Handmade in Bellingen

Heaven on a wick

Cheese Products

Coles Deli Danish Fetta

Mayers Fetta Cheese

Picasso Foods Marinated

Creamy Fetta Cheese

Alternative Cheese products

Coles Australian style Fetta

Dodoni Fetta

Southcape Persian Fetta and

Crumbled Fetta

Chocolate Products

Belgian Seashells

Cadbury chocolates

Hersheys cookies and cream

Mars Bar

Alternative Chocolate

Cadbury chocolate without

fillings

Hersheys Kisses

Just Organic (Aldi)

The list goes on so make sure

you check out the website for

a full list of products including

cleaning and skin care.

You can also give this great

not for profit organization a

donation to help them continue to research and fight against

this extremely destructive and unnecessary oil. Do you have

a Palm oil free or know of someone that has a Palm Oil free

product?

We would love you to jump on our facebook page and let

everyone know!

For more information, please visit any of the links below:

www.palmoilinvestigations.org/products-australia

www.saynotopalmoil.com/Whats_the_issue.php

www.wwf.org.au/our_work/saving_the_natural_world/

forests/palm_oil/

Words Josephine Flynn.

Pictures – Bravehearts and Jade Hopeley

If you’re local to the Gold Coast, chances

are you’ve had the pleasure of witnessing

Claude, pushing his lawnmower from Hope

Island to Tweed Heads on his annual walk

for Bravehearts. Having currently walked

somewhere between 16-17,000km for those

in need, Claude is the absolute epitomy of an

inspirational person.

We’re sitting in a Café, waiting in anticipation

Inspirational Human

to meet one of the most

inspirational people we would

ever come across. Jade says

to me “Here he comes.” I turn

and see Claude, dressed in his

Braveheart whites, pushing

his trusty lawnmower, with

a selection of his personal

photo albums resting on his

mechanical friend. We stand

up and walk over to shake his

hand and introduce ourselves.

Greeting us with a welcoming

smile and lively blue eyes,

Claude takes a seat (once we’d

negotiated the famous lawn

mower) and opens the first of

many photo albums.

The afternoon continues

with the three of us flicking

through the albums; us asking

questions prompted by the

photos and ample newspaper

articles he has accumulated

over the 15 years, and Claude

enthusiastically reliving every

moment – the ups and the

down – along the way. “Why

a lawnmower?” We ask.

“Well I owned a landscaping

and lawn mowing business

and I was pushing my lawn

mower one day and I thought

“Listen mate, if you just walk,

no one’s gonna take notice of

ya, but if you decorate this

lawnmower, everyone, the

whole World, is gonna notice

ya!”

Claude was sitting with his

family one night when news

broke that two local girls in

the neighbourhood (aged

three and four) had been

sexually assaulted by their 16

year old next door neighbour.

“He was basically given a pat

on the back and told never to

do it again but those girls got

a life sentence. I turned to

my family and said “I’m going

to raise $1 million to raise

awareness, so this will never

happen again.” And so, his

journey to help the vulnerable

began.

“I started with the Gold Coast

Project for Homeless Youth

and raised $203,000 for

them. Then 11 years ago, my

granddaughters school had a

talk from Bravehearts. The

next day I went into their

office and said I wanted to

help them raise money and I

wanted to walk for them.” So

far, Claude’s incredible efforts

have raised a staggering

$710,000….but that’s just for

Bravehearts!

One of the albums we were

stuck on was full of newspaper

articles of the people Claude

has helped and the mammoth

walks Claude has completed

to raise money for those in

need. He tells us two stories

of children whose lives he has

changed forever. “I read about

Tameka in the newspaper.

She really needed a stomach

transplant, but the only place

it was done was in America. I

ended up raising $12,500 for

her and she got to America

and got the surgery. Yeah

(smiles)… that was great.” We

find it hard to believe that he

just lists off the amounts of

money he’s raised for each

project straight off the top

of his head, as if we were

talking a couple of dollars here

and there, not hundreds of

thousands of dollars.

“There was another young

girl that I’d read about. Her

family really wanted to get

her to the Son-Rise Program,

it’s an autism treatment

centre in America. I ended

up raising $17,500 for them

and they got her over there.”

He pauses and thinks. “I was

at the Pines Shopping centre

sometime after that and her

Mum came running up to me,

and she was crying. She gave

me a hug and said “Thanks to

you, my daughter is talking a

lot more and doesn’t need to

wear nappies anymore”. Yeah,

it feels really good.”

After these two stories

we’re blown away with how

humble Claude is about his

achievements. We ask him

how his family feel about

everything he’s done and he

becomes visibly emotional.

“My family…my son is that

proud….is that proud of me

that he is going to do seven

marathons in seven days to

raise money for Bravehearts.”

This he exclaims through

bloodshot eyes and a beaming

smile. “Isn’t that great?” He

asks us, and of course we could

do nothing but absolutely

agree with him. It seems

inspiration runs in the Harvey

genes.

We turn back to the folder full

of articles and Jade finds one that seems overly

impressive. “You walked from Mt Isa to the

Gold Coast?”

“Yep.” He simply replies, nodding. “That was

exciting!”

“I bet it was!” Jade laughs.

“I got chased by three bulls, two dogs and a

woman on that trip.” We all start laughing

“What was the woman chasing you for?”

We ask, as if the bulls and the dogs weren’t

interesting enough.

“Oh she stole my bucket in Ipswich.” Apparently

all the people Claude comes across aren’t the

giving type. “Yeah, I got it back though. I

chased after her and she threw it on the ground

and kept running. Some people then helped me

pick the money up, got some tape and helped

me sticky tape my bucket back together.”

Not even a robbery can stop Claude, he’s got a

mission and he’s not going to let anyone get in

his way. “If I was raising money for cancer, or

the surf club it would be a lot easier. Because

it’s for Bravehearts and talking about child

sexual assault, some people just don’t want to

know about it. They may have had it happen

to them, or they find it confronting, so they

can make it really difficult for me. I’ve been

punched, robbed, abused mentally, but it’s

such an important message and I just need to

get it out. 1 in 3 girls and 1 in 5 boys are being

affected by it, so it’s happening right under our

noses.”

It’s evident how passionate Claude is about his

cause as his eyes begin to redden “I’d die for

these kids. I wouldn’t care if I died half way

to Sydney ‘cause I’d die for what I believed in.

And the education programs

are working!”

Claude’s fundraising skills

aren’t just restricted to the

sunshine state. Tasmania

has also had the pleasure of

witnessing Claude’s dedication

and has benefited greatly from

his 60 day visit earlier this

year. “I raised $69,500 down

there and was told when I got

back, that if I hadn’t raised

that money, the Tasmanian

branch (of Bravehearts) would

have closed down!”

When asked what he’d be

doing if he wasn’t pushing his

trusty lawnmower, he laughs

and replies “What would I

be doing? Oh, annoying my

wife and getting into trouble

probably.”

So what’s on the horizon for

Claude Harvey? Lots it seems,

he feels he has a lot more work

to do yet and can’t see himself

stopping anytime soon.

“I might do another walk

in November/December

because the Watson family

want to take Hannah back to

America, but I’m not sure yet.

In January I’m going to walk

from Tweed Heads to Sydney,

inland via Glen Innes. That

should get me to the $1 million

mark.”

Claude has two immediate

goals on the horizon. First, hit

his goal of raising $1 million

(currently sitting at a jaw

dropping $954,000). Once

that goal is reached, he then

wants to raise $1 million just

for Bravehearts. “So far I’ve

made $710,000, but I guess

once I hit the $1 million, then

I’ll want to raise $2 million.”

He says with a cheeky grin.

Claude has just been notified that he is one

of ten finalists in the Regional Achievements

Award. We applaud him for everything he has

done over the last fifteen years and think he

should now be nominated for Australian of the

Year. To find out more about what Claude is up

to, or if you’d like to know more information

about Bravehearts, follow the links below:

W - www.bravehearts.org.au

F - www.facebook.com/claude.bravehearts

W - www.autismtreatmentcenter.org

Claudes efforts so far$750 – Blind Society

$10,000 – Coast to Coast Community Care

$203,000 – Gold Coast Project for Homeless

Youth

$17,500 – The Watson Family

$12,500 – Stomach transplant for local girl

Tameka

$710,000 - Bravehearts

AKOVAWords – Jade Hopley. Pictures – Care of Akova

This is a man with a message and an inherent need to make

music and make people happy. From the first strum of his guitar

your foot will be tapping, by the time he sings the first line your

head will have joined your foot, and as soon as he beats the first

drum you’ll be on the dance floor shakin’ what your Mumma

gave ya! We recently had a chat to the man to find out just how

he became the One-man, eight instrument extraordinaire…........

Music

1. We hear you are currently

on the road touring the east

coast. What’s your favourite

memory of the tour so far?

So many good memories, how

do you choose? From packing

the van and driving down the

highway, that total feeling of

freedom. Then there are all

the venues and the supporters

(which I call Earth Recruits),

who have been amazing. So

basically the whole tour so far

has been one big fat awesome

memory.

The tour is promoting my new

single Time To Stand, which

has been really well received

around the country. It’s a song

I have been wanting to write

for a little while. It concerns

me that people are having

to work so hard just to stay

afloat. Families are suffering.

I see political decisions getting

stranger and stranger. I heard

the other day that common

sense is becoming a super

power! Fracking is a concern

to me; this is also mentioned, so maybe it is

Time To Stand! I am also calling upon people to

send in their own Time To Stand photos, which

I will use for the music clip. The response has

been incredible. Photos are coming in from all

over the world and Oz. Hope to have the clip

up soon.

2. How long have you been playing music?

I have been playing music my whole life pretty

much. When I was about 8 yrs old I was on a

drive with the old man and a song came on the

radio by a guy called Donovan. The song was

Sunshine Superman. That was it, I was hooked!

Guitar shopping time!

3. How did you become a one-man, eight

instrument extraordinaire?

I guess when you’ve played in bands, trios and

duos there comes a time when you want to

see what you can do on your own. Plus always

wanting to be a drummer and percussionist,

collaborating them all together sounded fun.

4. Who is you biggest influence?

I would have to say Donovan, he started it all

for me. His lyrics are uplifting, environmentally

conscious and quirky. Along with some unique

instruments played beautifully.

5. You write such fun, uplifting songs. Tell us

about your song writing process?

I write with my heart and at the moment I

have a very happy one! It’s all about emotion

with me. Sure there are things out there that

concern me, but instead of getting too involved

with the mean and nasty, I let it flow in, write

a song, voice my opinion in a message and let

it flow out. It is something I have learnt in life,

don’t hold onto the negative. Let it in then let it

straight out.

6. What is in the pipeline for Akova?

To bring a little peace, love and harmony

into everybody’s house. Other than that, not

really sure what’s in the pipeline. I’m more

of a dreamer than a planner. I just follow my

gut and I go with the flow. In this industry

everything can change with a phone call or

email. I like surprises so it suits me fine.

7. What local musicians are you diggin’ right

now?

I’m really lovin’ Steve Smyth at the moment.

He is a breathe of fresh air for Aussie music,

love his style. Always into the uplifting tunes

of the Cat Empire and am big fan of my friends

Tijuana Cartel. The beats ‘n’ rhythms and Paul

Georges guitar playing, those boys rip.

Keep up to date with Akova’s

love and music adventures

here:

W - www. akova.com.au

F - www.facebook.com/AkovaMusic

T - www.twitter.com/akovamusic

SAR AH HOWELLS

Words: Josephine Flynn.

Pictures: Jade Hopley

Having one of the coolest jobs in music, the

Roots N All and Weekend Lunch presenter

is the perfect example of persistence paying

off. Having a love of music from a young age,

Sarah’s passion for new and interesting music

landed her in the triple j studios meeting,

playing and promoting some of the most

excellent local and international musicians on

the planet. We caught up with Sarah recently

in her West End home to talk about festivals,

awkward phone calls, dreads and spinning the

decks.

Music

Describe for us how your love

affair with music began?

My house was always filled

with music as a child, as

my Dad is a musician and a

huge lover of music. I would

always dance around the

house, putting on singing

performances for my family,

and started going to dance

class when I was around 4

years old. I guess my love of

music was always there, but

it became more of a conscious

choice for me when I was

14. That was the year that

I discovered triple j on my

radio dial, the year that

Silverchair made me realise

there was more to life than

Top 40 music, and shortly

after that my hometown of

Murwillumbah hosted its

first festival. I just couldn’t

get enough – music made me

feel a freedom that nothing

else had before, and as a

nerdy, shy, teenage girl in a

regional town it made me feel

really connected.

Did you always know you wanted to be

involved in music as a career?

I actually never thought that music would be

a career for me. I knew that I would always

be doing something with music, because I

absolutely loved it, but I assumed that I would

have to work a day job to pay the bills and be

involved in music for fun in my spare time.

People always told me that there was no

money in the arts, and how difficult it was to

get work. A pivotal moment for me was at that

hometown festival when I was 15. It was the

first real live gig that I had gone to, and as I

stood there in the mosh pit the feeling of being

part of something so much bigger than myself

was monumental. At that moment, standing

in the middle of a crowd jumping around to

Spiderbait, I knew that I wanted to share that

amazing feeling with as many other people as

I could. So, I guess I never knew it was going to

be a career, but I just knew I needed to share

this feeling with others.

How did you score a job at Triple J?

Persistence and patience. When I was 15 years

old I told my school careers advisor that I

wanted to work for triple j, and his response

was “everyone says that” and I should be more

realistic. So, I forgot about it for a while, but still

continued to volunteer in the industry. I did

poster runs, edited street press,

booked all ages gigs, wrote for

and distributed street press,

did event management, saw

loads of gigs, and went to Uni.

I volunteered my time in all of

those roles for about 8 years,

and then had the opportunity

to work at Bay FM in Byron,

producing and presenting a

show with a team of other

people as part of the Work

for the Dole program. When

the funding ran out for that

project, Bay FM asked me

to continue presenting the

program, which I did for about

8 months. During that time

I managed to get the contact

details for Costa Zouliou, who

was running the Brisbane

office of triple j at the time. I

sent my resume and an air

check through, just asking if

I could come and look around

the office. Luckily for me

he said yes, and I ended up

volunteering once a week for

a year, and moving to Brisbane

to do it. I also did a little work at 4ZZZ in

Brisbane during that year, presenting Sunday

morning breakfast. I was still there because I

loved it, and I got such a buzz out of rocking

up every Friday to label CDs and open mail.

Then, after almost 9 years total of volunteering

in music, I was given a graveyard shift at triple

j. In hindsight that seems like a long time, but

I always had multiple projects on the go and

just loved what I was doing so much in each

moment that I definitely didn’t think about it

as a chore. I just followed my heart and what

made me feel good, and it all worked out in the

end.

Do you think working at Triple J has exposed

you to more to up and coming talent, or were

you already spending a lot of time looking/

listening to new and interesting artists?

I was definitely always interested in up and

coming artists, and I have been passionate

about local music since I was in high school.

Coming from a small town, there were always

young bands that I thought should be getting

more love than they were. It’s awesome to be

in a position where I can give smaller artists a

broader audience. For me that’s what it’s always

been about – sharing this great new artist I just

discovered with my friends, and finding out

about their favourite new stuff too. Working

at triple j has definitely meant that new music

hunts me down as much as I am looking for it,

which does make life easier sometimes!

We know you’ve already met some stupidly

incredible people, but who has been your top

3 so far?

Oh, that’s always such a difficult question!

There are a lot of incredible people in the world,

and I have been lucky enough to meet and chat

to a few of them. The first in-person interview

I ever did for triple j was a live-to-air backstage

chat with Michael Franti at Bluesfest. That

was pretty incredible, as I had been a massive

Franti fan for years, and I was freaking out not

only about meeting him, but also about using

this new piece of equipment I’d never touched

before and doing my first live-to-air interview.

It all went really well though, and Michael was

super-lovely and gave me free reign on his

rider and backstage space. I’ve met him a few

times since then and he’s always lovely. George

Clinton was also a highlight – that man is equal

parts incredible and crazy,

and I love it! I can’t wait to

have him back in the country

for Bluesfest. Eric Bibb is one

of the most beautiful people

that I’ve ever interviewed, too.

He just has such a gentle way

about him, and it’s always a

pleasure to get to chat to him.

But honestly, there are so

many incredible people in the

world, and not all of them are

the big superstar names. I just

feel so lucky that I get to meet

so many wonderful people in

this job, and in life in general.

Have you ever been star

struck?

Oh absolutely! The Michael

Franti example is a classic

one! I was also massively

star struck when ex-triple j

presenter Robbie Buck called

me to ask if I would report on

a gig for him. It was my first

ever on-air spot for triple j

and I was both scared and

excited, but when Robbie

called me he said “Hey Sarah,

it’s Robbie Buck from triple

j” and I responded “Yeah I’m

good, how are you?” Whoops.

I still get star struck these

days, but at the same time I try

to remember that we are all

just human at the end of the

day. I guess I get more excited

and nervous than star struck

– is that the same thing? My

latest one was when I got to

interview Ben Harper and his

mum Ellen on the same phone

call. I’d been trying to get an

interview with him for years,

but I was pretty happy that it

ended up being for this album.

The banter between him and

his mum was so lovely, and it

felt like we were just hanging

out in the family living room.

Prior to the phone call I was

super-nervous though!

Who is still on your “bucket

list” to meet and interview?

Wow, I don’t know! I just love

finding out other people’s

stories and getting to meet

people from all walks of

life. I can’t think of anyone

specific – it would probably

be someone that I don’t even

know exists yet! Or maybe

all of the Marley clan? I’ve

spoken to Damian before, but

that was many years ago now!

I’d love to chat to the next gen

of Marleys – Daniel Bambaata

and Jo Mersa. What a legacy!

Part of your job is to get out

and about at festivals, what’s

your favourite?

Hands down Island Vibe and

WOMADelaide! We are so

lucky that there are so many

awesome festivals to choose

from in this country, and it

is relatively easy to travel

around to them. Island Vibe

is just so chilled out, and

feels as much like a holiday

camping on the beachfront

for the weekend as it does a

music festival. The location is

absolutely gorgeous, and the

line up is usually pretty sweet

– so much reggae and a great

mix of local and international

acts. WOMADelaide is also

gorgeous – it is held in Botanic

Park and is easily the most well

organised festival I’ve been to.

The mix of world music artists

there is second to none, and it is always such a

fun weekend. If you haven’t made the trek to

Adelaide for it, I strongly suggest that you do.

So good!

We love that you’re always promoting local

musicians from this area, what locals do you

recommend our readers check out?

There’s so much good new music coming out

of the Gold Coast at the moment! Your readers

are probably all across it, but two artists I’m

loving right now are Karl S Williams and

Felicity Lawless. Both of their latest albums are

awesome, and well worth checking out!

We know you’re a big fan of yoga, how long

have you been practising for and how much of

an influence does it have over your daily life?

I’ve been practicing on and off sporadically for

about 15 years. I’m definitely not a daily-yogi,

although that is my aim. I absolutely love it –

yoga strengthens my mind, body and spirit all

at once. It also provides me with some serious

downtime, which I am terrible at taking for

myself. It is such a beautiful practise, and so

good to connect at that very simple level with

myself. I’ve been putting

together some yoga playlists

lately too, and I’m super keen

to get involved in more yoga

and music collaborations - it is

just so much fun!

We have to ask…how does it

feel having the dreads gone

and what prompted the big

change?

It feels great! I love having

the ability to run my fingers

through my hair, to wash my

hair at night and have it dry

before bed, and to be able to

style it a different way every

day if I like. It was a big decision

to change my hair after ten

years, and there were a lot of

factors that came into it. I did

manage to use the exercise

to raise just over $7,000 for

Beyond Blue, which I think

is amazing. I’m so grateful to

everyone who donated to the

cause – it really blew me away.

Finally, what does the rest

of the year hold for Sarah

Howells?

I’ll be on your radio for the

rest of the year, presenting

Roots N All and Weekend

Lunch, as per usual. You’ll also

see me popping up on Double

J radio presenting a J Files or

two soon. I’ve got a few other

projects on the go, including

more DJ gigs, and from

November I’ll be curating a

weekly Sunday session at new

Brisbane venue Triffid. That’s

pretty exciting, actually! Every

Sunday arvo you’ll find me at

Triffid, DJing between some

awesome roots artists and

hanging out in the sunshine.

You should come check it out!

I’m also launching a new

project called Sajana Designs!

I make wearable art -

headpieces and necklaces,

for festivals, brides, tribal

bellydance and just for fun. It’s

been a hobby of mine for ages,

and people keep telling me I

should sell them so I’m making

them available. Some are pre-

made, but I also love making

custom designed pieces - each

is one of a kind! Check out my

Facebook page and contact me

if there’s something you’d like!

It’s still early stages for this

project, but I’m super excited

about it.

Keep up with what Sarah is up

to here:

W - www.abc.net.au/triplej/roots/

F - www.facebook.com/sajanadesigns

ECO CHALLENGE GOLD COASTare looking for volunteers with expertise that can assist with their surfrider foundation fundraising event. The event scheduled for March 15, 2015 at Tugun Surf Life Saving Club as part of the Bleach Festival. It is a free, family friendly, surfing, lifestyle, community event which will comply with sustainable event management guidelines and promote alternative surfing products & services & the natural & social environment.

Volunteers:Event OrganiserAdmin AssistantGraphic ArtistWeb Developer with Wordpress & Nation Builder experienceMarketingSocial MediaStudents can apply for an internship. Accreditation & recognition of voluntary work will be given to all hands on supporters.Please contactGreg HowellClimate Wave Enterprisesgreg@ecochallengegoldcoast.com or 0414 939 942

SPRING CLEANSEWords and Pictures by Kelly Fielding

After the hibernating period of winter,

Spring always inspires a period of cleansing

and rejuvenating as we automatically move

towards lighter, more vibrant food. A cleanse

or detox is a wonderful way to kick start

the body and introduce some healthy eating

patterns that can continue through the

warmer months.

Our bodies automatically perform the natural

process of elimination and neutralizing toxins

though the colon, liver, kidneys, lungs, lymph

system and skin. Over time, regardless of

how healthy a life we maintain, toxins in the

Nutrition

form of fat, old fecal matter,

mineral deposits and toxic

chemicals accumulate in

various organs and tissues

in the body, affecting their

operation and efficiency.

Doing a gentle cleanse

periodically can help to

restore vitality to the body

and flush out toxins that can

otherwise lead to viruses,

bacteria, parasites or disease.

The body also uses a

significant amount of energy

for digestion, therefore

when fasting or cleansing,

the digestive organs can rest

and energy can be diverted

towards rejuvenating tissue

and cells. A cleanse can

also help to restore immune

system functionality, restore

good digestion and return

the body’s metabolic process

to an optimum state.

A gentle weekend detox can

be a great way to give your

body a rest from the stress

of the modern world-from

both environmental pollutants and dietary

substances such as sugar, gluten, alcohol,

caffeine, dairy, chemical food additives

and pesticides. All of these factors place a

tremendous burden on the body. While a

longer detox on solely liquids can be very

beneficial, sometimes a gentle weekend

regime can be an easier way for people to fit

a break into their lives and begin to make real

changes and establish new healthier habits.

In the lead up to your cleansing weekend, cut

down or eliminate these acidic foods such

as caffeine, dairy, alcohol, meat, wheat and

sugar. Try and spend these days eating light,

focusing on raw greens, steamed vegetables,

legumes, beans and raw nuts. You will

find that this will lessen the symptoms of

headaches and withdrawal symptoms as you

move into your cleanse.

Cleansing can trigger various reactions in the

body, these vary greatly and often depend on

your existing state of health and the amount

of toxins present in your body before you

begin your process of detoxing. You may

experience headaches, joint pain and other

mild discomforts. You may find that you shift

between periods of having boundless energy

and mental clarity, while other times you

may feel weak and tired and just wish to rest.

These are all normal detox reactions as the

toxins move out of your body.

When you are ready to break your fast, take

several days to transition back to a normal

way of eating again. Continue with smoothies,

juices and gentle soups or salads for the first

day or two. The body will continue to detox

and cleanse due to the natural sweeping

motion of the fiber in the fruit and vegetables.

The longer you stay on primarily raw and

plant based foods, the longer your body will

detox for.

To assist your cleanse you may also like to

consider these points-

-Upon rising each day drink a cup of warm

water with the juice of a half a lemon. This

stimulates the bowels and detoxes the liver.

-The skin is the body’s largest eliminative

organ, therefore saunas and steam rooms are

great for purification and the elimination of

toxins and heavy metals through the skin.

Dry skin brushing is also excellent to remove

outer layers of dead skin and keeping the

pores open.

-Massage therapy, especially lymphatic

and deep tissue massage, is very useful and

supportive during a detox as it helps to move

toxins from stored areas in the body that are

then eliminated through the colon.

-Mild exercise, light yoga and

short walks also help to keep

the lymphatic fluid moving

and the vascular system

working.

-Make time to do things you

enjoy whether that may be

listening to music, reading

a book, writing in a journal,

playing an instrument or

doing some gentle gardening.

-Write and reflect, make

notes in a journal about

changes you notice in your

body, how your thoughts

are and emotions you are

experiencing. Jot down any

powerful insights that may

have come to you. When the

body has time to rest and

slow down and digestion is

given a chance to unwind,

there is often a sensation of

more clarity and emotion.

-Take a relaxing warm bath in

Epsom salts. The Epson salts

are high in magnesium which

allows the muscles to relax

and also helps to detoxify the

lymphatic system.

-Make sure you get to sleep

nice and early and aim for

a full 8 hours so that your

body has time to rest and

rejuvenate thoroughly.

-For any cleansing period

it is important to plan times

to meditate, rest, exercise,

gently and to get plenty of

fresh air and sunshine.

Here are a handful of recipes

for you to use as a guide.

Focus on plenty of raw fruits

and vegetables, keep food

combinations very simple

and remember to eat slowly

and chew thoroughly.

Alkaline Green Smoothie

1 cup of coconut water or filtered water

1 stalk of celery

½ a cucumber

¼ inch piece of grated ginger

1 small green apple chopped

1 tsp spirulina

4-5 kale leaves

1 sprig pf parsley

½ a lemon juiced

Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy, adding more

liquid to reach your desired consistency.

Happy Belly Morning Bowl

2 cups coconut meat

½ cup coconut water

1 teaspoon probiotic powder or one capsule

Blend coconut meat and water until smooth and creamy.

Add the probiotic powder and blend briefly until combined

You can enjoy the yogurt fresh or you can leave it out at room

temperature for 12 hours to allow it to ferment and then keep

the jar in the fridge again for 1 day. This will give the yogurt a

sour, tangy taste like regular yogurt.

Top the yogurt with-

½ a small ripe papaya diced

1 passion fruit and a good squeeze of lime juice.

Dawn Fruit Bowl

½ a medium size papaya

1 large banana

I mango

I avocado

1 tablespoon of goji berries

1 tablespoon of dried mulberries

1 tablespoon of chopped activated almonds

1 lime

1 passionfruit

Chop the papaya, banana, mango and avocado into bite sized chunks.

Mix in a bowl with the goji berries, mulberries and almonds.

Top with a squeeze of lime and the pulp from a passionfruit.

Simple is Best Salad

1 cup of fresh leafy greens

1 teaspoon of dulse flakes

½ a ripe avocado cubed

½ a large cucumber diced

1 teaspoons of flax seed or hemp seed oil

½ a lime juiced

a pinch of salt

½ cup sunflower sprouts

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.

Top with sunflower sprouts and enjoy.

For more information on nutrition, visit Kelly’s

website and keep up to date with her facebook page:

W - www.bellaandbhakti.com

FB - www.facebook.com/bellaandbhakti

Words = Jade Hopley

FEARLESS, PASSIONATE

DETERMINED, STRONG,

COMMITTED…

I could spend all day listing

synonyms to describe the

subjects of this next article. I

guess if you hadn’t already read

the title you would find it hard

to believe I am using these words

to describe a bunch of kids.

These kids are kicking goals BIG

TIME! They have been fortunate

enough to find their true passion

in life, riding waves and tearing

up the pavement on skateboards.

These kids are the next

generation of champions set to

take on the world and change

the face of their chosen sports

forever and they are right here

in our backyard, getting up at the

crack of dawn to practice their

craft. A common thread we see

with each Grom, is that they have

extremely supportive parents

behind them encouraging, but

not pushing their children to

follow their dreams.

GROMSTHAT RIP

Surf/Skate

How old were you when you started surfing/skating?  

I started surfing when I was 4 and a half and then started

skating about 2 months later, I have just turned 6.

Do you want to compete and possibly make surfing a career?

I compete at Snapper Boardriders and I have just got home from

BL’s Blast off in Sydney. I won this comp last year and again this

year. It is the best grom comp ever, soooooo much fun!!  I really

want to make the WCT (World Championships Tour) and travel

the world surfing and skating

What’s your favourite thing about surfing? 

Going to new breaks and meeting new people. It’s very fun to

get barrelled and make a big snaps.

You’re also a pretty rad skater we hear. Which of the two sports

do you prefer? 

I like both the same. When there are no waves I skate but when

there are waves I want to surf. 

What was it like the first time you paddle out and caught your

first wave? 

My first wave was fun but a bit boring because it wasn’t big

enough. I really really love to surf BIG waves! One day I really

want to surf Shipsterns, Teahupoo and Ours. We went and

watched some guys surf Ours it was about 10-15 foot and it was

amazing to watch. When I am bigger I am going out there. 

If you want to follow my adventures you can check out my

instagram page @theflyingsquirrel_ or my youtube channel

www.youtube.com/user/TheFlyingSquirrel08

(aka the flying squirrel.) QUINCY

DEMBEHow old were you when you started surfing/skating?

I was 3 when I started skating, & about 5 when I started surfing.

Do you want to compete and possibly make surfing a career?

Yes I already compete on a short board & a long board. I would

love to have surfing as my job, so I could go to the best surf

places in the world.

What’s your favorite thing about surfing?

My favourite things about surfing are having fun and trying

new manoeuvres and getting barrelled.

You’re also a pretty rad skater we hear. Which of the two sports

do you prefer?

Surfing, because it doesn’t hurt as much when you u come off

your board and I generally know more people in the surf. But I

still love the skate park.

What was it like the first time you paddle out and caught your

first wave?

I thought I was ripping, but I was actually getting pushed on to

waves and just standing up on a 6’2” single fin.

NYXIEHow old were you when you started surfing/skating?

I started surfing when I was 9, I was riding a skate board by the

time I was 5.

Do you want to compete and possibly make surfing a career?

Yes I love competing. This year I got 3rd in the under 12 girls at

NSW State titles, and have more comps coming up in the next

few months between Coffs and the Sunny Coast. Yes I would

love to have a career in surfing, to be like Steph, Sally & Tyler, to

travel the world surfing.

What’s your favorite thing about surfing?

My favourite things about surfing are being out with my family

and friends, and sessions with my coach Jenny. ( I love nailing

what she teaches me).

My least favourite thing about surfing was being out of the

water for 2 months, after being bitten on the hand by a shark

earlier this year.

You’re also a pretty rad skater we hear. Which of the two sports

do you prefer?

Surfing for sure, but when the surf is bad I love to skate.

What was it like the first time you paddle out and caught your

first wave?

I can’t remember my first wave, but I do remember the first

day I decided to surf. I went out in the white water and was

determined to do it.

Sabre NorrisHow old were you when you started skating/surfing?

I think I was 7 when I got really into surfing and skating.

Do you want to compete and possibly make skating a career?

I do a comp every year for my skating it’s called ABC bowl comp.

I love to do it because the best skaters in the world come skate

my local bowl and I get to watch them. I accidently dropped in

on Pedro this year. He is the best skater in the world he was

really nice to me.

What’s your Favorite thing about skating?

I love that in skating you are the boss you can do it how you

want to. There is no teacher telling you how you should skate

it’s just your brain. I like this the most

You’re also a pretty rad surfer we hear. Which of the two sports

do you prefer?

I don’t know surfing or skating is really hard for me to choose.

I like how in surfing when you fall you don’t get belted by the

concrete. The water is soft and it doesn’t hurt. But I love about

skating there are so many tricks to learn. When you learn a

trick it is the best feeling ever. It feels like a fire cracker went

off in your guts. 

What was it like the first time you pulled off your first trick?

When I landed my mctwist it felt better than Christmas and my

birthday put together. I just felt really proud of myself.

JAY OCCHILLUPOHow old where you when you started surfing?

I was about one when my dad started standing on a board with

me, But I was about two when he started pushing me into waves.

When did you know that you wanted to compete and possibly

make surfing a career?

As soon as I was getting out there by myself I knew that I wanted

to make a career in surfing.

Congrats on being added to team billabong! What’s that like?

Being on the billabong team is a blast. Everyone is so nice and

friendly and the team riders are really nice too.

You’re also a pretty rad skater we hear. Which of the two sports

do you prefer?

Well if the surf is flat I definitely want to skate, but if there is

surf I definitely want to surf. So I would probably choose surfing.

What was it like the first time you paddled into the big, heavy

waves in Hawaii?

It was really fun. The first time I surfed Hawaii was during the

2013 Pipe masters when my Dad and I stayed at the Billabong

house. I had fun surfing Pipeline and Backdoor and stuff but its

really different to the Gold Coast, its much heavier and the reef

is different, because there is no reef on the Gold Coast.

Do you have any comps coming up locally, that our readers

could come down and watch and show their support?

Yeah definitely the Parko Grom Comp is coming up in Caloundra

from the 6th - 9th of November. If your in the area definitely

come its going to be a blast!

For this issue, we’ve done something different to our usual “Sweet Street” spot. Since living on the Gold Coast,

we’d heard so much about the Ecovillage at Currumbin that we just had to get out there and see for ourselves. We

discovered there were so many “sweet streets” in this buzzing sustainable community that it had to have a space all to

itself. Ladies and Gentleman, we introduce you to The Ecovillage. Words – Josephine Flynn / Pictures – Jade Hopley.

THE ECOVILLAGESWEET STREET

CURRUMBIN CREEK ROAD

Nestled in the picturesque Currumbin Valley, just 7 minutes’ drive from the

beach, there is an innovative and environmentally conscious community that’s

home to around 300 residents, 147 species of birds, swamp wallabies, grey and

red neck kangaroos and an abundance of native flora and fauna. The idea for

this inspirational community was created by the late Chris Walton, his wife

Kerry Shepherd and close friend Colin Bear, who together formed a company

called Landmatters.

“We went to an expo in 1995 called The Living City which was just fabulous, it

had speakers from all over the world come and talk and it was the first time we’d

heard the word “sustainability” used in terms of human habitation. We were

really inspired by it and wanted to build a duplex in Budds Beach (where we were

living at the time) that used solar power and some form of recycled water, we

weren’t really sure how, but the idea was there. So that started us on the journey.

Instead of a duplex, we did this (laughs)…took a little bit longer and was a little bit

bigger.” Kerry tells us when asked about how the idea was born.

“We spent two years doing research, travelled around the World on our

Ecovillage tour honeymoon and spent time at communities and villages that were

at the forefront of sustainability practices. Our vision was to inspire Sustainable

Living and Practices in the development industry by creating the world’s best

environmental development. We made the vision and wrote it down in our

garage visioning workshop in 1999 and achieved it in 2008.” Once they found

the perfect place to make their

dream a reality and sought

permission from the local

Indigenous Kombumerri tribe

The Ecovillage began to take

shape.

Not one single native tree has

been removed from the site to

make room for the houses that

now inhabit the area. “We let

the site tell us where to build.

We used ‘soft engineering’

techniques which utilise the

existing contours of the land.

We don’t have any storm

water drains, we use swale

drainage. When it rains here,

every single drop stays here

and either waters vegetation,

creates fauna habitats or

percolates back into the water

table.” It’s evident when

wandering around the site

that this use of swale drainage

is working beautifully. “It

hasn’t rained here in a few

weeks, and as you can see,

everything is still beautiful

and green.” Kerry explains as

we move around the lots.

When creating the lots, not

one site in the 280 acres has

been excavated. The houses

do not sit on concrete slabs,

instead, all of the houses sit

up off the ground to allow for

maximum air flow under the

house, easy termite inspection

and allows for the swale

drainage to work its magic.

“Why not work with nature

instead of against it?” Kerry

simply asks and as we continue to work our

way around the oasis, we start to wonder why

more architects, builders and developers aren’t

taking on the same principal. “We’re not doing

anything new here, we’ve gone back in time,

doing a lot of things how they used to be done.”

When buying a plot of land out here, there are

strict regulations (covenants) each home owner

needs to adhere to before their house plans

gets the thumbs up from the Ecovillage Village

Design Panel. These include mandatory solar

hot water with gas backup, no air conditioners,

a percentage of recycled materials and an

element of thermal mass in each home. Eaves

on the houses (allowing winter sun penetration

but keeping the summer sun out), sloped

ceilings to allow the maximum amount of light

and air flow and the houses need to face the

right way. Another interesting requirement

that the local community now fiercely protects

is called the dark sky policy. “This was one of

Chris’ ideas that he was really

passionate about. Basically,

from the outside of the homes

looking in, you are not allowed

to see the naked bulb of the

light. It creates an ambient

atmosphere and allows our

residents to be able to go

outside of their homes, look up

into the night sky and still see

the stars. It’s also really good

for the animals, insects and

birds of the area.”

Every inch of the land is

used for a purpose, down to

the trees lining the streets.

“Planted streetscaping is either

native to the area or are nut or

fruit trees. There is a group of

local ladies called the Lemon

Tarts who get together in the

communal kitchen and bake with the seasonal

produce. It’s really nice how the community

is so close. They’re minding each other’s kids,

getting together in their “hamlets” of a Friday

afternoon for BBQ’s or end up around the

wood fire pizza oven of an afternoon with their

families.”

The “hamlets” Kerry is referring to are made

up of between 5-8 homes, centred around a

communal grassed area, or “greenway”. These

areas are there for the residents to use however

they wish, whether it be made up of kids play

equipment and a trampoline, or the residents

deck chairs, they create a lovely neighbourhood

feel and with the site made up of 20% private

lots and 80% open space (the opposite of a

typical development model) there’s plenty of

outdoor space for the residents to enjoy.

Amazingly, this is the first community that has

the permission to “untap” from the city’s water

supply. Each home has at least one water tank

(and you get so used to seeing

them, that they somehow start

to blend into the environment)

and 100% of the used grey and

black water is sent to the on-

site waste water treatment

plant, treated to Class A+

standard and pumped back

to the houses. The Ecovillage

is completely water self-

sufficient. “The Ecovillage has

never had municipal water

restrictions. When the rest

of the Gold Coast was on

them, gardens here were still

beautiful and green.” Kerry

exclaims. She continues on to

talk about how the community

compares to the statistics from

standard houses is South East

Qld. “EV homes use 25% of the

electricity of a standard QLD

home, but they are generating

around 100% of their own

electricity. There’s only 3

houses in here that I know of

that are paying some kind of

electricity bill, and even then,

they’re extremely minimal.”

When it comes to waste, each

house is responsible for their

own. There are no city council

rubbish trucks coming in to

pick up the household rubbish.

Instead, each household takes

their own to the RRR (Reduce,

Reuse, Recycle) centre onsite.

Kerry explains “We did this

for two reasons; one, we didn’t

want trucks coming in here,

driving around making noise

and waking our residents up

at silly times of the morning.

Secondly, we wanted each

household to be responsible

for the waste they were

creating and really thinking

about their environmental

footprint and it’s worked

amazingly.”

Wandering around the community, meeting

the people, witnessing the strong relationships,

viewing the innovative houses and abundance

of wildlife, we just can’t help but wish that

more of these principals become “mainstream”

in the rest of society; how better off would our

World be?

For more information about the Ecovillage,

follow the link below:

W - www.theecovillage.com.au

When I tell people what I do, the most common response is “What is Pilates?” or “Is that the same

as yoga?” I sometimes get over enthusiastic telling the amazing history, benefits and intricate

details of the Pilates method, but it’s hard not to…it’s fascinating! Here is a brief history of Pilates,

the amazing benefits and exactly why I swear by it!

PILATES BY LISA

Wellbeing

Curious what the hype is

all about? Pilates is on trend

in 2014, it is the exercise of

choice for models, celebrities

and athletes to maintain their

highly coveted figures! The

method transforms the way

your body looks, feels and

performs. It builds strength

creating a powerful, well

balanced, toned body.

The Godfather of the method,

Joseph Pilates, was German

born and was far from

healthy as a child. He suffered

from asthma, rickets, and

rheumatic fever just to name

a few! He grew sick and tired

of this and decided to dedicate

his entire life to becoming

physically fit.

When WW I erupted, he was

interned on the Isle of Man

in a prison camp for German

citizens labeled as “enemy

aliens”. It was during this time

that history was made and

he developed his system of

exercises, which he originally

called “Contrology”.

After the war, famous athletes were lining

up to train with Pilates, including the heavy

weight boxer Max Schmelling, who convinced

Joe to emigrate to the USA by financing the

very first Pilates studio on 8th Avenue in New

York City.

By the early 1930s, whispers spread through

the entire country of Joe’s expertise and

his training studio was a celebrity hot spot.

Athletes, dancers and even famous performers

such as Vivien Leigh and Katherine Hepburn

could not get enough of “Contrology”. It became

an intrinsic part of the dancers training and

rehabilitation, a must for any serious ballerina!

Joe continued to teach until the age of 87,

when it is said he succumbed to injuries he

sustained after a fire burned down his studio

and he attempted to salvage what he could.

Some of Pilates first generation instructors

that he mentored himself are still alive and

teaching the method as he did to this very day.

My love affair with Pilates started 13 years ago.

I pleaded with mum to buy me a Pilates video

after seeing an infomercial on TV. I got my

very own video and literally loved it to death! I

did it religiously every morning before school

and on weekends, not missing one single day

in five whole years (yes, even Christmas!). I still

have that video to this day,

it’s special to me because it

made me fall in love with the

method that changed my life.

After completing my Pilates

qualifications in 2009, I hired

the local community hall one

night a week, never expecting

to turn my hobby into a career.

Only months later, the hall

was bursting at the seams…

the class was a success!

People were discovering the

remarkable benefits of Pilates.

We then added more and

more classes to the timetable…

Pilates By Lisa was growing!

To cater to clients who travel,

have children and work erratic

hours, we created our very first

Arm Sculpting DVD. We then

went on to produce 8 more

DVDs, covering all body areas

and specific needs including

back pain and rehabilition,

which Pilates is renowned

for. I had a lot of people from

overseas requesting the DVDs,

however due to shipping

times and high postage, it did

not seem viable. But what if I

could discover a way to reach

people from any country,

anytime, anywhere no matter

their circumstances? With

hard work and persistence,

our online Pilates studio was

born!

Today, five years on, we have

now spread our passion for

Pilates right around the globe

with our online studio “Pilates

By Lisa On Demand” at www.pilatesbylisa.com.

au, where members have unlimited 24/7 access

to over 100 online workouts anytime, anywhere!

Members can access the workouts from any

device including laptops, PC, mobiles and iPads.

Our online studio is the future of fitness, it’s like

having your very own personal trainer in the

comfort of your own home! I am thrilled to be

able to bring health, fitness and the beautiful

scenery of the Gold Coast to people from all over

the world!

So what is all the hype about? Pilates is feeling

great, looking sensational and keeping your

body in peak physical condition.

For more information on Pilates, workouts on

demand or to catch one of Lisa’s classes, follow

the links below.

W - www.pilatesbylisa.com.au

F - www.facebook.com/PilatesByLisa

www.holisticlivingtv.comFacebook: holisticlivingtv

Contributions, advertising and enquiries: Josephine@holisticlivingtv.com

Jade@holisticlivingtv.com