Basil Clegg was sailing across the azure waters of the Caribbean when the shriek of the telephone ripped him from his dream and back into bitter reality. He sat up with a gasp, heart punching its way out of his chest, and scraped around for his glasses. As the dismal scene came into focus, Basil … Continue reading Emergency
Most people have a drawer full of old photos that help them remember the past. I'm not too different from most people, except my drawer is full of photos that let me see the future. I found them a few years ago while I was tidying up the spare room so that my wife, Connie, … Continue reading Pictures: A Love Story
The Drunk and Jobless World Tour has taken me across the globe, from the bottomless lakes of Malawi to the frozen wastelands of Russia, but I’ve always avoided the South Coast of New South Wales. It’s a bloody awesome region with heaps to see and is just 150km from my house, but I hate driving … Continue reading The South Coast with the Most: Huskisson, Berry and Kiama
Kangaroos are funny critters, so imagine how awesome an entire valley full of them must be! Imagine no longer, because there’s such a valley a couple hours outside Sydney – and I went there! After spending an extraordinary evening chatting to magical pixies in the mountains above the town of Kangaroo Valley, I dusted the … Continue reading Kangaroo Valley: Roo-diculously beautiful!
My uncle used to have this old, black and white photo that took pride of place above his dinner table. No matter how many times he moved, that photo was always the first thing anyone would see when they walked into his house. There he was, 22 years old, being chaired around a boxing ring … Continue reading One Last Shot
There are many valleys in the world. Wandin Valley. Narara Valley. Kirstie Valley. But there’s only one that’s overflowing with bouncy marsupials, and that’s Kangaroo Valley, in the shadows of the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales. I love ‘roos, so I jumped in the del Sol and braved the journey through Sydney and then … Continue reading Southern Tablelands: Big Waterfalls, Bigger Fruit and Veg!
The Swell Season Banksia bushes sprawled down the side of the house and raced into the dense Australian scrub at the end of the yard. Their flaming flowers were heavy in the dying sunlight, and seemed to dance as the fat bees clambered around them. Sarah focused on the banksias blinking through the computer screen, … Continue reading Alone Apart
The Living End The 5:45 from Central squealed to a stop just as Dustin Johnson figured out the answer to 17 down in his crossword. For half an excruciating minute there was nothing but the shriek of brakes and the moaning of a horn and the shudder of the carriage refusing to do as it … Continue reading Hold Up
The first icy tendrils of winter slithered through the distant gumtrees and across the battered farm, so Father clutched the woman he loved just a little closer. They sat together on the balcony, wrapped in a thick blanket, with a spectacular array of stars opening up before them. Nothing was said. Nothing needed to be … Continue reading Nothin’ Shakin’ But The Leaves On The Trees
Rowan C. Stewart 