Stories
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Eco tourism in Western Australia
Perth owners create luxury eco-tent accommodation with light footprint in Kangaroo Gully. Environmentally-friendly solutions have been thought of for all aspects of the experience.
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Future-proof on-farm water security for horticulture growers
Grants to boost on-farm water security in Manjimup-Pemberton region fund a dripper system, which has seen better yields and saves on irrigation.
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South West innovator ‘builds business for the future’ with industrial hemp
Hemp Squared owner Iggy Van manufactures building blocks out of industrial hemp, known as Cannabis Sativa L.
In an interview with John Butler, he reflected on his creative process and how place, purpose and personal growth shape his music.
Article: John Butler’s return to Blues at Bridgetown festival will be a full circle moment
“Music and art, your passions, whatever they are, they’re vehicles to meet yourself — it’s also an extremely beautiful spiritual process of meeting your maker through your art.
“It is wild brumbies, it is wilderness, it is divinity, it whatever you call God, coming through you as an instrument when it’s done well — and it’s not always done well by me.”
— John Butler
Stories on sustainable agriculture, permaculture and bush tucker research —highlighting grounded initiatives that connect land, community and long-term change.
Stories range from the Mediterranean Garden Society’s group tour of Western Australian gardens, connecting Greek-established traditions with local conservation and dry climate resilience. A profile on West Australian author advocating for a native cropping industry in the South West, exploring the potential of endemic species to transform agriculture and restore ecological balance. In Bridgetown, a story of a beloved school teacher whose legacy lives on through a thriving community garden now growing fresh food for residents across the town. Each project reflects a commitment to amplifying grounded, purposeful change through thoughtful and strategic media.
WA Arts & Culture
In interviews with musicians like South Summit, Mufassa, John Butler, Kiera Jas, Mama Kin Spender, Holli Scott and Frank Sultana, the pieces explore how music becomes a vehicle for purpose and change.
Mufassa shared his journey from the classroom to remote Indigenous communities, using music as a tool for youth engagement and empowerment. Frank Sultana, with roots in rhythm and blues, spoke about his evolution as a storyteller and the unexpected path that led him from flicking through old records to recording in historic Memphis studios.
These stories reflect our commitment to covering the intersections of music, culture and social impact.
Nature design & architecture
Stories from designing with nature in the built environment to intentional architecture for communities.
Mediterranean garden design: Protecting Western Australia’s water resources
Water is the heart of all living things—humans, nature, wildlife, food. We all need water to survive. With the ease of turning on a tap at home or hosing our lawns and gardens, water can seem like an endless supply. But there are drastic decreases in groundwater levels in Australia, according to reports by The Department of Water and Environmental regulation.
In Western Australia alone, over the last 50 years, the annual rainfall average has declined by approximately 15 percent. Since the 1970s, the average streamflow to Perth’s drinking water dams was 420 billion litres and has declined to 25 billion litres annually. The reports attribute this to climate change and higher groundwater usage causing sources to be out of balance. As a state, heavy irrigation for lawns and plants can exceed annual rainfall expectations and underground supply.
In the same way Northern European models have been used in Greece, the influence of colonisation and the introduction of plants in Australia means gardens in WA can be counterintuitive to the climate of place. Less trees from modern development can also impact gardens and fauna, exposing lawns and plants to the harsh sun, and therefore requiring more water to sustain year-round green lawns.
Photos: A rare Cussonia paniculata (Mountain Cabbage Tree) from southern Africa. Underneath and to the left is the Australian plant, Acacia cognata limelight. // 100 year old fig tree in full leaf, early summer. Convovulus and pelargoniums flowering underneath.
Melbourne architect Maria Danos on designing homes for multigenerational families
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Maria featured at one of her projects. Photo: The Design Files.
With one leg firmly planted in one world, and one in the other, what Maria considered to be Greek forms in architecture was also manifested throughout the project. The home was transformed into a place where her client’s mother and son could live comfortably under the same roof. “It’s not just about the way I plan a house, or apartment, or refurbish a home, it’s also the materials I use,” she explains.
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The Hellenic Homecoming project transformed the 1920s heritage-build in Oakleigh.
“There must be a sense of warmth and texture, and friendliness. My work is not cold and clinical.” Maria believes the aging population deserve to age with dignity. She describes the example of thoughtful placement of a window to view the outdoors and the soul warming, enriching feeling of filtered sun light coming into a home.