From fine-dining to rustic, to really out-of-the-box experiences there’s something for every gourmand and bon vivant in the cool-climate wine region of Orange, NSW. Tired of the traditional restaurant experience, where you book a table, order off the menu, and…
Spring has definitely sprung in the countryside, and we seem to be celebrating with a paean to Orange’s incredible locally-grown food and wine. We’ve had a plethora of new cafes start trading, an art gallery open, and an impressive new…
I’ve almost stopped going to supermarkets altogether since moving to the NSW countryside. With a plethora of farmers markets on weekends in nearby towns and villages, there’s really nothing better than going straight to source for your food. Here in…
Outside the sky is a silvery-grey and it’s trying really hard to snow. Meanwhile, about 100 people are standing shoulder-to-shoulder inside the cosy cellar door of Cargo Road Wines celebrating the launch of Vintage 2014 (or #V14 as we know…
Not long ago, after taking off on urban adventures overseas and in Australia, I relocated to country NSW. The thing I like most about having returned to my roots is that I now get to witness the palpable resurgence of…
It’s Autumn in my hometown of Orange, and I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share the delights of the changing countryside in the Central West region of NSW, Australia with you, like the spectacular display of reds…
There’s really no better place to celebrate all things related to glorious food than the Orange F.O.O.D Week gourmet festival held in April. I’m not really sure where to start when it comes to this festival; with over 120 events…
Not many people venture over the Blue Mountains when they visit New South Wales, Australia. But you’re in for a treat if you do. Head to Orange, just a 3.5 hour drive west from Sydney, for an authentic experience of…
Kelly-Anne Smith is an explorer of ideas and places. Based in Orange, NSW, Australia, she seeks out and soaks up experiences.
I was born in…..Armidale, New South Wales, Australia, I grew up in…..Orange, New South Wales, and I have spent most of my working life in…..Sydney, London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. I’ve now returned to Australia (hopefully permanently!) and have gone back to my roots, to the vineyards and rolling hills of Orange NSW. My favourite film from my country is….Romulus, My Father. A biographical memoir by Australian philosopher Raimond Gaita, detailing the life and struggles and heartbreak of his Romanian immigrant father in the outback of Australia in the 1950s. The film stars Eric Bana, it’s just gorgeous and it makes me cry every single time I watch it. Both the novel and film explore the concepts of place and belonging. My favourite novel by a writer from my country is……Dead Europe by Christos Tsiolkas. He’s knocked Tim Winton off the top spot of ‘favourite Australian author’ for me. Tsiolkas writes about the real Australia, now. He has an incredible insight into the national psyche, and about what people are really thinking and feeling in the suburbs even if it still bubbles just under the surface. His phenomenal perspective is informed by his immigrant background, which gives him a unique 360 degree view. As someone who has lived mainly overseas for the last two decades, I’m always astounded at how culturally insular Australians can be, and this guy gives me enormous hope that it’s possible to stir up the collective consciousness and move forwards into the 21st century. When I need a reminder of home, I listen to…..Under the Milkyway, by The Church. Still my quintessential Australian song, and kind of a life theme. “Wish I knew what you were looking for, might have known what you would find.” My favourite time of the year is……Spring or Autumn. I love it when the seasons start turning. My all time local hero is…..At the moment, I’m cheering for Kon Karapanagiotidis, Founder & CEO of The Asylum Seeker Resource Centre (ASRC) in Melbourne. Tireless and inspiring and a human being doing the right thing in a world full of shadows (@Kon_K @ASRC1). I’m also a big fan of Father Bob Maguire (@FatherBob). He takes the religion out of religion and puts back in the soul. My favourite local phrase is…..’Far out’. Only 12 year olds usually say this, but I started using it again when working in the UAE as a substitute swearword. And now it’s stuck. My favourite words of wisdom/words to live by are….Nothing is impossible. What I love most about my home (country) is….It’s big-sky land. The possibilities of the large, open space to bring in new paradigms of thinking and being in the 21st century. That’s my hope and dream.