Return to Perth

I don't know where to start. It's 8 days into the illegal US/Israeli war agains Iran with no sign of either side being willing to compromise. I know Iranian-Australians who are terrified for their families back home. I know Jewish people terrified about the existential threat that the Iranian government and its proxies are to Israel. And I have a friend, on her way to a well deserved holiday in Paris, whose flight out of Doha was turned around on the night of 28 February as war broke out. She shared this pattern of her plane's journey: She's been stuck in a hotel in Doha ever since although there was word today that she might get a flight out.   Every story that comes out the Middle East is horrible but the one that really shook me yesterday morning was the an interview of the new Israeli Ambassador to Australia. When asked about the attack on the school in southern Iran. The BBC is saying that the satellite and video evidence appears to show that the school was attacke...

One of Festival of Perth highlights was a Scandinavian singing group, Akervinda.  Named for a Swedish wildflower whose roots spread far and wide, the award-winning group is made up of four jazz singers – Lise Kroner, Iris Bergcrantz, Linda Bergström and Agnes Åhlund – united by a deep love of folk music. In the words of their publicity" "Celebrated for their fresh, modern interpretations, and praised across folk, jazz and a cappella scenes, they breathe new life into traditional Scandinavian folk tunes."  Their concert was at St Mary's Cathedral and the first thing that surprised me about the event was that there was a bar outside! I've never seen a church, let alone a Catholic cathedral, serve wine outside as well as inside! The second surprise was that their folk songs are rather pagan in concept and the concert, Spellbound, was built around spells - a journey through nature, love, tradition, womanhood & witchcraft. There was even a song for about difficult...

Going on holidays in February means that you miss some of the Perth Festival but we've still managed to squeeze in half a dozen shows plus a number of films at the wonderful Somerville Auditorium that I posted about this time last year. This year it turns out that the majority of our experiences have been in the Perth Town Hall in what is called the Embassy. We've seen: Marney McQueen, a music theatre performer, with a great band. She's probably best known for over 600 performances in Simon Philiips' production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical where she played the owner of a country pub - and now, with her husband, she owns a country pub in Wyong Emily Lubitz, started in an indi-folk band called Tinpan Orange, and  produced her first solo album at 42 last year which has a country feel with songs about her family. A stunning voice and great original music. Check out the album:  Two Black Horses   The final show was Le Gateau Chocolat - an English/Nigerian d...

  My time as acting Executive Director of the WA Chamber of Arts and Culture is coming to an end. The Board have made a great choice in appointing Rick Heath to the position. Here's the Media Release that I helped craft: The Chamber of Arts and Culture WA is pleased to announce the appointment of experienced and respected arts consultant, manager and advocate Rick Heath as its new Executive Director.  Chamber Chairperson Fiona Sinclair said Heath brings both deep sector knowledge and a clear-eyed understanding of the Chamber’s operating context, purpose and potential, as well as the role the organisation can play in supporting the arts and culture sector, government, and the broader Western Australian community. “Having served alongside Rick for over three years, I am absolutely certain of his commitment to WA's arts and culture sector, and his strong belief in the Chamber's value and potential,” Ms Sinclair said. “Rick enters the role with eyes wide open, fully cognisa...

Lemon Lime and Bitters was always a refreshing summer drink in Perth and Betty's favourite once she stopped drinking alcohol in her 60s. But I can't remember when I first came across fresh limes. We always used Rose's or Bickfords Lime Cordial. But at some point in later years, there has always been a lime sitting in a bowl waiting to be added into a gin and tonic or a rum.  Once I'd discovered the joys of spiced rum, my habit on finding a new one is to have a shot of rum on ice with a glass of soda and a serve of fresh lime juice to mix in when the mood takes me. On moving back to Perth las year, I discovered the joys of Belvoir Farm Lime Cordial. Just as good as fresh juice. Surprisingly it's made in the UK but there it was on Coles' shelves so after that initial joyous taste, I bought a few bottles to get through summer. I was only when I was finishing my last bottle a couple of months ago did I discovered that Coles no longer stock it. Neither does Woolworth...

  Another holiday newsletter: COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS NEWSLETTER February 2026 If you can imagine Christmas Island as a lump of greenery with a sharp black crunchy volcanic fringe, then for the Cocos (Keeling) Islands you have to be a little more imaginative. Take a hula hoop. Break it up into 27 randomly sized pieces but lay it out to keep the circle shape. Then surround it by a coral reef and fill the inside with water and create a large lagoon.  We stayed on West Island in a comfortable house 250 metres from the seaside and 250 metres from the lagoon with a runway between us and the lagoon. And that’s the widest part of the island. Are you starting to get the picture? Christmas and Cocos Islands are nearly 1,000 miles apart in the Indian Ocean but they are connected through history and culture. Those of you who are around my age and grew up in WA will know the name Clunies-Ross. There were shocking headlines in the newspapers in the 1970s about slave labour on Cocos which w...