Nothing speaks of Aussie bush heritage more than Banjo Patterson’s famous poem, ‘The Man From Snowy River’. Musicians have sung it, there’s been a movie made about it, and the town of Corryong, at the base of the Australian Alps, has created an entire festival around it. The sleepy little alpine hamlet swells in April […]

It may sound strange, but there is a unspoken code among riders on the trail that will stand you in good stead on your next horse riding adventure. Whether you’re a beginner rider or just haven’t ridden out as part of a group for a while, you may not be aware of the etiquette that […]

Australia To truly capture the essence of the Australian bush and its colourful social life, you must attend a rural race meet before they become extinct. I grew up in rural Queensland, Australia on the pancake flat plains of the Darling Downs near a town called Dalby. My father and mother were the proud owners […]

Last time we were on safari in Kenya’s heart land, the Maasai Mara, we got our fair share of unseasonal rain and afternoon storms. Personally I love the excitement of a brewing storm on horseback, when your horse prances underneath you, the wind whips and lashes at your face and the thunder bangs overhead – […]

Argentina I was lucky enough to be taken to an amateur race meet known as a ‘Cuadrera’ in the province of Corrientes, which lies in the north of Argentina. Most of Corrientes is swathed in knee-deep water meadows with sandy, white bottoms and paddocks rich with grass. Corrientes has over 350 species of birds, which […]

“When a horse jumps, the sparks of love are born; when lightning strikes, it can take the legs from right out under you. A blessing of a novel from one of Australia’s finest writers.” Drusilla Modgeska I just finished reading Foal’s Bread by Gillian Mears as recommended to me by a friend. I thoroughly enjoyed […]

I’m a lover, collector, wearer and admirer of hats. As a resident of our sun-burnt country it would be foolish not to don a hat when outside and with a fetish for all things with a brim my collection spans from many years. My husband and I have a wall in our house dedicated to […]

I was privy to watch this documentary on ABC a couple of weeks ago and as an expectant mother, a person who craves the simple life and a lover of horses, this documentary really struck a chord.  Shot over four years, This Way of Life is an intimate portrait of Peter Karena and his family. […]

Mobile Menders This article appeared in salt magazine, a Sunshine Coast lifestyle publication.  words & photos kate johns The screaming child clings protectively to his mother’s back, wrapped in a dirty patterned shuka. The child’s hair is dreaded together with ochre-coloured mud. He wears no clothes except for a red beaded necklace below his belly button […]

Can you imagine a time where mates were called Clancy and Banjo? The rivers shimmered with gold, and whiskey and tobacco were traded from bullock carts on the river flats;  your life’s possessions consisted of a mountain pony equipped with saddle, bridle, oilskin, stock whip and swag. Work was chasing cattle up rocky-edged mountain spurs […]

With the Boxing Day release of War Horse into Australian cinemas, I thought it was appropriate to compile a list of the best horse movies of all time and get your views on the topic. I’ve yet to watch War Horse, I saw the preview and instantly burst into tears when Albert the teenage boy is […]

My incredibly talented husband, Steven, took this profile shot of a Mongolian man smoking his hand-made rollie (tobacco and newspaper) while watching a wrestling match as part of the Naadam Festivities in Khatgal, Mongolia. I love this photo – it gives me tingles every time I see it! This Masai mzee (mzee is a swahili […]