I’ll admit, I don’t spend anywhere near enough time outside as I’d like to — criminal really, when you live in Brisbane. Given the choice, water was always my element — I might as well have been born with fins: between competitive swimming as a kid (which I hated, mind you), surfing as a teenager, and the occasional spearfishing trip, I didn’t spend much time outside the ocean growing up.
Unfortunately, the Brisbane River is a far cry from the Burleigh surf, so these days I’ve shifted more towards land, mostly out of necessity. If I’m outdoors, I’m running laps around the river, and contrary to popular belief, with considerably less enthusiasm for chasing PBs or smashing Ultras than I get credit for. I did one Guzzler and I’ve never looked at a pair of trail runners the same way since.
The one element I haven’t given a proper crack yet is air. Much to my aircraft mechanic father-in-law’s despair, flying planes and helicopters isn’t on the agenda just yet — though I’ll concede there’s nothing quite like a bird’s eye view. We spent a few days in Queenstown last year, and choppering across the Southern Alps toward Milford Sound will stay with me forever. If heights don’t scare you, it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience well worth the investment.
Where am I going with all this? A very roundabout way of telling you that Jan Manton Gallery‘s latest exhibition offers the perfect chance to take in the magnitude of this beautiful country from above. No price tag, travel or butterflies required, just a feast for the eyes without leaving Vernon Terrace, and a small taste of the awe Lou’s dad must have felt flying across Australia in the tiniest of planes in his twenties.
François Detaille‘s photographs are a testament to nature’s endless creativity. His latest series, captured on a solo journey across Australia, opens up a whole new world from up above. Without the horizon as a reference point, scale disappears and each photograph becomes a painting with its own narrative and mystery. His bird’s eye view of the oldest continent on earth immediately transported me to the overwhelming feeling of free-diving: marvelling at the sheer expanse of this country we’re lucky enough to call home.
NATURE opens Monday 20 April, with welcome drinks on Friday the 24th; the perfect escape if you’re not heading off for ANZAC Day. Speaking of which, a timely reminder that we are prohibited from trading on the 25th, and our team will not be holding open homes that Saturday.
Earlier this week, the influencers snapping content in the laneways around Winchcombe Carson were briefly replaced by Hollywood stars — who can blame them for wanting such a gorgeous backdrop? As Georgie said when she shared the road closure notice with our team: Ethel Street really is that girl.
We may have sold Unit 33 on the top floor of 22 Florence Street, but if you’ve been waiting to say your property appeared in a blockbuster, we have two more phenomenal opportunities up our sleeve.
The kitchen at 101/54 Vernon Terrace certainly deserves its own starring moment, and the expansive balcony at 20/22 Florence Street is the perfect spot for drinks with friends before a movie night — perhaps even a screening of ‘Honeymoon at Harry’s’ once it’s released?!
Staying on the theme of exceptional balconies, Unit 18 in the tightly-held ‘Teneriffe Park’ complex offers a verdant escape from the inner-city hustle, with a whopping 127 SQM of outdoor space and a lush green outlook — it’s as close as you’ll get to the Hinterland rainforest without leaving 4005.
Nature has clearly become the overarching theme of this email, and lush treetops are very much the star of the show. Overlooking tree-lined Vernon Terrace, Unit 137 in the Mactaggarts Woolstore feels frozen in time — a rare glimpse into the earliest days of these iconic storage facilities being converted into accommodation. It was snapped up on the weekend for $1,050,000, and we can’t wait to see what the new owners do with this genuine piece of history.
On that note, I’ll leave you to explore this weekend’s open homes — plenty of great opportunities await!
Talk soon,
Ben
