Movement has always made me feel good. So I move! I’ve found various ways to satisfy this desire to move throughout my life, including dancing, swimming, boxing, mountain biking, yoga, Pilates, functional weight training and teaching a variety of gym classes. Then there was the birth of my third child and I felt stuck.

Steph Wells and Mike Portley’s Newcastle-based restaurant HUMBUG is living proof they know what they’re doing when it comes to good food, good wine and good times. 

Rebecca Campbell describes herself as a reader, a writer, a lover and a fighter. She’s also a cook, a scientist and a little bit punk. As for her drink of choice? That’s a martini, dirty, just like her sex scenes. Here, she speaks with FOUND Regional about how her career as a contemporary romance novelist began… 

Peta Wilson invites you to experience her family’s beachside retreat – a luxurious, character-filled space in Woolgoolga NSW that shares 13 acres of beachfront land with the friendly local wildlife. Designed with rooms to gather as a group and corners to curl up on your own, Tranquilo Beach House is the ideal place to get away from it all and enjoy this jaw-droppingly beautiful slice of the Coffs Coast.

As a fossicker’s granddaughter, Sharon Makim believes searching for gold is in her blood. Her jewellery designs uncover all kinds of gems  thanks to the pearls and beads she discovers on her op shopping adventures, making Sharon the love. a jewellery brand with a conscience.

Deb Cartledge, owner of Fika Home and Living (formally The New England Collective) has always loved colour. While her story started with earrings – unique designs bursting with fun known as Pinot Cat Designs – the latest chapter reveals something much bigger, brighter and bolder in a beautiful new space she’s proud to bring to the people of Armidale, NSW.

From a community convenience store to the locals’ favourite restaurant for over 30 years, Matilda’s has seen its fair share of fun. Thanks to new owners Jane Smith and Kristy Bland, the good times keep on rolling.

The Winter Blooming Festival will be bringing a whole lot of sparkle and sass to Armidale when it kicks off its program of events celebrating LGBTIQA+, First Nations and multicultural arts, culture, communities, and allies on 18 August.

Emily Honess – operator of Tamworth’s newest op shop, Talking Threads – is on a mission to normalise second-hand shopping, revitalise the lost art of mending and protect the environment, one piece of vintage clothing at a time.

The Peel Inn Hotel has stood tall on Nundle’s soil for the past 160 years and was recently awarded Best Bush Pub by the Australian Hotels Association. A gold rush pub, it was built by William McIlveen in 1860 after the discovery of gold at Hanging Rock. But as the story goes, McIlveen lost the hotel in a game of cards against John Schofield in the late 1860s. Today, fourth generation publican Robert Schofield has run the hotel for the past 54 years with his wife Margaret. The couple’s two sons, Nathan and Drew, have also played their part in the pub’s evolution, ensuring it remains the hub of the community and attracts visitors from far and wide. Here, FOUND Regional talks to Robert and his son Drew on life as a landlord at Nundle’s oldest (and best) pub.

Sam Murdoch knows better than anyone that life throws curveballs. Some of hers include diagnoses of anxiety, depression and a chronic health condition. But above it all, Sam’s thirst for knowledge and drive to keep trying new things has led her to a life fuelled by design, family and that ever-calming coastal breeze.

A celebration of fashion and farming, the New England’s annual Fleece to Fashion shares the story of Australian Merino wool and its place within the global fashion industry. This coming November 2023, Fleece to Fashion will make a welcome return to the region.

Sandy Rogers and Alexandra Gawthorne would often invite friends to Sandy’s family farm for a weekend escape from city life. The joy born in those stolen nights gave them an idea – to create a space where others could enjoy a slice of country life, too. Gilay Estate, set to open in 2024, will feature three luxury off-grid huts nestled into the hillside overlooking the Liverpool Plains. Separated by a minimum one-kilometre distance, each hut offers guests privacy and seclusion while they switch off, soak up the scenery and cook by campfire in the light of the moon.