April/May 2025 
A renovated 1880s slab and bark cottage in Berrima attracted Jan and Ross Porter at first sight – and 10 years later it continues to inspire stylish changes and additions. Jan shows HIGHLIFE her beautiful house and garden, where French country house meets bush Australiana.
As the choreographer behind hits including Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge! and Shall We Dance, John ‘Cha Cha’ O’Connell has worked with home-grown and international stars. Now living in Bowral, he tells HIGHLIFE about creating show-stopping routines and keeping performers on their toes.
After planting her first dahlia 15 years ago, Lisa Pride was so impressed by its abundant blooms that she planted more – and more. Two years ago, she started selling dahlias to florists and opened her flower farm, The Dahlia Patch, to the public. HIGHLIFE visits her colourful Alpine property.
In her new book, Collecting: Living With Art, Kym Elphinstone offers a rare glimpse into the homes of 26 of Australia’s most fascinating art collectors. In this extract, finance professional Andrew Martin discusses art collected for his iconic Southern Highlands home, an artwork in itself: The Seidler House at Joadja.
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