Serena Kirby, ARR.News
57 POSTS
Serena Kirby is a freelance reporter, writer and photographer based in regional Western Australia. With a background in public relations, education and tourism she’s had 30 years experience writing and photographing for local, national and international publications. Her current focus is on sharing stories from the sticks; its people, places and products and the life that lies beyond the city limits. She enjoys living in a small town while raising a tall teenager.
The constant companion
French-born violinist Marie Limondin clearly remembers the day she bought her much-loved violin. She was 12-years-old and it was already clear to everyone that Marie was not only a passionate player, she was also a very good one. When the day came to upgrade her child’s violin to an adult-sized instrument Marie, along with her music teacher and parents, headed to Paris’ legendary rue de Rome ...
Bee Pope: One very busy bee
As the new year looms many of us are looking to freshen up our homes and streamline our lives but decluttering and becoming better organised are things that often fill us with dread. Not so for Bee Pope. Decluttering and organising are things that fill her with excitement and joy.
Rosenthal Wines – A perfect blend of wine and friendship
There’s many elements that go into creating a good wine and it’s the winemaker’s job to blend them together to create the perfect drop. WA’s Rosenthal Wines’ winemakers are themselves a special blend because they’re not just winemakers and business partners - they’re also best friends. Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley first met 25 years ago when they were at Uni.
A day in the life of … Dr Lisa Clarke, The Roving Vet
The life of a country veterinarian is not an easy one and for Dr Lisa Clarke, the days can be long and the work can be dangerous. Lisa and her mobile vet service,The Roving Vet, can also clock up nearly 1000 km every week as zig zags across WA’s Great Southern from Albany to Walpole. And, with so much time spent in her vehicle, it’s a good thing Lisa has Plum, her “trusty secretary” with her wherever she goes.
The art of capturing stories within glass
It’s a long way from the small town of Carnarvon in WA’s Gascoyne region to the picturesque Italian city of Venice. But that’s exactly where WA glass-artist Sabrina Dowling Guidici will be heading this September. Sabrina is the only Australian to be exhibiting at this year’s prestigious Venice Glass Week where she’ll showcase a unique glasswork collection titled ‘Saltwaters’ ... inspired by seagrasses found in WA’s World Heritage Site of Shark Bay ...
Review – Red River Road
Red River Road is the third book by author Anna Downes and it’s a psychological thriller that will have you hooked from the very first chapter ... Set along the beautiful Coral Coast of Western Australia the book follows the journey of the main character, Katy, as she travels solo in a camper van while desperately searching for her sister who has disappeared without a trace along the very same route.
Juliet Grist – The economist and the village
“It used to be all about supply and demand; about economic growth. In some ways it still is but in the last decade or so many countries have come to the realisation that just because you're getting economic growth doesn't mean your population is actually benefiting. One of the new schools of thought - and one I’m trying to focus on - is not what the numbers say about economic growth but what’s actually happening at the community level."
Adam Cook – Conversing with the keys
The piano is often considered the ‘King of Instruments’ as no other instrument covers all 88 notes of the frequency range and its number of available octaves is unparalleled. Its versatility of sound is also beyond compare as it can create sounds as soft as a whisper or as loud and rumbling as a thunderstorm. When pianist and composer Adam Cook sits down to play this most revered of instruments something quite magical happens.
Review – The Outback Court Reporter
Through the recounting of various court cases Jamelle provides an insight into the country court system and that of the local reporters who cover the cases. Jamelle spoke to numerous country journalists who acknowledged the difficulty in writing about local people who’ve appeared in court and the retribution they sometimes faced when names and details are published in their local paper.
Torbay Glass Studio and Gallery – The art of glass
From little things big things grow and when Mark Hewson made a stained glass window for his new home in Torbay back in the early 1980s he was unaware that it would mark the beginning of a career that would span more than 40 years. Mark, and his equally-talented wife, Paris Johansen, have now designed, sculptured, moulded and soldered literally thousands of glass artworks.
