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Monday, January 13, 2025

Serena Kirby

Latest from Serena

The constant companion

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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 ...
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Serena Kirby, ARR.News
Serena Kirby, ARR.News
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.

https://www.instagram.com/serenakirbywa/

More from Serena

Rosenthal Wines – A perfect blend of wine and friendship

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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. 
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Bee Pope: One very busy bee

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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Juliet Grist – The economist and the village

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“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."
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The art of capturing stories within glass

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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 ...
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A day in the life of … Dr Lisa Clarke, The Roving Vet

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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Torbay Glass Studio and Gallery – The art of glass

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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Adam Cook – Conversing with the keys

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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Review

Review – Red River Road

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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High flyer – Pilot and plane builder, Leanne McKenzie

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
You could easily say that Leanne McKenzie is a high flyer - but not in the traditional sense of the word.  Leanne is a pilot but she’s also President of her local aero club in Albany WA and she’s one of less than a handful of females to hold such a position. But Leanne has another venture underway and it’s one that her aero club is actually famous for as the Albany Aero Club was once a global hub for self-built planes.
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Getting behind the wheel

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Jayden Hockey knows more than most about how to teach new drivers as he does it for a living. But even before he became a driving instructor he’d already had a hair-raising driving job as an ex-police pursuit driver. Jay spent nine years as a pursuit driver with the WA Police Force and the cars he got to drive came with some serious grunt ... So what’s some of Jay’s advice? 
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Review

Review – The Outback Court Reporter

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
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.
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Review

Review – What’s For Dinner?

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
I’ve read a number of books that delve into issues surrounding Australian food production and it’s fair to say that I found Jill Griffiths’ book What’s For Dinner? the easiest one to digest (pun intended). Jill is a biologist and journalist who’s been writing about the environment and agriculture for more than three decades and her book is a blend of science, history and lived experience.
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Author interview

Author interview – Jill Griffiths

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Author Jill Griffiths describes her debut book, 'What's For Dinner?' as “an exploration of the food on the table and the farming that puts it there and what it all means for people who grow food and those who eat it”. Australian Regional & Rural News reporter, Serena Kirby, spoke with Jill recently to learn more about her background, how the book came about and some of the fascinating things she discovered in the process.
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Author interview

Author interview – Molly Schmidt

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Salt River Road, by WA award winning author Molly Schmidt, is definitely a book with a difference.  Written with a mixture of prose and poetry, it tells the story of the rurally-based Tetley family in the aftermath of the loss of their mother ... Australian Regional and Rural News interviewer, Serena Kirby, chatted with Molly to find out more about the unique and beautiful techniques she used in the book and the personal experiences that shaped her writing. 
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Review

Review – Salt River Road

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
It’s easy to see why Molly Schmidt’s debut novel, Salt River Road, won the City of Fremantle’s Hungerford Award and I feel there will be many awards to follow. Salt River Road is set in the late 1970s in southern WA and while it’s a work of fiction it resonates with truth about loss, grief and navigating teenage-hood after the death of a parent.
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Interview

Author interview – Diana Thurgood

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Diana Thurgood’s first novel Second Chance started its life as a short story back in 2011. After years of the story sitting silently to one side Diana later expanded on the original manuscript and submitted it to a publishing house for consideration.  To her delight she was offered a publishing deal ... From her property in the Blue Mountains, Diana spoke with Australian Rural and Regional News contributor, Serena Kirby about the process of turning her 14-year-old story into a published book.
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Review

Review – Second Chance

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
I don’t really consider myself a horsey-person so I wasn't sure what to expect from the cover of Second Chance by Diana Thurgood. It turns out this heart-warming true story is actually a ripper read.  Second Chance is Diana Thurgood's first book and it’s a story the author justifiably felt compelled to write about one of her long-time friends, Tiffany Williams.
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More from Serena

Moojepin Foods – cultivating change

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
David Thompson is a farmer but he’s also a cultivator of change. David runs a 3000 hectare property just outside Katanning in WA and like thousands of farmers he’s seeing the effects of man-made soil salinity first hand ... Several years ago David decided to diversify his business (from solely grain crops and sheep) and start to grow sustainable, saline-infused food products. His business, Moojepin Foods, now produces saline greens that have won numerous awards and accolades.
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Rachel Falls Williams – Inspired by the Great Southern

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“I’m surrounded by a thriving arts community and a number of really good potters. I think artists here are inspired by the environment and pottery allows you to literally be in touch with the elements. Being in a community that appreciates, fosters and values artistic pursuits gives you courage to express yourself artistically; it lifts you up and celebrates what you do without the hindrance of competition": Rachel Falls Williams.
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More from Serena

Mark McHenry – Putting energy into things that matter

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Mark McHenry is a physicist, an innovator and an explorer of clean energy solutions. He’s worked on research projects in America, the Philippines and Mozambique and is an Associate Professor at Murdoch Uni’s Harry Butler Institute ... Mark is currently putting his physics knowledge into numerous food and energy projects and one of his studies involves truffles.
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Isi Campbell – Making waves

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Isi Campbell is doing what most teenagers only dream of… she’s travelling the world to go surfing ... Isi’s wins have been many including being named as last year’s WA Junior Surfer of the Year and collecting the 2022 Under-18 Girls State Championship Title. She has also achieved a silver medal as part of Team Australia at the International Surfing Association’s World Junior Surfing Championships in El Salvador.
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Are you bushfire ready?

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
To say that a bushfire can turn a normally rational person into someone on the verge of becoming unhinged is an understatement. Experts say that panic is a normal response and that you never know how you’ll react until a bushfire threatens your community, your property, your loved ones or your life. But the experts also say that being prepared can greatly reduce panic so here are some valuable tips and points of advice.
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Interview

Author interview – Michael Thomas

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
First-time author, Michael Thomas, never set out to write historical fiction; he was planning to write his memoirs. Michael was born and raised in WA’s northern town of Carnarvon. It’s a tough, remote part of the world and Michael grew up moving through regional WA as the son of an outback shearer ... Michael and Serena Kirby spoke about character voice, language, the adding of female story elements to balance the book and the importance of telling some of lesser known parts of Western Australia’s history.
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Review

Review – The Map of William

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
The Map of William is the first book by West Australian writer Michael Thomas and it’s certainly a darn good read. It is also not the book that Michael set out to write but I’m sure glad he did ... Set in 1909, The Map of William is a gripping and fast-paced tale of 15-year-old William Watson, his father and a band of colourful companions as they undertake an expedition through WA’s north-west to map water sources.
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More from Serena

Freerider, Henry Edmondson – The snowboarder from the town with no snow

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“Freeriding is an extreme, high speed, aggressive sport. It's all about big mountains and steep slopes. To me, it's far more interesting than snowboarding down the same run over and over again. Where’s the challenge in that? In freeriding you go to places others don’t go."
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Jonathon Hook – Keeping his hands on the wheel

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“I was really interested in wood fired kilns so I needed space and wood - lots of it.  WA’s Great Southern region was the ideal place and I was drawn to the area’s beautiful landscape. I was, and still am,  inspired by it and I believe the energy of the landscape permeates through me and comes out in what I create”: Jonathon Hook.
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Mahsa Anderson – Destination: Happiness

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Spring is in the air and for many of us that’s a good enough reason to feel happy. But what really is Happiness and how do we get more of one of life’s most desirable emotions? Regional psychologist and Happiness Coach, Mahsa Anderson, gives us the lowdown on this uplifting feeling.
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Samantha Dennison – When life is still

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“I choose a small number of items and play with their placement over a number of weeks, even months,” Samantha explains. “I observe them as the light changes and swap things in and out until I’m happy with the result. I’m seeking balance, in space and shape..."
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Sheryl Shaylor – Time to smell the roses

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
We’re often reminded to ‘stop and smell the roses’ and it’s something Sheryl Shaylor makes sure she does every single day. Sheryl is undoubtedly a bit of an expert on roses as she’s had more than forty years experience nurturing and admiring Heritage roses.
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Interview

Author interview – Holly Throsby

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Holly Throsby was a musician, singer, songwriter way before she was an author. She’d released five solo albums, toured extensively and been nominated for several ARIA awards before she shifted from writing song lyrics to writing story sentences ... Australian Rural and Regional News contributor, Serena Kirby spoke to Holly recently about her latest novel, Clarke, the writing process and asked about advice for would-be novelists.
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Review

Review – Clarke

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Obviously every good mystery novel has a few twists and turns but even as a regular reader of this genre I didn’t see this story’s twist coming. The fact that this book has lingered in my mind long after I finished reading it is testament to this author’s talent at her craft. I’ll certainly be getting my hands on another of Holly Throsby’s books.
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Interview

Author interview – Renee Pettitt-Schipp

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Renee Pettitt-Schipp is the author of the award winning collection of poetry The Sky Runs Right Through Us and her latest offering, The Archipelago Of Us, is her first work of prose ... Renee recently chatted with Australian Rural and Regional News contributor Serena Kirby about her early interest in writing, her love of poetry and what she has in the pipeline as future works.

Review

Review – The Archipelago Of Us

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
This new book is a travel narrative that recounts Renee’s 2016 return trip to the Indian Ocean Territories ... and it’s hard not to fall in love with the paradise she describes in such exquisite detail ... It’s fair to say that when this book starts it’s easy to be lulled into a sense of calm, wonder and delight but as the chapters progress there’s a shift from the beauty that surrounds Renee to the real reason for her trip and the story she needed to tell.

Review – Farm – the making of a climate activist

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
A good place to start reading Farm is at the back. That may sound counterintuitive but by taking a look at the extensive bibliography you’ll quickly see how intensely researched the book is which adds weight to the arguments and questions it presents. While Farm is a memoir that chronicles the journey of Nicola Harvey and her husband after they leave their city lives to farm cattle in rural New Zealand, it is far more than that.
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Author interview – Nicola Harvey

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Nicola Harvey is an experienced media executive, producer and writer working across digital, audio, print and live events. She’s also the author of 'Farm: the making of a climate activist' ... Speaking from her farm in New Zealand, Nicola talked to Australian Rural and Regional News contributor Serena Kirby about the writing process and the incredible amount of work that went into writing her book. She also offered some wise words to other first-time authors.
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Review – Into the Night

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
When I sat down to read this book I thought I’d just cast my eye over a couple of pages while waiting for the kettle to boil. Trouble was I never got to make that cup of tea because I simply couldn’t pull myself away from the mystery that was unfolding on the pages.
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Interview – author Fleur McDonald

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
Fleur McDonald is one of Australia's leading rural fiction writers and with 22 novels already to her name, and publishing two books a year, she’s certainly a highly prolific author ... Fleur recently took time out from her busy day to talk to Australian Rural and Regional News contributor, Serena Kirby, about what she writes, about plots and characters, and where she finds her inspiration.
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Lindsey Sesin – Serving up bowls of kindness

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
"We feed an average of 80 people every week but we’ve also had nights when we’ve fed more than a 100 ... What I get out of it is far more than I give. It’s not a business; it’s a sense of service and with that comes incredible nourishment”: Lindsey Sesin, Denmark Soupy.  
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Dal Jones – The hip hop artist putting life into rap

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
“My whole life journey is in my music and music is my way of letting things out. We cover up too many things and I’m not into sugar coating serious topics. My track ‘Don’t Give Up’ is about depression and like many people I’ve suffered dark times but the best way to deal with it is to talk about it, not bottle it up."
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Dr Alex Sleeman – diving into a country practice

Serena Kirby, ARR.News -
There’s something very special about country doctors; they rarely work in the places they were born and raised and often bring with them a wealth of knowledge and life experience. Alex Sleeman is one country GP who had a big life before he became a small town GP.
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