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"An incredible loss": Quincy Jones dies at age 91

<p>Legendary music producer Quincy Jones, who worked with the likes of Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra throughout his career, has died at the age of 91. </p> <p>According to a statement from his family, he died on Sunday night at his home in Bel Air surrounded by friends and family. </p> <p>“Tonight, with full but broken hearts, we must share the news of our father and brother Quincy Jones’ passing,” the statement read. </p> <p>“And although this is an incredible loss for our family, we celebrate the great life that he lived and know there will never be another like him.”</p> <p>“He is truly one of a kind and we will miss him dearly; we take comfort and immense pride in knowing that the love and joy, that were the essence of his being, was shared with the world through all that he created. Through his music and his boundless love, Quincy Jones’ heart will beat for eternity.”</p> <p>A pioneer in the music industry, Jones arranged records for Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, composed the soundtracks for <em>Roots</em> and <em>In the Heat of the Night</em>, produced Michael Jackson's iconic album <em>Thriller</em>, and oversaw the all-star recording of <em>We Are the World</em>: the 1985 charity record for famine relief in Africa.</p> <p>Dozens of movie and music stars have paid tribute to Jones, such as American singer and pianist Harry Connick Jr., who said that Jones was his "hero".</p> <p>“My hero. truly one of the greatest minds the music world has ever known. he was so kind to me, so wonderful, such an influence. his legacy and his music will live forever. thank you for everything, Q. you were the dude,” he wrote on Instagram.</p> <p>Acting icon Morgan Freeman said the producer had "left an enduring legacy" behind.</p> <p>"Today, we say goodbye to the legendary Quincy Jones – a musical giant whose genius reshaped our world and left an enduring legacy. Rest well, Quincy."</p> <p>Actor Colman Domingo recalled meeting Jones in a personal message, writing, “He asked, where are you from? Philly I replied, his eyes twinkled and he talked about the Uptown Theatre. I was so thrilled to meet Mr. American Music himself. I literally kneeled because he was a King. Thank you Mr. Quincy Jones for giving us all the sound."</p> <p><em>Image credits: John Salangsang/Shutterstock Editorial </em></p>

Caring

Boy's tragic death in school crash sparks incredible community response

<p>The 11-year-old boy who tragically died after a car <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/health/caring/child-dies-after-car-crashes-through-school-gate" target="_blank" rel="noopener">crashed</a> through his school's gate has been identified, with a family friend sharing more details about the horrific accident. </p> <p>Jack Davey was sitting with friends when a car slammed through a fence and into a group of Year 5 students at Auburn South Primary School on Tuesday afternoon.</p> <p>He was critically injured and died on the way to hospital, while four other children were also injured. </p> <p>School mum and friend of the family Lucy Pristel told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/incredible-response-after-boys-tragic-death-in-melbourne-school-crash-052951244.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Yahoo News</em></a> the shocking incident has "affected" the entire "close-knit" community.</p> <p>“I have no words, to be honest with you. They are the most beautiful family. They would do anything for anyone,” she said. </p> <p>Lucy's own 11-year-old son, who is also a student at the school and played basketball with Jack, witnessed the tragedy unfold before his eyes.</p> <p>"Unfortunately a lot of the kids saw what happened," she said. "It's affected everybody. The school has offered councillors to us all, so there's been a lot of support. We're a close-knit community." </p> <p>To help support the grieving family, Lucy, along with some of the other school mums, decided to launch a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-the-davey" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" data-i13n="cpos:5;pos:1" data-ylk="slk:GoFundMe;cpos:5;pos:1;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" data-rapid_p="15" data-v9y="1">GoFundMe</a> to help "ease the burden" of funeral costs, adding, "We just wanted to make life as easy as possible." </p> <p>In a matter of hours, the fundraiser has exceeded its goal, and at the time of writing over $140,000 has bee donated by the community.</p> <p>Lucy recalled the moment she found out about the horror that unfolded at the school on Tuesday afternoon, saying she didn't realise the extent of what had happened at first. </p> <p>"I actually drove past the school after it happened and didn't think much of it," she admitted. "Then I started hearing about it."</p> <p>"I ran down to the school... you could see parents for at least 300, 400 metres and I saw everyone hugging. That's when I knew something happened at our school [and not one of the others close by]."</p> <p>Ever since then, "everyone has just bound together," she said sharing the "pure horror" felt by everyone.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

Caring

"You are incredible": The Voice 2024 winner revealed

<p>In a thrilling conclusion to <em>The Voice's</em> 13th season, Reuben de Melo from Team LeAnn emerged as the winner after the public votes wrapped up on Sunday night. </p> <p>The finale saw Annie Jones, Skÿe, Reuben and Jaedyn Randell each perform a duet with their coach and then a solo number.</p> <p>Reuben sang a stirring rendition of the Coldplay ballad <em>Fix You</em> with his coach. He then performed <em>House of the Rising Sun</em> by The Animals, a rendition which his coach described as "insane". </p> <p>The FIFO worker and father of three has previously said that winning <em>The Voice</em> and taking home the 100k grand prize would allow him to get out of the minds and spend more time with his family. </p> <p>“I never thought I’d get this far, this is crazy," Reuben said of his win, which also comes with a music masterclass and industry recording development package. </p> <p>“I’m so proud," LeAnn said. "You deserve every bit of this moment and I’m so honoured that I could be on this journey with you. You are incredible."</p> <p>LeAnne also explained why she'd taken to Reuben since his first blind audition, even using her "Ultimate Block" tool to stop the other coaches from snagging him for their teams. </p> <p>“I knew as soon as he opened his mouth, and I heard him sing. There was just so much feeling there. There was no way I was letting any of the other coaches get to him before I did,” she said.</p> <p>Earlier in the night, Skÿe from Team Guy, who was another strong contender, hit the stage with the Goo Goo Dolls' iconic song<em> Iris</em> and then sang <em>Against All Odds</em> by Phil Collins as his duet with Guy Sebastian.</p> <p>Annie Jones sang <em>Youngblood</em> by 5SOS as her solo and <em>Barracuda by Heart </em>for her duet with Adam Lambert, while Jaedyn performed Empire of the Sun's <em>Walking on a Dream </em>as a duet with Kate-Miller Heidke and then <em>Snow Angel </em>by Renee Rapp.</p> <p><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

Music

"Absolute king of kings": Nedd Brockmann completes incredible 1600km run

<p>Nedd Brockmann has completed a 1600km run spanning 12 days at Sydney Olympic Park. </p> <p>The ultra-marathon legend raised $2.6 million for homelessness charity, We Are Mobilise, as part of the Uncomfortable Challenge on Wednesday. </p> <p>Brockmann was cheered by a crowd of thousands as he completed 3,760 laps of the track at Sydney Olympic Park, which is equivalent to 125.325 master laps (a master lap covers a distance of 12.84 kilometres).</p> <p>Upon crossing the finish line, Brockmann hugged his mum and burst into tears saying, "I can't wait for a shower," as he laid on the track. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBKIBGLB2Sj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/DBKIBGLB2Sj/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Nedd Brockmann (@neddbrockmann)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>It was also the biggest day of donations, with over $770,000 raised for the charity.</p> <p>"12 days, 13 hours, 16 minutes, and 45 seconds. Average 128 kilometres a day. $2.6 million raised for Aussies experiencing homelessness and counting," Brockmann wrote on social media following his mammoth run. </p> <p>"CONQUER."</p> <p>Brockmann started his run on October 3, with the goal of beating the world record of running 1600km in 10 days, while trying to raise $10 million for We Are Mobilise. </p> <p>While significant injuries prevented him from beating the world record, he has still managed to raise $2.6 million for We Are Mobilise, an incredible achievement for a 25-year-old. </p> <p>Many have praised him for being an inspiration on social media. </p> <p>"You've lifted a nation, and deeply, deeply sunken a track that never stood a chance! You're special Neddy, we are all blessed to have witnessed this. Thank you," one wrote. </p> <p>"You’re an inspiration and an unbelievable human being. What a mountain to conquer!" added another. </p> <p>"Absolute king of kings. You’re an inspiration to every one mate. Truly unbelievable," commented a third. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Body

Incredible reason behind Aussie woman's 5,500km outback ride

<p>Sarah Wheeler has been travelling through the New South Wales outback for the last four and a half months, doing it entirely on horseback. </p> <p>The 26-year-old Aussie plans to ride 5,500 kilometres through outback Queensland and New South Wales to raise awareness about the rare cancer that killed her mum in 2022, a little over a decade after her father passed away. </p> <p>With around four months left on her trip, Wheeler and her two horses, Shifty and Sally, are slowly trekking across some of the most remote and rugged parts of the country in a trip that has never been done before. </p> <p>"I'd always thought about doing something like this throughout my life," Wheeler told <em>Yahoo News</em>. </p> <p>"So after my parents died, I went out and bought two horses and, yeah, set off on a five-and-a-half-thousand-kilometre horse ride to honour and remember, and grieve."</p> <p>Wheeler set off with her horses from her hometown Rowena in western NSW in May, and has since travelled across long stretches of highways, desolate plains and rocky terrain and has now passed the halfway mark. </p> <p>She explained that in recent weeks she has also been trekking on foot and has contact with other people only when she stops in towns for supplies or when she feeds her horses, using a support vehicle. </p> <p>"The car travels 10 kilometres at a time so that I can keep replenishing my horses, with both food and water. Ten kilometres takes me two hours, sometimes a bit longer, and I'm usually in the saddle for six to eight hours a day," she told the publication. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C89KIgsxb_A/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C89KIgsxb_A/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Sarah Wheeler - The Outback Long Ride (@_beneaththebrim)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"The most challenging thing has probably been the saddles and saddle pads and cleanliness — that's all so important. I have to wash my saddle blankets every second day. Otherwise, things just start happening, like fungus type of stuff."</p> <p>She added that while "this has been one of the hardest things I have ever done", the friendliness and support of locals has been a highlight of her trip. </p> <p>"Everyone's so lovely and inviting and, yeah, I just I didn't think that I was going to see that to this extent," she said. "People want to invite me in and feed me, they just want to help me as much as they can."</p> <p>Remembering her late parents' legacy, Wheeler said she wants everyone to know just how "remarkable" they both were.</p> <p>"They were like everything this world needed and more," she said. "They were very kind and genuine and humble."</p> <p>Wheeler's ride is raising awareness and funds for two key charities: <a href="https://pancare-gi-cancer.raisely.com/sarah-wheeler" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pancare Foundation</a>, the lead organisation supporting families and funding research for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancer, which claimed the life of her mother, and A Daughter’s Way, her own charity supporting rural families experiencing grief. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Domestic Travel

London stabbing victim's incredible bond with hero security guard

<p>The identity of the NSW schoolgirl who was stabbed in<a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/11-year-old-australian-girl-identified-as-london-stabbing-victim" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> a random attack</a> in London’s Leicester Square has been revealed. </p> <p>Laila Johnson, 11, and her mum Samantha, 34, from Candelo NSW, were on holiday when the horrific incident occurred on August 12. </p> <p>Abdullah, a security who was working nearby during the random attack, immediately jumped into action and saved her life by holding down the alleged attacker, Ioan Pintaru, until police arrived. </p> <p>“I saw outside there was a guy who was stabbing a girl, so as I saw him stabbing the girl, I started to run towards the guy,” he said shortly after the attack. </p> <p>“I jumped on the guy and grabbed his hand in which he was carrying a knife. I tackled him down on the floor and kicked the knife away from him.</p> <p>“There was only one thought — to save the kid and save her mum, nothing else.”</p> <p>Laila was taken to hospital where she had plastic surgery for serious but non-life-threatening injuries to her face, shoulder, wrist, and neck and was out of hospital the day after the incident. </p> <p>On Thursday, Laila and her mum talked about the terrifying incident on <em>Sunrise</em> and paid tribute to Abdullah. </p> <p>“He is an absolutely gorgeous human,” mother Sam, said.</p> <p>“He’s just been checking in on Laila and myself and, yeah, we’ve just been keeping in contact.</p> <p>“He’s quickly taken Laila in as a little sister, and I think that he will continue to check in on her for a very long time.”</p> <p>Sam recalled the moment Abdullah saved her daughter's life. </p> <p>“He didn’t hesitate. He’s exactly who you want around in a time like that,” she said.</p> <p>She also praised daughter Laila for her optimism, and the day after the incident, the pair were escorted to Wembley Stadium, with the two police officers who came to her aid last week, where she sat in a VIP box to watch her favourite superstar, Taylor Swift. </p> <p>“She was still very sore, but she was getting up and dancing,” Laila’s mum told <em>The Daily Telegraph</em>. </p> <p>“She has always been the most optimistic and determined child in the world. Yeah, I was a bit worried that that might stop her from Taylor Swift, but I shouldn’t have worried,” Sam said on <em>Sunrise</em>. </p> <p>Laila is now back at school and will be he lead in the school's performance of Alice in Wonderland. </p> <p>Pintaru — a Romanian citizen of no fixed address — fronted Westminster Magistrates Court last week charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in a public place.</p> <p>He was asked not to enter any pleas and was remanded in custody before his next hearing on September 10.</p> <p><em>Images: Seven</em></p>

Caring

Incredible scenes after whale watchers "mugged" by humpback

<p>A group of tourists were "literally held hostage" by a humpback whale on Friday morning after the curious mammal circled a boat off the east coast. </p> <p>For almost an hour, captain and marine biologist Cassie Murray, had to cut the boats power supply and watched in aw as the whale "hung around" in an incredibly rare and beautiful moment. </p> <p>"We don't use any kind of technology to find the whales, we're just looking with our eyes," the captain from the whale watching company Ocean Extreme told <em>Yahoo News. </em></p> <p> "We're always looking for the blow, which is the breath of the whale. That's typically how we spot them... then this whale made a turn towards the boat. </p> <p>"It just kind of hung around and circled the boat and spy-hopped, which is when they lift their head up out of the water to take a look around," she explained. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-2PEx4Pqtp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-2PEx4Pqtp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Ocean Extreme (@oceanextreme)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Many of the tourists were excited to see the majestic mammal up close, with Murray admitting that it was one of her best-ever whale-watching experiences after over 10 years in the industry. </p> <p>"It was very, very special," she said. "It was just watching us watch it, basically."</p> <p>The tourists were "mugged" by the whale but not in the way you'd think. </p> <p>Mugging refers to the situation where, due to wildlife protection laws, you are legally required to cut the boats power to prevent its propellers from hitting the whale. </p> <p>"The [whale] behaviour we experienced, it's called a mugging because, essentially, the boats are being held hostage by the whales, we can't move," she said.</p> <p>"You're being held hostage by the whale. But it's like, the best kind of hostage situation possible."</p> <p>Murray added that having this experience in Sydney is rare as it is part of the migration path, "So 95 per cent of our trips, we just see the whales cruising past," she said.</p> <p>"This whale took the time to stop and just kind of mill about in one spot."</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram/Oceanextreme</em></p>

Domestic Travel

Incredible moment huge whale body slams boat

<p>The incredible moment a humpback whale launched out of the water and slammed itself onto an unsuspecting boat has been caught on camera. </p> <p>The incident, which was filmed off the coast of New Hampshire in the US, showed the whale leap from the water and onto the back of a small boat. </p> <p>Two fishermen were seen scrambling off the boat before it flipped onto its side and capsizes. </p> <p>There were reportedly no injuries, but the US Coast sent out an alert to nearby mariners to assist the two men if possible, according to <em>TMZ</em>. </p> <p>A nearby boat helped the two men and brought the capsized boat back to safety. </p> <p>The video has gone viral, with former NHL player Ryan Whitney reacting to the video on X: “There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you’re out there.”</p> <p>Experts have also spoken out on the incident, saying that it was just a coincidence, that had nothing to do with the humpback's temperament. </p> <p>“It was an accident,” Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation co-founder and director of research Dianna Schulte told <em>The New York Post</em>.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">There is a pissed off whale patrolling the waters of Portsmouth NH today. Head on swivel if you’re out there <a href="https://t.co/xQPIHs8ZjN">pic.twitter.com/xQPIHs8ZjN</a></p> <p>— Ryan Whitney (@ryanwhitney6) <a href="https://twitter.com/ryanwhitney6/status/1815803088306933987?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 23, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>According to the researcher, the humpback whale was feeding when it came up and hit the boat. </p> <p>“The whales will come up through schools of fish with their mouth wide open and close their mouth, either right before they break the surface or even after they break the surface,” she said. </p> <p>“The boat was in the wrong place.”</p> <p>A population boom in Atlantic menhaden, where whales, dolphins and sharks can usually be found, could be the reason why the mammal is coming closer to the coast, according to Schulte. </p> <p>She said that it could be using the shallow waters to its advantage as it builds its hunting skills. </p> <p>“The boaters that are in the video, they should have known better to not be fishing with a large whale in the area, because (an accident) can happen,” she said. </p> <p>“The whales, when they’re feeding on the fish schools, when they’re that dense, they just can’t see through the fish school, so they don’t know what’s above them, especially on a cloudy day like today. So the whale had no idea that the boat was even there,” she added. </p> <p>“I’ve been watching whales and researching whales for 30 years, and I’ve never seen a humpback whale purposely hit a boat.”</p> <p>She warned that boaters and fishermen should give the mammal as much as 100 yards of space, especially during mealtime. </p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p> <div class="more-coverage-v2" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin-bottom: 0px; border-top: 1px solid #e0e1e2; float: right; margin-left: 16px; max-width: 40%; padding: 16px 0px; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', HelveticaNeue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px;"> </div>

Travel Trouble

David Beckham's incredible offer for 'stealing' couple's wedding venue

<p>David Beckham has reportedly made a huge offer to a couple in a bid to steal the venue from them. </p> <p>The couple had booked the luxury resort Gleneagles in Scotland, UK for their dream wedding, but the football legend - who has reportedly been busy hunting for the perfect location to celebrate his 50th birthday - also wanted to book the venue to mark the milestone birthday. </p> <p>According to <em><a href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/david-beckham-steals-couples-wedding-32864115" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Mirror</a>,</em> Beckham has apparently convinced the couple to move their wedding date and venue by helping them pay off their wedding and a few other special offers. </p> <p>A “friend of a friend” took to X, to share the claim this week. </p> <p>“A friend of a friend is getting married at Gleneagles next year but David Beckham wants the date for his 50th, so to get the friend to move it so he can have the hotel, Gleneagles are paying for their new wedding date, honeymoon AND paying off their mortgage … the power of Becks," user Ollienarrator wrote in a tweet. </p> <p>Fans of Beckham praised the football legend for being so generous. </p> <p>“OMG!!!! That’s absolutely wild! Ah but so worth it,” wrote one person. </p> <p>“What a wedding present!” added another, to which the original poster responded: “I bet Beckham won’t have to pay either! But yeah, mortgage paid off will do!” </p> <p><em>The Mirror</em> reported that they have contacted Beckham's representatives for a comment. </p> <p><em>Image: Ryan Browne/ Shutterstock Editorial</em></p> <p> </p>

Money & Banking

Incredible treasure trove of unseen royal images

<p>In a mesmerising blend of history and artistry, Buckingham Palace's newly christened King's Gallery has unveiled a captivating journey through time and royalty with the debut of "Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography".</p> <p>Opening its on May 17, this groundbreaking exhibition delves into the illustrious lineage of the Royal Family through more than 150 carefully curated portraits – some never before seen by the public eye.</p> <p>A highlight among these treasures is a poignant snapshot capturing a rare familial moment: Queen Elizabeth II, Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra, and The Duchess of Kent cradling their newborns. Lord Snowdon, Princess Margaret's husband, immortalised this touching scene as a token of gratitude to Sir John Peel, the esteemed royal obstetrician responsible for delivering all four babies within a mere two-month span.</p> <p>In this heartfelt image, Queen Elizabeth II tenderly holds Prince Edward, her youngest offspring, while Princess Margaret, Princess Alexandra and The Duchess of Kent embrace their own bundles of joy. Accompanying this snapshot is a handwritten letter penned by Princess Margaret to her sister, affectionately addressed as "Darling Lilibet", requesting a signature on a print destined as a cherished memento for the esteemed doctor.</p> <p>The exhibition transcends mere family portraits, delving deep into the evolution of royal portraiture over the past century. Visitors are treated to a visual feast of iconic images captured by renowned photographers, including Dorothy Wilding, Annie Leibovitz, David Bailey and Rankin. Notably, the legendary Cecil Beaton's immortalisation of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation remains a cornerstone of the collection, offering a timeless glimpse into history.</p> <p>The exhibition also pays homage to the enduring allure of Princess Anne through her striking appearances on <em>Vogue</em> covers and a celebrated coming-of-age portrait by Norman Parkinson, commemorating her 21st birthday. From the timeless elegance of Princess Anne to the radiant charm of Prince William and Kate Middleton, and the spirited grace of Zara Tindall, the exhibition showcases a diverse tapestry of royal personalities spanning generations.</p> <p>Yet, it is not merely the portraits themselves that captivate visitors, but the untold stories and intimate moments woven into each frame. Delving into the depths of royal history, the exhibition reveals unseen wartime images by Cecil Beaton, illustrating King George VI and Queen Elizabeth's unwavering resolve amidst the chaos of conflict.</p> <p>As visitors explore the gallery, they are guided by a free multimedia experience narrated by Dame Joanna Lumley, offering a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the artistry and craftsmanship behind these timeless portraits. From Hugo Burnand's vivid recollections of photographing the royal coronation to the candid insights of royal photographers such as Rankin and John Swannell, the multimedia guide adds depth and dimension to the exhibition, inviting visitors to immerse themselves fully in the rich tapestry of royal history.</p> <p>"Royal Portraits: A Century of Photography" is not merely an exhibition; it is a testament to the enduring legacy of the British monarchy, captured through the lens of some of the most esteemed photographers of our time. From the grandeur of coronations to the tender embrace of a mother cradling her newborn, each portrait tells a story – a story of tradition, resilience and the timeless allure of royalty.</p> <p><em>Images: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024.</em></p>

Art

"Incredibly relieving" update on baby injured in Bondi stabbing

<p>The youngest victim of the <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/family-of-bondi-killer-break-silence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stabbing spree</a> at Bondi Junction Westfield is in a stable condition after her mother, Ashlee Good, 38, died protecting her. </p> <p>The nine-month-old underwent emergency surgery to save her life after being stabbed and on Monday morning NSW Health Minister Ryan Park confirmed that her condition has improved from critical to serious but stable. </p> <p>“I speak on behalf of the entire nation who held its breath over the weekend that (the) young nine month old girl who went to Sydney Children’s Hospital is now in a serious, stable condition,” he told 2GB. </p> <p>“So she’s come down from critical.</p> <p>“There is a chance over the course of the next day that she’ll be moved on to a ward. Now that is incredibly relieving, I think, for our country." </p> <p>Her mother, was among was among the six people killed by Joel Cauchi, 40, during the attack. </p> <p>After they had been attacked, Good thrust her young bub into the arms of a bystander. </p> <p>A man and his brother helped take care of the baby until help arrived. </p> <p>"The mum got stabbed and... came over with the baby and threw it at me and [I] was holding the baby," the man told <em>Nine News </em>at the time. </p> <p>The man's brother told the publication: "He helped with holding the baby and trying to compress the baby and same with the mother.</p> <p>"We just kept yelling out to get some clothes, get some shirts and just help us to compress and stop the baby from bleeding.</p> <p>"With my brother holding the baby so well and really compressing, I think the baby's fine."</p> <p>Good was the daughter of former Australian Football League player Kerry Good, who played for North Melbourne. </p> <p>On Sunday, her family shared a statement thanking everyone for their support and paid tribute to the two men who "cared for our baby when Ashlee could not".</p> <p>“We appreciate the well-wishes and thoughts of members of the Australian public who have expressed an outpouring of love for Ashlee and our baby girl," they said. </p> <p>Good has been <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/health/caring/royals-issue-heartfelt-statement-after-bondi-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener">remembered</a> as "a beautiful mother, daughter, sister, partner, friend, all-round outstanding human."</p> <p>According to the NSW health minister, the condition of the eight victims who remain in hospital varied from critical to stable.</p> <p><em>Image: news.com.au/ Sydney Morning Herald</em></p>

Caring

Daughter's incredible gesture surprises her cancer-stricken mother

<p>A brave mother fighting cancer has burst into tears at her daughter's amazing display of solidarity, as her mum continues to battle through chemotherapy. </p> <p>Tracy Mulcahy has been fighting a devastating diagnosis of stage four high-grade ovarian cancer and had started to lose her hair after relentless chemo treatment. </p> <p>Tracy and her daughter Sophie headed to their local hairdressers, where they have become like family after seven years, where Sophie was given the task of shaving her mum's head. </p> <p>To everyone's surprise, Sophie was handed the razor and decided to shave off her own long blonde hair in an emotional display of solitary and strength.</p> <p>Both women burst into tears and held one another, while there was not a dry eye in the salon from other clients and hairdressers. </p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4h63b2rZYX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/C4h63b2rZYX/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by ⚡️SOUTH WEST BLONDE SPECIALIST ⚡️ (@bambiblonde__)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>The heartwarming moment was captured by the Bambi Blonde salon and posted to their Instagram, where the post racked up hundreds of thousands of likes and comments of support from all over the world.</p> <p>"The whole salon was in tears," owner Claire Lovett said.</p> <p>Sophie has since revealed she decided to do it because she didn't want her mother to "go through this alone".</p> <p>"She means the absolute world to me. She's done everything she could to help me with any issues I've had in the past," Sophie told the Hit WA radio station.</p> <p>Tracy said her daughter's decision was "just insane", saying, "I saw her do it, and I'm like, no, please don't, please don't do this. I don't want you to go through what I'm going through."</p> <p>"I think when I sat down in that hairdresser's chair and prepared myself for the day, but when you actually sit in that chair and normally go to the hairdressers, it's obviously a positive experience." </p> <p>"And then to have to look in and see that there wasn't a lot of hair left at that point. And to see Sophie do that and sacrifice her own hair for me, it was just insane."</p> <p>The family have set up a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/tracys-battle-stage-4-high-grade-ovarian-cancer?utm_campaign=p_cp+fundraiser-sidebar&utm_medium=copy_link_all&utm_source=customer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> page to help with the costs of Tracy's treatment. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram / GoFundMe</em></p>

Caring

Alzheimer’s may have once spread from person to person, but the risk of that happening today is incredibly low

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-macfarlane-4722">Steve Macfarlane</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p>An article published this week in the prestigious journal <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-023-02729-2">Nature Medicine</a> documents what is believed to be the first evidence that Alzheimer’s disease can be transmitted from person to person.</p> <p>The finding arose from long-term follow up of patients who received human growth hormone (hGH) that was taken from brain tissue of deceased donors.</p> <p>Preparations of donated hGH were used in medicine to treat a variety of conditions from 1959 onwards – including in Australia from the mid 60s.</p> <p>The practice stopped in 1985 when it was discovered around 200 patients worldwide who had received these donations went on to develop <a href="https://www.vdh.virginia.gov/epidemiology/epidemiology-fact-sheets/creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-cjd/">Creuztfeldt-Jakob disease</a> (CJD), which causes a rapidly progressive dementia. This is an otherwise extremely rare condition, affecting roughly one person in a million.</p> <h2>What’s CJD got to do with Alzehimer’s?</h2> <p>CJD is caused by prions: infective particles that are neither bacterial or viral, but consist of abnormally folded proteins that can be transmitted from cell to cell.</p> <p>Other prion diseases include kuru, a dementia seen in New Guinea tribespeople caused by eating human tissue, scrapie (a disease of sheep) and variant CJD or bovine spongiform encephalopathy, otherwise known as mad cow disease. This raised <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Kingdom_BSE_outbreak">public health concerns</a> over the eating of beef products in the United Kingdom in the 1980s.</p> <h2>Human growth hormone used to come from donated organs</h2> <p>Human growth hormone (hGH) is produced in the brain by the pituitary gland. Treatments were originally prepared from purified human pituitary tissue.</p> <p>But because the amount of hGH contained in a single gland is extremely small, any single dose given to any one patient could contain material from around <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000563.htm">16,000 donated glands</a>.</p> <p>An average course of hGH treatment lasts around four years, so the chances of receiving contaminated material – even for a very rare condition such as CJD – became quite high for such people.</p> <p>hGH is now manufactured synthetically in a laboratory, rather than from human tissue. So this particular mode of CJD transmission is no longer a risk.</p> <h2>What are the latest findings about Alzheimer’s disease?</h2> <p>The Nature Medicine paper provides the first evidence that transmission of Alzheimer’s disease can occur via human-to-human transmission.</p> <p>The authors examined the outcomes of people who received donated hGH until 1985. They found five such recipients had developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>They considered other explanations for the findings but concluded donated hGH was the likely cause.</p> <p>Given Alzheimer’s disease is a much more common illness than CJD, the authors presume those who received donated hGH before 1985 may be at higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.</p> <p>Alzheimer’s disease is caused by presence of two abnormally folded proteins: amyloid and tau. There is <a href="https://actaneurocomms.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40478-017-0488-7">increasing evidence</a> these proteins spread in the brain in a <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8086126/">similar way to prion diseases</a>. So the mode of transmission the authors propose is certainly plausible.</p> <p>However, given the amyloid protein deposits in the brain <a href="https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/estimates-amyloid-onset-may-predict-alzheimers-progression">at least 20 years</a> before clinical Alzheimer’s disease develops, there is likely to be a considerable time lag before cases that might arise from the receipt of donated hGH become evident.</p> <h2>When was this process used in Australia?</h2> <p>In Australia, donated pituitary material <a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/07/the-cjd-review-final-report.pdf">was used</a> from 1967 to 1985 to treat people with short stature and infertility.</p> <p><a href="https://www.health.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/2022/07/the-cjd-review-final-report.pdf">More than 2,000 people</a> received such treatment. Four developed CJD, the last case identified in 1991. All four cases were likely linked to a single contaminated batch.</p> <p>The risks of any other cases of CJD developing now in pituitary material recipients, so long after the occurrence of the last identified case in Australia, are <a href="https://www.mja.com.au/journal/2010/193/6/iatrogenic-creutzfeldt-jakob-disease-australia-time-amend-infection-control">considered to be</a> incredibly small.</p> <p>Early-onset Alzheimer’s disease (defined as occurring before the age of 65) is uncommon, accounting for <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4356853/">around 5%</a> of all cases. Below the age of 50 it’s rare and likely to have a genetic contribution.</p> <h2>The risk is very low – and you can’t ‘catch’ it like a virus</h2> <p>The Nature Medicine paper identified five cases which were diagnosed in people aged 38 to 55. This is more than could be expected by chance, but still very low in comparison to the total number of patients treated worldwide.</p> <p>Although the long “incubation period” of Alzheimer’s disease may mean more similar cases may be identified in the future, the absolute risk remains very low. The main scientific interest of the article lies in the fact it’s first to demonstrate that Alzheimer’s disease can be transmitted from person to person in a similar way to prion diseases, rather than in any public health risk.</p> <p>The authors were keen to emphasise, as I will, that Alzheimer’s cannot be contracted via contact with or providing care to people with Alzheimer’s disease.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/222374/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/steve-macfarlane-4722"><em>Steve Macfarlane</em></a><em>, Head of Clinical Services, Dementia Support Australia, & Associate Professor of Psychiatry, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/alzheimers-may-have-once-spread-from-person-to-person-but-the-risk-of-that-happening-today-is-incredibly-low-222374">original article</a>.</em></p>

Mind

All of the incredible royal jewels Queen Mary just inherited

<p>In a weekend filled with regal splendour and historic significance, Crown Princess Mary of Denmark not only <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/family-pets/king-charles-message-to-mary-as-she-becomes-queen" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ascended to the esteemed title of Queen</a> but also found herself adorned with the resplendent Danish Crown Jewels.</p> <p>The symbolic transfer of these extraordinary treasures, formerly belonging to Queen Margrethe, marks a momentous chapter in the Danish monarchy, and for Mary, it's a journey into the rich history of royal glamour.</p> <p>The Danish Crown Jewels, a collection with a lineage spanning centuries, tell a story of devotion, legacy and timeless elegance. Initiated by Queen Sophie Magdalene in the 1700s, each subsequent queen has contributed to and enhanced the collection, resulting in four dazzling "parures", or sets, each a testament to the enduring craftsmanship and artistry of Danish royalty.</p> <p><strong>The Emerald Set: A Gift of Love Across Generations</strong></p> <p>At the heart of the collection is the Emerald Set, a masterpiece featuring diadem, necklace, brooch and earrings adorned with emeralds and brilliant-cut diamonds. Originally gifted to Queen Sophie Magdalene in 1723 by King Christian VI, the set exudes a captivating blend of history and sophistication. As Queen Margrethe has demonstrated in the past, the pieces can be worn together or detached for a versatile, regal allure.</p> <p><strong>Pearl Ruby Set: A Timeless Elegance in Red and White</strong></p> <p>The Pearl Ruby Set, with its origins in the late 1600s, boasts a pearl necklace from Queen Charlotte Amalie, complemented by a matching pearl, ruby and diamond brooch and earrings. The ensemble, enhanced by Queen Caroline Amalie in the 1840s, mirrors the colours of the Danish flag. The set's adaptability, such as the pendant attachment to the pearl necklace, reflects a harmonious blend of tradition and innovation.</p> <p><strong>Brilliant Set: Diamonds that Sparkle with History</strong></p> <p>The Brilliant Set, featuring a brilliant-cut diamond necklace, floral bouquet brooch and earrings dating back to 1840, was the choice of Queen Margrethe for her son Frederik's wedding. This set, rich in symbolism, is a dazzling testament to the enduring sparkle of Danish royalty. Paired with the Floral Aigrette tiara, it adds a touch of timeless grace to any royal occasion.</p> <p><strong>Rose Cut Set: A Delicate Affair with Rose-Cut Diamonds</strong></p> <p>The Rose Cut Set, with necklaces and brooches fashioned from rose-cut diamonds, whispers tales of Princess Charlotte Amalie from centuries past. Worn sparingly by Queen Margrethe, it holds a unique place in the collection, and its rare appearances evoke a sense of antiquity and refinement.</p> <p>For Queen Mary, this accession to the Danish Crown Jewels is not just a privilege but a responsibility to carry forward the legacy of elegance and grace. These jewels, worn by every Queen of Denmark since the 1700s, are not merely adornments; they are a connection to the nation's history and a symbol of continuity.</p> <p>Reserved for special occasions, such as state visits and the New Year Reception, the Danish Crown Jewels will now find a new muse in Queen Mary. Ensconced within the walls of Rosenborg Castle when not in use, these jewels remain a source of pride for Denmark, a tangible link to its regal past.</p> <p>As Queen Mary steps into this new chapter of her royal journey, the Danish Crown Jewels will undoubtedly witness many more moments of joy, solemnity and regal radiance, reflecting the enduring spirit of a nation intertwined with its royal heritage.</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram / Getty Images</em></p>

Money & Banking

“I couldn’t believe it": Man's incredible find in client's trash

<p>A rubbish removalist’s tendency to upcycle and recycle his clients' trash has led him to a rare discovery. </p> <p>Jesse Stewart, from Brisbane's Get It Gone Rubbish Removal, recalled the moment he was getting rid of an entertainment unit at the tip, when he found a mistakenly discarded medicine bottle with a wad of cash inside. </p> <p>“I didn’t think too much of it but when I picked it up it was heavy, and I was like, ‘I wonder what’s in there’,“ he told <em>7News</em>. </p> <p>Stewart “couldn’t believe” his luck when he found out the wad of notes amounted to $7000. </p> <p>“I’ve never found anything like that before," he said. </p> <p>But being the good samaritan that he was, Stewart returned the money to its rightful owner, a woman in her 60s and his long-time client. </p> <p>“She was so grateful. She couldn’t believe it,” he said, adding that she did not even realise she had the cash stashed away. </p> <p>“She didn’t think anyone would be that nice to give it back, so she gave me a few hundred bucks, which was nice," he said, revealing that she gave him a $300 unsolicited reward. </p> <p>While he did return the money back to its rightful owner, Stewart shared that he did think about keeping it. </p> <p>“To be honest, my first thought was to keep it,” he laughed.</p> <p>“The person who owned it has treated me really well over the last year of working for her ... I just felt too guilty, I could not keep it.”</p> <p>This is not the Brisbane local's first interesting find, as his tendency to upcycle trash has led to a trove of treasures including <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">a haul of rare Australian stamps, an electric scooter and an antique piano.</span></p> <p><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">But, the cash definitely </span>“took the cake”. </p> <p>“I don’t think I’ll find something like that again,” he said.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

"She saw it and dodged it": Incredible scenes as tree plunges through seat in Schoolies crash

<p>In a harrowing incident on K'Gari, formerly known as Fraser Island, a group of teenage girls narrowly escaped a potentially tragic accident during their Schoolies celebration.</p> <p>The friends were exploring the picturesque island off the Queensland coast when a tree crashed through the windscreen of their car, plunging right through the headrest of the passenger seat.</p> <p>Miraculously, all occupants emerged unscathed from this near-miss, thanks to a combination of quick reflexes and the timely intervention of volunteers from the Fraser Coast Red Frogs.</p> <p>As the teens ventured through the island's terrain, their joyous celebration took a terrifying turn when a massive tree limb plummeted onto their vehicle. The impact shattered the glass directly in front of the passenger seat, creating a scene of devastation that could have resulted in serious injuries – or worse.</p> <p>Astonishingly, one of the girls was seated in the passenger seat at the time, and her quick thinking and agility allowed her to dodge the falling debris, narrowly avoiding a potentially life-threatening situation.</p> <p>Tim Winnington, the Fraser Coast Red Frogs coordinator, described the fortuitous nature of the escape, saying, "There was a girl actually sitting in the passenger seat. She saw it and dodged it. They were so lucky not to get injured."</p> <p>The Red Frogs, a charity organisation that provides support and education at events like Schoolies and music festivals, played a crucial role in the aftermath of the incident, with volunteers from the organisation waiting with the shaken teenagers until help arrived.</p> <p>Madhill Motor Group, the generous donor of the ute used by the Red Frogs team, highlighted the gravity of the situation with photos shared on Facebook to demonstrate just how close the call was. The teenagers, treated for shock by paramedics, were fortunate to walk away physically unharmed, a fact not lost on them or their friends.</p> <p>In the aftermath of the incident, a friend of the girls expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Red Frogs for their swift and effective response. “They were all so lucky to walk away with no one being injured, and very lucky the Red Frogs were on scene so quickly and helped them so much, getting them a room to stay, driving their car for them, cleaning up all the glass and calming them all down in this traumatic experience,” they wrote. “We are all extremely grateful that you were there.”</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

Chrissie Swan celebrates incredible milestone

<p>Chrissie Swan has marked a big health milestone, taking to Instagram to celebrate her achievement that she doesn't talk about much publicly. </p> <p>The TV presenter revealed that she has been alcohol-free for 1000 days. </p> <p>“I don’t talk much about giving up the booze because it’s such a personal thing and not right for everyone – also I don’t feel comfortable encouraging people to do anything they haven’t arrived at themselves,” she admitted in her post. </p> <p>She added that after 1000 days she knows "for sure it has been the right thing for me so I’m putting this here for anyone who’s thinking that maybe drinking isn’t fun anymore."</p> <p>"I love love love being able to drive everywhere, leave places whenever I like and especially ESPECIALLY going to bed knowing I’ve been the most authentic version of myself AND waking up excited about another brilliant day," she said. </p> <p>She revealed that she never had a “massive, long standing” problem with alcohol, but had found herself consuming it more during the lockdowns. </p> <p>“I just knew it had to go. It was actually quite easy for me and the positives started within the first week. Mainly – relief. And the clarity and focus I needed to return to my original self and get to work."</p> <p>"I don’t miss drinking one bit and now I never even think about it," she added. </p> <p>"I am proud of myself as well - which is a sparkling and meaningful thing.</p> <p>“In truth – every aspect of my life, energy, positivity and relationships have become so much better in every way since that day,” she wrote.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzE38-jyyIp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CzE38-jyyIp/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Chrissie Swan (@chrissieswan)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>A few of her celebrity friends took to the comments to congratulate the<em> Masked Singer</em> star on her achievement. </p> <p>“Congrats mate. I’m right there with you. Building a life in recovery that I’m not willing to lose is paramount. There’s no drug that feels as good as my life right now. And I have done my research on that claim,” wrote her <em>Masked Singer</em> co-star Osher Gunsberg.</p> <p>“Congrats, Chrissie! Amazing achievement. Resonates incredibly strongly with me. I want a Happy Life not a Happy Hour,” added <em>Bachelor</em> star Matt Agnew.</p> <p>“Love this Chrissie! Living your most joyful, authentic life. What a gift. Huge congrats,” commented Jill Stark, author of the book <em>High Sobriety</em>. </p> <p><em>Image: Getty / Instagram</em></p>

Caring

Salma Hayek shows off incredibly risque aqua workout

<p>Brace yourself for a splash of laughter and waves of awe as we dive headfirst into the exciting world of Salma Hayek's Instagram antics!</p> <p>The 56-year-old bombshell is making waves, quite literally, as she takes her 25 million followers on a jaw-dropping journey through her favourite pool workout.</p> <p>In a display of gratitude for her loyal fans' undying "love & support," Salma posted a sultry workout video that left her followers gasping for breath (and possibly reconsidering their own exercise routines). Sporting a teeny-weeny bikini, she flaunted her fabulous figure, proving once again why her Instagram following is through the roof.</p> <p>“I can’t believe it, 25 million followers! Thank you soo soo much to every single one of you,” Salma captioned the sizzling clip." 🙏 Seeing as you all like my bikini pictures the most 👙, here’s a bikini work out for you all. I hate exercising- but I love to celebrate good moments dancing in the water. I am genuinely moved and grateful for all your love & support. 🥰"</p> <p>The video kicks off with the House of Gucci star making a dramatic entrance into an indoor swimming pool, as if she were auditioning for a synchronised swimming team. Clad in a triangle bikini top that defies the laws of physics, she gracefully splashes around before launching into some water aerobics that would make Aquaman proud.</p> <p>In the following scenes, our beloved Oscar nominee takes on the monumental task of doing crunches on the pool steps, proving that even in water, abs are no match for her determination. And just when you thought it couldn't get any better, she transitions into side leg kicks that would make a Rockette envious. As the workout reaches its crescendo, Salma wraps it up with her signature cardio routine: dancing.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuZ-GMpNnYu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CuZ-GMpNnYu/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Salma Hayek Pinault (@salmahayek)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Naturally, Salma's fans were left in awe of her seemingly eternal youthfulness. "She's ageing like a fine wine!" exclaimed one follower, while another chimed in, "I met her in the '90s, and she's barely aged since then!" We can't help but marvel at Salma's ability to trap the thirst at 56. It's wild, folks!</p> <p>In a surprising turn of events, even Drake himself couldn't resist getting in on the action. He wrote, "Let's get her to 50 million followers ASAP." Looks like Salma's sultry workout video has everyone thirsty for more!</p> <p>But wait, there's more! Just days before the poolside spectacle, Salma had already sent her fans into a frenzy with a photo celebrating National Bikini Day. Wearing the same vibrant patchwork two-piece, she gazed into the camera with a smoulder that could melt the polar ice caps (which, given her workout skills, might actually be possible).</p> <p>Salma, never one to shy away from baring it all online, accessorised her lively swimsuit with a pair of gold, three-tiered earrings and her trusty wedding ring. After all, why not bring some bling to the pool party?</p> <p>And let's not forget her recent sauna adventures! Embracing the world of wellness, Salma shared a series of steamy sauna photos, proving that she knows how to sweat out the stress. With just two small, white towels valiantly attempting to cover her private parts, she took "World Wellbeing Week" to a whole new level. Who needs oversized towels anyway?</p> <p>While constantly praised for her timeless beauty, Salma is refreshingly open about her changing appearance. She fearlessly shares photos of her sprouting greys and the delightful marks of ageing, reminding us all that even Hollywood goddesses can't escape the passage of time.</p> <p>So there you have it, folks! Salma Hayek, the ageless enchantress, continues to captivate us with her cheeky and awe-inspiring Instagram escapades. From bikini workouts to steamy saunas, she's a force to be reckoned with. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to find a pool and attempt Salma's workout routine. Wish me luck – I'll need it!</p> <p><em>Images: Instagram</em></p>

Body

Margot Robbie eyeing up incredible Byron Bay mansion

<p>Dubbed as “Australia’s most beautiful home” this remarkable Byron Bay property certainly fits Margot Robbie’s criteria for a dream house.</p> <p>The beloved Aussie actress and husband Tom Ackerley have flown back to Australia and have taken the time, in between visiting friends and launching a new spirits label, to go house hunting in beautiful Byron Bay.</p> <p>Robbie and Ackerley were spotted walking through the stunning “Cedar Hill” home in Newrybar, which sits around 10km south of Byron Bay.</p> <p>Property records state the 8-bed, 8-bath home that offers over 2 hectares of land has been on the market for two months.</p> <p>In its marketing campaign, it is described as a “Malibu Aspen Love Child”.</p> <p>“The perfect property is a place where calmness calls, fusing relaxed luxury with picturesque tranquillity,” the listing reads.</p> <p>“Such a rare destination does indeed exist with “Cedar Hill”.</p> <p>“Revered as one of Australia’s most beautiful homes and boasting lush hinterland and ocean views, it is a spectacular showcase of international design and unique architecture.</p> <p>“Cocooned within five acres of absolute peace and paradise, two sprawling premium hardwood residences rise up from this elevated, northeast-facing estate.</p> <p>“Linked by a glass-lined walkway that nicely separates social and sleeping quarters, elegance blends skilfully with cutting-edge design, including retractable glass walls, soaring ceilings with exposed timber beams and polished concrete floors. Brought to life by award-winning designer, Jase Sullivan, these globally inspired interiors are a textural triumph.</p> <p>“Recycled timber, blackbutt wall panelling, chic bohemian textiles, grass-cloth walls and natural stone combine to create an earthy ambience, pairing perfectly with custom furniture.</p> <p>“Likewise, the galleries of glass invite an abundance of natural light to cascade in, creating sumptuous and serene spaces to enjoy.”</p> <p>The property was last sold in 2019 for $2.415 million but has since been significantly upgraded.</p> <p>According to development records, around $4 million has been spent on the redevelopment of the home.</p> <p>If Robbie was to purchase Cedar Hill it would only serve to enhance Byron’s reputation as a home of the rich and famous.</p> <p>The area’s biggest star and longer-time resident is actor Chris Hemsworth, who bought in the area about five years ago before building his $20 million mega mansion.</p> <p>While his brother Liam owns upwards of $13 million of real estate in the area.</p> <p>Hollywood star Zac Efron also purchased a significant piece of land in the Byron hinterland region in 2020, after filming there.</p> <p>PropTrack reported just four houses have been sold in the tightly-held Newrybar market over the last 12 months.</p> <p>There is currently no price guide for Cedar Hill but is said to be worth around $20 million.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Instagram/Realestate.com</em></p>

Real Estate

"Incredible memories": Inside the intimate wake for Jock Zonfrillo

<p>The close culinary friends of Jock Zonfrillo have honoured the late chef with an "intimate" and "sombre" wake. </p> <p>Gordon Ramsay, Matt Moran, Shannon Bennett and George Calombaris all joined together at Melbourne's Di Stasio restaurant last Saturday night, as the group of friends shared stories about their fallen friend. </p> <p>Jock, celebrity chef and host of <em>Masterchef Australia</em>, was <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/news/news/shattered-hearts-culinary-world-mourns-tragic-death-of-jock-zonfrillo" target="_blank" rel="noopener">found dead</a> in hotel room in the Melbourne suburb of Carlton on April 30th, at the age of 46. </p> <p>As the famous chefs gathered to remember their friend, Ramsay told <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-12071289/Inside-Gordon-Ramsay-Matt-Moran-George-Calombaris-Shannon-Bennetts-wake-Jock-Zonfrillo.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>Daily Mail Australia</em></a> that there was a profound sadness to their get together. </p> <p>"The atmosphere was solemn," Ramsay said. "Intense. And then we had a couple of glasses of wine to relax and we started to think about those incredible memories."</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr7Bte1vjl5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Cr7Bte1vjl5/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Shannon Bennett (@chefbennett23)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>"It was sombre because every time we went off-piste we came back to some of the magical moments that we'd witnessed and been party to."</p> <p>Matt Moran went on to say how important their tight-knit clique had become in the face of such a tragedy. </p> <p>"I've got chef mates all around the world and we are a very small community and when something like that happens, as tragic as it is, it sort of brings us all closer together," he said. </p> <p>"It was all about the memories, which was great," Moran said. "It was more remembering and having a toast to him."</p> <p>"There was a lot of talk about being young chefs and growing up in that environment."</p> <p>Shannon Bennett summed up their evening with a series of photos on Instagram, writing the caption, "That hangover was for you mate. RIP brother".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram</em></p>

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