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“You look like Nicolas Cage!”: Tiny Busselton store shocked by megastar’s visit

Busselton, Western Australia - It's not every day that you walk into your local neighbourhood store and encounter a Hollywood A-lister browsing the snack aisle. Yet, that's precisely what happened to shop owner Annie Liban in her small Asian grocery store in Busselton, when none other than Nicolas Cage strolled through her doors. Cage, known for his eclectic roles and memorable performances, is rumoured to be filming his latest movie, The Surfer, in the scenic Western Australian region. The film apparently revolves around his character's return to his hometown and his unexpected feud with a local gang of surfers. A picturesque backdrop indeed for a film about beach drama, but it seems even Nic Cage needs to restock the fridge occasionally. The rumour mill had been buzzing with whispers of Cage's impending visit for a while now, but these tidbits of information didn't reach Ms Liban until the actor himself, in all his enigmatic glory, was casually perusing her store shelves one sunny afternoon. "I said, 'oh, he looks like Nicolas Cage,' but I was like, 'what's he doing in this store?'" Ms Liban recalled with astonishment <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-17/nicolas-cage-sighted-in-busselton-filming-the-surfer-movie/102986390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">to the ABC</a>. "Why is he grabbing some eggs and kimchi? We couldn't stop staring." It seems that even Ms Liban's eagle-eyed staff had a hard time recognising the star at first, but eventually, curiosity got the better of them, and they mustered up the courage to ask the million-dollar question: "Who are you?" Ms Liban described the uncanny clues that finally cracked the Cage case. "There were some clues … he was wearing boots in hot weather and a jacket, wearing some Prada sunglasses and the voice as well," she said. "And then when he picked up the oranges in front of the shop we said to him 'we only accept cash' and he said 'I only have US dollars.'" "We said, 'oh you do look like Nicolas Cage' and he said, 'I am.'" It appears that Busselton's small Asian grocery store unexpectedly became a portal to Hollywood for a brief moment. The Surfer is expected to feature local surfers from WA's South West and will be shot in the stunning locales of Margaret River and Yallingup. A call-out for the movie even went to high school students a while back, seeking youngsters with the right amount of "attitude" to star in the film. Ms Liban, a fan of Nicolas Cage from her days growing up in the Philippines, is eagerly looking forward to the movie. "We love Nicolas Cage, so I'm excited to see what he's doing here in Australia," she said with a smile. City of Busselton Mayor Grant Henley shared his enthusiasm for the unexpected Hollywood cameo in the region. "[These types of productions] have a significant economic impact on the area. Accommodation and costs for a crew of this magnitude, with 100 people here for a month, inject a substantial amount of money into the local economy," he explained. While Busselton has seen its fair share of Australian film productions like Drift with Sam Worthington and the karting-themed Go!, having Hollywood come to town adds a new layer of excitement. "I think this movie clearly has star power to bring someone like Nicolas Cage on board," Mr Henley mused. "It's a higher magnitude than some of the Australian-made films with smaller budgets and distributions. I might just bump into him while he's out exploring the region and having some fun." So if you're in the area, keep your eyes peeled as you stroll the aisles of your local grocery store – you never know when you might bump into a world-famous actor picking up some oranges and kimchi. Cage, with his eclectic filmography, truly knows how to keep us all on the edge of our seats, even when he's just shopping for groceries. Images: Facebook

Domestic Travel

Bombshell twist in split between Australia's richest couple

Just days after announcing their separation, there has been a bombshell twist in the split between Australia's richest couple Andrew and Nicola Forrest. The couple, who were married for 31 years and have a shared fortune of $32 billion, <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/australia-s-richest-couple-call-it-quits" target="_blank" rel="noopener">confirmed their separation</a> in a joint statement on Wednesday after living apart for months. During those months apart, it has been revealed that Andrew's own mining company investigated allegations he had a secret relationship with an employee. The board of Mr Forrest's company Fortescue Metals Group became aware of an anonymous letter that made allegations against the mining billionaire while the Forrests were figuring out their separation. The board contacted an outside law firm to investigate claims made in the letter about the behaviour of the executive chairman towards a lower level employee. The Australian Financial Review reported the investigation included a review of whether he had a relationship with an employee at the mining company, with the investigation concluding that the allegations were unsubstantiated. "The directors of Fortescue became aware of an anonymous letter concerning the behaviour of the executive chairman," Fortescue Metals said in a statement. "The board immediately met and engaged Seyfarth Shaw LLP, to independently investigate the letter and provide a report. Seyfarth Shaw LLP provided a full report to the board." "The investigation concluded that none of the matters in the letter were substantiated. There were no adverse findings." It added that Mr Forrest was excluded from the investigation as "it related to him". Fortescue went on to say that the report in full would not be released to shareholders or to the public. The revelations the investigation emerged just days after Andrew and Nicola announced their separation. "After 31 years of marriage, we have made the decision to live apart," the couple said in a joint statement. "Our friendship and commitment to our family remains strong." Image credits: Getty Images

Legal

Australia's richest couple call it quits

Australia's richest couple have announced their separation after 31 years of marriage. Andrew and Nicola Forrest, who made their fortune through their mining company Fortescue Metals, said their split would have no impact on their work projects. "After 31 years of marriage, we have made the decision to live apart," the couple said in a joint statement. "Our friendship and commitment to our family remains strong." "There is no impact on the operations, control or direction of Fortescue, Minderoo or Tattarang." The couple said they would aim to convey a sense of stability for their business during the transition. "We will continue our shared mission to create and gift our wealth to tackle community and global challenges, as recently shown by last month's donation of one-fifth of our Fortescue shareholding to Minderoo Foundation," they said. The news of their split comes after Mr Forrest gave Ms Forrest half the ownership of their flagship company, Tattarang, and more than $1.1 billion worth of Fortescue shares was moved into a new company, Coaxial Ventures, owned by her, according to the <a title="Australian Financial Review" href="https://www.afr.com/companies/mining/andrew-and-nicola-forrest-to-pursue-separate-lives-20230712-p5dnpi" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Financial Review</a>. Mr Forrest remains Australia's second-richest person in the latest AFR <a title="Rich List" href="http://Australian Financial Review's annual Rich List" target="" rel="">Rich List</a>, with an estimated wealth of $31.44 billion, as only fellow mining magnate Gina Rinehart is richer, with $44.33 billion to her name. After amassing their billions in the mining industry, the Forrests founded the philanthropic Minderoo Foundation in 2001. Its work in recent years has included several environmental projects and supplying millions of Covid-19 tests to Australia in the early days of the pandemic. Image credits: Getty Images

Relationships

Victoria Beckham's birthday snaps squash feud rumour

Victoria Beckham continues to squash feud rumours between her and daughter-in-law Nicola, as she shared intimate snaps from her 49th birthday dinner. The star celebrated her birthday with a fancy dinner accompanied by her husband, David Beckham, her four children, and her daughter-in-law, Nicola. “I love you,” she captioned one of her photos tagging Brooklyn and Nicola. In the picture, Nicola can be seen sitting in the middle of Brooklyn and Harper with her arms around them, fitting right into the Beckham family. The former Spice Girl also posted a picture showing a lit up birthday cake and Brooklyn and Nicola sitting across from her smiling from ear to ear. Rumours about the feud had started during Brooklyn and Nicola’s wedding last year, where it was reported that the two women had argued over Nicola’s dress. In an interview for the Cosmopolitan, Nicola had briefly mentioned the rumours surrounding her wedding. "I've said this so many times: There's no feud. I don't know. No one ever wants to write the nice things," she said. "It's really weird, actually, whether it's my life or someone else's life or whatever, when you know the truth and then you read something totally wrong,” she added. In recent months, it seems that the pair had gotten closer and Victoria’s photos appear to have squashed the rumours once and for all. Images: Instagram Take a look for yourself:

Family & Pets

“We can let you rest now”: Devastating development in missing Nicola Bulley case

Police in the United Kingdom have confirmed that a body found in a cluster of weeds by the River Wyre has been identified as missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley. Nicola was last seen in St Michael’s on Wyre, Lancashire, just after 9am on January 27. Her body was discovered just over a kilometre from where she disappeared. Nicola was walking her dog along the river after dropping her children off at school when she failed to return. Her mobile phone was found on a bench, still connected to a conference call for work, and her dog - a springer spaniel named Willow - was nearby. “We were called today at 11.36am to reports of a body in the River Wyre, close to Rawcliffe Road," local police reported. "An underwater search team and specialist officers have subsequently attended the scene, entered the water and have sadly recovered a body." Formal identification was required before it could be confirmed that it was Nicola's body, with police announcing the process was complete and the confirmation made at a press conference on Monday. “Sadly, we are now able to confirm that yesterday we recovered Nicola Bulley from the River Wyre,” Lancashire Police's Assistant Chief Constable Peter Lawson said. "Nicola’s family have been informed and are, of course, devastated. Our thoughts are with them at this time, as well as with all her loved ones and the wider community. "We recognise the huge impact that Nicola’s disappearance has had on her family and friends, but also on the people of St Michael’s. "We would like to thank all of those who have helped during what has been a hugely complex and highly emotional investigation. "Today’s development is not the outcome any of us would have wanted, but we hope that it can at least start to provide some answers for Nicola’s loved ones, who remain foremost in our thoughts.” Assistant Chief Constable Lawson added that the case was now being handled by HM Coroner, and that the cause of her death is being treated as unexplained. In the wake of the tragic news breaking, Nicola’s family also issued a statement and emotional tribute for their late loved one. “Finally, Nikki, you are no longer a missing person, you have been found. We can let you rest now,” they said. “We will never be able to comprehend what Nikki had gone through in her last moments and that will never leave us. “We will never forget Nikki - how could we? - she was the centre of our world, she was the one who made our lives so special and nothing will cast a shadow over that. “Our girls will get the support they need from the people who love them the most.” Images: Getty

Caring

Inside the wedding of Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz

Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Peltz have tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in Florida, a little over two years after the world learned of their relationship. Nicola Peltz, daughter of billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and model Claudia Heffner, and Brooklyn Beckham, son of football legend David and pop star-turned-designer Victoria, exchanged their vows on the Peltz family's sprawling Palm Beach estate in a fairytale ceremony. Celebrity guests were also in attendance, with Serena and Venus Williams, Eva Longoria, and two of Victoria’s former bandmates - Spices Sporty and Scary (otherwise known as Mel C and Mel B) - looked on. The bride wore a show-stopping Valentino couture gown with an impressive train and lace veil to match, while her groom wore a custom Dior suit. The newlyweds were conscious of world events as they celebrated their nuptials, as they partnered with the humanitarian agency <a href="https://my.care.org/site/Donation2?df_id=31867&mfc_pref=T&31867.donation=form1&s_src=382251000000&s_subsrc=FY22UkraineCrisisFundBF" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Care</a>, and invited guests to make donations in their name to help provide aid for women and girls, families and the elderly in Ukraine. The whole day was captured by celebrity photographer German Larkin for <a href="https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/brooklyn-beckham-nicola-peltz-wedding" target="_blank" rel="noopener">British Vogue</a>, with the couple posing with glee in their wedding attire. Brooklyn was also snapped with his father and his brothers and groomsmen Romeo and Cruz, and the Beckham men looked dapper in their Dior best. All image credits: Instagram @germanlarkin

Relationships

Australian forests will store less carbon as climate change worsens and severe fires become more common

Eucalypt forests are well known for bouncing back after fire, and the green shoots that emerge from eucalypts stems as they begin their first steps to recovery provide some of the most iconic images of the Australian bush. Resprouting allows trees to survive and quickly start photosynthesising again, which keeps carbon “alive” and stored in the tree. On the other hand, if a tree dies and slowly rots, <a href="https://theconversation.com/decaying-forest-wood-releases-a-whopping-10-9-billion-tonnes-of-carbon-each-year-this-will-increase-under-climate-change-164406">the carbon stored in the tree is released into the atmosphere</a> as a source of greenhouse gas emissions. But <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112721010100">our new research</a> finds more frequent, severe bushfires and a hotter, drier climate may limit eucalypt forests’ ability to resprout and reliably lock up carbon. This could seriously undermine our efforts to mitigate climate change. Our findings paint a cautionary tale of a little known challenge posed by climate change, and gives us yet another reason to urgently and drastically cut global emissions. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435821/original/file-20211206-25-9ok01m.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Eucalypt forest recovery up to four years after severe bushfire north of Heyfield. T Fairman <h2>We need forests to fight climate change</h2> At the international climate summit in Glasgow last month, more than 100 nations pledged to end and reverse deforestation. This put a much-needed spotlight on the importance of the world’s forests in <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/what-cop26-means-forests-climate">storing carbon to mitigate climate change</a>. Victoria’s national parks alone store almost <a href="https://www.delwp.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0023/416408/8-Carbon-factsheet-FINAL.pdf">1 billion tonnes</a> of carbon dioxide equivalent. For perspective, that’s roughly a decade’s worth of Victoria’s net CO₂ emissions in 2019 (<a href="https://www.climatechange.vic.gov.au/victorias-greenhouse-gas-emissions">91.3 million tonnes</a>). Australia’s forests have forged a tight relationship with bushfire. But climate change is already changing – and will continue to change – <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-black-summer-of-fire-was-not-normal-and-we-can-prove-it-172506">the size, severity and frequency of bushfires</a>. In Victoria, for example, <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/ddi.13292">over 250,000 hectares have been burned</a> by at least two severe fires in just 20 years. This unprecendented frequency has led to the <a href="https://theconversation.com/ash-to-ashes-what-could-the-2013-fires-mean-for-the-future-of-our-forests-12346">decline</a> of <a href="https://www.3cr.org.au/lostinscience/episode-202110140830/reseeding-victorian-forests-after-bushfire-and-nobel-prizes">fire sensitive forests</a>, such as the iconic alpine ash. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435826/original/file-20211206-15-152s50j.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Extensive wildfires that have burned in Victoria between 2000 and 2020 have overlapped, resulting in large areas of forest being burned by multiple severe fires in that period. Geary et al, 2021 While resprouting eucalypts can be <a href="https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/1365-2745.13227">resilient to periodic fires</a>, we know surprisingly little about how they’ll <a href="https://theconversation.com/climate-change-is-testing-the-resilience-of-native-plants-to-fire-from-ash-forests-to-gymea-lilies-167367">respond to</a> increasingly common severe fires, particularly when combined with factors like drought. Early evidence shows <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301479718311496">resprouting can fail when fire is too frequent</a>, as seen in <a href="https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/recurring-fires-are-threatening-the-iconic-snow-gum">snow gum forests</a> in the Victorian alps. Understanding why is an <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pce.14176">area of active research</a>, but reasons could include damaged resprouting buds (as their protective bark is thinned by successive fires), or the depletion of the trees’ energy reserves. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436259/original/file-20211208-27-k7kmvu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Snow gum forest killed and burned by three successive severe fires in ten years in the Alpine National Park. T Fairman <h2>Forests burned by two fires stored half the carbon</h2> If resprouting after fire begins to fail, what might this mean for carbon stores in widespread fire-tolerant eucalypt forests? <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378112721010100">In our new paper</a>, we tackled this question by measuring carbon stored in Victoria’s dry eucalypt forests. We targeted areas that had been burned once or twice by severe bushfire within just six years. In these places, severe fires usually occur decades apart. In general, we found climate change impacts resprouting forests on two fronts: <ol> <li> as conditions get warmer and drier, these forests will store less carbon due to reduced growth </li> <li> as severe fires become more frequent, forests will store less carbon, with more trees dying and becoming dead wood. </li> </ol> <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/435823/original/file-20211206-15-qhxm3q.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Our study forest type in West Gippsland, and the effects of one and two severe fires within six years. In the frequently burned site, nearly all trees had their epicormic buds killed and all resprouting occurred from the base of the trees. T Fairman First, we found carbon stores were lower in the drier and hotter parts of the landscape than the cooler and wetter parts. This makes sense - as any gardener knows, plants grow much better where water is plentiful and it’s not too hot. When frequent fire was added to the mix, forest carbon storage reduced even further. At warmer and drier sites, a forest burned by two severe fires had about half as much carbon as a forest burned by a single severe fire. More trees were killed with more frequent fire, which means what was once “living carbon” becomes “dead carbon” - which will rot and be a source of emissions. In fact, after two fires, less than half of the forest carbon was stored in living trees. The carbon stored in large living trees is an important stock and is usually considered stable, <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/eap.2383">given larger trees are generally more resilient to disturbance</a>. But we found their carbon stocks, too, significantly declined with more frequent fire. <img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/436256/original/file-20211208-27-1jcp4sn.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" alt="" /> Victoria’s high country, recovering from multiple fires in the last 20 years. T Fairman <h2>What do we do about it?</h2> Given how widespread this forest type is in southern Australia, we need a better understanding of how it responds to frequent fires to accurately account for changes in their carbon stocks. We also must begin exploring new ways to manage our forests. <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2571-6255/4/3/61">Reinstating Indigenous fire management</a>, including traditional burning practices, and <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00049158.2021.1894383">active forest management</a> may mitigate some of the impacts we’ve detected. We could also learn from and adapt <a href="https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/fee.2218">management approaches</a> in the dry forests of North America, where the new concept of “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/jof/article/119/5/520/6279705">pyro-silviculture</a>” is being explored. Pyro-silviculture can include <a href="https://theconversation.com/forest-thinning-is-controversial-but-it-shouldnt-be-ruled-out-for-managing-bushfires-130124">targeted thinning</a> to reduce the density of trees in forests, which can lower their susceptibility to drought, and encourage the growth of large trees. It can also involve controlled burns to reduce the severity of future fires. With the next, inevitable fire season on Australia’s horizon, such approaches are essential tools in our management kit, ensuring we can build better resilience in forest ecosystems and stabilise these crucial stocks of carbon.<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; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/173233/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tom-fairman-13940">Tom Fairman</a>, Future Fire Risk Analyst, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/craig-nitschke-1111728">Craig Nitschke</a>, Associate Professor - Forest and Landscape Dynamics, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/lauren-bennett-131892">Lauren Bennett</a>, Associate Professor - Ecosystem Sciences and Forest Carbon, The University of Melbourne 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/australian-forests-will-store-less-carbon-as-climate-change-worsens-and-severe-fires-become-more-common-173233">original article</a>. Image: T Fairman

Travel Trouble

Concern over dropped charges against Dr Charlie Teo’s daughter

The daughter of neurosurgeon Charlie Teo has had charges against her for dangerous driving withdrawn by the Crown. Nicola Teo was accused of dangerous driving after she crashed into former Comancheros boss Jock Ross in Sydney’s northwest in 2019. The 26-year-old was driving on the wrong side of the road when her Toyota Landcruiser collided head-on with Ross’ motorcycle. The bikie boss was airlifted to Westmead Hospital in a critical condition. Teo faced a maximum of seven years imprisonment and had pleaded not guilty to four charges, including negligent driving and dangerous driving occasioning grievous bodily harm. The trial, which was scheduled for Monday, May 21, was delayed for a psychiatric report to be prepared. On Tuesday, NSW District Court Judge Warwick Hunt dismissed the case and told Teo she was now “free to go and get on with your life” after the Crown withdrew the charges. Speaking after court on Tuesday, Mr Ross’s distraught daughter Holly Gittany said the family was concerned at the way in which the charges were suddenly dropped. She told reporters her father was still suffering from the lingering effects of the crash. Ms Gittany said Mr Ross, now in his late 70s, had been forced to quit his job with the Rural Fire Brigade due to his injuries. “What happened today was not right,” she said. “My Dad’s never been the same again. My Dad was severely injured. He was hit head-on.” Image: news.com.au

Legal

Andrew Twiggy and Nicola Forest pledge incredible $70 million to bushfire crisis

Billionaire Australian businessman Andrew “Twiggy” Forrest and his wife Nicole will be parting ways with $70 million as a bushfire recovery package. The Western Australian mining magnate will be spending $50 million on a “national blueprint” for fire and disaster to develop new approaches to fight the serious threat of bushfires. “We know that this is a matter of national resilience,” Mr Forrest told reporters in Perth. “This goes to a holistic assessment of where the nation is at and what we need to do to improve resilience.” Forrest will further provide an additional $10 million through the couple’s Minderoo Foundation to build a “volunteer army” which will be deployed through different regions that have been devastated by bushfires. They will also contribute a further $10 million for communities that are working in collaboration with the Australian Red Cross, the Salvation Army and other agencies on the forefront. The foundation has also established a Fire Fund and the Forrests say they will match every dollar donated with two dollars. “We are here representing a family and from our family to your families, your fire-affected families, the wildlife, the children who are devastated, the parents who have lost farms and properties and homes and dreams, we are here with our family to help support your family,” he said. Mr Forrest said they are “so proud to be Australians” and to see everyone rallying together “during this cataclysmic time”. The businessman hopes to raise $500 million through a global campaign to establish a long-term bushfire research project. “We are stepping up, as we did for the Black Saturday bushfires, to go out to the communities in South Australia, Victoria and New South Wales, find out what you need, what your families need, what your communities need and to help you, not rebuild to perhaps what you had, but to plan for what could be – what may be even better,” he said. “I would just like to say, on behalf of all of the Minderoo Foundation and all West Australians, that we weep along with Australia, along with you and, as a family and as a foundation, we would like to step up and help you. Thank you.” The federal government has committed at least $2 billion towards the bushfire recovery and further established a new national agency to co-ordinate efforts on the ground. This will be run by former Australian Federal Police commissioner Andrew Colvin. The NSW and Victorian governments have set up similar agencies at a state level. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said “tremendous generosity” has been expressed by many people all over the nation, from billionaires “down to boys and girls raising money in their local schools”. “Can I start by acknowledging the tremendous generosity of so many Australians, whether it is James Packer or Anthony Pratt, or Andrew Forrest, or whoever it happens to be,” he told reporters in Canberra. “The generosity of that response, I think, has been simply extraordinary. “It’s important that we work hard to best channel and co-ordinate that support that is coming through into the areas of greatest need.” Mr Colvin said they had spoken to Mr Forrest. “Very generous what he’s put together,” he said today. “He’s done this before. Last thing I’m gonna do is step in the way of that. I will make sure it’s best utilised.” Mr Forrest is seventh on Forbes’ ‘Australia’s 50 Richest People’ list with a net worth of $US8.8 billion ($A12.8 billion).

Money & Banking

5 minutes with author Nicola Marsh

In 5 minutes with author, Over60 asks book writers about their literary habits and preferences. Next in this series is Nicola Marsh, an award-winning fiction writer. She has published 70 books – ranging from romance and domestic suspense to urban fantasy and supernatural thriller – and sold more than 8 million copies worldwide. Her newest book, Long Way Home, will be released on September 24. Over60 talked with Marsh about J. K. Rowling, the amnesia trope, and what truly makes for a good romance. Over60: What is your best writing tip? Nicola Marsh: My best writing tip is to make it a habit. Daily if possible. The more you write, the faster you become. I like to compare it to flexing a muscle; using our writing muscle will hone and strengthen it. Writing is all about voice and the way to find your voice is by actually sitting down and getting the words on paper regularly. What book do you think more people should read? The Kiss Quotient by Helen Hoang, for the simple reason it showcases what a great romance is. It’s a great opposites attract story that’s both tender and sexy. Stella is a neuro-diverse heroine that hires a half Vietnamese-half Swedish escort to teach her about sex. It’s wonderful. How have your past job(s) influenced your writing? Working as a physiotherapist for 13 years before I started writing means I appreciate my dream job even more now. The creative side of my brain has taken over the scientific side and I’m loving it. I get to manipulate characters rather than manipulating backs! What was the last book that made you laugh or cry? I can bawl at movies but rarely cry when reading, so a book really has to touch me for that to happen. I read Kelly Rimmer’s Before I Let You Go a few months ago and that definitely made me cry. It’s a beautifully poignant story about sisters, the trials of their upbringing, drug addiction and a baby. Do you have any writing routine? If so, what does it look like? Writing is my full-time job, so I treat it as such. Once I get the kids off to school I do a 40-minute gym workout before settling down to write. I try to get 5 hours done before the madness of being a mum starts all over again with school pick-up and the rest. If I’m juggling tight deadlines for several publishers, I’ll try to write a few hours in the evening too. What do you think makes a good romance fiction? Creating characters that readers connect with and invest in. I’m an avid reader and nothing keeps me turning pages faster than characters that are real and that I care about. So that’s what I strive for in creating my stories. Which author, deceased or living, would you most like to have dinner with? J. K. Rowling, because her story fascinates me. The number of times she was rejected, being published, having her books become a worldwide phenomenon, the movies, her change in lifestyle… intriguing stuff that would make the perfect dinner conversation. What trope grinds your gears? Alternatively, is there a cliché that you can’t help but love? I’m not a huge fan of the amnesia trope. It’s one I’ve never tackled in my writing once in 70 books because I find it hard to connect with as a reader. As for tropes I love, there’s nothing better than a good friends to lovers romance.

Books

The Amazon is burning: 4 essential reads on Brazil’s vanishing rainforest

Nearly <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2019/08/21/world/americas/amazon-rainforest.html">40,000 fires</a> are incinerating Brazil’s Amazon rainforest, the latest outbreak in an overactive fire season that has charred 1,330 square miles of the rainforest this year. Don’t blame dry weather for the swift destruction of the world’s largest tropical forest, say environmentalists. These Amazonian wildfires are a <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/22/americas/amazon-fires-humans-intl-hnk-trnd/index.html">human-made disaster</a>, set by loggers and cattle ranchers who use a “slash and burn” method to clear land. Feeding off very dry conditions, some of those fires have spread out of control. Brazil has long struggled to preserve the Amazon, sometimes called the “lungs of the world” because it <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/the-amazon-is-burning-at-a-record-rate-and-parts-were-intentionally-set-alight">produces 20% of the world’s oxygen</a>. Despite the increasingly strict environmental protections of recent decades, about a quarter of this massive rainforest is already gone – an area the size of Texas. While climate change <a href="https://climate.nasa.gov/news/2780/nasa-finds-amazon-drought-leaves-long-legacy-of-damage/">endangers the Amazon</a>, bringing hotter weather and longer droughts, <a href="https://www.thedialogue.org/analysis/nearing-the-tipping-point-drivers-of-deforestation-in-the-amazon-region/">development may be the greatest threat</a> facing the rainforest. Here, environmental researchers explain how farming, big infrastructure projects and roads drive the deforestation that’s slowly killing the Amazon. 1. Farming in the jungle “Deforestation is largely due to <a href="https://theconversation.com/strict-amazon-protections-made-brazilian-farmers-more-productive-new-research-shows-105789">land clearing for agricultural purposes</a>, particularly cattle ranching but also soybean production,” writes Rachel Garrett, a professor at Boston University who studies land use in Brazil. Since farmers need “a massive amount of land for grazing,” Garrett says, they are driven to “continuously clear forest – illegally – to expand pastureland.” Twelve percent of what was once Amazonian forest – about 93 million acres – is now farmland. Deforestation in the Amazon has spiked since the election last year of the far-right President Jair Bolsonaro. Arguing that federal conservation zones and hefty fines for cutting down trees hinder economic growth, Bolsonaro has slashed Brazil’s strict environmental regulations. There’s no evidence to support Bolsonaro’s view, Garrett says. “Food production in the Amazon has substantially increased since 2004,” Garrett says. The increased production has been pushed by federal policies meant to discourage land clearing, such as hefty fines for deforestation and low-interest loans for investing in sustainable agricultural practices. Farmers are now planting and harvesting two crops – mostly soybean and corn – each year, rather than just one. Brazilian environmental regulations helped Amazonian ranchers, too. Garrett’s research found that improved pasture management in line with stricter federal land use policies led the number of cattle slaughtered annually per acre to double. “Farmers are producing more meat – and therefore earning more money – with their land,” she writes. 2. Infrastructure development and deforestation President Bolsonaro is also pushing forward an ambitious infrastructure development plan that would turn the Amazon’s many waterways into electricity generators. The Brazilian government has long wanted to build a series of big new hydroelectric dams, including on the Tapajós River, the Amazon’s only remaining undammed river. But the indigenous Munduruku people, who live near around the Tapajós River, have stridently opposed this idea. “The Munduruku have until now successfully slowed down and seemingly halted many efforts to profit off the Tapajós,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/amazon-deforestation-already-rising-may-spike-under-bolsonaro-109940">writes Robert T. Walker</a>, a University of Florida professor who has conducted environmental research in the Amazon for 25 years. But Bolsonaro’s government is less likely than his predecessors to respect indigenous rights. One of his first moves in office was to transfer responsibilities for demarcating indigenous lands from the Brazilian Ministry of Justice to the decidedly pro-development Ministry of Agriculture. And, Walker notes, Bolsonaro’s Amazon development plans are part of a broader South American project, conceived in 2000, to build continental infrastructure that provides electricity for industrialization and facilitates trade across the region. For the Brazilian Amazon, that means not just new dams but also “webs of waterways, rail lines, ports and roads” that will get products like soybeans, corn and beef to market, according to Walker. “This plan is far more ambitious than earlier infrastructure projects” that damaged the Amazon, Walker writes. If Bolsonaro’s plan moves forward, he estimates that fully 40% of the Amazon could be deforested. 3. Road-choked streams Roads, most of them dirt, already criss-cross the Amazon. That came as a surprise to Cecilia Gontijo Leal, a Brazilian researcher who studies tropical fish habitats. “I imagined that my field work would be all boat rides on immense rivers and long jungle hikes,” <a href="https://theconversation.com/amazonian-dirt-roads-are-choking-brazils-tropical-streams-89226">she writes</a>. “In fact, all my research team needed was a car.” Traveling on rutted mud roads to take water samples from streams across Brazil’s Pará state, Leal realized that the informal “bridges” of this locally built transportation network must be impacting Amazonian waterways. So she decided to study that, too. “We found that makeshift road crossings cause both shore erosion and silt buildup in streams. This worsens water quality, hurting the fish that thrive in this delicately balanced habitat,” she writes. The ill-designed road crossings – which feature perched culverts that disrupt water flow – also act as barriers to movement, preventing fish from finding places to feed, breed and take shelter. 4. Rewilding tropical forests The fires now consuming vast swaths of the Amazon are the latest repercussion of development in the Amazon. Set by farmers likely emboldened by their president’s anti-conservation stance, the blazes emit so much smoke that on Aug. 20 it blotted out the midday sun in the city of São Paulo, 1,700 miles away. The fires are still multiplying, and peak dry season is still a month away Apocalyptic as this sounds, science suggests it’s not too late to save the Amazon. Tropical forests destroyed by fire, logging, land-clearing and roads <a href="https://theconversation.com/high-value-opportunities-exist-to-restore-tropical-rainforests-around-the-world-heres-how-we-mapped-them-119508">can be replanted</a>, say ecologists Robin Chazdon and Pedro Brancalion. Using satellite imagery and the latest peer-reviewed research on biodiversity, climate change and water security, Chazdon and Brancalion identified 385,000 square miles of “restoration hotspots” – areas where restoring tropical forests would be most beneficial, least costly and lowest risk. “Although these second-growth forests will never perfectly replace the older forests that have been lost,” Chazon writes, “planting carefully selected trees and assisting natural recovery processes can restore many of their former properties and functions.” The five countries with the most tropical restoration potential are Brazil, Indonesia, India, Madagascar and Colombia. Written by Catesby Holmes. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-amazon-is-burning-4-essential-reads-on-brazils-vanishing-rainforest-122288">The Conversation. </a>

Travel Tips

Discovering Australia: Visit the world’s largest river red gum forest

Barmah National Park, together with parks on the New South Wales side of the Murray River, protects the largest river red gum forest in the world. Call into the Barmah Forest Heritage Centre in Nathalia before you visit to glean all sorts of interesting things, such as that it wasn’t just woodcutting and riverboating that were the lifeblood of these riverside towns last century – apparently leech collecting for medicinal bloodletting was once big business, too. The hardy harvesters would walk through the swamps collecting the bloodsuckers on their legs for the princely sum of one shilling per pound – a hard way to make a living! You can camp anywhere you like along much of the 112-kilometre river front in this national park, but the free campground at Barmah Lakes has toilets and tables and lots of room to move. It’s a great place to launch a kayak and explore the river, although be careful: the current is stronger than it looks. It’s also a good spot to fish, particularly for the famed Murray cod. You will need a New South Wales fishing licence to fish the Murray River, even though you are technically on the Victorian side of the border. Also worth your while is the two-hour cruise along the narrowest and fastest flowing section of the Murray through the wetlands – home to almost 900 species of wildlife – and red gum forests. Cruises depart from the Barmah Lakes picnic area. For more river cruising, take a drive to nearby Echuca (40 kilometres west of the campground), the self-proclaimed paddle steamer capital of the country. During the river port’s boom days in the 1880s, when the Murray River was the only way to transport goods from the remote inland settlements to the coastal ports, hundreds of paddle steamers loaded and unloaded their cargo at the historic wharf. Echuca still has the world’s largest collection of working paddle steamers, some more than a century old, including the PS Adelaide built in 1886 and the PS Pevensey, made famous in the 1980s TV series All the Rivers Run. A river cruise is the most popular thing to do in town and there are several cruise options – head down to the wharf to check sailing times. Before you go, drop into the Echuca Historical Society Museum to see the old river charts that the riverboat captains used to navigate the river. They’re hand drawn on long linen scrolls; sometimes all the captains had to go on was a picture of a tree on a bend. The museum is in the old police lock-up and has a huge collection of old photos and memorabilia from the riverboat era. Where is it? Barmah National Park lies along the Murray River between the towns of Barmah and Strathmerton, about 225km north of Melbourne. Why go? Camping and scenery When to go? Relatively mild, the Barmah forests are a good year-round destination, although winter is generally wetter than summer. The park sometimes floods after heavy rain, so check current conditions on the national parks website (see below) before travelling. How long? 2-3 days This is an edited extract from Australia’s Best Nature Escapes by Lee Atkinson published by Hardie Grant Books [39.99] and is available in stores nationally. Photographer: © Lee Atkinson <img style="width: 250px !important; height: 300px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7821757/australias-best-nature-escapes-cvr.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f93accc9ea374a19945367220d612101" />

Domestic Travel

79-year-old cruise passenger spends night in Alaskan forest after being left behind

A 79-year-old cruise passenger has had an unexpectedly long shore excursion after her Princess Cruise ship left without her. The Coral Princess docked in Juneau, Alaska, but the Canadian holidaymaker got lost on a trek that should have taken two hours, and the ship departed, leaving her behind. She was forced to camp in a forest near the East Glacier Trail without any appropriate gear and surrounded by black bears. After noticing she hadn’t returned, rescuers scoured the area but could not find the woman. The next morning, she hiked to a nearby visitor centre, tired and wet but uninjured. She was then driven by police to an airport where she was flown to re-join the cruise ship. “She is a strong lady, and she knew what she was doing,” Princess Cruises port manager Kirby Day said. “She did all the right things except for making one wrong turn.” We’re glad to hear this brave lady was found safe and sound! Have you ever been left behind by a cruise ship? Tell us about your experiences in the comments below. Related links: <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/5-reason-to-stay-onboard-when-your-cruise-is-in-port/">5 reason to stay onboard when your cruise is in port</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/08/13-things-to-do-to-make-the-most-of-a-river-cruise/">13 things to do to make the most of a river cruise</a> <a href="/travel/cruising/2016/07/5-golden-rules-for-safe-shore-excursions/">5 golden rules for safe shore excursions</a>

Cruising

The most perfect rustic log cabin in the woods

Looking for some peace and tranquillity in your next holiday escape? You can get in tune with nature at this rustic log cabin in the woods, situated on the small island of Awaji in Japan. Perched atop a hill in a forest, this log cabin is the perfect escape for people looking for a relaxing holiday getaway. Unwind on the large deck as you soak in the amazing scenery. And don’t worry, even though the secluded home is hidden in the woods, shops and tourist attractions are just a short drive away. Scroll through the gallery above to sneak a peek of the property. You can find more about the <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/4105824/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_tadashi" target="_blank">Airbnb listing here.</a> <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60" target="_blank">Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.</a> Related links: <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/stay-in-hamlets-castle-on-airbnb/">You can stay in Shakespeare’s Hamlet’s castle for $10</a> <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/best-beach-houses-on-airbnb/">3 of the best beach houses on Airbnb</a> <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/04/colourful-reversible-destiny-loft-on-airbnb/">You can rent this crazy and colourful loft on Airbnb</a>

Accommodation

Photos of Prince Nicolas of Sweden’s royal christening

Sweden’s latest prince, H.R.H. Prince Nicolas Paul Gustaf, was baptised over the weekend at The Royal Chapel of Drottningholm Palace, Stockholm. Son of Princess Madeleine and Christopher O’Neill, baby Nicolas received Uncle Prince Carl Philip as his godfather. Nicolas wore a gown that was previously dawned by Philip during his own 1979 christening. We can anticipate another Swedish christening soon to come, as Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel recently announced that they are expecting a child, due to arrive in March of 2016. <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9878/prince-nicolas-2-800_500x375.jpg" alt="Prince -nicolas -2-800" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> <img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/9879/prince-nicolas-1024_500x375.jpg" alt="Prince -nicolas -1024" style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"/> Related links: <a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/09/funny-twin-photos/">Hilarious twin photos in matching outfits</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/06/secrets-of-happy-families/">8 things happy families have in common</a> <a href="/lifestyle/family/2015/06/raise-happy-granddaughters/">How to raise happy healthy granddaughters</a>

News

Black forest cake

This rich, creamy black forest cake is so decadent it’s almost sinful. We won’t judge if you go back for seconds. Ingredients: <ul> <li>1 jar of Morello cherries</li> <li>470g chocolate cake mix packet</li> <li>4 tablespoons of caster sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon of cornflour</li> <li>600ml of thickened cream</li> <li>¼ cup of kirsch</li> <li>2 tablespoons of boiled water</li> <li>100g of dark cooking chocolate, grated coarsely</li> </ul> Method: <ol> <li>According to packet instructions, prepare and bake chocolate cake mix and let cool.</li> <li>Cut into three equal layers horizontally.</li> <li>Drain your cherries but keep two-thirds of a cup of the juice. Place cherries (except 10), juice, two tablespoons of sugar, and cornflour into a saucepan and stir over medium-low heat. Once the mixture boils, transfer it into a large bowl, cover, and chill.</li> <li>In a medium bowl beat cream with an electric beater until it forms firm peaks.</li> <li>In a jug, combine kirsch, two tablespoons of sugar and water, stirring until dissolved.</li> <li>On a serving plate, place a layer of your cake. Atop, drizzle half of the kirsch mix.</li> <li>Spread half of the cherry mix on top, followed by a thin layer of cream.</li> <li>Add another cake layer. Repeat. Add final layer.</li> <li>Spread some of the rest of the cream all over the cake layers.</li> <li>Place chocolate on the top and sides of your cake.</li> <li>With the last of the cream, using a piping bag, create rosettes lining the top of the cake. In between, place your decorative cherries. Serve.</li> </ol>

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