Better Homes And Gardens S2025 E01
Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00:00Oh thank you Eric and Harry, beautiful. Well it's Valentine's Day, the perfect day for us to start
00:00:08with the first episode of our new season. Why? Well we love Better Homes and Gardens as much as
00:00:13you do. We love giving you ideas for around the home, how are preparations going? You can only
00:00:17imagine, I mean you've got a builder, you've got an architect, you've got a designer, this picnic's
00:00:21gonna be epic! Peace to love, spread the love. Happy Valentine's Day. We love watching you grow.
00:00:28Oh thank you Jo. You're welcome. Like compost for the garden, this should give us a bit of a boost.
00:00:35We love all creatures great and small, don't we H? Ah Jo, but of course chickens,
00:00:40they'll always be my number one. I'm happy to be your number two.
00:00:45And we love tantalising your taste buds, speaking of which, how's lunch prep coming along?
00:00:50Nearly there Jo. Brilliant. So here's to another year of spreading the love on Better Homes and
00:00:56Gardens. Tonight Dr Harry finds a beautiful sanctuary where forgotten farm animals are
00:01:06given a real home. Everyone would have a story and I want to hear some of those stories.
00:01:13Can we go for a ride? Oh nice, this is a good sized space. You can't please everyone but you
00:01:18can create a garden that comes close. So we are creating separate breakout zones in the backyard
00:01:24for everything from gathering together with friends to chilling out all on your own.
00:01:29This one's for anyone who can't be bothered with grocery shopping. We're going to do a
00:01:33budget family-friendly meal using vegetables, leftovers, everything you've got in your fridge.
00:01:40Already missing the summer holidays? Pete's still on island time at this
00:01:44Hamptons inspired home. Imagine having access to this all year round.
00:01:49There's nothing like community spirit, especially when you grow it yourself. We wanted to create a
00:01:57space for community and where people could come and garden or do whatever they might like to do.
00:02:04And I'm backstage at a concert that's making magic through music.
00:02:09Every day is a miracle at Oz Harvest and tonight is the biggest one of all.
00:02:14It really is a lovely spot, isn't it? Fantastic view. Debbie and Jamie moved here to the lower
00:02:20Hunter Valley about 10 years ago. They established a farm here for orphaned and abandoned farm animals.
00:02:28I want to show you around.
00:02:29Hello Dr. Harry. How are you Debbie? Good to meet you. So introduce me. We've got Bubbles here.
00:02:35Bubbles is six years old now and Bubbles as a tiny piglet. She was found wandering
00:02:41across a highway in Orange and she wasn't even a kilo at that point.
00:02:47She was a little girl. She was a little girl. She was a little girl. She was a little girl.
00:02:53She was found wandering across a highway in Orange and she wasn't even a kilo at that point
00:02:59and we've had her ever since, so six years on.
00:03:06So what brought you here? When I was in the city I used to, you know, do some volunteering in animal
00:03:11rescue. Loved nature, loved obviously animals and I was just secretly harboring this ambition to
00:03:20open up a farmed animal sanctuary. Jamie, my partner and I decided one day that we should
00:03:25just move and do it and here we are 10 years later and we've got 200 animals. They've all
00:03:32been rescued from cruelty, neglect or abandonment. It's a place of transformation for them. They just,
00:03:46you know, they come here physically unwell or emotionally unwell and we, with patience,
00:03:52we treat them, care for them. And I suppose you know them all by name, am I right? Everyone here,
00:03:59they've all got a name and they're all considered someone, not something. Let's go have a look.
00:04:04Okay, yeah, let's get in.
00:04:20Harry, meet Dawn. What's her history? Because I love Jersey, she's a beautiful Jersey cow.
00:04:26So Dawn was, she's been with us three years now. Yes. And Dawn was rescued from a flooding river
00:04:32up in Taree, so the Manning River. She wasn't that big though, was she? No, no, she was a baby calf.
00:04:38Right. She was found by an onlooker. He jumped in against strong currents and he rescued her.
00:04:47Does he ever come and see her? Yeah. He does? Yeah, he does come see her. That's nice, isn't it?
00:04:52And they've really got a very strong connection.
00:05:08So we've got three donkeys. Who's this one? This is Bob. Bob the donkey. Yeah, Bob the donkey.
00:05:14This is the one we've heard all about. Yeah. He's pretty with the colour all over him. Yeah. What's his story?
00:05:18He had a loving owner, but the owner had dementia. Oh dear. And she had to go into a nursing home.
00:05:24She loved Bob. Right. And she also had a Clydesdale called Annie. Okay. And they were,
00:05:30they've been together for 15 years in the same paddock. And we thought, well, we'll keep them
00:05:34together because, you know, we've got to keep them together. So we've got three donkeys.
00:05:40They've been together for 15 years in the same paddock. And we thought, well, we'll keep them together because
00:05:44obviously, you know, they're bonded. Yeah. But as soon as we brought them to the sanctuary,
00:05:48they went their separate ways. Oh, the horses went with horses and the donkeys went with donkeys.
00:05:52So Bob went with these two, Senorita and Lily. Bob's the most confident, but he does get henpecked by these two.
00:05:58So he's a poor thing. That happens, Bob. He never mind, mate.
00:06:10Is this Xavier? Yeah. X-A-V-I-E-R. Yeah. Right. Okay.
00:06:14He was found chained up on just an allotment and just neglected. He was just a little baby.
00:06:21I think someone bought him as a mini goat. That was you? And he grew too much and he was just left.
00:06:27So we got him. He's been with us probably about six or seven years. He's a very gentle, gentle, kind boy.
00:06:34How does it work? How many volunteers do you get here on a daily basis?
00:06:38We usually get about four. Right. They give up their days, their Sundays, their weekends to come up here and help us.
00:06:47They also work remotely. So they help on our website. They help with the merchandise.
00:06:52We've just got a really wonderful, dedicated team of volunteers. And without them, as I say, we wouldn't have a sanctuary.
00:07:00So who am I talking to? Talking to Sarah. Sarah with an H or without an H? With an H. Sarah with an H.
00:07:14What brought Sarah with an H up here? I think that it is really important to do things that matter in life,
00:07:23things that matter to you, things that make a difference. And to me, this is something that is really important.
00:07:29And it's something that I can do every week. A little bit of my time, I spend it here.
00:07:34And I think that that makes an incredible difference. You've got a really big heart, haven't you?
00:07:39Yeah, I think that, you know, there's a lot that we can give to others in life.
00:07:44And I think that's very rewarding. Thanks very much for being so honest. You're welcome.
00:07:49We're in our 10th year now and we want to keep going. So, yeah, we need to look after these animals that call the sanctuary home.
00:08:05And it's their lifelong home. And we need to make sure that we can care for them both financially and with the space that we have.
00:08:13You've got one thing in Bucketloads. You've got so much love. And love conquers all. It does. It does, doesn't it?
00:08:22I do believe that, yeah.
00:08:32Stepping Stone House is a charity for young people. And we are helping them make the most of one of their homes.
00:08:38So what are you doing next?
00:08:40I like the way you're doing all the directing and I'm doing all the work. The tables have turned.
00:08:52Well, it is Valentine's Day, our first ep for the year. So we thought, why not spread a little bit of love?
00:08:57So the whole gang has come down to the Henley Green Community Garden.
00:09:00I thought I would take this opportunity to have a chat with Eric and Harry, who had the most important job today.
00:09:07So Eric, tell me about the Coffee Project.
00:09:10The Coffee Project started in 2019. Two of the parents whose children were at uni, they sent them off to the TAFE to do a barista course.
00:09:21They were having trouble getting a job because they hadn't got experience.
00:09:24So they set up the machines, bought the machine, and they came down here and started making coffee on a Friday morning.
00:09:31I did a barista course when I retired and I got involved in helping out with them.
00:09:36And since then, we've been training some UTS students and a few school kids.
00:09:41Harry, tell me a bit about your story, because obviously you're a bit of a recipient of this.
00:09:45Yeah, so I've been at the garden for about five months between breaks in study.
00:09:51And it's been just a really appliable skill that is great to have.
00:09:56And is it right that everything gets composted back in all your waste?
00:09:59Yes, all of the grinds go into the compost and all of the cups, everything's recyclable and it's all recycled.
00:10:06Well, I've got to say, I actually had one of Harry's coffees today and it was outstanding.
00:10:10So good for the body and good for the soul.
00:10:12You know what else is good for the soul? Giving back.
00:10:14And that's exactly what Juliet, Charlie and Adam are up to right now.
00:10:19There is nothing we love more than getting together to transform a space and combining our skills to create something truly amazing.
00:10:25Yeah, but every place and every space is completely different.
00:10:28Some are aesthetic, some are practical and others a combination of the two.
00:10:31And that's what our latest project is all about.
00:10:33Stepping Stone House is a non-for-profit charity that provides safe and secure accommodation for young people facing homelessness.
00:10:40Yeah, and this is one of their dedicated homes where five young people live.
00:10:43So we're going to transform the garden and make it something special for them.
00:10:46And we're going to give them room to spread out, chill out and have a whole lot of fun.
00:10:50This one's going to be good. Let's step to it.
00:10:52I like that. Let's step into it.
00:10:55Come on, guys. This is the first project of the year.
00:10:58Single line as well.
00:11:00Oh, nice. This is a good sized space.
00:11:02It is good and our mission is to transform it by creating some breakout zones.
00:11:07So it'll be suitable for either entertaining groups or you can just chill out on your own up here.
00:11:10Yeah, I can see like three distinct zones already.
00:11:12Obviously, we can do something in the lawn here.
00:11:14We've got like an entertaining space and maybe a little seating nook around here and got the wisteria.
00:11:18Yeah.
00:11:19What I'm liking about this entertainment zone is the fact that this pergola is in pretty good condition.
00:11:23It just needs to freshen up with some paint.
00:11:25But what I'm thinking of doing is putting a roof on it so it creates some coverage and I can maximise on seating under there.
00:11:30Love that. And I thought I might create a reading nook in that little area down there.
00:11:34Perfect to sort of sit and chill out.
00:11:36Yeah.
00:11:37Yeah, good. I'll tackle the fire pit then.
00:11:39And I think, you know, have some nice seating around there, but I want to make it so it's not just for winter.
00:11:43Cool. Yeah, I like that. Let's do it.
00:11:50Oof.
00:11:51Can you walk backwards, my friend?
00:11:52Yes, all right.
00:11:53Oh, I see you.
00:11:54Yeah, back into it.
00:11:57You going to grab the old mouldy lemon?
00:11:59Yeah.
00:12:00Ooh.
00:12:01I'll make lemonade for you later.
00:12:08Hey, Juliette, I heard you are building a reading nook.
00:12:11So here we go, some donated books.
00:12:13Fantastic. They will be perfect on those new shelves.
00:12:16And Jason, you're the CEO of Stepping Stone House.
00:12:19We know how much good work you do in the community for youth homelessness.
00:12:22Can you tell me a little bit more about it?
00:12:24Yeah, sure.
00:12:25Stepping Stone House provides accommodation and personal support for children and young people
00:12:30who are experiencing the risk of homelessness so they can become the very best they can be.
00:12:34So we do quite a few things to help our kids.
00:12:36So some examples being we've got 800 life skills that they learn while they're with us
00:12:41and also we help them get through their education and also secure a job
00:12:46and also design a career for themselves going forward.
00:12:50That is absolutely brilliant.
00:12:52And how do the kids, when they need your help, how do they find you or how do they connect with you?
00:12:56Most of the time we have referrals from other charities that have short-term refuges
00:13:02and those kids will be referred to us because they can only stay there for a short time
00:13:06and they come to us because Stepping Stone House provides medium to long-term support.
00:13:10And you rely on volunteers, I imagine?
00:13:12Yeah, I mean the house that we're working on today is not funded by the government
00:13:17and we've got a couple of houses here.
00:13:19So we're very reliant on volunteers.
00:13:21So if there's anyone out there that would like to do a very meaningful, purposeful job
00:13:26then please just sign up, go to our website, steppingstonehouse.com.au
00:13:31and please put your name down to become a volunteer.
00:13:33Fantastic.
00:13:34Do you have any more books?
00:13:35Because there's a fair bit of space to fill.
00:13:37I actually do.
00:13:38So I'll go and grab some and I'll be back.
00:13:39Brilliant, thanks Jason.
00:13:49I did say I wanted to put a roof on this pergola.
00:13:52To do that, the first thing I need to do is put these battens up there.
00:13:55Try to point it, it'll be spaced around 800mm apart.
00:14:01Just get a clamp on the front mate, that'll hold it up.
00:14:04I'm just spraying out a line for some garden edging
00:14:07because I really wanted to find the space.
00:14:09It's a little bit scrappy with this plastic edging at the moment
00:14:11and by using a metal edge, it's going to be easier to whip a snip up to
00:14:14which means it's going to be easier to take care of.
00:14:27The pergola's looking good, eh?
00:14:29Oh, thank you Charles.
00:14:31I'm just coming to the end, mate.
00:14:32I tell you what, for someone that doesn't like painting,
00:14:35I think I've done a ripper job.
00:14:37How's the circle going?
00:14:38It's good.
00:14:39Can you put the fans on?
00:14:40It's a bit hot.
00:14:41It's so hot.
00:14:42You love doing circle work, mate.
00:14:51For the roof sheets, we're just going with this lightweight polycarbonate sheeting.
00:14:55It's great because it lets the light in but it keeps the heat out.
00:14:59And it's going to go with my white paint job.
00:15:13We're just using these self-drilling roofing screws to hold down the sheets
00:15:17but you'll see they're special ones because inside they've got these two claws
00:15:21and what that does is it cuts the sheet, it gives you a nice 10mm hole
00:15:24which allows for movement but keeps everything sealed.
00:15:29I want to be clever, I feel broken.
00:15:31I want to be present in the moment.
00:15:34But I'm on the verge of love.
00:15:38Japers, look at the size of that!
00:15:40You like it?
00:15:41That's going to be the biggest fire pit I've ever seen.
00:15:43Well, this isn't the fire pit.
00:15:44Oh, okay.
00:15:45So this is going to be gravel and the fire pit is going to be in the middle.
00:15:49Oh, I like it.
00:15:50So that way you're not going to burn the grass around.
00:15:52See, up there for thinking.
00:15:53And what about in summer?
00:15:54You said you had an idea for...
00:15:55Oh, well I'm not going to tell you all my tricks.
00:15:57Ah, so he keeps secrets from you too.
00:15:59You'll love it when I'm done with it, trust me.
00:16:01It'll be cold and refreshing, let's just say that.
00:16:03I need that, I've got sweat dripping down me face.
00:16:06I know, let's make sure it's in the centre.
00:16:08Have you got a tape measure?
00:16:09No.
00:16:10Okay.
00:16:11I'll get you one.
00:16:12Thanks.
00:16:13I'll just, I'll laserise, I'll get at it again.
00:16:14Got to go this way a bit.
00:16:16I'm just popping some stakes in to get our curve right.
00:16:19Now these fit right under the lip of this edging.
00:16:22I want to make sure that it's perfectly set up before I then screw it on.
00:16:26Coming up, I'm adding a multi-purpose fire pit to this space,
00:16:29which can be used all year round.
00:16:33I reckon that would feed four to six people.
00:16:36I reckon that would feed four to six people.
00:16:39I reckon that would feed four to six people.
00:16:42I reckon that would feed four to six people.
00:16:45Easy.
00:16:46And you'd be happy after that.
00:16:48I can't wait to try it.
00:16:51We want to build ponds, aquaponics.
00:16:53We want to move into more education and that type of thing.
00:16:58In the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine,
00:17:01we're showing you how to add bold and bright colours to your home
00:17:04with our Complete Colour Guide.
00:17:06Plus, we're sharing some clever ideas for adding affordable wall art
00:17:10for your home, as well as our top tricks and tips
00:17:13for upcycling your old furniture.
00:17:15And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:17:18is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.
00:17:22It's all inside the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
00:17:25On sale now.
00:17:29So much better
00:17:32Well, welcome back to our very first episode of the year.
00:17:35Now, Ads, you had a massive 12 months.
00:17:37Let's just run through it.
00:17:38You had to come up with all these amazing projects
00:17:40for Better Homes and Gardens.
00:17:41You were building beautiful homes around Melbourne
00:17:43with your construction company.
00:17:44And then you wowed us with a little bit of a dancing show.
00:17:47Yes, well, I can definitely guarantee one thing,
00:17:50and that is no more dancing, no more tap shoes, no more sequins.
00:17:54But I will be pulling on my hiking boots.
00:17:56So I was lucky enough to travel to the wilderness of British Columbia in Canada
00:18:01and actually spend some time with bears in their natural habitat.
00:18:04Fantastic. Now, this is on air from next week?
00:18:06Yeah, from next week, and it is an epic adventure.
00:18:08Honestly, I cannot wait.
00:18:10I reckon all that hiking in the wilderness would have stirred up your appetite, hey?
00:18:13Oh, just a bit.
00:18:14Well, lucky for you, Colin and Clarissa have got you covered.
00:18:18All right, today we're cooking in a very special place,
00:18:20special place to my heart, the Oz Harvest Garden.
00:18:23It's at the back of Oz Harvest,
00:18:25just there with a warehouse where they feed so many people,
00:18:29help so many people.
00:18:31So I've, you know, I've known Ronnie Khan a long time.
00:18:35How long have you been with Oz Harvest?
00:18:3814 years, and I'm actually an ambassador for Oz Harvest.
00:18:41And after meeting Ronnie Khan, she actually made me a better person.
00:18:46If you say so, but yes, you are a better person
00:18:49because you're supporting Oz Harvest.
00:18:52Imagine me before I knew Ronnie Khan.
00:18:54So today, I thought that we're here,
00:18:56we're going to do a budget, family-friendly meal
00:18:58using vegetables, leftovers, everything you've got in your fridge.
00:19:02So I'm going to make a French dish.
00:19:04Sorry about that, because I know you're over French people
00:19:06being married to Manu Fidel.
00:19:08So I thought I would make a ratatouille.
00:19:11And today, I am going to be cooking a simple budget dish,
00:19:14which is minced pork and French beans.
00:19:23All right, ratatouille, eggplant.
00:19:26Can you dice that up, please?
00:19:29Sure.
00:19:30Not too big.
00:19:31Small, big.
00:19:32Not small, because what happens is the eggplant
00:19:34sort of soaks up all that oil, doesn't it,
00:19:36when you put it in the pan?
00:19:38So I'll add some onion, some garlic.
00:19:41So you can do one to two onions.
00:19:44Chef, are you happy with that?
00:19:46I like that.
00:19:47Say that again?
00:19:48Chef, I like that.
00:19:50So onions, garlic into the pan.
00:19:52Get it no colour, nice and translucent.
00:19:55So salt, pepper.
00:19:58Season it as we fry.
00:19:59See, you never cooked for me before.
00:20:01Well, we have cooked, but not on TV.
00:20:03No.
00:20:04We've cooked in your house.
00:20:06Well, you've cooked in my house.
00:20:08Yes.
00:20:09Because someone else couldn't cook.
00:20:11That's another story for another day about our husband.
00:20:13But anyway, I cooked in their house.
00:20:17Do you think we can use different types of vegetables
00:20:19besides what we're using today?
00:20:21Well, I would use whatever's in season.
00:20:23Yeah.
00:20:24Yeah, whatever's in season, whatever's cheap,
00:20:26that's what you use.
00:20:28It's like an Irish ratatouille.
00:20:32So I'm thinking maybe we could spice up the ratatouille
00:20:35and make it not so French.
00:20:37Do we want to put it right now?
00:20:40What do you suggest?
00:20:41So we'll put it with the tomato sauce
00:20:44because that's probably the best.
00:20:46OK.
00:20:47Yeah, that sounds good.
00:20:48That's exactly like working with your husband.
00:20:50OK, I'm going to add some capsicum,
00:20:52a little bit of zucchini.
00:20:55And you can sort of overload the pan
00:20:57because it sort of cooks down and stews.
00:20:59And how far do you want to cook it
00:21:01till it's cooked, fully cooked, or halfway?
00:21:03Halfway.
00:21:04Halfway.
00:21:05You were trying to say, Colin,
00:21:06do you want to overcook it or do you want to cook it halfway?
00:21:08Yeah.
00:21:09I know the way...
00:21:10He knows me, yeah.
00:21:11We spend too much time together.
00:21:13OK, so I'm going to cook it halfway
00:21:15and then I'm going to add some tomato paste.
00:21:18OK, so let's spice things up now.
00:21:21I've got some cumin, paprika and coriander powder.
00:21:26Can you smell it now?
00:21:27Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:21:28And then I also have some turmeric
00:21:30and cinnamon powder here.
00:21:33So I've got half a teaspoon of each of these powders.
00:21:37Now, depends on how much you're cooking,
00:21:40just do it to flavour.
00:21:42You can actually start to smell.
00:21:44Yeah, it's beautiful.
00:21:45It's toasting now.
00:21:46It's got a beautiful, earthy smell to this.
00:21:49So what are you doing next?
00:21:51I like the way you're doing all the directing
00:21:53and I'm doing all the work.
00:21:55The tables have turned.
00:21:57A can of tomato, you reckon, for this?
00:21:59Maybe a can and a half.
00:22:00Can and a half.
00:22:01Do you want me to cut the beans as well?
00:22:03Yes, please.
00:22:04I'll add them last minute, some beans and green.
00:22:06I will say, working with all this harvest,
00:22:09everyone's got this in their fridge.
00:22:11You've got, you know, the bendy carrot,
00:22:13the bendy bit of celery, whatever.
00:22:15Throw it in here, use it up, whatever you want,
00:22:18any time of year, use whatever veg you've got.
00:22:20You can put cauliflower in here as well.
00:22:23One sec.
00:22:26Lunch is gone.
00:22:30It's exactly like working with a husband,
00:22:32I'll tell you that now.
00:22:34They're erratic, both of them are erratic.
00:22:39I love my chilli, so again, what I love...
00:22:43Fresh from the garden.
00:22:44Fresh from the garden.
00:22:45Are they hot, hot?
00:22:46Oh, what are they?
00:22:47They're not even chilli.
00:22:50They're not chilli.
00:22:51They're not chillies.
00:22:52Cooking with Clarissa and Colin.
00:22:55Oh my God, they are, they smell like eggplant.
00:23:02Well, it's eggplant in the dish, get it in.
00:23:05It's like a little...
00:23:06It's like a, it is.
00:23:11It's an eggplant.
00:23:12It's an eggplant.
00:23:13No kidding.
00:23:14Alright, more eggplant.
00:23:16More eggplant.
00:23:18I might just add this to a bigger pot,
00:23:20so I can stew it nice and gently.
00:23:24Okay.
00:23:25So we'll just add that in there.
00:23:30Now with your herbs, coriander especially,
00:23:33I use everything, and the roots.
00:23:36The roots actually hold the most flavour.
00:23:39And what do you do, leaves last minute?
00:23:41And then with the leaves, it's to garnish at the last minute.
00:23:44Beautiful.
00:23:45Right?
00:23:47Might just have a little taste.
00:23:52Oh yeah.
00:23:53Need a bit of sugar to balance.
00:23:54A little bit of sugar.
00:23:55Tiny bit, yep.
00:23:56Okay.
00:23:58Just a sprinkle.
00:23:59A sprinkle.
00:24:00I've got a couple of bay leaves I picked,
00:24:02I'll throw them in.
00:24:03A little bit of earthiness.
00:24:07Alright, so then I was thinking I'm going to add some chickpeas,
00:24:09so they're going to give you a little bit of protein,
00:24:11so you've got the veg and a bit of texture as well.
00:24:13Perfect.
00:24:14Just drain off the liquid.
00:24:18Don't you use chickpeas in water?
00:24:20The liquids to make egg whites.
00:24:21Yeah, the liquid to make egg whites.
00:24:22Yeah, yeah, you can save it.
00:24:23Yeah.
00:24:24Actually, I probably shouldn't have wasted that,
00:24:26being an Aussie.
00:24:27You can keep the liquid from the chickpeas,
00:24:29whip it up and you get like a vegan egg white.
00:24:32Egg white.
00:24:33Thank you, Clarissa.
00:24:34Thank you, Clarissa, for that.
00:24:36Alright, so the chickpeas in there, look at that.
00:24:38Oh.
00:24:40And the reason why we add the chickpeas
00:24:42and the reason why we add the green beans and the silver beets...
00:24:47Silver beets.
00:24:48..silver beets at the end is because they cook the fastest, don't they?
00:24:51Yeah, yeah.
00:24:52Correct?
00:24:53Yes, Chef.
00:24:54Alright, there you go.
00:24:55Look at that.
00:24:56That is singing.
00:24:57It's like singing of the garden.
00:24:59Red, green.
00:25:01Oh, looking a bit dry there, Colin.
00:25:03Yeah, I might have...
00:25:05Maybe overcooked it.
00:25:10Tell me when.
00:25:11You're overcooked.
00:25:13Thank you, that's fine.
00:25:14Alright, there we go.
00:25:15Thank you, Chef.
00:25:16Look at that.
00:25:17Like, if you look at that and where we are...
00:25:20Perfect.
00:25:26What do you throw at a rabbit?
00:25:28What do you what?
00:25:29Throw at a rabbit.
00:25:30Throw at a rabbit?
00:25:31What do you throw at a rabbit?
00:25:33A wok.
00:25:34A wok.
00:25:38Coming up, the team continues work on the multi-purpose backyard
00:25:42and it's all about the zones.
00:25:44There's five people that live in this house
00:25:46so we've got to make the most of every space.
00:25:49This community garden is really digging deep.
00:25:52But there's more than just veggies going on here, isn't there?
00:25:57And hanging out backstage at this all-star concert
00:26:00proves that helping feed the not-so-fortunate
00:26:03can still be fun and fabulous.
00:26:06In fact, I am talking to another amazingly tall lady.
00:26:09Yeah.
00:26:10With more sparkles than me.
00:26:11Two of Australia's tallest plums.
00:26:14Here we are.
00:26:30Clarissa, it's great to have you on the show and part of the team.
00:26:33And I'm just loving your recipes.
00:26:35We try a lot of them, love the flavour.
00:26:37Oh, thank you so much.
00:26:39I love being with Better Homes and Gardens.
00:26:42It's been such a great experience
00:26:44and sharing my family recipes with Australia.
00:26:47Well, how good is that?
00:26:48You know, from Malaysia to Australia and those flavours.
00:26:51Well, that's why we're here,
00:26:53to bring some of those Malaysian flavours
00:26:55right into our Australian gardens
00:26:57and to have a look at some of these plants
00:26:59where the flavours actually come from.
00:27:01How good is that?
00:27:02This is a bountiful garden if there was ever one.
00:27:11I'll tell you what, Clarissa,
00:27:13this place here, Henley Green, is just brilliant.
00:27:16Because there are a lot of apartments around,
00:27:18so people who don't have gardens can come here.
00:27:21It's beautiful and green, isn't it?
00:27:23It is, it is.
00:27:24So I thought we'd get in, do a little bit of planting.
00:27:26Have you got a garden yourself?
00:27:28Yes, I do have a garden.
00:27:30Good girl.
00:27:31However, I'm a little bit iffy with gardening.
00:27:35I tend not to get too hung up on it.
00:27:37I just plant what I'm going to eat.
00:27:39And what's in season.
00:27:40And what's in season.
00:27:41It's really critical that we eat what's in season.
00:27:44And I'm sure it's the same when you're cooking.
00:27:47Yes, absolutely.
00:27:48Even when I get my ingredients,
00:27:50I always look for what's in season
00:27:52because they're probably the freshest
00:27:54and the cheapest to get as well.
00:27:56I really love basil.
00:27:58So I'm going to plant this little fellow here.
00:28:01Now when you buy them, or if you grow them,
00:28:03you often end up with a whole lot of seedlings
00:28:05like this little fellow here.
00:28:06So don't worry about thinning them out.
00:28:08Some you can, and some you should.
00:28:10But in the case of basil, just plant it as it is,
00:28:15just like that.
00:28:16I'm going to leave you to it.
00:28:18Lovely.
00:28:19Thank you so much.
00:28:20Apprentice.
00:28:21Fingers crossed.
00:28:22Ten out of ten.
00:28:23I'll be back later.
00:28:26MUSIC
00:28:35Emma, you're one of the original happy Henley hens
00:28:38from what I read and from what I remember.
00:28:41How did it all start?
00:28:42So we were just three friends.
00:28:45Our kids went to the same school.
00:28:47We had different interests,
00:28:48but we wanted to create a space for community
00:28:52and where people could come and garden
00:28:54garden or do whatever they might like to do.
00:28:56It's been incredibly successful.
00:28:58How many people have you got coming through the place?
00:29:02Well, we have these fabulous people behind us.
00:29:04So we've got them coming.
00:29:06They usually come with me on Friday mornings.
00:29:08Every day you can come because it's open.
00:29:10So we've probably got about, I don't know, 70 paid members.
00:29:14But because it's an open space,
00:29:16people come down and can just be here.
00:29:18But there's more than just veggies going on here, isn't there?
00:29:21So there's an art sort of component to it.
00:29:24We've recently got a government grant,
00:29:27some seniors, some kids,
00:29:29in to create our lovely giant chicken.
00:29:32Isn't that great? Yeah, it's amazing.
00:29:33It's amazing what people can do.
00:29:35What's the future?
00:29:37The future, we hope to maybe do it...
00:29:40We've got an extension over to that side of the Bowling Green.
00:29:43So we hope to create an education space,
00:29:46a bit of a she-shed over there.
00:29:49We want to build ponds, aquaponics.
00:29:52We want to move into more education and that type of thing.
00:30:08I love these closed-loop gardening facilities.
00:30:11You know, people enjoy growing all this stuff
00:30:14and then they share it amongst themselves
00:30:16and the excess goes into an honesty stall.
00:30:19How good is that? It's fantastic.
00:30:21It's a great way to share the love with the community
00:30:24and also encourage everyone to get into the garden
00:30:27and get your hands dirty.
00:30:29I love that.
00:30:30Now, look, you know, honestly, a bit of money they make,
00:30:33it's really good and they're sharing it with the locals.
00:30:36And, of course, that money goes into projects here
00:30:39to expand and extend it even further.
00:30:42I think I'm going to get this.
00:30:44That's a beautiful little succulent and easy to grow.
00:30:47Hard to kill.
00:30:49Very hard to kill.
00:30:53Look at this.
00:30:54Ah, look at the multi-purpose.
00:30:57That is an awesome idea, mate. I absolutely love it.
00:31:00So, obviously, you actually know I would stand here all night talking to you,
00:31:03but I think we have some work to do.
00:31:04Oh, yeah, we've got to do that concert thing.
00:31:06Are you up first or am I? We're both. Let's go. OK, bye.
00:31:10To catch up on any stories you've missed,
00:31:12plus find lots of pet training, tips and tricks,
00:31:15as well as loads of cute animals and exclusive content,
00:31:18check us out on 7 Plus.
00:31:28So, Graeme, we're about to head into our 31st season,
00:31:31which is quite amazing.
00:31:32And you are the only person who has been there right from the start.
00:31:35I've got to say, being in the pleasure of your company,
00:31:37I am in awe constantly at how much joy you still get out of gardening.
00:31:42Oh, Jo, I absolutely love gardening.
00:31:44But do you know what I love more?
00:31:46What?
00:31:47Is sharing these beautiful gardens with our family out there.
00:31:49It's just fabulous. And that's what keeps me young.
00:31:52I see. I love the passion.
00:31:54Actually, talking of family,
00:31:55we are missing one of our gardening family members.
00:31:57Tell us what's happened with Melissa.
00:31:58Well, she's had a terrible fall at home,
00:32:00but the doctors say she's just got to rest for a little while longer.
00:32:03She's on rehab, but she'll be back soon.
00:32:05And good news for us, she has actually filmed some beautiful stories
00:32:08in some glorious gardens, so she'll be back on air for us next week.
00:32:11So get well, Melissa.
00:32:13Hey, what do you say we check in
00:32:14and see how Adam, Juliet and Charlie are going?
00:32:16Sounds good.
00:32:19We are well underway with our latest project for Stepping Stone House,
00:32:22which is a non-for-profit charity
00:32:24that creates safe and secure housing for young people facing homelessness.
00:32:27Now, the home here has five residents,
00:32:29which means creating extra space is crucial.
00:32:32So we are creating separate breakout zones in the backyard
00:32:36for everything from gathering together with friends
00:32:37to chilling out all on your own.
00:32:39If you miss it, there's the magic,
00:32:42miss the feeling, feel the feeling.
00:32:44Just knocked up a couple of ladder frames and I'm painting them black.
00:32:48Now, I did say that I wanted to maximise on seating
00:32:51in that entertainment area.
00:32:52And it all starts with this.
00:33:03Two ladder frames dry, we can now put them in place.
00:33:06So basically what we're going to do with this frame,
00:33:08go in between the two posts and then we'll wrap around
00:33:11and Scotty's got the other one that's going to run into the brick wall.
00:33:14So you can see there's going to be maximum seating in this area.
00:33:18It's going to be great.
00:33:27Now, the idea is to give the feel that these bench seats are floating,
00:33:31but we need to give it some extra strength in the middle here.
00:33:34So to do that, we're just putting these braces on.
00:33:36And what that's going to do is basically it hides it.
00:33:39So from here, you can't see it,
00:33:40especially when this back wall will be painted black,
00:33:42but it allows all the pressure to go back to the retaining wall.
00:33:54To dress these seats, I'm using a composite board,
00:33:57but I want the fixings to be hidden.
00:33:59So I'm starting with a C-clip and you'll see I've got a fascia board here.
00:34:03It doesn't have a groove in the front, but it's got a groove underneath.
00:34:06And that's where these will clip into.
00:34:07And then from there, I can put the other two boards in
00:34:10just using the standard kit and clips.
00:34:27Oh, I'd better try it out.
00:34:31Ha ha, never in doubt.
00:34:33I scared myself at the start, but look at that.
00:34:35Solid as a rock. That's not going anywhere.
00:34:45Patrick, thank you so much for agreeing to help me.
00:34:48We've got quite a few of these little bird cages to make.
00:34:51They're going to hang under the wisteria.
00:34:52I think it's going to look really pretty.
00:34:54Yeah.
00:34:55And I thought what you could help me with are these cool spinners.
00:34:58They've got marbles in them, and when the wind spins them around,
00:35:01it looks like the marble is travelling down.
00:35:03Oh, that's pretty cool.
00:35:04Yeah, it is good.
00:35:05So, they're very easy to make.
00:35:07All you need is a wooden spoon.
00:35:08I might get you to pop the gloves on.
00:35:10Alright. And what do I do with the wire there?
00:35:12Yeah, so then we take the wire.
00:35:14And what I'm going to do is get you just to hold the wire at the top.
00:35:18And then you get one side of the wire
00:35:21and spin it round to the bottom of the wooden spoon.
00:35:24And then the other side, you wrap around the other way.
00:35:27Does that make sense?
00:35:28Yeah, too easy.
00:35:29OK.
00:35:31I'm going to get started on the birdcage itself.
00:35:35But before I do that, I wanted to ask you,
00:35:36you spent some time here at Stepping Stone House, didn't you?
00:35:39Yeah, a couple of years, actually.
00:35:41They helped me a lot during my time here
00:35:44and teaching me all sorts of things.
00:35:47And at the moment, I'm at my own place and might be moving soon.
00:35:53And I also got a job.
00:35:55They helped me a lot with all the things I needed.
00:35:58And they're still there when I need some help.
00:36:01How old were you when you first came to Stepping Stone's house?
00:36:04And was it one of these houses that you were in?
00:36:06Yeah, yeah. I went through all of them, actually.
00:36:09I moved in when I was about 14, turning 15 at the time.
00:36:13As the years went by, I moved to the other houses.
00:36:17They taught me how to drive.
00:36:20I didn't know how to swim, too, so they helped me out with that.
00:36:23So now I'm just going to add some of this coconut husk to the bottom here
00:36:26to make it look like a bird's nest.
00:36:28I'm also putting some of these solar lights in.
00:36:29And while I do that, would you mind adding some marbles into our spinners?
00:36:34Oh, just like that? Yeah, you just pop them in.
00:36:36All right, will do. Thank you.
00:36:51So these are going under the wisteria, and I'm so grateful for your help.
00:36:55Yeah, thank you.
00:36:56And I'm looking forward to seeing how they look like.
00:37:04This fire pit works perfectly with the patinaed steel,
00:37:07and surrounding it, we're going to use some pebbles.
00:37:09That means the grass isn't going to get burnt when it's afire,
00:37:12but it also makes it feel larger, which makes it more of a design statement.
00:37:15Add a bit of textural interest to these pebbles.
00:37:17I'm just using two different sizes.
00:37:18We've got the four to six mil as the main ones,
00:37:20and then some 30 to 40, just to bulk it up.
00:37:32The idea behind it is,
00:37:34we're going to be using the pebbles to create a little bit of a design statement.
00:37:37So we're going to be using the pebbles to create a little bit of a design statement.
00:37:40So we're going to be using the pebbles to create a little bit of a design statement.
00:37:43The idea behind it is...
00:37:45Look at this.
00:37:46Ah, look at the multi-purpose.
00:37:48Filled up with ice. There's a hole in the bottom.
00:37:50I love it.
00:37:51A refreshing beverage.
00:37:52I know you like a refreshing beverage in there.
00:37:54You promised for it.
00:37:55And you've got a summertime fire pit turned into an esky.
00:37:57That is an awesome idea, mate. I absolutely love it.
00:38:07To make the most of this unused alcove here,
00:38:09I asked Adam, while he was on the tools,
00:38:11to knock up a couple of ladder frames for me,
00:38:13because I'm going to create a couple of shelves
00:38:15that will turn this into a mini outdoor library.
00:38:17I thought it would be so nice to sit here and read a book.
00:38:24This second shelf is going to sit round about here,
00:38:26and you'll notice I've left a gap in the bottom,
00:38:28and that is to store the chairs when they're not in use.
00:38:42That's the perfect spot for a couple of extra chairs,
00:38:45but I'm thinking this reading nook needs a big, comfy egg chair.
00:38:57Coming up, Adam's got a great idea
00:38:59for anyone who wants to hide their ugly clotheslines.
00:39:04Join us as some huge names in the music industry
00:39:08Join us as some huge names in the music world
00:39:15It's so Moorish.
00:39:16That's good.
00:39:20In the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine,
00:39:23we are celebrating the plant colour of the year, teal,
00:39:26and we're showing you how to incorporate it into your garden.
00:39:29Plus, we explore Gatherflower Farm in the Yarra Valley,
00:39:32which is home to a huge range of vibrant blooms,
00:39:34like dahlias, roses, proteas and peonies.
00:39:37And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine
00:39:40is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.
00:39:44That's all in the March issue of the Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
00:39:47Out now.
00:39:54So not only is it our first episode of the year,
00:39:57but it's also Valentine's Day now.
00:39:59Juliet, obviously we get to see your husband Charlie's
00:40:02great wit and brilliant humour all the time on the show,
00:40:05but what we want to know is, is he romantic?
00:40:07What's the sweetest thing he's done for you for Valentine's Day?
00:40:09Well, we all know he's very cheeky, but he's also very romantic.
00:40:12What?
00:40:13It might be a surprise to some, but he's not about the big gestures,
00:40:16it's more those little thoughtful things.
00:40:18This morning he had a cup of tea waiting for me when I got up,
00:40:20and yeah, he's very sweet.
00:40:22Well, I don't think I could love the man anymore,
00:40:24but it is nice to get those behind-the-scenes insights.
00:40:26Speaking of which, recently I was lucky enough to co-host
00:40:29a massive concert for Oz Harvest.
00:40:31You may have seen the broadcast on Channel 7,
00:40:33but here's a little look at what happened backstage.
00:40:42For 20 years, Oz Harvest has been fighting the tide against food waste,
00:40:46delivering meals to those who need it the most.
00:40:48These days their fleet of yellow and black vans are out in the community
00:40:52saving over 300 tonnes of perfectly good food from ending up in waste.
00:40:57Instead, delivering it to charities who then feed those in need.
00:41:0120 years is definitely worth celebrating,
00:41:03but they are actually going one better tonight.
00:41:05They're holding an event which they hope will deliver
00:41:07an extra 5 million meals.
00:41:10The Oz Harvest Unite to Feed Australia live concert.
00:41:13We're giving you a backstage pass.
00:41:15I can't wait to show you around,
00:41:17and in fact, I'd better get my butt inside and get changed.
00:41:28So obviously I am ridiculously excited that my co-host for this event tonight
00:41:33is the amazing Jimmy Rees, a man who literally kept me
00:41:37and so many others entertained all through COVID.
00:41:39I mean, apart from the entire generation that grew up with you.
00:41:41Jimmy, is this your natural habitat?
00:41:44Well, yeah, better homes than theatres.
00:41:45That's where we are.
00:41:47Yes, no, yeah, I love being on the stage.
00:41:49We toured many years with Giggle and Hoop,
00:41:51done my own tours recently, and yes, things have gone
00:41:54from speaking to puppets for a living
00:41:56to then speaking to actual people.
00:41:58Quite amazing.
00:41:59Behind the scenes, every second person who's actually
00:42:01working on this entire event knows Jimmy
00:42:03and just comes up and greets him with a big high five.
00:42:05Yeah, that's it.
00:42:06Many days in TV at the ABC.
00:42:08So obviously you actually know I would stand here all night
00:42:10talking to you, but I think we have some work to do.
00:42:12Oh, yeah, we've got to do that concert thing.
00:42:14Are you up first or am I?
00:42:15We're both. Let's go.
00:42:16Okay, bye.
00:42:17Now if you feel like you can't go on
00:42:20Because all your hope is gone
00:42:24There is no greater joy in my life than when I actually
00:42:26get to catch up with Ronni Kahn, the founder and the visionary
00:42:29in residence for Oz Harvest.
00:42:31When you mentioned this to us months ago, Ronni,
00:42:34I had no idea the scale of what you were dreaming up.
00:42:37How does it feel now it's actually here?
00:42:39It is extraordinary.
00:42:40Quite honestly, even though I knew that we would put on
00:42:43the mother of all concerts, I had no idea what the mother
00:42:47of all concerts would look like.
00:42:49That's the way, be good darling
00:42:54We'll go right on, on concert, yeah, yeah
00:42:58Well, it's not surprising that when artists are actually asked
00:43:01to perform for a charity, that one of the first people
00:43:03to put up their hand is one of the absolute legends
00:43:05of the industry, Daryl Braithwaite.
00:43:07I mean, do you lose track of how many times you get asked
00:43:10to do things like this?
00:43:11Why do you do it?
00:43:13I think you can always give something back.
00:43:17And I've been around for 700 years,
00:43:20so I might as well give something back.
00:43:32What is the driving force?
00:43:33Is it writing songs?
00:43:34Is it knowing that everyone connects with your music
00:43:36for those significant moments in their life?
00:43:38Or is it actually performing?
00:43:40Performing and getting the feedback from people,
00:43:43giving them something.
00:43:45It's just a way of paying back, I guess.
00:43:47Oh, well, thank you for paying back to everyone
00:43:49who's going to be watching the concert and also for coming
00:43:51on Better Homes and Gardens.
00:43:52You have a lot of fans in our production office.
00:43:55I love a good garden, let me tell you.
00:44:04I don't know what I'm more excited about,
00:44:06the fact that I'm actually interviewing Courtney Act
00:44:08or the fact that I am talking to another amazingly tall lady
00:44:12with more cycles than me.
00:44:14Two of Australia's tallest blondes.
00:44:17Here we are.
00:44:19You had everyone up singing and dancing if you're down to do.
00:44:22It's so much fun, it's such a good song,
00:44:24and the crowd was just so electric and wonderful.
00:44:27What does it mean then when you're actually doing it
00:44:29for a charity?
00:44:30It actually makes it so special because you're used to sort
00:44:33of performing and hustling just for you,
00:44:36but when you're actually, and I learned this off Ronnie
00:44:38when I met her, I saw how much heart she had
00:44:41and how much she cared.
00:44:42And I realised that when you're doing something
00:44:44for a cause that's greater than yourself,
00:44:46it means that you can hustle all you want
00:44:48and not feel like a narcissist.
00:44:51So use your powers for good.
00:44:53Use your powers for good.
00:45:05The thing about OzHarvest, in a world of like intellectual,
00:45:09political conversations, OzHarvest is actually
00:45:12like putting food into mouths of people.
00:45:15Who desperately need it.
00:45:16When they need it, yeah.
00:45:17Yeah, well you're actually doing your bit of that tonight.
00:45:23So always a pleasure to catch up with, I think,
00:45:25my four favourite people in music, human nature.
00:45:28How many years have you been together?
00:45:30We're 35 years together.
00:45:3135 years.
00:45:32But 20 years since we released our first Motown record.
00:45:34Okay, which is what we're talking tonight,
00:45:35because you're doing a bit of a Motown mashup.
00:45:37It has also inspired the new tour.
00:45:39Tell us about that.
00:45:40Yeah, we're so excited about the tour because, you know,
00:45:42as Toby said, 20 years since we released
00:45:44the first Motown record.
00:45:45And at the time we were just releasing an album of songs
00:45:48that we loved and we had no idea how it was going to go.
00:45:50It's a perfect time to go back and celebrate
00:45:52what was such a big moment for us.
00:46:09For the three of you that still live in Las Vegas
00:46:11and perform to huge crowds over there,
00:46:14what do you miss most about home?
00:46:16Crack an egg roll.
00:46:17Yes.
00:46:18And family.
00:46:20And the ocean.
00:46:2735 years and still going strong.
00:46:29You have a legion of fans because not only are you guys
00:46:31unbelievably professional, but you are the nicest guys in showbiz.
00:46:34Congratulations.
00:46:39There are so many moving parts to a night like this.
00:46:41And I know when Ronnie was putting this together
00:46:44that she actually had an inspiration.
00:46:46A man who also put on an event like this some 40 years ago.
00:46:49I'm talking, of course, Band Aid and Live Aid.
00:46:51And Sir Bob Geldof was actually in the country.
00:46:54He heard about what Oz Harvest was doing with
00:46:56the Unite to Feed Australia live concert
00:46:58and he decided to actually postpone his trip
00:47:01by a couple of days to be part of the fun.
00:47:03If I thought that I was going to be there doing it for 40 years,
00:47:06I'd have paused.
00:47:09No, that's true.
00:47:11But things happen and you understand
00:47:14you can take it further.
00:47:16And so if that's what we have to do, then you do.
00:47:20And I hope that none of us here tonight
00:47:23or none of us watching
00:47:25are having to do the same thing 40 years from now.
00:47:32If you had one message for Australians,
00:47:34who probably, for a lot of them,
00:47:36this telecast will actually be the chance
00:47:39where they actually realise the reality of hunger in Australia
00:47:42and what it means.
00:47:43What would your message to them be?
00:47:45Feed the world.
00:47:46Feed the world.
00:47:47Oh, it's simple.
00:47:48Thank you, Bob Geldof, Ronnie Khan!
00:47:51Woo-hoo!
00:47:52Thank you, Bob!
00:47:55Coming up, this 30-minute meal really packs a punch.
00:47:59Oh, my God.
00:48:01I told you there was too much chilli.
00:48:03That chilli's kicking in.
00:48:06Pete's found a little slice of paradise
00:48:09that could have your name on it.
00:48:11I'm now north of Brisbane
00:48:12and you can only get here by bridge or boat.
00:48:14I'm on Briaby Island.
00:48:16I'll have a spicy margarita, thanks.
00:48:17Spicy margarita with you?
00:48:18Two of those.
00:48:19And the multi-purpose backyard is almost complete.
00:48:22But it needs a road test first.
00:48:24This is a nice little retreat we've created around here.
00:48:27I'll be right back.
00:48:34This segment is brought to you by Marta Prize Home.
00:48:38Could the next winner be you?
00:48:42A good old Aussie beach holiday.
00:48:44It doesn't get much better than that.
00:48:46Well, maybe it does when that beach is on an island.
00:48:49Now, sadly, most of us can only experience something like this
00:48:52only a few weeks a year while we're on holidays.
00:48:54Imagine having access to this all year round.
00:48:57I'm now north of Brisbane
00:48:59and you can only get here by bridge or boat.
00:49:01I'm on Briaby Island.
00:49:04Now, the place I'm about to visit is so close to here,
00:49:08this is practically your front yard.
00:49:10This is pretty fancy.
00:49:17Well, what a cute little cottage.
00:49:20You'd expect nothing less from the latest Marta Prize Home.
00:49:23It's like a mini version of the White House.
00:49:26I'm very keen to meet the brains behind the beauty,
00:49:29interior designer Brett Rundle.
00:49:31Brett, I've come across a bridge, I've driven a beautiful car
00:49:34to arrive at this magnificent home.
00:49:36How long have you been chief designer at Marta Prize Homes?
00:49:39It's coming up to seven years now,
00:49:41so we're up to about 40 houses.
00:49:43Wow.
00:49:44Now, tell me, what would you describe this?
00:49:46I'm calling it modern Aussie coastal.
00:49:48Well, it started out low,
00:49:50and then it got to the top of the list
00:49:53Well, it started out life as a Hamptons-inspired home,
00:49:56but we've flipped that on its lead a bit
00:49:58and brought in more of an Australian character to this house.
00:50:00OK, so that would mean peeling off some of that ornate detail,
00:50:03the cornices, the fancy handles and stuff?
00:50:05That's right.
00:50:06So one of the big things is the square set ceilings.
00:50:08Square set ceilings are a nightmare for builders.
00:50:10Very hard thing to do.
00:50:12But the finished result is worth it.
00:50:14We've brought in some colour, so none of that white on white,
00:50:17and we've also introduced green as the accent colour,
00:50:19getting away from the blues.
00:50:21Hey, listen, I'm keen to have a close look at this kitchen.
00:50:23All right, let's have a look.
00:50:24But I can't let go
00:50:26You're all I know
00:50:28Now, Brett, a lot of people put emphasis on the kitchens, rightly so.
00:50:32What are your tips?
00:50:33Well, I always think benchtops, benchtop, benchtops,
00:50:35as much as you can get,
00:50:37so as much workspace as we can possibly get.
00:50:39Clever cabinetry.
00:50:40Drawers is a really good function for spaces like this instead of doors.
00:50:44One little detail I've just picked up
00:50:46is the vertical V joints on the panelling,
00:50:48echoing what's happening with those tiles.
00:50:50Emphasising the vertical.
00:50:52Yeah, we've chosen that V-J panel
00:50:54and we've voided all of the hardware on that door as well
00:50:57to give it a more streamlined look.
00:50:59Then also the butler's pantry, which is hidden behind there,
00:51:02is a pretty important part.
00:51:04It's almost an essential part of a modernised design, isn't it?
00:51:06It is, yeah. Well, it hides away the mess.
00:51:08In terms of the planning, the house peels open,
00:51:10a traditional hallway with rooms coming off it,
00:51:12into this open kitchen, sitting, dining and rumpus.
00:51:17Rumpus room.
00:51:18Let's check that out.
00:51:19OK.
00:51:21Well, Brett, we've called it a rumpus,
00:51:23but it's more a little home library, isn't it?
00:51:25It is. I did want to create a little space
00:51:27just to live in, not so much a TV room or anything like that,
00:51:30because we did have the option here of putting a TV in.
00:51:32This brings me to a point, I think,
00:51:34an unexplored feature of the home is how you treat the ceilings.
00:51:37And here we've got three types of ceilings,
00:51:39your flat plain with downlights, your big vaulted gable.
00:51:42But here we've got a coffered ceiling,
00:51:44which is a very old-fashioned idea.
00:51:46It encloses it a bit too, and it creates a different zone
00:51:48from the rest of the house,
00:51:49but it does give you that feeling of cosiness.
00:51:52And it also breaks up the sound.
00:51:54It doesn't get too echoey.
00:51:58So come out here to one of my favourite spaces,
00:52:00the outdoor kitchen.
00:52:01Well, I can see why.
00:52:02I reckon if you won this Marder Prize home,
00:52:04you'd spend 90% of your time right here.
00:52:06You would.
00:52:07So what we've tried to do here is design a kitchen
00:52:09basically like an indoor kitchen, but put it outside.
00:52:11Yeah, right.
00:52:12So this is in our fresco open dining area.
00:52:15Let me pick your brain for a second.
00:52:17I mean, this is a new build,
00:52:20but if you were doing an alteration in addition to a house,
00:52:22what tips would you give?
00:52:24Well, it's always...
00:52:25The budget's always very tricky to work with,
00:52:27so you can't do extravagant things,
00:52:29like really extravagant things like changing too much,
00:52:31but always paint, carpets, window furnishings,
00:52:34simple, simple ways of getting a much better look
00:52:37for renovating a property.
00:52:38Brett, leading architects and interior designers
00:52:40always draw inspiration from their environment.
00:52:43Here we are on an island.
00:52:45What did you draw from Bribie?
00:52:46Well, Bribie Island is surrounded by beautiful national parks.
00:52:49The sand, the beaches, the water, it's all in this house.
00:52:52So we've got the greens from the forests
00:52:54and we've got the furniture in the lighter colours
00:52:56that reflect that sort of sand tone.
00:52:58I think you've done an extraordinary job here, Brett.
00:53:01Thank you very much.
00:53:02It has a wonderful feel,
00:53:03and I think it's because you've captured so much natural light,
00:53:05particularly in this area.
00:53:07You have to get that feeling in a house when someone walks in.
00:53:09You only have those few moments where it either feels like a home
00:53:12or a display home.
00:53:13So it has to have that homely feeling
00:53:15for the winner of this amazing prize.
00:53:29There are four bedrooms, three bathrooms,
00:53:32all wrapped up in this beautiful cottage by the canal.
00:53:35And add to that two brand-new cars,
00:53:38a Mercedes C300 and a brand-new Land Rover Discovery.
00:53:42Included is $50,000 in vouchers for groceries,
00:53:46should feed a few hungry hippos,
00:53:48$500,000 in gold bullion.
00:53:51Now, someone is guaranteed to win
00:53:53at just two bucks a ticket on February 26.
00:53:56The total prize package is over $3.6 million.
00:54:00And, of course, you'll be helping a great cause,
00:54:02Martyr Prize Home, changing lives since 1954.
00:54:06Every ticket sold supports vital medical research,
00:54:09equipment and patient care at Martyr in Queensland.
00:54:12But, of course, we all benefit from research, right?
00:54:14Now, you've got to be in it to win it, including this boat,
00:54:18which I'm going to take for a bit of a spin.
00:54:20I need to untie it first so I can just sit here and dream.
00:54:23Yeah.
00:54:34OK, Mr Fasnich, you had your turn.
00:54:37Now it's mine.
00:54:38We're definitely in your territory.
00:54:40What are we making?
00:54:42OK, we're making a minced pork stir-fry with some French beans.
00:54:48We're going to start off with cutting the beans.
00:54:51Now, this dish is going to be quick, but it's budget as well.
00:54:55In Asia, we would use long beans, but French beans is just as good.
00:55:00Can you start this for me, please, this little thing?
00:55:10What way do you want these cooked?
00:55:12Into three.
00:55:13Just the tips off.
00:55:14What we want to do first is to blister the French beans.
00:55:18So in a wok or a pan, a little bit of oil.
00:55:21Make sure your wok is smoking.
00:55:23What do you throw at a rabbit?
00:55:25What do you what?
00:55:26Throw at a rabbit.
00:55:27Throw at a rabbit?
00:55:28What do you throw at a rabbit?
00:55:30A wok.
00:55:35So what do you mean blister?
00:55:36So you want to get the skin to be slightly charred.
00:55:40Oh, OK.
00:55:41Right?
00:55:42Still has texture.
00:55:44Half cooked, maybe almost cooked, but not overcooked.
00:55:48There you go.
00:55:49Yes.
00:55:50All right.
00:55:51So in it goes.
00:55:55So this one here, you want to refrain from actually stir-frying and mixing it,
00:55:59because as I said, you want to blister it.
00:56:01So if I turn it, look how it's blistered.
00:56:04Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:56:05Because the more you turn it, it cools it down.
00:56:07That's right.
00:56:08Correct.
00:56:09See, I knew that.
00:56:11OK, see this beautiful charring on the side?
00:56:14Beautiful.
00:56:15That's what we want in this dish, yeah?
00:56:17So I'd say about one more minute in here, and we can dish it out.
00:56:26So what do we do?
00:56:27The mince goes in next, does it?
00:56:29So we put a little bit of oil.
00:56:31Use the same pan.
00:56:32This is a one-pot wonder.
00:56:34Yeah.
00:56:37So let's add a little bit.
00:56:39A little bit of tetra.
00:56:40Oh, yeah.
00:56:41Oil.
00:56:42You can taste the wok.
00:56:43Mm, it's beautiful.
00:56:45Mince, pork mince I'm using today, about 200 grams.
00:56:51That's really hot, so you're getting a bit of color on that.
00:56:53That's right.
00:56:55A bit of caramelization.
00:56:57Some onions.
00:56:58Yeah.
00:56:59About one small onion.
00:57:04And this one, now you can start stirring it, yeah?
00:57:07Because you want it to cook.
00:57:08Yeah, yeah.
00:57:09Evenly.
00:57:10Can I have the garlic?
00:57:12How much do you want?
00:57:13All of that?
00:57:14All of that.
00:57:15So what's that, two cloves?
00:57:16Yep, two cloves of garlic.
00:57:17With the garlic as well, you don't want to put it right at the beginning,
00:57:21because it's going to burn really quickly.
00:57:24Of course, you can have chili or not, but in all my dishes I always have chili.
00:57:31Quite a lot of chili is the same.
00:57:32That's not quite a lot of chili.
00:57:33Quite a lot is the same.
00:57:34That's like, for you, chili.
00:57:36Yeah.
00:57:38So we've got some light soy sauce.
00:57:43About how much?
00:57:44About two tablespoons.
00:57:45Yep.
00:57:46Dark soy sauce, about one, one tablespoon.
00:57:50From an Irishman, what's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?
00:57:54Light soy sauce is soy sauce.
00:57:57Dark soy sauce is concentrated, yeah?
00:58:00And it's got a little bit of caramelization in the dark soy sauce.
00:58:04Right.
00:58:06So we've got some oyster sauce.
00:58:08Yep, beautiful.
00:58:10With all these sauces, you probably don't need to add any more salt in this.
00:58:16Yeah, because there's a lot of sodium in these sauces already.
00:58:19That's right.
00:58:21Always, for Asian cooking, we finish off with a little pinch of sugar for balance.
00:58:30I actually use that in Irish cookery as well.
00:58:32Do you?
00:58:33Yeah, just put it out there.
00:58:35Oh, okay.
00:58:36Interesting.
00:58:37Now do we want...
00:58:38Oh my God.
00:58:40Why would you lose too much chili?
00:58:42That chili's kicking in.
00:58:43Yum.
00:58:45Yeah, yum.
00:58:46Let's go.
00:58:47That one in?
00:58:48Do you want pepper?
00:58:49No pepper.
00:58:50Okay.
00:58:51I've got the chili.
00:58:52All right.
00:58:53I'll just shut up then.
00:58:55Well, if you want pepper, you can.
00:58:56Okay.
00:58:57So...
00:59:00And what's most interesting is you don't have to actually have expensive food to be nourishing, right?
00:59:08It can be any.
00:59:09It's beautiful.
00:59:10That's good.
00:59:11Enough salt?
00:59:12Yeah, that's fine.
00:59:15All right, we're done.
00:59:17Let's dish that out.
00:59:21I don't mean if you serve this with rice or something.
00:59:23Oh.
00:59:24That way you'd bulk out and feed the whole family, huh?
00:59:27All right.
00:59:28Do you know how to use chopsticks?
00:59:40Mmm.
00:59:41Mmm?
00:59:42Good?
00:59:43You get that char off the wok.
00:59:44It's really good, huh?
00:59:46And it's so more-ish.
00:59:47That's good.
00:59:48All right, so that's two dishes.
00:59:50Budget-friendly.
00:59:51Seasonal vegetables.
00:59:52Whatever you want.
00:59:53Anyone can try this.
00:59:55Enjoy.
01:00:03Making the most of this backyard.
01:00:05To create separate zones for entertaining.
01:00:07Or just chilling out by yourself.
01:00:10In the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, we're showing you how to eat the rainbow
01:00:15by embracing colourful ingredients and dishes like this delicious tomato tart and yummy gelato.
01:00:22Plus, we're sharing easy dinners for one, like this fennel, squid and chilli couscous.
01:00:27And in 2025, Better Homes and Gardens magazine is searching for Australia's most passionate and dedicated tradies.
01:00:34It's all inside the March issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine, which is out now.
01:00:52We're helping out Stepping Stone House with some breakout zones for the young people living here to enjoy.
01:00:57This is a great non-for-profit charity that helps young people facing homelessness.
01:01:01Now, there's five people that live in this house, so we've got to make the most of every space.
01:01:05And I've just finished off the reading nook and can get on to styling under the wisteria.
01:01:09It is going to be gorgeous.
01:01:10And have a look at all the work I've done.
01:01:11Edging, fire pit, stools.
01:01:13What's needed?
01:01:14Of course, it's plants.
01:01:15You have been busy, Charlie.
01:01:17And I've finished off the pergola, the extra seating.
01:01:19Now, I just need to hide those clotheslines.
01:01:28If you want to have a low-maintenance garden, well, you need to be basing your planting scheme around shrubs.
01:01:33They really don't take much care at all.
01:01:35Minimal feeding, minimal pruning, so they're perfect for a location like this.
01:01:38We've got raffia lexus, we've got woolly bush, we've got viburnum tinus.
01:01:42But I like this one.
01:01:43This is my kellia or my shellia figo.
01:01:46It has a really nice fragrant flower to it, so it's going to fill this space and be just a really nice addition.
01:02:00If you're after a low-maintenance, long-flowering, heat-tolerant perennial, well, you can't go past the salvia.
01:02:05And this one is called white flame.
01:02:07This planting scheme is made up of mostly green shrubs.
01:02:10So by having a shock of white really lifts the whole thing.
01:02:15To tie in with Charlie's rusted-look Corten edging, I'm using this rusted screen.
01:02:29By enclosing this area, it's going to make it feel nice and cosy.
01:02:32The best part is that it hides the clotheslines.
01:02:34Who wants to see that?
01:02:41This area feels like a retreat in the garden.
01:02:43It's going to be so cool in summer.
01:02:45And just imagine laying in the hammocks and looking up at this foliage.
01:02:48Even better when it's in flower.
01:02:50Someone say hammocks?
01:02:51Here we go.
01:02:52Look at this.
01:02:53I might test this one out.
01:02:55Jump in, jump in.
01:02:56Husband and wife.
01:02:57I was going to say you get in, but I won't argue with that.
01:03:00I can be the servant.
01:03:01I've never done it before, so I might spool the drinks.
01:03:04But what would you like, guys?
01:03:05I'll have a spicy margarita, thanks.
01:03:06Spicy margarita.
01:03:07Two of those, thanks.
01:03:08Two of those.
01:03:09You don't feel comfortable in getting your legs stretched out?
01:03:11You can relax.
01:03:12This is a nice little retreat we've created around here.
01:03:14I'll be right back.
01:03:16I think I've stained your hammock.
01:03:18Oh, no.
01:03:19Dirty boot.
01:03:33How does it feel?
01:03:34That is perfect.
01:03:35I love having these helpers.
01:03:36Thanks, guys.
01:03:37I've got one more thing.
01:03:38Don't say I do nothing.
01:03:41Your best work yet.
01:03:42There's one in the corner, mate.
01:03:44Have a chop.
01:03:45You can chop.
01:03:46I don't know if I like sharing my pillow chopping with you.
01:03:48He doesn't like sharing the chop.
01:03:50Oh, that wasn't as aggressive as that one.
01:03:52No, my feelings are hurt.
01:03:53That's fine.
01:04:02So, Charlie, the brief was to create plenty of seating,
01:04:05and I think seating of plenty I have created.
01:04:08I mean, we can comfortably fit these two tables
01:04:11plus an extra two bench seats on this side.
01:04:13Seating aplenty we have.
01:04:15All right, move that one over here.
01:04:16That's a tick tick.
01:04:17That's a tick tick.
01:04:37Love this idea, Charlie.
01:04:38Fantastic.
01:04:39Hi, guys.
01:04:40How are you?
01:04:41Hello.
01:04:42Thank you very much.
01:04:43This looks absolutely magical.
01:04:44Really appreciate it.
01:04:45It's pretty cool.
01:04:46So, I had the entertaining area.
01:04:48I think you'll remember the old pergola was there.
01:04:50It was a little bit worse for wear, but a lick of paint,
01:04:52a new roof, and plenty of seating.
01:04:54I think we've ticked the boxes,
01:04:56and hopefully the youths enjoy the area.
01:05:00And up here, this was like a disused lawn,
01:05:02so now we've got this great fire pit area,
01:05:04lots of great seating, surrounded by planting,
01:05:07but I like the fire pit area myself.
01:05:09Now, you've got to take the top off before you fire in it,
01:05:11but I think it doubles up as a pretty good esky.
01:05:13I do love that too, but I think the best part is
01:05:15there's so many chill-out zones.
01:05:29I think it'll be a fantastic home away from home
01:05:32for our children and young people.
01:05:33Thank you very much.
01:05:34Pleasure is all ours.
01:05:35Yeah.
01:05:36Cheers.
01:05:37I hope they enjoy it.
01:05:46Oh, what a great way to get things started,
01:05:48spreading a little bit of Valentine's Day love.
01:05:50In fact, we've been hosted so beautifully by the volunteers
01:05:53here at the Henley Green Community Garden,
01:05:55we all thought it would be nice to actually give back to them.
01:05:58Absolutely.
01:05:59Well, we've got a batch of new seedlings
01:06:01to keep the love growing right throughout the next season.
01:06:03And we're relying on all of you to make sure this stuff gets planted.
01:06:06Look, whatever you're doing tonight,
01:06:08whether you're home alone or you're with someone,
01:06:10we hope they're either being spoiled or spoiling yourself.
01:06:12Are you ready for another big year, everyone?
01:06:14Yeah.
01:06:15Ah, well, we are underway.
01:06:17We'll see you next week with more Better Homes and Gardens.
01:06:19Bye-bye.
01:06:20Bye.
01:06:23Next time, they're low, they're long,
01:06:26and they're absolutely lovable.
01:06:28Meet the head honchos of the hound world.
01:06:31Everybody loves a Dachshund.
01:06:32That's why there are 2,000 of them here today.
01:06:35Adam's getting back to nature
01:06:37in one of Canada's most remarkable and remote regions.
01:06:40We're diving into everything British Columbia has to offer.
01:06:43But it looks a little bit cold.
01:06:45Oh, come on, you wuss!
01:06:47Oh, no!
01:06:50Sick of sandwiches for lunch?
01:06:52You'll be king of the kids with this midday meal.
01:06:55Chicken teriyaki rice paper balls.
01:06:58Perfect for your lunchbox.
01:07:01Make the most of this season's bounty with a summer pudding.
01:07:05It involves berries, gelatin, bread, fridge, done, knockout.
01:07:11Let's go.
01:07:12Creating a streamlined and functional entryway
01:07:15means you can really step out in style.
01:07:18Adding storage to your entryway isn't only easy,
01:07:21it'll make the whole place feel bigger.
01:07:23Plus, Graham finds a real jungle hidden inside a suburban one.
01:07:28It's really used all the different layers and structures
01:07:32to create, well, a rainforest in a backyard.
01:07:35And Dr Chris pays us a visit
01:07:37to check out this dreamy home in his local hood.
01:07:40Well, this amazing home that we're exploring
01:07:42really is a love letter.
01:07:44Yeah, from husband to wife.
01:07:46That's next time on Better Homes and Gardens.