Where are you from?
I was born in Sydney, but I grew up in Ulladulla on the South Coast of NSW. It was right by the beach. When I was 18 I moved to Sydney, and then here. I’ve been in Singapore for 12 years now.

How did you find this house?
We started off in Grange Road, in a condo with a big pool and resort facilities, but not a lot of outdoor space. We wanted to get a dog, so we moved into a landed place – once you’ve done that it’s very hard to go back! My kids Rory and Jordy were at Tanglin Trust School and we would drive past this neighbourhood all the time, so it was on my radar.

What’s the history of this place?
It used to be a British army camp. These houses were for middle ranking officers, who lived here with their families. I had a lady walk past taking photos the other day, and she said: ‘I hope you don’t mind, but I used to live here when my dad was posted here 30 years ago.’ I was like, ‘no problem!’

Have you done any work on the house?
We’ve done quite a bit of work. We added the front patio and a cover at the back so that Rory could have a play area. Even though black and whites are big, the rooms are not huge – so there’s not enough space to have a dining or play room. We extended the outdoor areas instead – now we have dinner outside every night, and I just love that. It also meant we could put in black and white striped blinds, which was my dream!

What do you love about the house?
I love having the outdoor space. Rory is a keen golfer and footballer so it’s perfect for him. I also love entertaining, and this house is set up for barbecues. In Australia I grew up with an outdoorsy lifestyle, with space for kids and dogs, so it’s nice to have it here in Singapore. We don’t have air con – everyone freaks out about that – but we have fans and the doors are open all the time. The houses have open vents, already built in – so there’s airflow through the house all the time. Rory has asthma and eczema, so the air con just didn’t agree with us. I luckily don’t get bitten by mosquitos and neither do the kids, so that doesn’t really worry us.

What style did you want for your space?
I adore the black and white minimalistic, traditional look. This house has a style of its own, so my furniture choice is really in keeping with that – it’s not outrageously modern or antique. I got a lot of the furniture from Originals – their pieces have a modern Asian feel. I like light, bright, white, clean lines! That’s what I’ve gone for, but there are also little pops of colour around the house.

What are some of your most precious possessions?
I love my framed neckpiece. We were at the border checkpoint passing through Kenya and Tanzania. A lady had a whole stack around her neck for sale. I spotted one in particular – I really liked the colours and the way it went together – and I had to buy it. It’s a great memento.

How did you get into the fitness industry?
Originally when we came to Singapore, I worked in advertising. I left to have Rory, and did freelance bits and pieces. But a friend and I were massively into sport and fitness and we decided that instead of having coffee and cake, we would start a business called Bloom’n FIT (bloomnfit-sg.com) for Mum’s with babies. It runs in the Botanic Gardens three mornings a week. Then I split up with my husband and I wanted to stay in Singapore. I needed to do something more substantial in order to afford to live here and to get an EP. I didn’t want to go back into advertising, and that’s when I looked at F45 (f45training.sg/novena). Within three weeks, I’d bought my first franchise. I just took a risk. It’s absolutely my passion – it’s HIIT, high intensity interval training, in a group. It’s my favourite kind of training as it’s so motivational. I’m really passionate about it, and it’s been really amazing. Now I own Novena, Holland Village and Orchard. In the space of two years it’s just taken off and snowballed. I’m just starting to get some kind of work-life balance!

Pretty as a Postcard!
“I was in a really cute little bookshop in London with Jordy, and I really liked a set of postcards, featuring vintage book covers. She brought them for me later for my birthday. When she was visiting for holidays I said; ‘right we’ve got to do something with those postcards,’ so I found the small clipboards, and we measured it up and nailed them into the staircase wall. It was a great project for us, and every time I look at them, I think of her.”

In his 2018 National Day Rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong spoke about the success of government housing. “Singapore’s housing policies have been uniquely successful. We are the only major city in the world where nearly every young couple getting married can afford to buy their first home immediately.”

What is HDB housing?
The HDB develops residential estates as various sites throughout Singapore, and the flats are offered for sale under a 99-year leasehold.
Why a leasehold and not freehold? Prime Minister Lee explains the rational. “HDB sells the flat to you for 99 years. You own it, and you can pass it on for one or two generations. After that, the flat returns to the State, the Government redevelops the land, and builds new flats for future generations. This is the only way to recycle the land and ensure that all our descendants can buy new flats of their own”.
Apartments are located in housing estates that function as towns. Currently, there are 23 HDB towns across Singapore. Most have their own schools, shops, recreational facilities like playgrounds and outdoor gyms, and often a hawker centre or wet market. Part of the HDB mission statement is promoting active and cohesive communities, so HDB developments are always planned with community facilities in mind.

How does the housing system work?
There are two types of HDB flats available to buy: new flats in new developments where the price is determined by the HDB, or resale flats which you buy from the owner with prices determined by the market. In general, only Singaporean citizens can buy HDB flats. Under certain circumstances, Permanent Residents can buy resale HDB flats.
To buy a flat in a new development, prospective buyers enter a ballot. Their queue position in the ballot is determined by various eligibility criteria and priority schemes.
For example, unmarried citizens under the age of 35 cannot apply unless they are widowed or orphaned. Priority schemes include first-time applicants (new homeowners), seniors, and multi-generational applications where parents apply to live in the same development as their married children. There are currently more than10 different priority schemes, so determining an applicant’s place in the ballot is a time-consuming process. Once you have a secured a flat, there is a minimum occupation period of 5 years before you can sell it or rent it out.

Can expats rent a HDB?
Yes. For an expat, the maximum initial lease term is 1.5 years. To renew your lease after that, the owner will need to reapply to the HDB office for approval. This is partly because there is a ‘non-citizen quota’ for each neighbourhood and block. The HDB sets this quota to maintain an ethnic mix in HDB towns. Currently, the quota is set at 8% at the neighbourhood level and 11% at the block level. Once the quota is reached, only Singaporeans and Malaysians can rent a flat in that neighbourhood or block.

History of HDBs
In the 1950’s, many Singaporeans were living in slum-like settlements. To remedy this, the HDB was set up in 1960. It replaced its predecessor, the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), which was set up by the British in the 1920s. Within three years of formation, the HDB had built 21,000 flats. Over the years, HDB architects have experimented with many architectural styles.

HDB hotspots
Some of Singapore’s most significant HDB developments include:

Stirling Road, Queenstown
Blocks 45, 48 and 49 in Stirling Road were some of the first flats completed after the HDB was formed. Handed over to residents in 1961, these blocks formed part of HDB’s ‘First Five-Year Programme’, an ambitious plan to build 50,000 units in five years. These blocks are still standing today and are part of Queenstown’s Heritage Trail. Some of the original residents settled there after being made homeless by Singapore’s biggest fire at Bukit Ho Swee, which killed four people and left 16,000 homeless.

Tiong Bahru
The town of Tiong Bahru contains several historically significant styles of HDB blocks. The area was first developed by the SIT prior to formation of the HDB. The Art-Deco-style buildings bordered by Seng Poh Rd, Tiong Poh Rd, Tiong Bahru Road and Moh Guan Terrace were built in the 1930s. In 2003, they were given conservation status by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Between 1948 and 1954, SIT also built several blocks of four-storey buildings with distinctive rounded staircases, that can be seen along Tiong Bahru Road and around Tiong Bahru Market.

The Pinnacle @ Duxton
The Pinnacle’s striking design resulted from an international architecture competition, which attracted over 200 entries from architects in more than 30 countries. It was won by two Singaporean architecture firms, ARC Studio Architecture + Urbanism, and RSP Architects Planners & Engineers. The estate has 1,848 apartments in seven blocks. As well as being the first 50-storey HDB project in Singapore, it features the world’s longest sky gardens. The gardens, at 500 meters length, are located on level 26 and level 50. The 50th level is open to the public on payment of a $6 fee, and enjoys panoramic city views.
Public interest in the development, completed in 2009, was enormous. 3,149 applications were received for the first release of 528 flats. It has received numerous design awards.

HDB Trivia:
– The largest HDB towns are Jurong West, Tampines and Woodlands, with over 200,000 residents each.
– You’re not allowed to have cats (because they tend to escape and urinate in common areas). One dog is ok, as long as it’s a breed on the HDB-approved list.
– The highest price recorded for a resale HDB flat is $1.18 million, for a five-room flat in Bishan.
– The HDB town of Queenstown was named after Queen Elizabeth II, to celebrate her coronation in 1952.
– The iconic dragon playground at Toa Payoh was designed in 1979 by HDB employee Mr Khor Ean Ghee, for the Toa Payoh HDB town residents.

Story: Karola Clark

Was this the best ANZA Melbourne Cup Race Day yet? We think so! The biggest event in world horseracing came to Singapore on Tuesday 6 November, when a crowd of 500 ANZA members and friends gathered at The Singapore Turf Club to see Cross Counter storm past the winners post. A stylish crowd, sporting passion, a public holiday, and fabulous prizes contributed to what has become a firm-favourite in Singapore’s social calendar.

Sweeps and a charity prize draw worth over $20,000 raised money for Riding for the Disabled, Singapore, and the upkeep of ANZA Action-sponsored therapy horse, Kodi. Winner Taneal Roach took away the major prize of a two night stay at Emirates One and Only Wolgan Valley in the Blue Mountains. The exciting InstaReM Spin the Travel Wheel sent guests off to luxurious holidays around South East Asia.

Of course, The Cup is all about parade ring fashion and our glam crowd didn’t disappoint. During the day, touch-ups were on offer from The Big Blow stylists, with the photo booth getting plenty of action, and racegoers taking away their happy snaps as mementos of day.

The Banyan Tree Fashions on the Field competition was hotly contested, with our most fashion-forward guests vying for fabulous travel prizes. Onlookers also voted for their faves in the People’s Choice award on ANZAVote, while judges Nick Oxborrow, Megan Kinder and Moira Coops presided over the best dressed awards.

In the finals, Julie Edgley took away Ms Melbourne Cup for her stunning outfit and millenary, winning a two night stay at the Banyan Tree Lang Co, worth $2,400. Mr Melbourne Cup Gavin Struthers scooped up two nights at the Angsana Lang Co. Best Millinery went to Vanessa Milne and People’s Choice to Karen Trotter.

The party didn’t stop when the races ended, with coaches whizzing guests off to Bar Rogue at Swissotel, The Stamford, where the fun lasted well into the night.

Huge thanks to all our hard-working volunteers on the day. At last count, $13, 556 was raised on the day for Riding for the Disabled, Singapore. Thanks everyone for your generous support!

To view all the happy snaps from the day, head to our Facebook page

Photo credits: Don Northey

Are you looking forward to sharing your poetry with a Singapore audience?
Yes, it’s my first time to visit Singapore, and I’m super excited. It’s always an exciting privilege to share my poetry with new audiences. Also I hope to catch up with my poet friends Joshua Ip and Lawrence Ypil, who live in Singapore.

What do you plan to do here?
I’d like a few hours to explore the Singapore Airport. It sounds amazing!

How did you discover a love of writing poetry?
As a girl I loved books. I think it’s often the first signpost of a writer, to love reading. Often I preferred books to people. Books provided a comfort to me, an escape for my imagination in which I could envision a world I would prefer to dwell. When I began writing as an adult I wanted to rewrite the world as one filled with fairness and justice and equity for my Aboriginal people. Poetry allowed me to give voice to the voiceless and undermined, to reiterate the need for truth-telling, to promote the necessity of story-sharing, and for respecting the story of each individual.

What do you enjoy most about writing poetry?
Poetry has been an antidote to me, to build my self-worth as I unravel the story of my past. I love that poetry is not constrained. My heart enjoys the freedom from constraint. I don’t always push myself to write, as I also like to focus on other things; family, my wellbeing through swimming, art and sculpture.

How has being part of the stolen generation shaped your writing?
The long journey to find my family is imprinted on my life. The removal from my family by uncaring government policies and prejudices embedded in Australian society are stamped into my heart. I used to be an angry young woman. Slowly these pent-up emotions softened upon finding my mother (I was 34 years of age), and four years later finding my son (he was 18).

How did it feel to be the first indigenous Australian to receive the Windham-Campbell Prize?
At first it was so shocking. I couldn’t believe it and cried a lot. The prize money is a gift, as it allows me the freedom to visit family much more often, and to share adventures with them. It was a very special time to have my son and daughter accompany me to Yale for the event ceremony. It was an honour to share that experience with them, to build new memories for us. Personally my writing has gained a new confidence. I am enjoying exploring new genres of literature, and have begun to research and write my first novel.

Hear Ali at the
SWF at The Arts House!

Epic International Reading
Night II: Inside Looking Out:
10 Nov 8pm

Belonging Somewhere and Nowhere: 10 Nov 2:30pm

Navigating Emotional Pitfalls:
11 Nov 10:30am

Why did you choose this living space?
Before coming here, we lived in San Francisco and had a big spacious home in a very friendly neighbourhood. When we found out we were moving to Singapore and now the children are all teenagers we jumped at the chance to try another style of living. This condo ticked all the boxes and it was a mutual decision to choose this above all the other properties we had seen.

What do you love about the space?
The condo has floor-to-ceiling windows and has the most wonderful view of Bukit Timah and the lush greenery Singapore offers. The pool makes up for the lack of outdoor space and we love the open feel to it.

What do you like about the area?
This condo is relatively new, however we often hear people telling us of the farms and orchards that used to be here. We are just settling in but we love the area and what it has to offer. We like to jog in the Botanical Gardens in the morning before it gets too hot. We are lucky to have Cluny Court, Holland Village and Dempsey Hill on our doorstep and with the MRT so close by our children have become independent very quickly.

Your favourite spot in the house?
I like to escape to my office after dinner and spend a few hours there. I hope to be able to start painting again and it’s the perfect spot to do this. And there is nothing better than watching the sun go down from the balcony on a Friday evening with a refreshing drink or two in hand!

Describe your decorating style
I buy things because I like them. As an expat, I believe that is so important. It’s easy to buy things to fit a house, only to move again and find it doesn’t work in another. I try to be disciplined about the choices I make, rather than to follow fashion trends. I want to have objects in my home that are personally impactful and pulled together to make it meaningful, comfortable and to feel like home. I don’t want the house to feel disjointed, rather that it flows from one space to the next. I have objects that tell our story – a cuckoo clock from Switzerland, curated medicine bottles from my father’s pharmacy, antique cups from my grandmother, prints from places we visited in Europe and most of my art is by New Zealand artists.

What colours and shades are you drawn to?
My home primarily consists of “donkey” colours; black, white, brown and beige! It’s safe but I find it calming and complimentary. I tie it all together using texture and tone – leather, linen, seisal, and cane to name a few, counter balancing each other and adding interest. Most importantly however, I am not afraid to mix the old with the new. Our last move I had a lot of navy accents and feature walls, this time I have tried to compliment the jungle vibe with a dash of emerald green – as subtle as it is!

What do you love collecting?
I adore chairs and have been an avid collector for some time! When I lived in Basel, Switzerland I used to pop over the border to The Vitra Design House in Germany – they have the official contract to produce many chair brands. I picked up Ray and Charles Eames chairs and a few from Verner Panton for our large farmhouse style kitchen table. Unfortunately these didn’t fit here, so are in storage back in New Zealand waiting for my next housing project! I went on to collect many other chairs from Kettal, Mies van der Rohe, Hans Wagner and Bertoia to name a few. Our new kitchen stools are from Kettal, which I purchased here. Whilst living in America I bought a linen sofa and a grey American oak dining table from Restoration Hardware, which add comfort and size.

Do you have a favourite piece?
One of my favourite items is a lampshade by David Trubridge, a New Zealand designer. I am unable to have it installed above my dining table due to the sheer height of the ceiling, so I have it in my office. When lit, it projects an amazing pattern around the room, resembling coral.