Literally a stones throw from one of the South Coast's most beautiful beaches you'll find the quintessential Aussie fibro shack home to stylist-photographer combo Jess & Mitch. Full to the brim with mementos from their travels all over regional Australia, their home, the Wombat Shack tells a story of their life as they know it.
INTERVIEW BY ANNA HEYLIGERS IMAGES BY ANNA HEYLIGERS
Literally a stones throw from one of the South Coast's most beautiful beaches you'll find the quintessential Aussie fibro shack home to stylist-photographer combo Jess AND Mitch. Full to the brim with mementos from their travels all over regional Australia, their home, the Wombat Shack tells a story of their life as they know it.
INTERVIEW BY ANNA HEYLIGERS IMAGES BY ANNA HEYLIGERS
JESS - I am earth loving, ocean dwelling South Coast based Freelance Production Designer & Stylist
MITCH - I am a creative soul with a love for the bush and a good surf Fashion & Lifestyle photographer
IN YOUR LINE OF WORK YOU MUST HAVE SOME STORIES, ANYTHING COME TO MIND?
JESS - I once covered an entire warehouse in wool for the love of creativity- 3 1/2 days, 5000 staples later we had an incredible set that everyone kept losing their keys & phones in!
MITCH - I spent 7 days living with and documenting an indigenous community and their culture in conjunction with NAIDOC Week in Arnhem Land. I went hunting with the community for water buffalo, learnt the traditional way of fishing without using line and how to make spears.
YOU BOTH GET TO DO A LOT OF TRAVEL FOR WORK, ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN GEMS YOU'VE DISCOVERED?
JESS - I am lucky enough to do a lot of work with Destination NSW which takes me to some pretty special and remote areas, recently I have spent a fair amount of time in the Hawkesbury and I love it there…its fairly close to us here and has some magic within it… I reckon a fair amount of it is inhabited by old spirits and I find that fascinating… Its also beautiful.
MITCH - The Kimberley Gorge in the Kimberleys is one of my favourite places - its like nothing else you have ever seen in your life.
YOU GUYS! AHH A LITTLE INTRO?
JESS - I am earth loving, ocean dwelling South Coast based Freelance Production Designer AND Stylist.
MITCH - I am a creative soul with a love for the bush and a good surf Fashion AND Lifestyle photographer.
JESS - I once covered an entire warehouse in wool for the love of creativity- 3 1/2 days, 5000 staples later we had an incredible set that everyone kept losing their keys AND phones in!
MITCH - I spent 7 days living with and documenting an indigenous community and their culture in conjunction with NAIDOC Week in Arnhem Land. I went hunting with the community for water buffalo, learnt the traditional way of fishing without using line and how to make spears.
YOU BOTH GET TO DO A LOT OF TRAVEL FOR WORK, ARE THERE ANY HIDDEN GEMS YOU'VE DISCOVERED?
JESS - I am lucky enough to do a lot of work with Destination NSW which takes me to some pretty special and remote areas, recently I have spent a fair amount of time in the Hawkesbury and I love it there…its fairly close to us here and has some magic within it… I reckon a fair amount of it is inhabited by old spirits and I find that fascinating… Its also beautiful.
MITCH - The Kimberley Gorge in the Kimberleys is one of my favourite places - its like nothing else you have ever seen in your life.
ARE THERE ANY SPECIAL ITEMS YOU'VE COLLECTED ON YOUR TRAVELS?
JESS - Our entire place is filled with amazing things collected on our travels…. For me most of the items in our home have a memory attached to them and thats so special.
One of my favourite pieces is an old rusty sardine tin Mitch picked up for me in an abandoned falling apart home in Broken Hill. It now houses all my precious crystals.
MITCH - Every place I go to I collect precious rocks & stones. I have jars of these I have collected along the way… These remind me of all the amazing places I have been around the world and the place they come from.
JESS - I had to move out of this amazing warehouse living space I had in Marrickville. Mitch and I have always spent a lot of time down here as its his home town and I fell in love with the area.
I was constantly looking out for ‘bargains’ on Domain and came across this shack with a 3 month lease… We took a huge chance and almost 2 years later I have not regretted a minute of it!
I love the location of the house more, its nestled in between the escarpment and the ocean. I still walk out the front door each morning in awe that I got so lucky to live close enough to see the ocean!
MITCH - I can walk out the front and check the surf… does it get better then that? The neighbourhood is also a bonus, we have some stellar neighbours! Plus the dogs love it, they are the best judges of ‘character'.
JESS - Our entire place is filled with amazing things collected on our travels…. For me most of the items in our home have a memory attached to them and thats so special.
One of my favourite pieces is an old rusty sardine tin Mitch picked up for me in an abandoned falling apart home in Broken Hill. It now houses all my precious crystals.
MITCH - Every place I go to I collect precious rocks AND stones. I have jars of these I have collected along the way… These remind me of all the amazing places I have been around the world and the place they come from.
JESS - I had to move out of this amazing warehouse living space I had in Marrickville. Mitch and I have always spent a lot of time down here as its his home town and I fell in love with the area.
I was constantly looking out for ‘bargains’ on Domain and came across this shack with a 3 month lease… We took a huge chance and almost 2 years later I have not regretted a minute of it!
I love the location of the house more, its nestled in between the escarpment and the ocean. I still walk out the front door each morning in awe that I got so lucky to live close enough to see the ocean!
MITCH - I can walk out the front and check the surf… does it get better then that? The neighbourhood is also a bonus, we have some stellar neighbours! Plus the dogs love it, they are the best judges of ‘character'.
MITCH - I grew up on the South Coast surrounded by this exquisite ever changing environment. My work as a commercial and fashion photographer has taken me off the beaten track both in this great southern land and beyond. This exhibition is an expose of personal work taken on the road capturing moments I could not let pass.
JESS - I LOVE Noel AND Gladys!!! Its a stylists dream (if only this stylist always had the budget to shop there all the time!) The clothes are beautiful and lovely to wear, the incense fills our home daily and the variety of items available is incredible. I also love that its a considered collection, its not like any other shop anywhere in the world!
MITCH - I like the artisan culture of the shop, there are many interesting hand made items in there that resonate with me.
MITCH - I grew up on the South Coast surrounded by this exquisite ever changing environment. My work as a commercial and fashion photographer has taken me off the beaten track both in this great southern land and beyond. This exhibition is an expose of personal work taken on the road capturing moments I could not let pass.
JESS - I LOVE Noel & Gladys!!! Its a stylists dream (if only this stylist always had the budget to shop there all the time!) The clothes are beautiful and lovely to wear, the incense fills our home daily and the variety of items available is incredible. I also love that its a considered collection, its not like any other shop anywhere in the world!
MITCH - I like the artisan culture of the shop, there are many interesting hand made items in there that resonate with me.
previous entry
common people #19
Surrounded by a rainforest and a chicken pen you'll find this jeweller chipping away in her backyard studio. Sacha cuts, bends and files brass making kinetic mobiles and wall hangings full of shapes inspired by the mid-century modern design movement. This down-to-earth mother of three reminds us that the jewellery world isn't as glam as the diamonds sparkling on your fingers, a trade where your hands get dirty inspiring her daughters who may follow in her footsteps one day.
COMMON PEOPLE #19
Surrounded by a rainforest and a chicken pen you'll find this jeweller chipping away in her backyard studio. Sacha cuts, bends and files brass making kinetic mobiles and wall hangings full of shapes inspired by the mid-century modern design movement. This down-to-earth mother of three reminds us that the jewellery world isn't as glam as the diamonds sparkling on your fingers, a trade where your hands get dirty inspiring her daughters who may follow in her footsteps one day.
