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The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert at 30: more important, enjoyable and vital than ever

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553">Stephen Gaunson</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p>The lavender painted bus named “Priscilla” continues to pick up new fans while never going out of favour with its legion of original devotees, 30 years after its release.</p> <p>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was shot on location in and around Sydney, Broken Hill, Coober Pedy, Kings Canyon and Alice Springs over six weeks in 1993.</p> <p>Directed by Stephan Elliott, the film screened in the <em>Un Certain Regard</em> section of the May 1994 Cannes Film Festival, winning <a href="https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-885750952/view?sectionId=nla.obj-888737519&amp;searchTerm=priscilla+queen+of+the+desert&amp;partId=nla.obj-885806856#page/n13/mode/1up">critical and popular acclaim</a> for its positive portrayal of LGBTQI+ characters.</p> <p>Awards came, most notably for costume designers Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner who won the Academy Award for Best Costume Design for their sparkly, sequin-filled costumes.</p> <p>The film’s cultural brilliance lies in juxtaposing the extreme flamboyance of the costumes and props against the equally extreme rural natural desert landscape. The unexpected revelation for audiences was how perfectly these contrasting elements harmonised.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/wGWWeourHUg?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <h2>A smash hit</h2> <p>Less than 12 months since its release, the Film Finance Corporation (FFC) of Australia had the rare success of <a href="https://if.com.au/why-the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-turned-the-government-a-profit-in-just-12-months/">fully recouping</a> its A$1.67 million investment.</p> <p>Initially hesitant due to Elliott’s disappointing box office return on his debut feature, Frauds (1993), the FFC was convinced after the screenplay gained attention at Cannes. The film exceeded predictions, grossing more than $16 million in Australia.</p> <p>The film was socially and critically embraced as an instant classic.</p> <p>Ask cinema employees from this time and they will all share similar memories of lines of people outside the cinema doors eager to watch and rewatch (and rewatch again) the musical road movie about a pair of drag queens (Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce) and a transgender woman (Terence Stamp) as they set out from Sydney on a bus journey across the Australian outback.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/tex3dw3RjGk?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The casting today seems like more of a sure bet than it did in 1994. Stamp was a British actor of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/mar/12/terence-stamp-i-was-in-my-prime-but-when-the-60s-ended-i-ended-with-it">legendary status</a>, having gained critical accolades in the 1960s in films such as Billy Budd, The Collector and Far from the Madding Crowd. However Stamp was equally a <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/article-4869258/Terence-Stamp-79-bids-farewell-active-sex-life.html">regular tabloid subject</a> for his high-profile romances with film star Julie Christie and supermodel Jean Shrimpton.</p> <p>Would audiences be willing to go with the idea of this playboy as the trandsgender woman, Bernadette?</p> <p>It is now impossible to consider any actor better able to deliver Terrance Stamps’s deadpan sardonic lines so perfectly: “Don’t ‘Darling’, me, Darling. Look at you. You’ve got a face like a cat’s arse.”</p> <p>Pearce and Weaving also were a risk. Neither were box office marquee stars at the time. Pearce was known as a lovable Mike from the popular television soap opera, Neighbours. Weaving was a critically respected actor known more for his quirky small parts than as a star in his own right.</p> <p>Both were perfect casting, launching them onto Hollywood careers. Pearce as Adam was a remarkable revelation.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/p2QiCFAQ-qQ?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>The chemistry and connection between the three lead actors makes the film truly succeed.</p> <p>Never do their performances seem showboating or forced. Each has their own arc, personality and journey. And when they climb Kings Canyon in full drag regalia at the film’s end there is something moving about what they have been able to accomplish together.</p> <p>A film that begins to be a slight and joyful comedy about drag performers becomes a deeper essay on the importance of lived experience and friendship (or, dare I say, mateship).</p> <h2>More vital than ever</h2> <p>Drag has a <a href="https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/3894/drag-through-decades-film-tv/">long history</a> in mainstream cinema with its own codes and references.</p> <p>The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert is crucially different by it not being about “straight” men masquerading as women to mask their actual identity. Instead, Elliot’s film rather positively celebrates these characters in drag as their true and authentic selves.</p> <p>This film stood with others as a wave of Australian cinema in the 1990s unashamedly wanting to celebrate an Australia juxtaposing the blokey masculine stereotype.</p> <p>Ocker characters (men and women) appear in this film, but ultimately they are publicly humiliated for their homophobia. Bernadette kneeing in the groin the vicious and vulgar Frank (Kenneth Radley) often receives a big cheer from cinema audiences: “Stop flexing your muscles, you big pile of budgie turd,” Bernadette scorns.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9nc12yOA4jM?wmode=transparent&amp;start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></figure> <p>Perhaps the true star of the film were not the actors as much as the iconic 1976 Japanese model Hino Freighter Priscilla bus that became the set for several scenes in the film. Because the bus interior was such a small set, there was no room for the crew with many actually in shot, hiding under clothes and other props.</p> <p>The bus, long thought to be lost, was <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-04-12/bid-to-restore-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-bus/103699136">rediscovered</a> on a farm in New South Wales in 2019. The bus is currently being restored, with an aim to have it on display at the National Motor Museum in Birdwood, Adelaide Hills, in 2026. Perhaps it will be good timing for shooting the recently announced <a href="https://deadline.com/2024/04/priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-movie-sequel-original-cast-1235890358/">potential sequel</a>.</p> <p>30 years after its original release The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert seems more important, enjoyable and vital than ever. All aboard, Priscilla. Long may she run.</p> <hr /> <p><em>RMIT Capitol will be hosting a <a href="https://www.rmit.edu.au/thecapitol/events/2024/september/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert">screening and introductory panel discussion</a> on September 11 with the film’s costume designer Tim Chappel, executive producer Rebel Penfold-Russell, Melbourne Queer Film Festival program director Cerise Howard, historian Kristy Kokegei and Stephen Gaunson.</em><!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/235424/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/stephen-gaunson-265553"><em>Stephen Gaunson</em></a><em>, Associate Professor in Cinema Studies, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/rmit-university-1063">RMIT University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Metro Goldwyn Mayer</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-adventures-of-priscilla-queen-of-the-desert-at-30-more-important-enjoyable-and-vital-than-ever-235424">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Movies

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The world reacts to OJ Simpson's death

<p>The news of OJ Simpson's passing at the age of 76 brings a mixture of emotions for those who remember the electrifying running back, the celebrated athlete, and the central figure in one of the most infamous trials of the 20th century.</p> <p>Simpson, who passed away in Las Vegas, had been battling prostate cancer. His family announced the news <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">in a statement on Twitter (X)</span><span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">: “On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer. </span>He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace. – The Simpson Family.”</p> <p>In 2023 Simpson said on X that he had been diagnosed with a type of cancer and in February he said he was undergoing chemotherapy for prostate cancer.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">On April 10th, our father, Orenthal James Simpson, succumbed to his battle with cancer.</p> <p>He was surrounded by his children and grandchildren. </p> <p>During this time of transition, his family asks that you please respect their wishes for privacy and grace.</p> <p>-The Simpson Family</p> <p>— O.J. Simpson (@TheRealOJ32) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRealOJ32/status/1778430029350707380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 11, 2024</a></p></blockquote> <p>Simpson's life was a narrative of triumph and tragedy, marked by soaring highs on the football field and plummeting lows in the court of public opinion.</p> <p>Born in 1947, Simpson overcame early health struggles to become a football sensation at the University of Southern California, where he captured the prestigious Heisman Trophy as college football's top player. His prowess on the gridiron led to a record-setting career in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills and the San Francisco 49ers, cementing his status as one of the era's most beloved and iconic athletes.</p> <p>Off the field, Simpson's charm and charisma propelled him into the realms of sportscasting, advertising, and Hollywood, where he starred in films like the <em>Naked Gun</em> series. His magnetic personality endeared him to fans and advertisers alike, making him a household name beyond the realm of sports.</p> <p>However, Simpson's life took a dark turn on June 12, 1994, when the bodies of his ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman, were discovered in a brutal scene outside Brown's Los Angeles home. What followed was a media frenzy and one of the most sensational trials in American history.</p> <p>In a trial that captivated the nation, Simpson stood accused of the double murder, a crime that shook the foundations of celebrity culture and racial dynamics in America. The prosecution painted a picture of a jealous ex-husband driven to violence, while the defence argued that Simpson was framed by a corrupt and racist police force.</p> <p>The trial's climax came with the now-iconic moment when Simpson struggled to put on a pair of blood-stained gloves found at the crime scene, leading defence attorney Johnnie Cochran to famously declare, "If it doesn't fit, you must acquit."</p> <p>Despite overwhelming evidence presented by the prosecution, Simpson was acquitted by a predominantly black jury, sparking debates about race, justice and the power of celebrity.</p> <p>While Simpson walked free from the criminal trial, he faced a different fate in civil court. The families of Brown and Goldman pursued a wrongful death lawsuit against him, resulting in a verdict that found Simpson liable for the deaths and ordered him to pay millions in damages. The civil trial, with its lower burden of proof, delivered a measure of closure to the victims' families but left a stain on Simpson's legacy that would endure.</p> <p>Simpson's legal troubles didn't end there. In 2008, he was convicted of armed robbery and kidnapping in a separate incident in Las Vegas, stemming from an attempt to reclaim sports memorabilia he believed was rightfully his. The irony of a man once celebrated for his athletic prowess now facing the consequences of his actions was not lost on the public.</p> <p>Despite his legal battles and personal demons, Simpson remained a polarising figure until the end. His life story was revisited in documentaries and TV dramas, serving as a cautionary tale of fame, wealth and the consequences of one's choices.</p> <p>Reactions to Simpson's passing have been varied. Fred Goldman, the father of Ronald Goldman, who was murdered alongside Nicole Brown Simpson in 1994, expressed his sentiments succinctly, stating, "It’s no great loss to the world. It’s a further reminder of Ron’s being gone.<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">" </span></p> <p>Similarly, Caitlyn Jenner, with personal ties to the case through her ex-wife Kris Jenner's previous marriage to Robert Kardashian, offered a terse "Good riddance" on Twitter, highlighting the deep-seated emotions surrounding Simpson's life and deeds.</p> <p>Gloria Allred, who represented Nicole Brown Simpson's family during the infamous trial, took a broader perspective, pointing out that Simpson's death serves as a reminder of the failures of the justice system, particularly in cases involving gender violence. “Simpson’s death reminds us that the legal system even 30 years later is still failing battered women," she said to TMZ, "and that the power of celebrity men to avoid true justice for the harm that they inflict on their wives or significant others is still a major obstacle to the right of women to be free of the gender violence to which they are still subjected."</p> <p>Legendary basketballer Magic Johnson took a different approach, extending his prayers to Simpson's surviving children and grandchildren: "Cookie and I are praying for O.J. Simpson’s children Arnelle, Aaren, Justin, Jason, and Sydney and his grandchildren following his passing. I know this is a difficult time🙏🏾".</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Caring

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West Side Story returns to Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour

<p>Get ready to snap your fingers, tap your toes and experience the magic of Broadway in Sydney as Opera Australia presents t<span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">he electrifying musical extravaganza <em>West Side Story</em> – making its triumphant return to the Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour stage in 2024.</span></p> <p>The 2019 production of <em>West Side Story</em>, if you were fortunate enough to grab seats, was an absolute smash hit. With record-breaking ticket sales and rave reviews, it's no wonder this show stole the hearts of over 65,000 theatre and musical buffs. </p> <p>Directed by the incomparable Francesca Zambello, <em>West Side Story</em> promises to once again whisk audiences away to the bustling streets of New York City, complete with iconic songs, heart-pounding dance numbers, and enough drama to fill the harbour twice over. </p> <p>Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim's musical masterpiece will once again take centre stage, accompanied by Jerome Robbins' legendary choreography – and this year, we were fortunate enough to be able to pose a few pre-performance questions to none other than Guy Simpson, the show’s musical director, and the all-singing, all-dancing Wayne Scott Kermond, who is playing “Doc” onstage.</p> <p>Let’s raise the curtain and see what they have to say!</p> <p><strong><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/Guy-Simpson.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></strong></p> <p><strong>Guy Simpson</strong></p> <p>Guy Simpson, a seasoned musical director with nearly 45 years of experience, boasts an illustrious career spanning global productions. Notably, his involvement with iconic shows like <em>Miss Saigon</em> and <em>The Phantom</em> <em>of the Opera</em> has taken him across continents, from Australia to Asia and beyond. Simpson's extensive repertoire includes serving as Musical Supervisor and Director for Opera Australia's acclaimed productions such as <em>Evita</em>, <em>My Fair Lady</em>, and of course <em>West Side Story</em>. Additionally, his contributions as an orchestrator and producer of cast recordings further solidify his stature in the musical theatre realm. With credits ranging from beloved classics like <em>Les Misérables</em> to contemporary hits like <em>Muriel's Wedding</em>, Simpson's versatile talent continues to enrich the world of musical theatre on an international scale.</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> What memories do you have of your first time working on <em>West Side Story</em> – when was it and what was the experience like? </p> <p><em><strong>Guy:</strong></em> “I was a rehearsal pianist for the 1983 production of <em>West Side Story</em>. The conductor was Dobbs Franks, who came from the US to conduct the first production of the show in 1960. So I was lucky to learn the show from him. I wasn’t in the orchestra and had tickets to watch opening night but during the afternoon of that day I received a call to play in the orchestra that night because the pianist was unwell. I’ll never forget that! Since then I have conducted three seasons of the show and learn more and more about it each time.”</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> What were Bernstein’s influences and what impact did Bernstein’s score have when the musical first premiered? And why do you think it remains so recognised today? </p> <p><em><strong>Guy:</strong></em> “Bernstein was influenced by many things. There is an <a href="https://www.wrti.org/arts-desk/2018-08-23/the-surprising-backstory-to-west-side-story" target="_blank" rel="noopener">excellent article by Debra Lew Harder</a> that outlines these influences. I love the combination of Jewish themes, Puerto Rican rhythm, Mexican dance music and of course American jazz. His classical roots also come in here – especially the music of Aaron Copland and George Gershwin. The genius is Bernstein's ability to blend all this into a score that tells the story so brilliantly."</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> What’s your favourite moment in the music that audiences might not always notice but could listen out for?</p> <p><em><strong>Guy:</strong></em> I like what is known as ‘THE BALCONY SCENE’. Most people will know it as the iconic love duet ‘TONIGHT’. In the show this scene moves between spoken dialogue (with underscoring), into the song and back into dialogue in a wonderfully cohesive way. It is so well crafted and is quite a challenge for the conductor to fit the music with the dialogue in a seamless way. I also love the scene in the bridal shop that includes the song ‘ONE HAND ONE HEART’.</p> <p><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/Wayne-Scott-Kermond-as-Doc.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p><strong>Wayne Scott Kermond</strong></p> <p>Wayne Scott Kermond, hailing from a rich lineage of Australian Vaudeville performers, epitomises the essence of musical theatre, comedy and cabaret. With a repertoire spanning from <em>Anything Goes</em> to <em>Hairspray</em>, including acclaimed performances in several productions of<em> West Side Story</em>, Kermond's versatility shines through. Additionally, he's showcased his creative prowess as the creator and star of captivating cabaret shows such as <em>Candy Man</em> and <em>Jive Junkys</em>. Beyond the stage, Kermond's talents extend to film, where he's contributed to projects like <em>Happy Feet 1 &amp; 2</em>, and as a respected scriptwriter and director for various musicals, cabarets and corporate events. With accolades including a Green Room Award and Mo Award, alongside nominations for Helpmann Awards, Kermond's exceptional abilities and esteemed showbiz heritage solidify his status as an extraordinary Australian talent.</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> You and Guy first worked on this musical 40 years ago, how does it feel to be coming back together on the Handa Opera version?</p> <p><em><strong>Wayne:</strong></em> “I first performed in <em>West Side Story</em> at the old Her Majesty’s Theatre (Sydney), 40 years ago playing the youngest member of the Jets gang, ‘Baby John’, and then again in another fabulous production touring Australia / New Zealand in the mid-nineties playing Arab. And so it was lovely to be reminded by Guy on the first day of rehearsals for this season how special it is to us both, here we are, doing it again, just a little greyer."</p> <p>“We shared a few laughs about ‘where did that time go?’, and how ‘young’ we still look after all these years. It’s so great to work with Guy again, I think the last show we did together was <em>Chicago</em>, back in the late nineties. So with Guy's huge amount of expertise and experience at the helm as our Musical Director the show is in great hands. Wait till you hear the amazing Orchestra.”</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> What about this musical’s story, lyrics, etc resonate with you and why do you think it keeps being seen on stage? Can it appeal to all ages?</p> <p><em><strong>Wayne:</strong></em> “<em>West Side Story</em> is as iconic to music theatre as <em>Swan Lake</em> is to ballet. All great musicals such as <em>West Side</em> have to have a great love story; <em>West Side </em>certainly has that. And to add to that, also an incredible score, dynamic original choreography and a beautifully written book makes it a triple threat. That's why it stands the test of time – it's an inter-generational piece, whose story and message still stands today, which is the reason why I’m now getting the opportunity to play an adult character ‘Doc’ in this OA production 40 years later, as it will be for another artist, in another 40 years' time.”</p> <p><em><strong>OverSixty:</strong></em> What’s your favourite moment in the show and why?</p> <p><em><strong>Wayne:</strong></em> It is very difficult to say there is a favourite moment as there are so many. The whole journey of the show is something everyone who loves theatre should experience. The Prologue, Dance at the Gym, America, Cool, Tonight, Something's Comin, and not forgetting the Quintet powerhouse... Every part of this show is special, whether you're seeing the show for the first time or for the tenth time, it’s exhilarating, poignant and moving."</p> <p>“It’s especially wonderful for me to have been given the opportunity to revisit the show, after all these years later as a performer. And it’s very exciting to watch another generation of performers being given the opportunity to experience such an exceptional piece of theatre.”</p> <p>So, mark your calendars, Sydney-siders, because Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour is about to serve up a theatrical experience like no other. With world-class performances, breathtaking views of the harbour, and enough fireworks to make New Year's Eve jealous, this is one event you won't want to miss. </p> <p>So grab your tickets, grab your friends, and get ready to experience the magic of <em>West Side Story </em>like never before. See you at the opera!</p> <p>For more information and ticket sales, check out <a href="https://opera.org.au/productions/west-side-story-on-sydney-harbour/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opera.org.au/harbour</a></p> <p><em>All images: Supplied</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Aussie music star airlifted to hospital

<p>Beloved Australian folk band The Waifs, known for their timeless hits such as "Lighthouse", "London Still" and "Bridal Train", has had to reschedule their current tour as lead singer Donna Simpson recovers from a shocking accident.</p> <p>The group, which includes sisters Vikki Thorn and Simpson, along with Josh Cunningham, made the announcement on a Tuesday evening through a Facebook post, revealing the unfortunate incident that left fans concerned.</p> <p>Simpson, at the age of 53, faced a harrowing ordeal when she suffered four broken ribs and two collapsed lungs following an e-scooter accident in Broome, Western Australia. The severity of her injuries was such that she had to be airlifted to a hospital in Perth. </p> <p>The statement on The Waifs' Facebook page read: <span style="font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, 'Segoe UI', Roboto, Oxygen, Ubuntu, Cantarell, 'Open Sans', 'Helvetica Neue', sans-serif;">"The Waifs Geelong show scheduled for November 10th has been postponed to Friday, March 8th to allow extra healing time for Donna Simpson, who is recovering from an accident after the band's last show in Broome and has been informed she cannot yet fly.</span></p> <p>“Four broken ribs, two collapsed lungs and a bunch of bruises later, I have realised E Scooters, and I don’t mix,” Donna said. “I would like to take the opportunity to thank the Royal Flying Doctors service who got me swiftly and safely to Perth. And all of the staff at Broome Hospital and Royal Perth Hospital for looking after me so well." </p> <p>While Simpson is on the path to recovery, she regretfully had to miss the Handpicked event scheduled for the weekend. Still, she expressed her confidence in her fellow band members – her sister Vikki Thorn, Josh Cunningham, Dave Ross Macdonald, Ben Franz, and Tony Bourke – who will deliver a memorable performance in her absence. Simpson humorously quipped, "Not as good as my set without her at Blues Fest, but close!"</p> <p>The Waifs, formed in 1992 in Western Australia, have become renowned for their independent spirit and unique sound, which has garnered them a dedicated fan base over the years. Their journey to success was not a straightforward one, but it was fuelled by Simpson's unwavering determination.</p> <p>Thorn, in an interview with <em>The Guardian</em>, shed light on the band's early days, explaining how Donna's vision and can-do attitude propelled them forward. Thorn reminisced, "When we were at school, Donna had the idea to go around Australia and play music. We'd been playing music in the local pub, [and] I don't think we were particularly great at what we did. But she has this can-do attitude … and that attitude carried us through and really created that independent spirit."</p> <p>The postponement of The Waifs' Geelong show is undoubtedly disappointing for fans, but Simpson's recovery is the top priority, and fans eagerly await her return to the stage. In the meantime, The Waifs continue to celebrate their 20th Anniversary Australian Tour, marking two decades of folk music that has resonated with audiences across the globe.</p> <p><em>Images: Wikipedia</em></p>

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31-year-old joke from The Simpsons uncovered

<p dir="ltr">A hidden joke in The Simpsons has finally been revealed after 31 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">The popular animated TV series debuted way back in 1989 and professional video editor Ewzzy Rayburn has taken to social media to reveal a joke that has remained hidden ever since. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the season three episode titled “The Otto Show,” Homer reassures Marge that heavy metal concerts never had much of an impact on his hearing. When Marge responds, Homer (and viewers) hear nothing but his tinnitus.</p> <p dir="ltr">Through audio editing, Rayburn managed to isolate Marge’s voice and share her funny comments hidden by the ringing tone. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the isolated audio Marge can be heard responding to Homer, “Well alright, but make sure they don’t pick up any of the band’s attitude toward women, liquor, religion, politics, really anything.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">I used my audio editing skills to recover a buried <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSimpsons?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheSimpsons</a> joke. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Simpsons?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Simpsons</a> <a href="https://t.co/H0gD1qO7vF">pic.twitter.com/H0gD1qO7vF</a></p> <p>— Ewzzy Rayburn (@ewzzy) <a href="https://twitter.com/ewzzy/status/1648706924425142272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2023</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">So, thanks to the internet’s curiosity, the professional video and audio editor has revealed a joke that has remained uncovered since 1992. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Twitter/Youtube</em></p>

TV

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Beloved US musician and his wife found dead on desert road

<p>A beloved US musician and his wife have been found dead near California under mysterious circumstances. </p> <p>Larry Petree and his wife Betty, who had been married for more than 60 years, were found dead on a desert road in a bizarre tragedy, leaving family members wondering what happened.</p> <p>“When deputies arrived, they found the bodies of an adult male sitting in the driver’s seat and adult female leaning against the rear tire,” the Kern County Sheriff’s Office said.</p> <p>Criminal activity is not suspected in the case, so homicide detectives didn‘t respond to the scene, while investigators added that it appeared the couple had run out of petrol. </p> <p>It is unclear where the couple were heading, and an official cause of death has yet to be revealed. </p> <p>Larry was known for his musical talents and played the pedal steel guitar, contributing to the iconic Bakersfield Sound era.</p> <p>He was playing shows in the area up until his passing, with Larry‘s final show being with a band called The Soda Crackers.</p> <p>“We had the honour of having Larry as our steel guitarist at our first ever show in Bakersfield and had the even greater honour of playing with him for his last show a few weeks ago,” the band wrote in a Facebook post on Monday.</p> <p>“We send our condolences to the Petree family and the greater Bakersfield Sound community.”</p> <p>Larry’s cousin, Laurie Sanders, told The Californian that Larry had been disoriented recently and got lost when attending his own gig. </p> <p>He failed to show up for the performance, and a family friend had to pick him up and take him to the concert. </p> <p><em>Image credits: Facebook</em></p>

News

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Cody Simpson and Emma McKeon dispel rumours

<p>Olympian Emma McKeon and pop star Cody Simpson have discussed how "serious" their relationship is in their first joint interview. </p> <p>The couple sat down with Denham Hitchcock on Channel Seven's <em>Spotlight</em>, as they were quizzed on their romance. </p> <p>During the sit-down interview, Cody described their relationship as having "settled down vibes" and spoke of how "peaceful" they both feel. </p> <p>Emma chimed in, "I feel like we're best friends, which to me is so important. I'm close with my family, that is important to me, as well, so we just have a lot in common." </p> <p>"We're loving where we're at at the moment. And we have fun together. We just love each other's company."</p> <p>"We talk every day about how happy we are and how lucky we are. I think we definitely appreciate it," Cody added. </p> <p>"You know, when you meet someone, you just recognise that there's something there. I always saw her as this special person to me."</p> <p>Cody was then asked what the "best thing" in his life is right now: his relationship with Emma or his swimming career. </p> <p>"It's a loaded question. Like, swimming is that we do together, it's all wrapped up in one," he said. </p> <p>While the couple have been dating for several months, Cody admitted it took him almost a year to tell Emma he had a crush on her. </p> <p>"I always acknowledged that there was a connection that we had. But we didn't act on it until what ended up being a year later," he said. </p> <p>The couple also addressed rumours of tensions within the swimming team, after they found themselves in a complicated love triangle earlier in the year. </p> <p>Reports claimed that Kyle Chalmers deliberately bumped Simpson out of World Championship eligibility in the 100m butterfly by opting to contest the event.</p> <p>However Chalmers, who dated McKeon for several months in 2021, later disputed this saying he had always planned to compete in that event. </p> <p>"There's obviously been drama in the media,' Cody said, but added that there has been "nothing" going wrong in the "team dynamic".</p> <p><em>Image credits: Seven </em></p>

Relationships

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Low-cost gel film pulls clean drinking water from desert air, raising hopes of quenching the world’s driest communities

<p class="spai-bg-prepared">One in three people lives in <a class="spai-bg-prepared" href="https://www.un.org/en/events/desertification_decade/whynow.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">drylands</a>, areas covering more than 40% of the Earth’s surface that experience significant water shortages.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">Scientists and engineers have now developed a new material that could help people living in these areas access <a class="spai-bg-prepared" href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/earth/water/an-answer-to-the-clean-water-crisis/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">clean drinking water</a> by capturing it right out of the atmosphere, according to a new study in <em class="spai-bg-prepared">Nature Communications</em>.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">They’ve developed a gel film that costs just $2 per kilogram to produce and can pull water from the air in even the driest climates; 1kg of it can produce more than 6 litres per day in less than 15% relative humidity (RH), and 13 litres in areas with up to 30% RH.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">Relative humidity is the ratio of the current absolute humidity to the highest possible absolute humidity.  So a 100% RH means that the air is completely saturated with water vapour and cannot hold any more. People tend to feel most comfortable between 30% and 50%, and arid climates have less than 30% RH.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">These results are promising, as previous attempts to pull water from the desert air have typically been energy-intensive and not very efficient.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">“This new work is about practical solutions that people can use to get water in the hottest, driest places on Earth,” says senior author Guihua Yu, professor of Materials Science and Mechanical Engineering at the University of Texas in Austin, US. “This could allow millions of people without consistent access to drinking water to have simple, water-generating devices at home that they can easily operate.”</p> <div class="newsletter-box spai-bg-prepared"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p192317-o1" class="wpcf7 spai-bg-prepared" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> </div> </div> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">The gel is made with <a class="spai-bg-prepared" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/pharmacology-toxicology-and-pharmaceutical-science/hydroxypropyl-cellulose" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">hydroxypropyl cellulose</a> (HPC) which is produced from cellulose, and a common kitchen ingredient called <a class="spai-bg-prepared" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0141813016310339" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">konjac glucomannan</a>, as well as lithium chloride salt (LiCl). It forms a hydrophilic (water attracting) porous film with a large surface area that collects the water vapour from air.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">“The gel takes two minutes to set simply. Then, it just needs to be freeze dried, and it can be peeled off the mould and used immediately after that,” explains Weixin Guan, a doctoral student on Yu’s team and a lead researcher of the work.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">And, because the cellulose is thermo-responsive, it becomes hydrophobic (water repelling) when heated which allows the collected water to be released within 10 minutes through mild heating at 60 °C.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">This means that the overall energy needed to produce the water is minimised. The film is also flexible, can be moulded into a variety of shapes and sizes, and producing it requires only the gel precursor – which includes all the relevant ingredients poured into a mould.</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">“This is not something you need an advanced degree to use,” says lead author Youhong “Nancy” Guo, a former doctoral student in Yu’s lab and now a postdoctoral researcher at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. “It’s straightforward enough that anyone can make it at home if they have the materials.”</p> <p class="spai-bg-prepared">And because it’s so simple, the authors say the challenges of scaling the technology up and achieving mass usage are reduced.</p> <p><img id="cosmos-post-tracker" class="spai-bg-prepared" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=192317&amp;title=Low-cost+gel+film+pulls+clean+drinking+water+from+desert+air%2C+raising+hopes+of+quenching+the+world%E2%80%99s+driest+communities" width="1" height="1" /></p> <div id="contributors"> <p><em><a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/technology/gel-film-desert-drinking-water/">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/imma-perfetto">Imma Perfetto</a>. Imma Perfetto is a science writer at Cosmos. She has a Bachelor of Science with Honours in Science Communication from the University of Adelaide.</em></p> <p><em>Image: The University of Texas at Austin/Cockrell School of Engineering</em></p> </div>

Technology

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Inside Amber Heard's remote desert hideaway

<p>We've all learnt an awful lot about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in light of the recent, very public trial.</p> <p>As the trial has <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/news/news/verdict-reached-in-depp-versus-heard-trial" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reached its conclusion,</a> yet another interesting piece of information about Heard has made its way into the public domain.</p> <p>Reportedly, the 36-year-old actor confirmed in her opening testimony that she lives in a sleepy town called Yucca Valley, which is located in the beautiful Mojave Desert. The town is roughly 200-kilometres east of Los Angeles and the rural locale is not a place where you'll find many A-listers.</p> <p>The locale only has about 22,000 residents total, and it's known for its art culture, as well as its proximity to celebrated places like Joshua Tree, Coachella and Palm Springs.</p> <p>The house itself was purchased by Heard in 2019; however, property records show the abode was bought through a trust attached to Heard's accountant.</p> <p>Costing USD $570,000 ($795,000) at the time, the unique 2015-built residence hoasts three bedrooms, three bathrooms and sits on 24,281-square-metres of arid but beautiful land.</p> <p>Features include a large open-plan kitchen, living and dining area with vaulted ceilings, fireplace and floor to ceiling windows that no doubt provide Heard with exceptional views of the surrounding desert.</p> <p>Another distinct benefit of the property is a custom 34-metres bridge that enables occupants to cross a dried-up creek and access an elevated gazebo perched on a rocky hill.</p> <p>Although Heard purchased the property back in 2019, the mother-of-one only started living in the house earlier this year.</p> <p><em>Image: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

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Everything you should know about DIY Wills

<p>A Will is one of the most significant legal documents you’ll sign in your lifetime, so it’s important to get it right – but why? It’s an opportunity to meet two goals: to have your wishes heard, and to make things easier for your family after you pass. If you use a DIY Will kit, it’s possible that neither of those goals will be met. </p> <p><strong>What are the risks of DIY Wills?</strong></p> <p>The biggest problem with DIY Wills is that it’s very easy to get them wrong. As I detail in my book <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/ebook"><em>The Australian Guide to Wills &amp; Estate Planning</em></a>, even the simplest mistakes can cause the Will to be contested or held to be invalid.</p> <p>Some of the most common mistakes we see are:</p> <p><strong>1. Attempting to give away assets you don’t own. </strong></p> <p>A Will can only dispose of assets that you own at the date of your death, but we often find that some people with a DIY Will try to give away assets that they don’t own. For example, we once saw a Will that contained a clause that directed the life insurance be used to pay off their house so that the Will-maker’s son could receive the house free of debt. Unfortunately, the life insurance policy nominated the Will-maker’s new partner as the beneficiary. When the policy was paid to the partner, they then refused to use it to pay off the mortgage. Had the Will-maker sought legal advice, this problem would have been identified and the appropriate steps taken to ensure that the intention was fulfilled.</p> <p><strong>2. Failing to comply with basic legal formalities. </strong></p> <p>A Will is a legal document. There are legal requirements that must be followed when making a Will to ensure that the Will is valid. Simple things such as having only one witness to your signature or having the witnesses using different coloured pens can raise questions about whether your signature was actually witnessed. Basic errors such as these can either invalidate your Will or create costly disputes within the family.</p> <p><strong>3. Being too specific in your Will. </strong></p> <p>Some people who attempt to make a DIY Will try and give away every single thing they own. This creates two potential problems. First, the Will-maker often forgets to include a “catch-all” clause at the end of the Will. This means that there will be some assets that are not disposed of. These “forgotten assets” are then distributed in accordance with a formula set out in legislation. Second, some assets listed in the Will are likely to change. For example, if the Will leaves a house to a beneficiary and that house has been sold prior to the Will being administered, that beneficiary misses out on the gift. Proper advice at the time of preparing a Will can avoid these problems.</p> <p><strong>4. Imposing requirements on a beneficiary. </strong></p> <p>Some DIY Wills impose requirements on the beneficiaries that are sometimes unrealistic or impractical. This often happens where gifts made to a charity direct that the funds be used for a purpose that might no longer exist. This outcome can be avoided if the Will is drafted correctly. Further, sometimes the identity of the organisation that is to receive the gift is unclear. This, too, can be avoided with proper advice.</p> <p><strong>5. Forgetting to appoint an executor to the Will. </strong></p> <p>Forgetting to appoint an <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/wills-and-estates/probate-and-estate-administration/executor-of-a-will/">executor of your Will</a> won’t invalidate your Will, but it can complicate or slow down the process of sorting out your estate. The failure to appoint an executorcan also lead to a dispute as family members jostle to be appointed as Administrator of the estate.</p> <p><strong>6. Overlooking the fact that circumstances change. </strong></p> <p>DIY Wills often overlook the need to cater for change. A Will needs to be drafted to deal with any potential change in circumstance. While not every scenario can be covered, with proper advice the most obvious scenarios can be dealt with.    </p> <p><strong>7. Illegible handwriting. </strong></p> <p>This is a simple but common mistake we often see with DIY Wills. If no one can read your Will, then you can’t be certain your wishes will be granted.</p> <p><strong>What’s the best way to make a Will?</strong></p> <p>The first thing I say to people who want to write their own Will is: <em>Don’t do it</em>. But if you do have your mind set on creating a fuss-free, quick and easy standard Will, we have the perfect solution.</p> <p>Our online Wills service, <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/createmywill">MyLife Wills™</a> is the best of both worlds. Like an online DIY Will, you can provide the information for your Will online in the comfort of your own home or on your lunchbreak. It only takes 30 minutes, reducing face-to-face time with a lawyer, therefore reducing the cost. However, the significant difference with our online service is that an expert Wills &amp; Estates lawyer will draft your Will so you get the peace of mind that it’s legally valid.</p> <p>DIY Wills are often seen as a cheaper option to seeking legal advice, but that’s not necessarily true. A DIY Will might cause more issues down the track, potentially costing your loved ones money or causing disputes.</p> <p>Be smart about your Will and start <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/createmywill">online</a> today.</p> <p><strong>Need more information?</strong></p> <p>Andrew Simpson is the National Head of Wills &amp; Estate Planning at Maurice Blackburn Lawyers.</p> <p>Andrew has 20 years’ experience as a lawyer and for the past 18 of these years he has practiced in <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Wills disputes</a> and <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Estate planning</a>, so he understands the many facets of <a href="https://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/our-people/lawyers/andrew-simpson/">Estate law</a>.</p> <p>He is so passionate about this area of law that he wrote a plain English book about it to help people understand the importance of Estate planning.</p> <p>A best-seller, <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/ebook"><em>The Australian Guide to Wills &amp; Estate Planning</em></a>, has just been republished and is available in all good bookstores.</p> <p><em>This is a sponsored post written in partnership with <a href="http://www.mauriceblackburn.com.au/createmywill">Maurice Blackburn Lawyers</a>.</em></p> <p> </p>

Legal

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Did the Simpsons predict Russia’s war on Ukraine?

<p dir="ltr">Fans of the long-running cartoon sitcom claim it predicted the current crisis between Russia and Ukraine in an episode way back in 1998.</p> <p dir="ltr">A clip from the episode “Simpson Tide” shows a United Nations meeting between Russia and the United States that quickly turns into Russia announcing the return of the Soviet Union. Complete with hidden tanks, barbed-wired walls and even a zombified Lenin raising from the dead to declare he “must crush Capitalism”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Check out this clip from Twitter:</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Simpsons predicted the<br />Crisis of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Putin?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Putin</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Russia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Russia</a>,<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraine?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraine</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Donetsk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Donetsk</a> and<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Luhansk?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Luhansk</a> way before it was cool 🤯😆<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaUkraineCrisis?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaUkraineCrisis</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Ukraina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Ukraina</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ukrainerussia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ukrainerussia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/USA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#USA</a> <a href="https://t.co/Hqd2icRj6w">pic.twitter.com/Hqd2icRj6w</a></p> <p>— Genius Manushya (@GeniusManushya) <a href="https://twitter.com/GeniusManushya/status/1496003007313772547?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 22, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While it is not an exact match for the war Russia is currently waging in Ukraine, it comes close enough for some fans to chalk it up as yet another Simpsons prediction.</p> <p dir="ltr">“At what point are we gonna make Matt Groening tell us how he does this?” one fan tweeted, referring to the show’s creator.</p> <p dir="ltr">“THE SIMPSONS ALWAYS PREDICTS EVERYTHING,” wrote another.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Pretty sure most world events were predicted by the Simpsons at some point,” said another.</p> <p dir="ltr">It comes just weeks after another Simpsons prediction appeared to come true, this one from the show’s 2007 big screen outing, The Simpsons Movie.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the film, A-list actor Tom Hanks appears in animated form as a spokesman in an ad for the US government, with this memorable line during his brief cameo: “Hello, I’m Tom Hanks. The US government has lost its credibility so it’s borrowing some of mine.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Here we are, 15 years later, and Tom Hanks is working as a spokesman for the US government in real life, narrating a new White House video promoting the achievements of the Biden administration during its first year in office.</p> <p dir="ltr">It’s the latest in a long line of alleged predictions the writers of The Simpsons have unwittingly made about future events.</p> <p dir="ltr">Images: The Simpsons (1998)</p>

TV

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18-year-old’s tragic plea to live

<p><span>Paige Simpson’s life changed suddenly after being rushed to the hospital on her 18th birthday.</span><br /><br /><span>The healthy, happy teen was told she had Brain Stem Glioma — a cancerous tumour mostly found to impact children and young adults under the age of 20.</span><br /><br /><span>While Ms Simpson was meant to undergo a “straightforward” operation in November last year to remove the tumour, the family ended up having to deal with the most “terrifying” seven hours of their lives.</span><br /><br /><span>“The tumour was wrapped around nerves going into her brain, making it extremely complicated and difficult,” Brisbane mum Carloyn Cross explained to <em>news.com.au.</em></span></p> <p><span>“We thought that was scary, but that was just the beginning.”</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842308/paige-simpson-3.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/3a64f1808eaf45ef82dd90d68cfd12a8" /><br /><br /><span>Carloyn said her daughter realised something was wrong when she felt as though one side of her face was “falling off”.</span><br /><br /><span>“The following week it just got worse so I took her to the doctor.”</span><br /><br /><span>Their local doctor ruled that Paige simply had Bell’s palsy, which is a muscle weakness that causes one half of the face to droop.</span><br /><br /><span>Carolyn couldn’t be convinced however, especially when Paige’s face began to get worse.</span><br /><br /><span>“I took her back to the doctor, he referred us to a neurosurgeon and after we got the results of an MRI, that’s when he called saying we need to go to the hospital straight away for the biopsy,” she said.</span><br /><br /><span>“We all cried so much when we found out what was happening, but Paige has been remarkably resilient.”</span><br /><br /><span>Paige has since undergone 12 weeks of both radiation therapy and oral chemotherapy – but sadly her efforts have been in vain as neither treatment has been successful in reducing the glioma.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842309/paige-simpson.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/b62e4084196e4cdeb81b833b2dd204cd" /><br /><br /><span>Avastin – a tumour-starving therapy – works to reduce the size of the tumour and involves Paige being hooked to a drip every two weeks for 1.5 hours.</span><br /><br /><span>“This worked in reducing the size of the glioma, but, the glioma has also started fragmenting and is now in her spinal fluid, accumulating in her spine and the skin of her brain,” Carolyn explained.</span><br /><br /><span>Sadly enough, the family have just received the “awful” news that the next treatment doctors want to try is not on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme in Australia.</span><br /><br /><span>Each injection costs $6000 a fortnight.</span><br /><br /><span>“If she doesn’t get the injections (an immunotherapy called Keytruda) those little fragments will become bigger and they’re all throughout her spine and skin of her brain,” the heartbroken mother admitted.</span></p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height: 281.25px;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7842307/paige-simpson-2.jpg" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9a68ef2fdd6d434bb0ce670cb2b29e08" /><br /><br /><span>“She won’t be with us for a long time if we don't get them.</span><br /><br /><span>“Of course we want to do everything we can to keep her alive, her life is only just getting to the good part, but the Australian Government doesn’t provide any financial benefit until we’ve contributed $70,000,” Carolyn said.</span><br /><br /><span>Carloyn has started a GoFundMe page to help cover the debilitating costs.</span><br /><br /><span>“We have already exhausted our savings and I never wanted to do crowd funding and have people feeling sorry for us, especially because Paige just wants to remain so positive,” Carolyn said.</span><br /><br /><span>“But it’s got to a point where we can’t do it ourselves anymore and really did need help.”</span><br /><br /><span>The family is hoping to raise $80,000.</span><br /><br /><span>Carolyn said any donation is gratefully accepted, “so that we can hit our target and keep our beautiful Paige with us”.</span></p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p>

Caring

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Ian Thorpe mentors pop star Cody Simpson

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With the Tokyo Olympics commencing this month, Ian Thorpe has revealed why he has decided not to return to the pool.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Appearing on The Morning Show, the swimming champion said he is far too busy managing multiple projects to get back into the water.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">On top of revealing he will be part of Channel Seven’s commentary team for the Games, Thorpe has also been fundraising for ocean conservation with the Sapphire Dinner and taking part in a new docuseries, “Head Above Water”, following Aussie pop star Cody Simpson and several other swimmers on their journey to the Olympics.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1RWJolad3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CN1RWJolad3/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Cody Simpson (@codysimpson)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thorpe said he doesn’t really miss his swimming career and that he “romanticises” his glory days.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I think I’d like to do it, then I remind myself how cold it is, especially at times like this and what it feels like to be in an outdoor pool that’s not really heated,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Cody Simpson put his music career on hold last year to focus on qualifying for either the Tokyo 2021 or Paris 2024 Olympic Games.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“For the last 10 years, I don’t think there was a week or a day that went by that I didn’t still think about swimming or try and figure out when I was going to swim again,” he said.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Thorpe said Simpson’s progress so far has been very encouraging.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Cody is doing better in training than what was expected,” he said. “The improvement that he’s making, there’s this possibility that he may be at a level where he can actually place.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simpson’s personal best in the 100m butterfly is 53.85 seconds, but the former champion junior swimmer will need to swim faster than 51.70 seconds and place in the top two at the trials to qualify for Australia’s Olympic swimming team.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Simpson will be racing the 100m butterfly and 100m freestyle at the Olympic swimming trials which commence on Saturday, June 12.</span></p>

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Now's your chance to own a ghost town in remote WA, deserted 70 years ago

<p><span>Urban explorers and the paranormal curious, listen up — you could soon the be proud owner on an entire abandoned town in remote Western Australia.</span></p> <p><span>The former township of Cossack, on the coast, is now up for sale after laying abandoned for 70 years.</span></p> <p><span>The ghost town, established in 1863, was once a thriving hub for the pearling industry, located on the Butchers Inlet.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>However over time, the population left to be absorbed into larger towns, eventually deserting the area completely.</span></p> <p><span>Today, Cossack's historic buildings all lay abandoned, trapped in an eerie timewarp.</span></p> <p><span>Tourists pass through, using the nearby hiking trails and paying a visit to the beautiful beaches — the town is surrounded by a coastal reserve.</span></p> <p><span>As well as 12 historic buildings and nearby Jarman Island, the town boasts archaeological sites dating back to the 1870s, some of which contain evidence of the impact of European settlement on the Aboriginal communities.</span></p> <p><span>The WA Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage are seeking buyers with proposals that will bring social and economic benefits to the region, so the idyllically-located town may just be a future tourism hotspot.</span><span>While no price tag has been assigned to the town, proposals that prioritise innovative low-impact tourism ventures will be top of the list, with things like eco accommodations, camping, dining venues, museums and galleries that will help support the regeneration of the town among the governement's criteria.</span></p> <p><span>Those keen to place a bid can do so before November 20, at 2pm, with proposals and registrations of interest to go to LJ Hooker Commercial Perth.</span></p> <div class="styles__Wrapper-sc-2o34ro-0 cmwkBV"> <div class="styles__Column-sc-2o34ro-3 jJDKrX"> <p class="p1"><em>Written by Katherine Scott. This article first appeared on <a href="https://travel.nine.com.au/latest/a-wa-ghost-town-deserted-70-years-ago-is-now-on-sale/44e8a83b-18fc-4c23-b84b-cfe9cd84b150">Honey</a>.</em></p> </div> </div>

Domestic Travel

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Discover what life is like underground in White Cliffs

<p>The local landscape of White Cliffs can border on the surreal. Like any small town, White Cliffs has the obligatory pub and a general store, but on our visit they appeared to be closed for the day. The petrol station looked deserted and the local restaurant claiming to have the best casseroles in town was empty.<span> </span><br /><br />Apart from The Stubbie House — a home built out of 54,000 bottles — and the abandoned Solar Power Station there wasn’t much else to see. It may seem like a ghost town, but the truth is a little stranger – it’s because the majority of the White Cliffs community live in holes under the ground.<span> </span><br /><br />Located in outback New South Wales, 255km northeast of Broken Hill, White Cliffs’ residents started living in dugouts in the early 1890s. Miners built extensive underground homes in the hillside to avoid the intense heat — with summer temperatures that consistently reach over 40°C.<br /><br />Today, it mixes tourism with opal mining, offering visitors a unique perspective to outback living. There are around 100 dugout homes still in use in White Cliffs, making them fascinating to visit.<span> </span><br /><br />A great example of one of the homes is the beautifully carved residence of Cree Marshall and Lindsay White. As you enter their abode, there is something at every corner that will catch your eye — the ornamental wooden harp, the towering tree stump standing at the centre of the kitchen, even the recycled geometric floor tiles.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663406/dug-out-tour-underground-white-cliffs.jpg" alt="Dug -out -tour -underground --white -cliffs" width="700" height="400" /><em>Cree and Lindsay's stunning 'White House'</em></p> <p>The pair have been progressively renovating their home into a remarkable subterranean dwelling and offer tours at $10 per person between 11am and 2pm. Well worth the price, the home is located beside the<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.redearthopal.com/" target="_blank"><span>Red Earth Opal Cafe</span></a>.</p> <p>But it’s not just about underground living. Off the Barrier Highway at Wilcannia, midway between Broken Hill and Cobar, head northbound to White Cliffs’ Opal Fields where you’ll be transported to a moonscape terrain of around 50,000 diggings.<br /><br />While the mining boom has diminished, opal is still being found at White Cliffs and what better way to get an insight into the historic diggings of the 1890s than by visiting an underground working opal mine.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663403/red-opal-cafe-entrance-white-cliffs.jpg" alt="Red -opal -cafe -entrance -white -cliffs" width="700" height="400" /><br /><em>You can also book an opal mine tour at the local Red Earth Opal Cafe</em></p> <p>Walk down into the shaft and discover the gritty reality of mining. You know you’ve struck it big when you’ve unearthed the brilliant gem ‘pineapples’, but these are very rare, so rare in fact, that they have only ever been found in White Cliffs.</p> <p>While fossicking for the elusive opal may not go as planned, you can always head by the local opal store and pick up one of the precious stones, which can often be cheaper than the ones in major retail outlets.</p> <p style="text-align: center;" class="float-image-right"><img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/3663404/stairwell-star-gazing-white-cliffs-hotel.jpg" alt="Stairwell -star -gazing -white -cliffs -hotel" width="300" height="450" /><em>White Cliffs' Underground Motel is a great place to escape the heat</em></p> <p>Looking for a special place to stay overnight? Immerse yourself in the local experience with a stay at the famous<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://undergroundmotel.com.au/" target="_blank"><span>White Cliffs Underground Motel</span></a>.</p> <p>Located on a mesa locally known as ‘Poor Man’s Hill’ (due to its lack of opal), this man-made underground lodge welcomes travellers with a unique experience. Switch off from the world above and see first-hand what it is like living in a dugout.</p> <p>The maze of passageways lead you to a stairwell that take you up to the star gazing room where you can see the brilliant night sky and can enjoy the vast sunsets and sunrises.</p> <p>There’s also a small on-site History and Cultural Centre for those interested to learn more about the community.</p> <p>Insulated from the harsh outback heat, the indoors remain at a cool and comfortable 22 degrees all year round.</p> <p>White Cliffs is a comfortable<span> </span><a rel="noopener" href="http://www.tristate.com.au/tours-old/2-day-opal-dreaming-tour" target="_blank"><span>two-day tour</span></a><span> </span>from Broken Hill, allowing you to experience a true outback experience, underground.</p> <p>Have you ever been to outback NSW? Where’s your favourite road trip?</p> <p><em>Written by <span>Maria Angela Parajo. Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/life-underground-in-white-cliffs-nsw.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>.</span></em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's $10 million French country manor

<p>It was where King Edward VIII spent his weekends with wife Wallis Simpson after abdicating the British throne. Now, the French former country home of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor has been listed on the market for £5.6 million, or about $10.36 million.</p> <p>The couple bought Le Moulin de la Tuilerie in 1952, about 15 years after Edward abdicated the throne to marry Simpson and become the Duke of Windsor. Located by the Chevreuse Forest half an hour away from Paris, the estate spans 26 acres and includes six separate properties, a polo pitch and landscaped grounds.</p> <p>The Duchess once described the house as “our only real home”, where they entertained guests such as Maria Callas, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton and Sir Cecil Beaton.</p> <p>During the 20 years of their ownership, the estate also underwent major renovations led by French interior designer Stéphane Boudin, who went on to restore and redecorate the White House in the US for the Kennedys.</p> <p>After the Duke’s death in 1972, the ownership went to a Lebanese doctor. According to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.tatler.com/article/former-parisian-exile-estate-of-the-duke-of-windsor-and-wallis-simpson-for-sale" target="_blank"><em>Tatler</em></a>, the buildings were also made available for holiday through the Landmark Trust.</p> <p>Nevertheless, the Duke and Duchess’s imprint in the residence still remains. The <em><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.townandcountrymag.com/leisure/real-estate/a27320197/duke-of-windsor-wallis-simpson-paris-house/" target="_blank">Times</a></em> reported that the estate still houses a piece of art commissioned by the Duchess, which reads: “I am not the miller’s daughter. But I have been through the mill.”</p> <p>Scroll through the gallery above to see inside King Edward VIII and Wallis Simpson's French country manor. </p>

International Travel

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King Edward's affair with "sweetheart" before marrying Wallis Simpson

<p>As the only British monarch to abdicate voluntarily, the story of King Edward VIII is not to be missed.</p> <p>In 1936, King Edward VIII – who was the brother of Queen Elizabeth's father – rocked the British monarchy after he expressed his wish of marrying twice-divorced American woman Wallis Simpson. As head of the Church of England, Edward was advised against tying the knot with a divorcee, and his proposal was met with opposition from the religious institution and most politicians in the Commonwealth.</p> <p>After failing to find a solution, Edward finally abdicated his throne in December – making Queen Elizabeth's father King George VI of England – and left for Europe to marry Simpson the following year. The couple, who became the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, stayed together until Edward’s death in 1972.</p> <p>However, before the marriage, Edward also had a series of affairs with married women. One of them was English socialite and textile heiress Freda Dudley Ward, who Simpson once described as “my husband’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/18/obituaries/marquesa-first-true-love-of-edward-viii-is-dead-at-88.html">first true love</a>”.</p> <p>Dudley Ward first met Edward, then the Prince of Wales, in 1918 during an air raid in London, when she had been married for five years to Liberal politician William Dudley Ward. The two soon became smitten with each other and began their relationship.</p> <p>In the letters to Dudley Ward, which were later sold at Sotheby’s New York, the prince repeatedly avowed his love. “'I love you love you so so madly &amp; desperately,” he wrote in one of the correspondences. “I worship &amp; adore you my sweetheart &amp; cant bear being away from you.”</p> <p>He called her his “Sweetheart &amp; Tormentor” and “my little Fredie” while signing himself as her “little slave” and “little parpee” (puppy). He would also phone her four to five times a night, and would reportedly become bereft when the line was busy or she was out of the house.</p> <p>Soon the affair became well-known among the high society, with Winston Churchill <a href="https://winstonchurchill.org/publications/churchill-bulletin/bulletin-082-apr-2015/winston-the-windsors/">once commenting</a>, “It is quite pathetic to see the Prince and Freda. His love is so obvious and undisguisable.”</p> <p>Dudley Ward’s marriage with her politician husband was dissolved in 1932. She enjoyed the prince’s company for a couple more years until their relationship was abruptly ended.</p> <p>In 1934, she called the St James’s Palace after a few weeks of not hearing from the prince. However, the operator informed her, “I have orders not to put you through.”</p> <p>Sotheby’s expert Marsha Malinowski said even though Dudley Ward was “admired by almost everyone in the prince’s circle”, she knew “their relationship wasn’t going anywhere and never would.”</p> <p>Since then, the two never spoke or wrote to each other again. According to the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/08/style/fractured-fairy-tale-an-archive-of-a-royal-romance.html" target="_blank"><em>New York Times</em></a>, the prince had become attached to Simpson, who did not favour any contact with old girlfriends.</p> <p>Dudley Ward went on to marry Pedro José Isidro Manuel Ricardo Monés in 1937, but they ultimately split up in 1954. She died in London in 1983 at the age of 88.</p>

Relationships

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7 times The Simpsons predicted the future

<p>Oscar Wilde wrote that, “Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life”. Sometimes we can see scary real-world situations and events that echo those of fiction (show of hands – who watched <em>The Handmaid’s Tale</em>?), and will remark on the similarity of the two. Then there are the times when <em>The Simpsons</em> writers straight-up predicted the future.</p> <p><strong>1. President Trump</strong></p> <p>In the 2000 episode, “Bart to the Future”, we see that Lisa Simpson has become President of the United States. Her predecessor? Donald Trump. According to Lisa, Trump left office after bankrupting the country. According to the <a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simpsons-writer-who-predicted-trump-876295" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>episode’s writer</strong></span></a>, the joke was meant as “a warning to America”, as a Trump Presidency seemed like “the logical last step before hitting bottom.”<a href="https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/simpsons-writer-who-predicted-trump-876295)"><br /></a></p> <p><strong>2. Tiger attack</strong></p> <p>In 1993, the episode “$pringfield (Or, How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love Legalized Gambling)” lampooned Siegfried and Roy with their characters Gunter and Ernst. Though Siegfried and Roy had never had an incident during their famous tiger act, their yellow-hued counterparts were not so lucky, and were attacked by their own big cat. Ten years later, Roy Horn was mauled by the duo’s white Bengal tiger.</p> <p><strong>3. Faulty voting machines</strong></p> <p>In 2008, the “<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9659694/US-election-2012-voting-machine-changes-vote-for-Barack-Obama-to-Mitt-Romney.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>Treehouse of Horror XIX</strong></span></a>” showed Homer attempting to vote for Barrack Obama, only to have the voting machine he was using switch his vote to Obama’s rival John McCain. When Obama was running for re-election in 2012, a voting machine in Pennsylvania was taken out of commission for switching Obama votes to Mitt Romney.<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/us-election/9659694/US-election-2012-voting-machine-changes-vote-for-Barack-Obama-to-Mitt-Romney.html)"><br /></a></p> <p><strong>4. Government spying on us</strong></p> <p>In the long-awaited cinematic debut of the Simpsons, the family go into hiding from the government, only to be found by the US NSA (National Security Agency), who listened in to their conversations. In 2013, Edward Snowden became a whistle-blower, revealing that the US Government was using its citizens’ phone and internet records as surveillance tools.</p> <p><strong>5. Disney owns Fox</strong></p> <p>In the 1998 episode “When You Dish Upon A Star”, Homer’s screenplay is pitched at 20<sup>th</sup> Century Fox. A sign on the lot reveals that the company is “A Division of Walt Disney Co.” Almost 20 years later, in 2017, news broke that Disney was acquiring more than $66 billion worth of Fox.</p> <p><strong>6. Nobel Prize winner</strong></p> <p>In 2010, Lisa and some of her classmates ran a betting pool predicting the winners of upcoming Nobel Prizes. Milhouse’s pick for the Nobel Prize for Economics was Bengt R. Holmström. In 2016, Holmström really did win the Nobel Prize for Economics.</p> <p><strong>7. Three-eyed fish</strong></p> <p>In 1990, <em>The Simpsons</em> introduced the world to Blinky, the three-eyed fish Bart pulled from the water close to Springfield’s nuclear power plant. In 2011, a fisherman in Argentina <a href="https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/10/31/3-eyed-fish-found-near-argentinean-nuclear-power-plant_n_1067679.html" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>landed his own Blinky</strong></span></a> in a reservoir fed by a nearby nuclear power station. </p> <p>Which <em>Simpsons</em> episode do you wish would come true?</p>

TV

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Fury as OJ Simpson set for parole in October

<p>The OJ Simpson saga has taken another dramatic turn on Thursday afternoon after the disgraced ex-football star was granted parole after nine years in prison.</p> <p>But it’s what the 70-year-old said during the hearing that shocked many Americans.</p> <p>Simpson was joined at the hearing by his lawyer Malcolm LaVergne, close friend Tom Scotto, sister Shirley Baker and daughter Arnelle, and according to reports was grinning ear-to-ear as the board announced their decision.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">David Smith of Nevada Board of Parole Commissioners on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OJSimpson?src=hash">#OJSimpson</a>: “He has stable release plans and community and family support.” <a href="https://t.co/HFblja3RAf">pic.twitter.com/HFblja3RAf</a></p> — Fox News (@FoxNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoxNews/status/888122874405412865">July 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>He will remain incarcerated for two more months, before being released having served nine years of a 33-year jail sentence for kidnapping and armed robbery.</p> <p>Simpson’s statements have drawn considerable controversy, particularly when he stated, “I had basically spent a conflict-free life.”</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">OJ is giving this panel every reason to drop him back in prison. No remorse, just justifications--still a sociopath. Unreal.</p> — Chris Mannix (@ChrisMannixYS) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisMannixYS/status/888089851429609473">July 20, 2017</a></blockquote> <p>Simpson maintained the items he stole were his, “It’s kind of mind-boggling that (the state of California) turned over to me my property that I’m in jail for trying to retrieve it.</p> <p>“It was my property; I would never try to steal from anybody.”</p> <p>What’s your take? Do you think justice was served?</p>

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Celebrity chef Darren Simpson dies after battle with illness

<p>Celebrity chef Darren Simpson has died after a long battle with an alcohol addiction-related illness.</p> <p>It is believed that the father of two suffered a heart attack on Thursday night after a recent effort to get help at a rehabilitation clinic.</p> <p>Darren built a national following by appearing on show’s such as Sunrise, Ready, Steady, Cook and The Best where he competed against chef Ben O’Donoghue and cook Anne Gare.</p> <p>At the age of 21, Darren was named UK’s Young Chef of the year making him hold the record as the youngest winner of the prestigious prize.</p> <p>The Irish-born-chef trained in world renowned restaurants including Le Gavrouche and Sir Terence Conran’s Sartoria. </p> <p>Darren was headhunted in 1999 to become the Head Chef of Aqua Luna Bar and Restaurant in Sydney and received great reviews for his “dynamic” menus.</p> <p>In 2005, he opened an award-winning modern Italian restaurant La Sala (The Room).</p> <p>Various restaurant and food industry friends of Darren have paid tribute to the star on social media.</p> <p style="text-align: center;"><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjason.roberts.395891%2Fposts%2F10155414246188544&amp;width=500" width="500" height="658" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true"></iframe></p> <p>His peer Jason Roberts said, “Devastated ...... RIP Darren Simpson !!! The world has lost another brilliant mind!!!! Sorry for those of you who maybe seeing or hearing this now ...”</p> <p>Friend and journalist Shonagh Walker wrote, “I hope I wake up tomorrow and this is a dream” and “I know the last few weeks have been hell for you. You will never be forgotten. #love you xxxx”</p> <p>Chef Adam Moore said, “R.I.P Darren Simpson you will be missed chef loved working with you.”</p> <p><em>Image credit:  Ryan Osland</em></p>

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