Former Masterchef contestant Benita Orwell overcame ageism and personal adversity to land herself a spot on the internationally acclaimed reality cooking programme. She hopes that her story will inspire more women over fifty to follow their dreams not in spite of their age, but because of it.

Lisa Hall is the free-spirited couturier behind the womenswear label, Madame Hall, creating bespoke, original attire for urban bohemians. Unlike other western fashion designers before her, Lisa was not content to simply fly home with a suitcase full of Indian fabrics, and instead, traded life in Sydney for a remote Indian town at the age of 48.

By immersing herself in what truly inspires her — art, traditional crafts, and colour as a reflection of everyday life, Madame Hall has flourished, attracting a dedicated community of followers and customers from around the world, and even gracing the pages of Australian Vogue on one Cate Blanchett.

People are often uncomfortable around vegans — jokes Catherine Carr, adding that they are often viewed with trepidation as if on conversion mission, seeking unquestioning followers for their new religion. The Sydney-based Counsellor and Vegan Food Coach has long believed in the use of food as medicine but is mindful of the fact that each person is on their own food journey, and we can’t always be so dogmatic about our diet — life gets busy, and it needs to be lived.

Los Angeles based designer and artist Suzi Click is a collector. Widely known for her artisan apparel and accessories line, the embodiment of her own, eclectic more is better boho style, Suzi layers both fabric and memory into each of her creations. Her 1920’s Spanish Revival home and studio is embellished with distinctive fabrics, imagery, ornamental trims and tassels collected from a lifetime of travel and an interest in tribal culture and costume.

F or Chinese-Australian artist Lindy Lee, it was never a question of being an artist, but more the process of creating became vital to defining her sense of self. One of Australia’s foremost contemporary artists, Lindy’s work, which covers painting, sculpture, installation, and more recently, public art projects, is a frequent introspection on her heritage and the influence of Taoist and Buddhist philosophy.