Linda Cropper knows what it’s like to be on the receiving end of a life-changing performance. When the acclaimed actor was a student at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), she was a firsthand witness to the magic of stagecraft. The source? Lady Macbeth herself.

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.

Margot Spalding first came across our radar here at Broad because of her bold style, and #funwithfashion ethos for women over 50. But as the title of her Australian Story segment rightly suggests, Margot is a force of nature. Despite being dealt the cruellest of blows at 15 when she lost both her parents, and then again at 17 when she lost her sister, Margot has in the words of her daughter Georgia ‘thrown herself at life’ — dedicating herself to supporting others and standing up for those without a voice.