Forget the nine-to-five – Dominic May’s office is the open ocean. As the founder of CoastXP, he spends his days exploring the coastline, spotting whales, and championing sustainable tourism in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie. We spoke to Dom about launching his business, protecting the places he loves, and why there’s nothing better than working on the water.
No one really prepares you for what it’s like to start over in a city that already knows who it is. I can’t call myself a fully-fledged local yet (I still need Google Maps to find half the suburbs), but after a year, Newcastle feels more like home than I ever expected. It didn’t happen in one big moment where everything clicked, but rather with little things that added up over time.
You’ve heard of degradable bags that are actually more harmful to the environment, brands ‘green-washing’ to appear more eco than they actually are… and how the heck can we compost when we live in apartments? Keep calm, read on, and don’t forget your reusable cups.
Allow us to introduce you to Sick Happens – an amazing online resource taking the fear out of common childhood illnesses and teaching parents how to stay cool, calm, and collected while doing the best for their kids. We chatted to founder Penny Blunden to find out more.
Following his feature in Issue 23 of Swell, we caught up again with Dan Marshall for a bonus Q&A to find out what’s been happening since we went to print – from landing a global book deal with Penguin Random House (which was all a bit hush hush when we published his story) to presenting at the Sydney Writers’ Festival, and who’s on his dream dinner party lineup.
Sometimes the best beginnings come from the hardest seasons. Swell was born from a craving for purpose, creativity and connection – a way to bring more heart into our work. What started as a passion project has grown into something far greater than we imagined: a magazine that celebrates the strength, creativity and resilience of everyday local people. This is the story of how Swell began – and why, through every challenge, we’ve chosen to keep going.
Hidden deep within the Newcastle suburbs, Elizabeth Walton’s home is nestled amongst garden beds bursting with paper daisies and straw flowers. But it’s inside, with bunches of exquisitely dried flowers filling each room, where the magic of her business,
Amble and Twine, really comes alive.
The Newcastle Writers Festival is back, and it’s one of our favorite times of the year! With an incredible lineup of speakers and events, this highly anticipated festival promises to be bigger and better than ever. Don’t miss out on the exciting literary celebration coming to Newcastle from April 4 – 6 2025!
We love our local stockists and we love to see a small business thrive! The wonderfully eclectic Hunter Street Newcastle boutique fashion store Hey Jude Love Pete is celebrating four years in business this week and we thought this was worth celebrating. We chat to owner Emily about all things bricks and mortar, bucking against the trends and bringing joy and colour to the local community!
What exactly is weaving, I hear you ask? It’s a form of textile production and fibre art where a loom (usually wooden) is used to weave yarn together at right angles to create a fabric or cloth. After doing some research, and sitting down with Rainie Owen aka The Unusual Pear, I am now officially obsessed, and I’m sorry (not sorry) to say, you will be too.
