It starts with the first afternoon that feels warm enough to stay at the beach a little longer. The windows are thrown open, the dog somehow finds every patch of water available, and we begin looking at our homes with the sudden urge to move everything around.
Our pick is the Goldie Aluminium Beach Umbrella. It’s the kind of piece that turns a simple patch of sand into your own little seaside haven—and makes finding your spot after a swim considerably easier.
Beyond its good looks, it provides the shade needed for long beach days with friends, little ones and picnic bags packed with far too many snacks. Thoughtfully made with quality and longevity in mind, it’s a refreshing alternative to disposable beach gear that barely survives the season.
Designed in Port Macquarie, Dolphin & Dog creates good-looking, genuinely useful products for dogs and the people happily rearranging their lives around them.
Our favourite is the 3-in-1 Dog Drying Robe.
It wraps securely around your dog to absorb moisture after a swim, bath or rainy walk, helping to contain the shake-off before it reaches every surface you own.
It can also be used as a calming wrap during storms or soaked and chilled as a cooling layer on particularly hot Australian days. Clever, colourful and made for real life—exactly the sort of design we love.
From her gallery and shop in Brunswick Heads, Art by Sharni captures the places we know and love across the Northern Rivers. Her work feels nostalgic without being overly sentimental: familiar stretches of coastline, translated through colour, memory and her wonderfully distinctive perspective.
If we could choose one, it would be Watego’s Corner, an original 90 x 90 cm acrylic painting on wood featuring Wategos Beach and the Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk.
It’s joyful, wonderfully local and the kind of artwork that can hold a room all on its own. More than decoration, it’s a little piece of the Byron Bay coastline to live with every day.
It’s about knowing there’s a person, a story and a whole lot of care behind what you bring home.
This spring, before defaulting to the familiar big-name stores, take a look at what’s being created nearby. You may find something more original, more thoughtfully made and much more connected to the places we call home.
Explore more independent makers, artists and small businesses from regional Australia through our Brands We Love
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