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gadgetgirl71 · 3 years

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Book Blitz: House of Diamonds (House of Jewels, #1) by Amber Jakeman

House of Diamonds Amber Jakeman (House of Jewels, #1) Publication date: February 10th 2021 Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

A heartwarming, emotionally satisfying contemporary Australian romance with an international flavour, by Amber Jakeman

A fresh start. An instant enemy. But Stella is determined.

Sparkles fly when former office manager Stella Rhees, 30, flees a failed affair with her old boss, Damian. Determined to run her own show, she pursues her dream of creating and selling her own jewellery.

The problem? She’s opened her jaunty stall directly outside the famous Huntleys House of Jewels at the very moment handsome James Huntley the Third, 33, asks her to move so he can stage a publicity stunt. Feisty Stella won’t budge.

Despite a mutual physical attraction, Stella and James become instant enemies, their rivalry fanned by a social media war.

While Huntleys appears prosperous, it’s facing bankruptcy, and James’s mother and playboy brother are squandering the family fortune overseas.

James finds Stella and her fresh ideas irresistible, and she becomes the catalyst for him to change Huntleys ’path of self-destruction. He offers her a job, but how can she accept when she’s vowed to never fall into the old trap of falling in love with the boss?

For Stella and James to find their Happily Ever After, each must overcome personal demons, take risks and learn to trust the other. In this delightful first book of the House of Jewels series, will this dazzling couple ever work out how to put a Huntley engagement ring to its proper purpose?

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo

—

EXCERPT:

What? Move? Why would she move? She’d only just finished setting up. It had taken her months to prepare, and so much time just that morning, arranging her earrings and bracelets. What on earth could he mean?

“… just for a short time, thank you,” he said.

Her hackles rose. However handsome he might be, with that sun-kissed brown hair, and that way of smiling just on one side, as if life was a bit of joke as long as he was in control, he had no right to push her around.

“Actually, Mr …”

“Huntley. James Huntley.” He tipped his head back a little, indicating his connection with the three-storey building behind him, and she turned and read the ornate sign. Huntleys House of Diamonds.

Stella sighed. She didn’t reconfigure her whole life, resigning and moving here from Perth on the other side of the country, only to fall into the trap of obeying the next handsome man. No. She’d been there and done that. For too long. She’d been totally, pathetically, at the mercy of her boss Damian’s demands.

Obeying handsome men was a bad habit she’d finally kicked, hadn’t she?

This new Stella was strong and independent, she reminded herself. Stella now worked for herself, trusted only herself and obeyed only herself. She would no longer be told what to do by men who assumed she’d comply. So, whatever this man wanted, and however attractive he might be – and he was, quite attractive, every bit as good-looking as Damian, his hair more fair, and with a bit of a wave at the front, and those eyes – intense – she knew she had every right to stand her ground. And she would.

He waited expectantly, but she was only just ready to trade. With customers gathering, she needed to sell, sell, sell – and not waste another moment. Her licence to trade wasn’t a give away. It would take her months to pay back the loan she’d taken out to pay for it.

He lifted one hand up toward the side of her stack of display trays, as if to test his strength against its weight, to simply push her stall away. She could swear she saw his healthy bicep flex beneath that high quality pale grey woollen fabric.

How dare he! The flame of defiance inside her flashed fire. No. She would not be shoved away.

“Stella Rhys, Mr Huntley,” she answered, keeping her voice low and controlled, and extending her own hand to be shaken. His was smooth, the hand of a businessman, as cool as her own. It was a fine handshake, pleasant even.

Her mother would have fun reading this palm, she thought, smiling. It was a mistake. He must have interpreted her smile as acquiescence. Nodding and smiling in return, he held her hand just a moment longer than necessary.

“Thanks, so much, Stella. These stalls… There was nothing here for months, and suddenly you appear! Today of all days. It’s so good of you to move. Just for an hour or so.” He gave her the full blue gaze again and smiled.

For a moment Stella weakened, but she remembered the advice of Fritz, ther nearest stallholder, who’d welcomed her to the mall only that morning.

“I’ve been here nearly thirty years, young lady,” Fritz had said. “Seen a thing or two in my time. Seen stalls come and seen them go. Can be tough out here on the mall. Don’t you let anyone push you around.”

Stella knew the terms of her licence. Thursday to Saturday, 11am to 7pm. Right here. So she lifted her sunglasses and fired back a dose of her own dark eyes – bright, quick and determined.

“Actually, James,” she began, amiably enough, with a hint of steel. She gestured at the small crowd gathering to admire her unusual brooches, rings, earrings and pendants, all laid out so temptingly in the bright sunshine. Her excitement ratcheted up a notch. Behind James, two older women, sisters perhaps, were pulling out their purses. Her first customers! It was James who needed to move, so she could trade.

“Look. This is my business, James ‘ –Stellar,’” she continued, polite yet firm, her voice steady. “And I’m not moving it. Not at all. I don’t mean to be unreasonable; nothing personal; but as I see it, the Huntleys property boundary begins at the edge of your doorway. The mall here is public space, and this patch is mine.”

Author Bio:

Partial to sunsets, picnics and poetry, feel-good fiction writer Amber Jakeman was a journalist, ghost writer and editor before succumbing to her addiction to uplifting endings.

She writes from her tiny apartment on the edge of Sydney Harbour, creating wholesome historical and contemporary romance with an international flavour.

When not writing, Amber enjoys time with family and friends, sailing with her husband, travel, walking and savouring other writers' creations.

Amber Jakeman acknowledges Australia's first storytellers and offers respect to Aboriginal people past and present and to their descendants.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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#Adult, #Bookblitz, #BookBlogger, #BookLove, #Bookshelf, #Contemporary, #ContemporaryRomance, #instabook, #readersofinsta, #readersofinstagram, #Romance, #XpressoBookTours, #XpressoTours

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authorannpaquette · 5 years

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Chancen’s Sword

Not all fairies discover their ability early on, some have to wait a little. Chancen was one of them. Here’s a short story (well, short for me anyhow) about how Chancen discovers his personal ability.

“This is your last training session before you move onto your new positions. Let’s have a few farewell three against one battle.” General Octavian’s stern gaze sweeps over the four young officers who know better than to groan or sigh or say anything other than “Yes, Sir.” The ability to read a situation and react as warranted is what drew the General’s attention to them. That and their skills in strategy, swordplay, and leadership. General Octavian studies each in turn, stopping before the tall, blue haired fairy whose iron gaze camouflages any trepidation at this announcement.

Chancen wishes he could let his shoulders sink under the General’s scrutiny and somehow magically shift his attention onto one of the others. Unable to do either, he settles for a slight shift of his wings. He won’t glance over at Fox, doesn’t want to see those piercing blue eyes bright with anticipation. Despite this, Chancen catches the slightest twitch of Fox’s hand as he fights his impatience to reach for the twin swords strapped to his back. Of course he’s excited. Fox likely wants to go first, second, and third, extending their sparring session until the four of them are nothing but layers of slick, foul smelling sweat covered in fairy forged steel. Fox excels against multiple opponents on the battlefield, thrives on it, actually.

Chancen however…

“Chancen, you’re up first. Fox, Sion, and Perth are, of course, your opponents. One sword Fox.” General Octavian points at Fox, one sword already in hand with the second halfway out of its sheath. The blade flashes briefly before disappearing into the spider leather it calls home. Fox flashes the General a half apologetic grin.

Chancen licks his lips and nods. He knows full well one can’t improve a shortcoming if one ignores that said shortcoming exists. He doesn’t, however, have to like it. Palms sweating, he delicately clutches the hilt of his sword and pulls it free of its sheath. Wings twitch against his back, once, twice, a third time. Chancen forces his shoulders down and his chin up as he joins his opponents within the scuffed lines of the practice circle.

Sion tightens the strap of material holding his long brown hair in a tail at the nape of his neck, smoothes the imaginary loose strands around his ears, and slides his helm on. Once his looks are adjusted to perfection, Sion flashes a greasy smile at his boyhood friend, Perth. Perth adjusts his grip on his two handed sword and nudges Sion with his elbow.

Chancen fights the urge to sneer at their obvious delight in taking him on first. A practice run for them, no more, no less. Not that Chancen doesn’t make for a formidable opponent. Oh no, not one of that pair is a match for him alone. Together, however, they fight with the same rotten, mulch for brains mind. And they’re good at it too.

Fox casually saunters over to Sion’s right, deliberately standing farther than necessary. Sion and Perth likely won’t turn on him under General Octavian’s watchful eye, but it seems Fox isn’t willing to take any chances. Especially with the news they received this morning.

We’ll see whose sneering after Fox pounds the two of them under his boot.

The thought of Fox standing proudly with one boot on their wings coaxes a tight grin through the tension on Chancen’s face. He rolls his shoulders down and back before adjusting his stance, his sword ready to face whichever opponent strikes first.

“Keep the rules in mind. No flying during the training and stay on the training grounds once you begin. Oh, and try not to maim or kill each other.” General Octavian stands back with his sword held casually in one hand, ready to step in should anyone take the game too far.

Perth grins coldly at the warning.

That General Octavian felt it necessary to throw in that last bit makes it damn near impossible for Chancen to ease any of the tension building at the base of his neck. He shifts from one foot to the other checking his balance all the while fervently hoping the headache he’s about to give himself will be worth it. Though, no matter the outcome of this match, Tryssa will likely scold him and force one of her nastier flavoured concoctions down his throat, the ones she reserves for the particularly dense idiots who have nothing better to do than run around hurting themselves all day.

Time enough to think about his soon-to-be mate’s anger late. Chancen’s three opponents share a quick look and circle in three different directions. This effectively divides his attention in four ways, one for each opponent and a fourth to keep a keen watch on his surroundings. A sudden dip in the ground or protruding root has ended these matches early in the past. His best chance was to keep the nearby tree to his back, preventing them from approaching in that direction.

They simply stare at him for the longest moment, waiting to see if he was foolish enough to attack first.

Yeah right, and lose the only defensible position on this training ground.

Sion lunges forward aiming his sword low, obviously impatient for what is likely his last opportunity to injure Chancen and claim it as an accident. Chancen brushes it aside with ease, dancing left as another blade strikes for his arm. Perth steps out of range before Chancen can retaliate, a cruel smile painted on his features.

They continue to taunt him with their blades, a sideswipe here, a lunge there, each strike hoping to dislodge Chancen from his somewhat secure position. Sweat beads on his forehead, soaking the thin pad protecting his skin from the fairy-forged steel of his helm. The wind from his movements cools the pad even as his skin heats it, creating a strange focus point for his frustration. For the moment, his opponents continue to work individually, each prodding at his fraying temper, each waiting for Chancen to make a mistake.

His temper has also lost him matches in the past.

There’s a break in the fighting, nothing more than half a breath as Scion, Perth, and Fox share a quick glance.

Hell, they’re about to rush him.

Fox leaps forward as if in response to his thoughts. Their swords meet with a sharp clang, not the sweet sound of two lovingly honed weapons meeting in song, but the scraping sound of steel grinding against steel. Chancen grunts as he deflects Fox’s weapon again and again, each strike increasing in intensity.

They are best friends, brothers even, but Fox hates to lose.

With a snarl, Sion and Perth rush in to join Fox. In a desperate move to stop three swords in one swoop, Chancen holds his blade horizontally and braces his palm against the flat surface of his sword. His feet slide against the earth with the force of the impact. A trickle of sweat escapes his forehead to travel down the length of his nose and cling to the skin between his nostrils. A quick huff of breath dislodges the droplet from its chosen perch. What a thing to worry about at a time like this! With a strength born of desperation, Chancen pushes his opponents back enough to throw a kick to Fox’s midsection, temporarily removing him from the fray.

Sion and Perth immediately fill the space Fox vacates with a flurry of swords. More than a few of the strikes hit their marks with dull thunks against his armor, thrusts and swings Chancen figures he is better off absorbing than expending the energy required to block. Perth swings wide. Chancen easily dodges, realizing too late that he fell right into their trap. Sion strikes, locking their swords together in a test of strength, each pushing against the other to gain the extra step, the mental advantage.

“Not today.” Chancen hisses as he releases one hand from the hilt to punch Sion square in the face. Sion falls back in surprise, barely blocking Chancen’s next strike.

Perth senses an opening and lunges. The blow glances across his blade. Too late, Chancen realizes that Fox was back in play

Not only back, but already in motion.

Chancen curses his luck. Curses the General for this three on one training. Curses the sun for rising this day. Skies above! He was so close this time!

A flush rises up his ears, warming them uncomfortably. He loses again.

No. No! Chancen screams incoherently as the slim sword catches the light of the sun on its journey to his ribs. He has never wanted a second sword in his life, has watched Fox struggle early in their training to master the wielding of two blades in battle.

Now, however, he finds himself wishing for a second weapon, for a slim chance to win this matchup instead of simply doing well.

His free hand glows silver as Chancen braces for the impact. The light, unnoticeable by all except the ever vigilant General, elongates to take the form of a sword. Without a second thought, in fact, completely unaware of his actions, Chancen thrusts the blade of the light-forged weapon at Fox.

The blade inserts itself into the space between the finely crafted links protecting Fox’s left side with less effort than cutting into a fresh baked apple. Fox’s momentum comes to a screeching halt. Wide crystal blue eyes stare down at the unexpected weapon. A pale hand reaches up and twitches as if to grasp the sword. He doesn’t of course. They’ve all seen what happens to skin when it comes in contact with this the blade of a silver sword. Fox takes a shuddering breath, a sound louder than the rolling of thunder during a storm, louder than the crashing of waves against a cliff. The beating of Chancen’s heart pounds against his ears. Faster, stronger. Someone places a hand on his shoulder. Chancen shrugs it off.

Fox’s sword drops from his hand and the world lurches once more into motion. It bounces once, twice, before settling into the dirt. A dirt it should never touch. A dirt unworthy of such a fine weapon. Fox follows the sword down, landing on his knees, his position almost casual, deliberate, as if doing nothing more than scooping his weapon from the earth. Both hands hover over the silver weapon which continues to protrude from its flesh and blood sheath.

Somehow, though he isn’t aware of having moved, Chancen is on his knees, one hand on Fox’s shoulder, the other still clutching the cursed weapon.

“Fox! Fox hold on! Gods above, I’m so sorry!”

Fox grunts, cutting off any further guilty mumblings. His gaze glazes over, eyes rolling towards the back of his head.

“Stay with me now!”

“S’ok.” Fox inhales sharply. “S’ok.”

“Don’t speak, save your energy.” General Octavian commands, one arm supporting Fox.

“Ok, breathing. Got it.” Fox huffs.

It might be an attempt at humor, to lighten Chancen’s despair. Even at a time like this, Fox is unable to think solely of himself. Chancen shakes his head. Fox’s attempts at breathing resemble nothing more than short pants which grow shallower with every passing second. His skin visibly pales, not an easy feat for someone seemingly made of moonlight, yet Fox manages to make even his peppering of freckles practically disappear.

“Healer Lyrissa’s on her way” Someone shouts from above.

A healer is coming. The best healer is coming.

Fox’s eyes roll into the back of his head as if the promise of help gives him permission to let go, and he pitches forward. Both General Octavian and Chancen catch the unconscious man before he fully skewers himself on Chancen’s sword and lay him gently on his back.

Chancen grinds his fist into the ground, mumbling sorry over and over to himself.

“Chancen.”

Tears well up, blurring his vision.

“Chancen.”

A hand firmly grasps his shoulder.

“Oh Gods, what have I done?”

“Chancen, whatever you do, don’t dispel your weapon until Healer Lyrissa tells you to.”

Dispel the weapon? That’s good advice.

“How?”

“Not a moment until I say so!” A tiny blonde fairy lands beside them. Her sharp order snaps Chancen back to himself, at least for a moment. No one disobeys a direct order from Healer Lyrissa, not unless they wish for every salve and tonic to smell and taste like stinkhorn for the rest of their lives.

“I’m sorry, Lyrissa.”

“I know, Chancen. He’ll be fine. Fox will sleep this off like nothing happened. Give me a moment to get him into a proper healer’s sleep before you dispel the sword.”

Chancen nods and tightens his grip on the hilt of the sword.

“I said dispel,” Creases gather between Lyrissa’s eyes. “Pull it out and you’ll be healing the natural way for the rest of your life!”

Chancen blinks at her harsh tone. “Lyrissa… I don’t know how.” He admits, his voice caught between the horror of stabbing his best friend and the fascination of this new ability.

Lyrissa silently pleads with the General before closing her eyes and placing a hand on Fox’s chest. The blue of a healing aura spreads from the contact and Fox’s shallow breathing relaxes into that of a deep sleep.

“Chancen,” General Octavian speaks softly as to not disturb Lyrissa, “Simply think about it disappearing. Will the sword away.”

Think about it disappearing. What wonderfully simple instructions. Chancen wishes for the sword to vanish, concentrates on holding air instead of a hilt. For the longest moment nothing happens. The hint of a headache forms between his eyes with the force of his concentration. Perhaps the instructions were a bit too simple?

“Go away.” Chancen pleads softly.

The silver weapon shimmers once before fading in a cascade of sparkles which wink out as soon as they touch Fox’s armor. Blood wastes no time in pooling out from the wound, slowly subsiding as Lyrissa seals the gash from the inside out. Color slowly returns to Fox’s cheeks and soon nothing is left of his injury but the impossibly clean cut through the tightly knit chinks of his armor.

Lyrissa lets out a relieved sigh and opens her eyes. “I trust you can get him back to the healer’s wing so we can keep an eye on him until he wakes?”

Chancen swallows hard and nods, not trusting his voice.

“Good, I’ll expect you there shortly.”

He grunts, unable to tear his gaze from his now peacefully resting friend. A nudge from General Octavian is all Chancen needs, a reminder that he still has a job to do. Between himself and the General, they manage to carry Fox to the waiting Lyrissa.

Two full days pass before Fox opens his eyes, ending Chancen’s constant vigil. The healers tried several times to send Chancen off to bed, all except Tryssa. She knows the bond between him and Fox and understands his need to be there when Fox finally wakes.

Chancen’s heart picks up speed. Heat fills his cheeks and crawls up his ears. Fox’s form blurs behind a veil of tears. There are so many things Chancen wants to say, that he’s sorry, that he’ll make it up to Fox somehow. He says nothing, quite aware of the headache which accompanies a healing. Fox groans and covers his eyes a moment before massaging his temples in an effort to dispel the pounding in his skull.

“Nice sword.” Croaks Fox.

The heat on his face crawls down his neck as the shock of Fox’s praise kicks in. Of course Chancen wasn’t expecting Fox to be angry, they’ve seen similar incidents at least twice before, but to praise the weapon that skewered him mid-fight? Chancen simply sits there, his mouth working open and close as if to say something, anything, but the words refuse to come out.

His wings twitch at the ridiculousness of the statement. A chuckle follows shortly after and Chancen is finally able to release his tension in one long, drawn out breath.

“Yeah, I guess so.” Chancen mock punches Fox’s shoulder.

“Though I’d prefer if you just showed me next time.” Fox rubs his ribs as if suffering from phantom pain.

“But how will you know how sharp it is?” Tears return with a vengeance, sliding down his cheeks.

“We’ll ask Sion to test it, how’s that?” Fox pats Chancen’s leg.

Chancen huffs a laugh through the tears. “Sounds like a plan. How do you feel?”

“Tired, hungry. But mostly tired. I think I’ll nap a little longer, ok?” Fox doesn’t wait for an answer. Simply closes his eyes and falls asleep as promptly as only Fox can. A gentle snore fills the silence of the healer’s wing, coaxing a smile onto Chancen’s lips.

Chancen wipes the moisture from his cheeks and stands. It’s high time he gets a little rest himself. He doesn’t quite remember how he manages to get all the way to his bed, only remembers the soft, inviting warmth of his pillow as he closes his eyes and falls into a deep, restful sleep.

#Fairies of Greythorn #swordfight #magical weapons #three on one #oops I stabbed a friend #writeblr

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orbemnews · 3 years

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As More Australians Migrate to the Coast, Development Follows On the coast of Western Australia, the city of Busselton awaits the arrival of a 3,000-ton whale made of concrete and steel, breaching from the depths of the Indian Ocean. The leviathan is part of a marine observation center, the Australian Underwater Discovery Centre, a project that cost 30 million Australian dollars, about $23 million, and was designed by Baca Architects and Subcon, a marine contractor. Situated at the end of the Busselton Jetty, a city attraction, it will be Australia’s largest natural marine observatory when it opens in December 2022. The multilevel structure, which will offer art and science exhibits while allowing visitors to marvel at life beneath the surface of the ocean, is the latest example of a new rush of developments steadily cropping up around Australia’s coastline to entertain locals and draw international visitors. Coastal developments in Australia are nothing new. Beach culture is part of the national identity, and more than 80 percent of the country’s population resides in coastal zones. But population growth has led to an uptick in coastal projects, and experts say the pandemic is only accelerating the trend. After years of lagging, commercial development is picking up, said Mark Coster, head of capital markets for the Pacific at CBRE, a commercial real estate analysis firm. “Over the last few years, there’s been significant infrastructure spend along the coasts, and that’s been spurred by population growth and a lack of spending for much of the last decade,” he said. That is certainly the case in Busselton — a city of 40,000 about two and a half hours south of Perth. It has steadily grown and is expected to be one of the country’s hottest property markets. Development has followed suit: The marine center, an airport expansion, arts center, open-air market, a Hilton Hotel and a shoreline project are all under construction. The whale-like structure will be opposite the existing observatory, which struggled to accommodate the 700,000 visitors it received on average in the years before the pandemic. Rather than remove the old observatory, officials will turn it into a working science lab and ocean conservation education center. “This new center is an investment in our local community, and hopefully we’ll be able to share it with people from around the globe soon,” said Lisa Shreeve, chief executive of Busselton Jetty. “There’s something here for everyone.” Through strict lockdowns, Australia has managed the pandemic well, with lower Covid-19 infection and death rates than many comparable developing countries, according to a report released in December by McKinsey & Company. “Its economic downturn during the pandemic has also been less pronounced than in many comparable economies,” the report said. But that hasn’t stopped migration shifts, especially the growing attraction of leaving major cities for coastal enclaves. On the East Coast, both Sydney and Melbourne registered population losses last year as people flocked to coastal and regional towns, seeking solace and space. “Covid has fast-forwarded Australians’ desire to be closer to the water and the result is that smaller but high-amenity towns are booming,” Mr. Coster said. It is unlikely that net population loss from major cities will persist, but analysts predict that cities and towns around the coast will continue to grow. The shift toward remote work is only aiding that, Mr. Coster said. “We’re in the midst of a lifestyle shift movement, and we’re going to see a lot more projects in these areas,” he said. Gold Coast in Queensland — a perennial lifestyle destination known for its white sand and blue coastline — is one such boomtown. Today in Business Updated May 18, 2021, 12:22 p.m. ET Its population was growing and development proliferating at some of the highest rates in the country before the pandemic. State and national border closures have halted internal migration and tourism, but both are expected to snap back in coming years. Gold Coast City Council officials are adapting their plan to keep up with expected migration. The more flashy part of that strategy envisions continued investment in big-ticket attractions, like the Gold Coast Dive attraction — the world’s first artificial floating reef. Described as a “fusion between science, engineering and art” by Kim Mayberry, the city’s projects coordinator, the underwater site will include nine sculptures up to 65 feet high, akin to slender trees, tethered on the ocean floor. The structures will move in the warm currents and over time become covered in corals and seaweed, which will attract marine life. The effort is an attempt to diversify the city’s tourism beyond amusement parks and surf. It is expected to inject more than 30 million Australian dollars into the local economy in its first 10 years, according to the city. Smaller civic spaces geared toward their communities are also experiencing a moment. Found on most major beaches, the shore patrol pavilions known as Surf Life Saving Clubs were once overlooked as utilitarian buildings full of gear like surfboards and boats with maybe a club room or bar. Now, they are highly sought after by developers and architects who are turning them into multifaceted community meeting points. Roger Wood, an architect in Melbourne who grew up along Victoria’s coastline, sees the trend as a more thoughtful approach to coastal development. “There is a groundswell toward our coastline, and getting out of the big cities,” Mr. Wood said. “Plenty of the people have come to regional areas during the pandemic and have remained, so suddenly these little buildings on our beaches have become important pieces of leisure and community infrastructure.” In 2019, Mr. Wood’s architecture firm redeveloped a Surf Life Saving Club in the popular Victorian coastal town Ocean Grove into a modern timber and glass club with a striking design that makes the two-story building appear to be partly sunken into a nearby sand dune. Inside is a mix of functional and social spaces including a cafe and bar that spills outside in the warmer months. “It’s now more of a community hub than a traditional lifesaving venue,” Mr. Wood said. The development model is being used around the country, with further lifesaving clubs, communal promenades and pavilions slated for redevelopment. Both types of commercial projects — from the smaller, more community-oriented to the tourist draws — are likely to play a part in the recovery of Australia’s “blue economy,” which is worth 70 billion to 100 billion Australian dollars a year, generated from ocean industries ranging from fishing to tourism. In Australia, the tourism industry has spent the better part of two years in hibernation with international tourists discouraged from traveling during the 2019-2020 bush fire season and then all but barred from entering because of the pandemic. To drive a recovery, tourism operators and developers will continue to create coastal attractions and developments that are both attractive and environmentally sustainable. Broadly speaking, coastal developments have improved in Australia as the commercial real estate industry works more closely with other sectors such as the science community, said Dr. Beth Fulton, senior principal research scientist at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Australia’s national science agency. “In the last decade, there has been more cross-collaboration, which means we are heading in the right direction from a development perspective,” she said. Intelligent development needs to continue because “these are the places that’ll experience a lot of change in the coming decades due to climate change,” she said. “We still have so much to learn from our oceans.” It’s a sentiment shared by the team at the Busselton Jetty as they prepare for the installation of their whale-shaped underwater discovery center. “From the outset, we wanted to do it the right away,” said Ms. Shreeve. “It may be partly about entertainment, but we’re also equally about educating and doing work for our ocean and marine life.” Source link Orbem News #Australians #Coast #development #Migrate

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footyplusau · 7 years

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The best – and the rest – of 2016 AFL trades

Rating the wisdom or otherwise of an AFL club’s recruiting decisions has never been an easy task, and one growing more complicated by the season.

Even when it came to players picked up on AFL national draft day, how long was sufficient enough time to pass judgment on a player’s worth against the selection with which he’d been taken?

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Melbourne pays tribute to Lou Richards

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FootyFix: Can Tiges arrest the decline?

Rohan Connolly previews all the footy action ahead of round 9 in the AFL.

Melbourne pays tribute to Lou Richards

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Melbourne pays tribute to Lou Richards

The AFL Legend’s grandson Ned Morrison gives a heartfelt tribute to the Collingwood great. Vision courtesy Seven News Melbourne.

AFL legend Lou Richards tribute

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AFL legend Lou Richards tribute

The 94-year-old died at a Melbourne nursing home on May 8, after a long and celebrated career as a footballer and media figure. Vision courtesy Seven News.

Harley Bennell hit with fine

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Harley Bennell hit with fine

The Fremantle Football Club has hit troubled star Harley Bennell with a big fine in the fallout over bizarre off-field behaviour. Vision: Nine News perth

What is a seminoma?

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What is a seminoma?

About 800 Australian men are diagnosed with a form of testicular cancer every year, including Melbourne forward Jesse Hogan.

‘Full recovery’ expected for Jesse Hogan

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‘Full recovery’ expected for Jesse Hogan

The Melbourne forward has been diagnosed with testicular cancer, but Melbourne Football Club general manager Josh Mahoney says the 22-year-old won’t be off the field for long.

Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan diagnosed with cancer

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Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan diagnosed with …

Melbourne’s Jesse Hogan diagnosed with cancer

Weeks after Hogan’s father died of cancer, the star 22-year-old forward has been diagnosed with testicular cancer.

FootyFix: Can Tiges arrest the decline?

Rohan Connolly previews all the footy action ahead of round 9 in the AFL.

That business is even harder now given the advent of the trading of picks, exchanges involving future picks and bids on players from football academies, plus the advent of free agency and the capacity to also list delisted free agents.

One constant in the ever-changing player marketplace, though, remains the instant gratification delivered via the trade table. While what’s been given up to acquire a player may remain the subject of vigorous debate, supporters are better placed to give a thumbs up or down on those brought into their club with whose names they are already familiar.

Toby Nankervis has been a revelation for the Tigers. Photo: Eddie Jim

Nearly 40 established AFL players changed clubs last trade period. Some, like former champion Hawthorn pair Sam Mitchell and Jordan Lewis in a blaze of publicity, others, such as former GWS second-round draft pick Pat McKenna, who headed to Melbourne, barely raising a flicker of recognition.

Approaching the halfway mark of the season, who among that group have been the hits, and who, for whatever reasons, the misses? Which clubs have got it right or wrong thus far?

Hawthorn took an enormous gamble letting veterans Mitchell and Lewis go, a move many still question.

For all the ripples, the Hawks in 2017 still have a gun midfielder called Mitchell leading the way. Just one with a different Christian name.

Tom Mitchell has fitted right in with the Hawks. Photo: Getty Images

The former Swan Tom Mitchell has clearly been the pick of the trade-ins to date, his average 34.1 disposals a game ranking him No.1 in the AFL among the ball-winners, ranked sixth in the competition for contested possession and tackles, seventh for uncontested possession.

Mitchell has had fewer than 30 disposals in just one of his eight games, and he still managed to pick up 27 in that one. The delivery still may not be quite as crisp as that of his namesake, but no-one could argue that the former Sydney midfielder hasn’t done all that’s been asked and then some.

New Magpie Chris Mayne has so far offered little return on a $500,00-a-year deal. Photo: Getty Images

His new Hawk teammate Jaeger O’Meara was winning enough of the ball early without necessarily having much impact. But a knee injury has kept the former Sun star out of all but one of the past five games, and he doesn’t look like returning soon.

Hawthorn, via Mitchell, can at least claim some success on the trade front. Which might be more than their opponent on Saturday.

The Magpies brought in Daniel Wells, Chris Mayne, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Lynden Dunn to the mix for 2017. Out of a possible 32 collective games, that quartet have played a total of 17, with Hoskin-Elliott the only one to play more than three.

He was handy in round two with three goals against Richmond, but has been patchy since. Wells’ silky disposal has given the Pies what they lack, but it’s only been available in three games due to a pre-season calf injury. Dunn was handy against Geelong’s Tom Hawkins but hadn’t been picked prior to that round six clash.

Mayne, meanwhile, continues to ruffle Pie fans’ feathers with little return on a $500,000-a-year salary. Mayne made Collingwood’s round one team only as a late inclusion, did little in the next two games before being dropped, and has been only fair in four games in the reserves.

The two West Australian clubs have done well out of Hawthorn, Mitchell for West Coast, and another premiership Hawk in Brad Hill beginning to look very ominous for Fremantle. But some of the best performers on the trade front have been those without the bigger reputations, Richmond’s trio of trade recruits underlining that.

While one of the biggest names in last year’s trades, Brett Deledio, left the Tigers for GWS but is still yet to play a game after a pre-season calf injury, three more tradees – Dion Prestia, Josh Caddy and Toby Nankervis – arrived at Punt Road.

It was the first pair which had clearly the bigger reputations, but while Caddy has battled poor form and Prestia had only middling form before injuring a hamstring, ruckman Nankervis has been a revelation.

With only a dozen AFL games to his name, Nankervis has given the Tigers real big-man presence, aggressive at the ruck contest and around the ground, competitive even against the likes of Sam Jacobs and Aaron Sandilands.

And three more “middling” trades in terms of profile but unmitigated successes must surely be Zach Tuohy at Geelong, Jack Steele at St Kilda and Carlton’s Caleb Marchbank.

The Irishman Tuohy has provided the Cats with a ton of drive from half-back, his average 26 disposals easily the best figure of his seven-year career. Steele, another Giant squeezed out by a glut of talent, is equal sixth in the AFL for tackles. And Marchbank looks a definite long-term bet for the Blues in a key defence post, where he’s played smart football. He’s particularly good on the intercept.

Marchbank seems destined to become a big name. Those who already were when they were traded last summer are mostly the subject of “ifs” or “buts” – for Deledio and Travis Cloke, now at the Bulldogs, those “ifs” relate to injury, and for Melbourne’s Jordan Lewis, whose form has been sound in the games he has played, the considerable “but” a costly three-game suspension.

Those fortunes could still change for the better, with Cloke back on deck for the Dogs on Friday night after missing a month with broken ribs, Deledio having set his sights on a round 14 debut with the Giants.

Their football will need to be outstanding over the back end of the season, however, for the ledger in those clubs’ supporters’ minds to be better balanced between expectation and reality. The trade table is still the one source of recruiting in which the thumbs up or down is, by comparison, a relatively straightforward call.

ROHAN CONNOLLY’S PICK OF THE TRADE CROP

1. Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn)

2. Zach Tuohy (Geelong)

3. Caleb Marchbank (Carlton)

4. Brad Hill (Fremantle)

5. Jack Steele (St Kilda)

6. Toby Nankervis (Richmond)

7. Sam Mitchell (West Coast)

8. Nathan Hrovat (North Melbourne)

9. Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast)

10. Joel Hamling (Fremantle)

THE TRADE-INS

ADELAIDE: nil.

BRISBANE LIONS: Jack Frost (Collingwood).

CARLTON: Billie Smedts (Geelong), Caleb Marchbank (GWS), Jarrod Pickett (GWS), Rhys Palmer (GWS).

COLLINGWOOD: Daniel Wells (North Melbourne), Chris Mayne (Fremantle), Will Hoskin-Elliott (GWS), Lynden Dunn (Melbourne).

ESSENDON: James Stewart (GWS).

FREMANTLE: Cam McCarthy (GWS), Joel Hamling (Western Bulldogs), Bradley Hill (Hawthorn), Shane Kersten (Geelong).

GEELONG: Zach Tuohy (Carlton), Aaron Black (North Melbourne).

GOLD COAST: Pearce Hanley (Brisbane Lions), Jarrod Witts (Collingwood), Jarryd Lyons (Adelaide).

GWS: Brett Deledio (Richmond).

HAWTHORN: Tom Mitchell (Sydney), Jaeger O’Meara (Gold Coast).

MELBOURNE: Jordan Lewis (Hawthorn), Michael Hibberd (Essendon), Pat McKenna (GWS).

NORTH MELBOURNE: Paul Ahern (GWS), Nathan Hrovat (Western Bulldogs), Marley Williams (Collingwood).

PORT ADELAIDE: nil.

RICHMOND: Dion Prestia (Gold Coast), Toby Nankervis (Sydney), Josh Caddy (Geelong).

SYDNEY: nil.

ST KILDA: Jack Steele (GWS), Nathan Brown (Collingwood), Koby Stevens (St Kilda).

WEST COAST: Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn), Nathan Vardy (Geelong).

WESTERN BULLDOGS: Travis Cloke (Collingwood).

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footyplusau · 7 years

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Sliding Doors: round seven

If Joel Selwood wants to express a little bit of anger and frustration …

you have a look at the AFL goalkicking records …

then … you’ll notice that on Saturday at Blundstone Arena, Eddie Betts will almost certainly become just the 55th person to boot 500 big ones. Will be top 30 by the time he’s finished.

you’ve missed a lot of footy in the previous two seasons …

then … a quad complaint six games in to 2017 is far from ideal. Hoping Beams can manage this latest setback.

you can ignore the rainy forecast …

then … there’s no reason for a Blues supporter not to be at the MCG this Saturday. The most traditional footy timeslot. The most traditional rival. Get there.

there’s one AFL thing for which we have a soft spot …

then … it’s a naturally inclined bad boy making good. De Goey gets his chance on Saturday at the MCG.

you’re Jobe Watson and you’re being rested for a match in Perth after just six games of the season …

then … we’d suggest the best form of pick-me-up would be to travel with the team anyway, grab a convertible at the Avis desk and head down the highway to Margaret River for 24, maybe 48 hours of wining, dining, swimming.

Jobe Watson needs a few days at Margaret River to lift his spirits. Picture: AFL Photos

If Cam McCarthy can produce such solid form after 18 months of personal upheaval and no footy … then … we can only imagine how good he will be this time next year. And the year after.

If Joel Selwood wants to express a little bit of anger and frustration after a well-below par performance … then … so be it. He’s wired to hate being beaten personally, wired even tighter to hate being part of a losing team. In a world of image conscious robots, we loved the realness of last Sunday.

If May, Swallow and Kolodjashnij are back in … then … the Suns are a chance at home against the Cats, despite the odds. Now they just need Thompson and Hanley.

If Greene and Haynes are big outs for tonight’s match … then … Coniglio and Davis are equally big as the ins. Extraordinary, never-before-seen, AFL team depth.

The Coniglio/Kelly show is back for the Giants this Friday night. Picture: AFL Photos

If there’s a game we’re really looking forward to in round seven … then … it’s this club’s clash against Jordan Lewis’ Dees. Sledging will be taken to Steve Waugh levels. Hope those on-ground mikes are carrying fresh batteries.

If Petracca maintains his form and Hogan regains his … then … look out Hawks. If that happens, the catastrophic change WILL occur next week.

If the Roos get within seven goals of the Crows … then … that’s a pass this weekend.

the Power are to return to their 2014 highs …

then … they will need to do a number at home on the Eagles. With Boak back in, we reckon they will.

With Travis Boak their enforcer back, the Power could hurt the Eagles. Picture: AFL Photos

If you want us to ignore last week’s post-first quarter output of five scoring shots to 30 against the Crows … then … you’ll need to be competitive for a whole lot longer this week against the Dogs. Come on, we nearly waved the credit card over the paypass machine to buy a ticket on the bandwagon.

there was a more perfect stage for Jack Steele to properly introduce himself to St Kilda life …

then … we can’t think of it. Loving the way he’s going about matters in his short time at his new club. Tonight, Friday night footy, against his old team, he will be crucial if the Saints are to win.

If we had a certainty last week … then … it was the Swans to beat Carlton. Ouch. And our learning out of that loss is that they’re no certainties this week either, despite the Winx-like odds bookies are putting up.

Nic Nat can get himself back by round 21 …

then we’ll abandon our harsh views of the ‘Flat Trackers’ and rank them a serious flag threat in a season which is clearly there for the taking for the team which gets things right at the right time.

Could we see this pair dominating for the Eagles come finals? Picture: AFL Photos

If it was good enough for Eddie to get the Magpies into Versace suits back in the early 2000s … then … it is more than OK for Peter Gordon to deliver Mercedes to the Dogs in 2017. The official RIP of VFL/AFL stereotypes..

And by popular request …

you keep creating game rules and interpretations to patch up other rules and interpretations which were introduced to cover other rules and interpretations …

then … it’s inevitable you’ll get mass confusion and frustration from players and fans. It actually doesn’t have to be this mind-bogglingly baffling on a game-by-game basis.

AFL Exchange, bite-sized: Is it time for a ‘last possession’ rule?

In this extract from round seven’s podcast, Essendon’s James Kelly joins Matt Thompson and Peter Ryan to discuss whether it’s time to bring in the ‘last possession’ rule.

Listen on: You can click here to find the full AFL Exchange podcast or subscribe via iTunes

Want more?

• Your views on the ‘last touch’ rule

• Friday quiz: How are Richmond’s two Ivans connected?

Follow Damian Barrett on Twitter: @barrettdamian

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Big loss won’t shake Bolton

JLT: Blues full post-match Watch the full Blues post match press conference

CARLTON coach Brendon Bolton has called for perspective after Saturday’s thrashing at the hands of St Kilda and says he holds no doubts about the path the club is on.

The Blues fielded a significantly weakened team at Ikon Park, choosing to rest top-line players Marc Murphy, Bryce Gibbs, Kade Simpson and Sam Docherty, and fielding seven players without AFL experience.

The result was a 92-point thrashing, with Carlton uncompetitive after quarter-time and kicking just 1.2 in the second half to remain winless in the JLT Community Series.

Click here for full match details and stats

“There’s two things we need to appreciate, one is the perspective of what we did there in terms of our selection,” Bolton said.

“But also an understanding that we will always set high standards internally and celebrate the little parts we liked, but we will also challenge the areas that need to be challenged.

“It’s the long-term decision versus the short-term decision … for our youngsters to grow, they get an appreciation of what it takes. JLT is a really good opportunity to do that.”

Carlton has been aggressively rebuilding under Bolton and list manager Stephen Silvagni, adding another 12 players to its list in the 2016 draft and exchange periods.

The coach was not concerned about the path taken and said the club had chosen the best long-term option by giving young players opportunities in the pre-season.

“We’ve got some young talent out there who hadn’t played the game, and we can be blinded by it all,” he said.

“For them to get better, we need to expose them to develop them. Within that, we will challenge (the things) they need to improve on.

“We’ll be asking a bit of our group. We’re going to stiffen our side up in the last JLT game in WA.”

Bolton said the Blues’ selection plan for the pre-season had been partly dictated by their schedule, with the team travelling to Perth on a six-day break to face Fremantle next Friday night.

The coach expected to get quick improvement on areas of concern, which included the players’ ability to endure opposition pressure for longer.

St Kilda won the tackle count 69-47, despite also controlling possession for long periods, pressing up the ground aggressively to corner their opponents.

There were stars all over the ground for the Saints, with Josh Bruce booting seven goals, and midfielders Jack Steele (25 possessions and two goals) and Jack Billings (30 and five marks) shining.

Stand-in coach Aaron Hamill said Billings could expect to spend more time in the midfield after a standout pre-season that has seen him rotating between a wing and half-forward.

WATCH: Aaron Hamill’s full post-match media conference

“It’s a natural progression for Jack,” Hamill said.

“He’s had an outstanding pre-season and he’s a very driven individual who is used to succeeding and doing well in life.

“His next step is to become an every-time player. It’s on the back of his hard work and willingness to work both ways for us.

“We need him to buy in defensively, that’s been his focus this pre-season, and I think he can play a number of positions.”

Hamill said the Saints would likely welcome back captain Jarryn Geary, champion Nick Riewoldt and defender Dylan Roberton in the final pre-season match against Sydney.

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