Queensland Homes Gold Annual 2010

Queensland Homes Gold Annual 2010:
When I sat down to write this foreword, I realised that this will be the first of our magazines to be published in the new decade. It seems like only yesterday that we were eagerly awaiting the countdown to a new century and what we all hoped would be a period of enlightenment where human endeavours would bring peace and harmony to the world and technology would lead us forward and help to create a wonderful new world of opportunity for our children and grandchildren. Unfortunately we've been disappointed and it seems that the more things change, the more they stay the same.

On a global basis you would have to say that the past decade has been horrendous. We're still sending our boys off to distant shores to fight battles that seem to have no military plan for a satisfactory outcome. Earthquakes and tsunami's have wreaked havoc across Asia and the Pacific, causing untold anguish and loss of life. We have experienced the worst financial disaster since the Great Depression, brought about by man's greed, and the word terrorism has now become a daily part of our life.

As we embark on a new decade, I ask you to put global events aside for a moment and think about the personal things in your life to be grateful for - here's some of mine. Ten years ago I knew nothing about the joys of being a grandmother, now I have five grandchildren and they have enriched my life beyond measure and given me hope that one day they may help to shape that bright new world we so eagerly anticipated. I have a loving family who all enjoy good health, including my mother who is still healthy and active in her mid 80s. I have a group of close friends who are always there for me, as I hope I am for them and I go to work every day relishing the close companionship of my co-workers who I also count as friends. There's more - much more that I am grateful for but enough about me.

I would also like to give a special thank you to all of our regular and loyal readers. You've helped make Queensland Homes the number one homemaker magazine in Queensland and the entire team at Graphic Publishing is very grateful for your support. I would dearly love to hear from you, our readers, about what has changed in your life in the past decade and what you're grateful for, so please, don't be shy, email me at rhonda.bannister@graphicpublishing.com.au and let me know a little of what's been happening in your life.

Best wishes to you for the upcoming year.

Rhonda Bannister

IN THIS ISSUE

Houses

78 Out of the Box
100 Cool, Clear Water
118 Singapore Sling
142 Barellan
162 Super Size
182 How Green was my Valley
198 Beaufort Hill
218 Town & Country
230 Better than Ever
248 New & Improved

Features

33 Material Wealth - Fabrics for every mood
282 Interior Designer Profiles
285 Building Industry Profiles