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EDITOR DEPUTY EDITOR Tiffany Dunk CREATIVE DIRECTOR Joshua Beggs FEATURES News & Features Editor Samantha Trenoweth Acting Features Editor Angus Fontaine Senior Writer Genevieve Gannon FOOD – WOMENSWEEKLYFOOD.COM.AU Food Director Frances Abdallaoui Food Digital Managing Editor Sarah McInerney Digital Content Producer Georgia Moore HEALTH & BEAUTY Health & Beauty Editor Ashleigh Austen Acting Health & Beauty Editor Melody Teh STYLE Style Director Mattie Cronan Market Editor Lilly Veitch DIGITAL – WOMENSWEEKLY.COM.AU Digital Editor Orlaith Costello Senior Content Producer Tia Thomas Social Content Producer Jessica Parker TRAVEL Travel Editor Susan Kurosawa CREATIVE Art Director Madeleine Wright Shoot & Photo Director Jane Vincent COPY Senior Copy Editor Jason Scullin Copy Editor Peter Griffiths REGULAR CONTRIBUTORS Maggie Beer (Food), Georgina Bitcon (Home Hints), Eva-Maria Bobbert (Beauty), Depinder Chhibber (Food), Julie Goodwin (Food), William…

Letter of the month As a lifelong reader, one of my great joys was sitting down to enjoy the September issue – my birthday edition. You can imagine my surprise when reading the editor’s letter and seeing “50, eek!” when referring to her upcoming milestone birthday soiree. Due to my terminal illness, I find myself wondering if I’ll be here to celebrate the next birthday. It saddens me that women are still apologising for turning 50. Tomorrow isn’t promised, and I hope we all consider how important birthdays truly are and celebrate each one knowing we mean the world to our friends and families! O.Vereskic, Melba, ACT Sparkling charisma Sam Neill’s passing saddened me (A man for all seasons, AWW, September). He first came on my radar in My Brilliant…

ENTERTAINMENT My mom Jayne Jayne Mansfield died when her daughter, Mariska Hargitay, was only three years old. Now Mariska’s made a documentary to learn more about her – with surprising revelations. HEALTH Plating up What is the best diet to eat in menopause and beyond? Science has just given us the answer! TRAVEL Julie’s road trip As Julie Goodwin and hubby Mick travel Australia in her grandfather’s caravan, she files an exclusive travel diary for The Weekly. FOLLOW US ON @womensweeklymag @womensweeklymag…

One of Australia Zoo’s longest-serving animal ambassadors, Sapphire, an Eastern Grey kangaroo, has celebrated a milestone 20th birthday. Eastern Grey kangaroos typically live for 10-15 years in the wild, but Sapphire, or “Queen Sapphire” as she is known to keepers, has been charming Australia Zoo visitors since 2006. To celebrate, one of the keepers made Sapphire a special cake with her favourite ingredients: sweet potato, carrot and corn. Sapphire lives in one of the zoo’s interactive enclosures, and plays a big role in inspiring visitors to care for native wildlife. The keepers sang her a very special “Hoppy Birthday to roo”.…

Deb immortalised “I’m overwhelmed with pride to be the first Aboriginal person to receive this honour,” Deborah Mailman said when she was inducted into the Logies Hall of Fame. Madonna on top At 68, Madonna has been nominated for the most awards at the MTV Video Music Awards with 11 nominations. If she sweeps this year’s awards she’ll have 30 VMAs. Call for change Brittany Higgins has backed the call for sexual assault complainants to pre-record their testimony in NSW. Advocates say the current rules cause harm and distress to complainants.…

Royal News Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, escaped Britain’s heatwave at The Snow Centre in Hemel Hempstead as part of her work as patron of a charity supporting wounded service personnel. Jordan’s Queen Rania introduced the world to her twin grand-daughters, Talia and Rania, with Rania named for her grandmother.…

The US Puppet Masters New York has celebrated women in puppetry at the fourth International Puppet Fringe Festival, featuring more than 50 plays and programs including a woman-centred reimagining of the famous Punch and Judy. Republic of Naoero New-ru The Pacific Island nation of Nauru has changed its name to the Republic of Naoero, returning the world’s third smallest nation to its traditional name to more honour its heritage and identity. Liechtenstein Make way for a queen Liechtenstein has changed its succession laws to allow women to ascend to the throne. The current line of succession will remain unaffected, though – Prince Hans-Adam II will be succeeded by his son. Belgium Builders strike gold Construction workers renovating a building belonging to a Belgian charity uncovered nine million euros (about $10m)…

If I wasn’t an author I’d be ... A pastry chef. I love baking. Right now I’m very into chocolate zucchini cake, because it’s the time of year when we have 10,000 zucchinis and this is a delicious way to use them up. You’d be surprised to know I ... Swim a little over a mile every day. Freestyle. I do it first thing in the morning, while listening to audiobooks. I couldn’t live without ... My husband. While I’m swanning around doing interviews like this and writing and promoting my books, he makes my life possible. The book currently on my nightstand is … The Knave and the Moon by Rachel Gillig. It’s an advanced copy and they only printed a handful of those, so I feel very lucky…

When Curtis McGrath AO was deployed to Afghanistan in 2012, where he would be clearing landmines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), his girlfriend, Rachel, had one question: “What are you going to do if you lose your legs?” “I understood what the job was,” she says now as the couple join us for an episode of Acts of Service, a new series from The Australian Women’s Weekly Love Stories podcast. “I was very aware of the dangers. And [Curtis] just said, ‘Oh, I’ll join the Paralympics.’” Curtis’s role was one of the most dangerous for combat engineers. But he felt a sense of responsibility to do it, to help locals in the area move freely. “It was a very dynamic and difficult role,” he says. “But at the same time,…