Something to celebrate: FLM is 10

Something to celebrate

Story by Esther Thorn. On a recent trip back to Willunga, as our red-dust covered four-wheel drive rattled past shiny new wineries on Main Road, I was overcome with the feeling that I wanted to live in this picturesque little town.

The emotion took me by surprise because, over the two years we’ve been living in the outback, I’ve continued to think of Willunga as ‘home’. The feeling was akin to the sense of loneliness I sometimes feel when I realise my children are growing up right before my eyes. And in many ways Willunga – and the Fleurieu Peninsula in which it’s nestled – have come of age in the months we’ve been away. When we first moved to the Fleurieu there were vacant shops aplenty, playgrounds were metal ‘jungle-gyms’ with brightly-coloured peeling paint and Myponga was a ‘blink and you’ll miss it’ town on your way somewhere else.

Fleurieu Living Magazine was in its infancy and I remember thumbing through the glossy pages of the latest issue as I stood in line at the supermarket checkout, wishing my name was listed under ‘contributors’.

Soon afterwards, I took a chance and submitted a story, holding my breath as I hit send on the email to the magazine’s Managing Director Petra de Mooy. When Petra wrote back saying she would be happy to publish the piece I was elated; it was the start of an enduring friendship between Petra and myself.

Petra saw possibility in the Fleurieu. She moved to Sellicks Beach from Canada to be with her South Australian-born partner (now husband) Jason Porter. ‘The Fleurieu has a lot to be proud of and we endeavour to celebrate that in FLM,’ Petra tells me. ‘Locals often say they are amazed at how many positive things are going on in the region and we are conscious of focusing on the positive; there are always good stories – we just have to be on the ground to unearth them.’

Side-by-side FLM and the Fleurieu grew, evolved and flourished and a decade on the two are now fully fledged, wings spread and in full flight. Gone are the empty main street shops and house prices are higher in the region than they ever have been. My friends and I gasp over the latest real estate sales figures and I see Facebook posts describing Myponga as ‘the place to be for coffee on Sunday mornings’.

So what has made Fleurieu Living Magazine so successful, at a time when many other publications have failed? ‘We started the magazine when print was going by the wayside, but Jason did some research and found that niche publications were actually the one area of print that was thriving,’ says Petra. ‘We have an embedded and proud following on the peninsula and print aligns with much of what the region is about; a slightly slower approach with a lot of attention to seasonality.’

‘We are constantly humbled by all our advertisers and readers who tell us they enjoy or even love the magazine.’

FLM’s committed readership is in no small part due to Jason’s skills as a graphic designer. He’s the one who is responsible for FLM’s crisp, clean aesthetic. ‘Jason’s helped us develop a style that readers love,’ says Petra. ‘His tenacious insistence on maintaining that quality has been a major reason for the success and continued positive perception of FLM. Over the past ten years, Jason has added to his arsenal of skills by teaching himself to make films – and produce some pretty stunning still images as well.’

A turning point in the magazine’s success was the appointment of Holly Wyatt as Advertising Sales Manager in 2017. ‘Holly immediately helped us to grow our business and brought with her a wealth of local connections and a never-fail mindset that has been the pillar of our business ever since,’ reflects Petra. ‘In addition to her bright personality she has also brought a boatload of creativity, and over the years she has helped us form some of our best content.’

For Holly, it’s been an honour to help shine the spotlight on all that the Fleurieu has to offer. ‘There is a resounding sense of pride on the Fleurieu,’ she says. ‘And there’s so much to be proud of; fine food and wine, coffee holes that cultivate a nurturing and vibrant community, entrepreneurs, broad-thinkers, and a blossoming of dynamic businesses.’

Oliver’s Taranga winery was one of the first businesses to advertise with FLM. ‘We had a small print budget at the time and there was this new local magazine that had just started out and I just felt it was a good fit,’ says the company’s Marketing Manager Nicky Connolly. ‘FLM has become so much more though than a local magazine. It’s like a stone on a string – a centrifugal force drawing everything that’s amazing about the Fleurieu together.’ Oliver’s Taranga has been a key advertiser in FLM ever since. ‘For us it’s about partnerships and connections and community,’ says Nicky. ‘When we undertook a recent renovation, we used local businesses and tradies wherever possible and many of them we found through the magazine. There are very solid connections here on the Fleurieu and FLM has been instrumental in creating them.’

Creating and strengthening those connections is what Holly is most passionate about.‘I revel in joining the dots between those that I meet,’ she says. ‘The FLM launch parties are testament to the strength of those connections. Sharing local food and wine with our contributors and subjects each issue is a welcome celebration.’

For FLM’s owners Petra and Jason, every newly printed issue of FLM is a miracle. ‘We are constantly humbled by all our advertisers and readers who tell us they enjoy or even love the magazine,’ says Petra. ‘That’s why we keep doing what we do; so we can keep the magazine going strong for them for many more years to come.’

Dog’s business

Here at FLM, we unashamedly love dogs. And we love bringing them to work; it’s good for the soul, both human and canine alike. Here’s cheers to our loyal Fleurieu pooches.

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