Jocelyn Magazine

17/12/2025

*New on Jocelyn Magazine: Oaks Hotels & Resorts — what to expect before you book*

If you’ve ever wondered what Oaks Hotels & Resorts are really like — who they suit best, how they compare to traditional hotels, and why they work so well for relaxed, longer stays — I’ve just published a new introductory guide.

It’s the starting point for a series of upcoming Oaks reviews, beginning with Oaks Port Douglas, where I stayed recently, and continuing with more stays over the coming months.

Think space to breathe, good locations, and accommodation that lets you travel at a comfortable pace — without the fuss.

👉 Pop over to Jocelyn Magazine to read the full guide and see if Oaks might suit your style of travel. https://jocelynwatts.com/oaks-hotels-resorts/

Thinking about staying at Oaks Hotels & Resorts? Here’s a clear, practical guide to the brand, locations, amenities and who Oaks stays suit best.

15/12/2025

07/12/2025

Why Strength and Cardio Matter More As We Age

I was recently surprised when someone asked why we need both strength and cardiovascular training as we get older. Walking should be enough, right? It’s a common question — and an important one. Staying active isn’t just about keeping fit; it’s about protecting our bones, supporting balance, boosting energy and keeping everyday life feeling easy and doable.

In fact, strength and cardio work together like a perfectly balanced duo. One keeps your muscles and bones strong, the other keeps your heart and lungs happy — and together they help us stay confident, mobile and full of vitality as the years roll on.

I’ve written an easy-to-read guide that explains exactly why the combination matters, plus how to start gently at home.

👉 Pop over to Jocelyn Magazine to read the full article:
https://jocelynwatts.com/strength-and-cardio-matter/

Discover why strength and cardio matter for staying fit, steady and energised as we age. Simple, doable tips for healthy ageing.

30/11/2025

🌞 11 Thirst-Quenching Summer Foods the CSIRO Would Approve

Feeling the heat? These fresh, hydrating summer foods will help you stay cool, energised and on track with CSIRO-style eating — from juicy watermelon to crisp cucumber and everything in between. Perfect for those long Queensland days when the sun refuses to take a break.

If you’re looking for simple ways to boost your hydration and feel good all day, this one’s for you.

https://jocelynwatts.com/thirst-quenching-summer-foods/

For more lifestyle tips, head over to jocelynmagazine.com

Stay cool with 11 thirst-quenching summer foods the CSIRO would approve. Fresh, hydrating and healthy ideas to boost energy and beat the heat.

29/11/2025

A speedy reel from last night’s exhibitions — art, people, nibbles and a few dogs stealing the show (on paper, at least).
👉 More lifestyle, travel and home inspiration at jocelynmagazine.com

29/11/2025

What a night at Hervey Bay Regional Gallery! Three new exhibitions opened last night, and the place was buzzing — artists chatting with visitors and a lovely sense of creativity wrapping around the whole space.

The line-up is a beauty to close out the year: Six Dogs by Alywarr artist Dion Beasley, Appearing by Brisbane artist Tyza Hart, and the eco-minded collaborative project Weeds to Paper, led by locally born papermaker Zela Bissett, alongside Butchulla Traditional Custodians and forest rehabilitation volunteers.

Dion’s exhibition is his first here since moving to Hervey Bay, and it’s full of charm — drawings of camp dogs, families and streetscapes that feel cheeky, warm and wonderfully alive. Knowing he’s achieved all this while living with muscular dystrophy and being profoundly deaf gives his work an extra layer of awe.

Tyza’s Appearing is bold and intimate — paintings, ceramics and textile forms that dig into what it actually feels like to live inside a body. Visitors lingered in that space for ages, drawn in by the honesty and emotional pull of the work.

And then there’s Weeds to Paper — a project that completely steals your heart. What started as pest plants and waste fibres has become handmade paper, vessels, bowls, collages and sculptural forms. The process itself is beautiful: chopping, cooking, blending, couching — turning something unwanted into something extraordinary.

Artist Jill Byrnes said it perfectly: “Concern for the well-being of our environment/Gaia led me to be involved in the Weeds to Paper project. The fact that this handmade paper is manufactured from environmental weeds, as well as the textures and patterns, inspired me to express themes of renewal, growth, and hope in my pieces in this exhibition.”

It’s this mix of creativity, care for Country and pure experimentation that makes the project feel so alive.

If you’re in or around Hervey Bay over summer, pop in. The exhibitions are free, open now, and running until 15 February.

See what caught my eye last night 👉

Like this? Give this page a Like and visit Jocelyn Magazine for more relaxed lifestyle, travel and home inspiration: https://jocelynmagazine.com

20/11/2025

Kindle bargains for biography lovers — 70% off!

If you love a good life story, Amazon Australia has dropped a cracking deal: 10 Biographies & Memoirs are now 70% off on Kindle. Perfect excuse to curl up with something juicy.

Top of the list is Entitled, the Sunday Times bestseller unpacking the full story behind Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson’s spectacular fall from grace — dubbed “the most devastating royal biography ever written”.

Click here 👉 https://amzn.to/49OJqOn

2. Gwyneth: The Sensational New Biography Everyone's Talking About... https://amzn.to/48oURuF
3. We Are the Stars: A misfit's story of love, connection and the glorious power of letting go... https://amzn.to/4ii4X4c
4. Hawke PM: The making of a legend... https://amzn.to/43JaeeW
5. The Good Daughter: A memoir of losing my father and finding home... https://amzn.to/3XFYpmd
6. Australian Ghost Stories: New haunting true crime stories of the supernatural and paranormal... https://amzn.to/47V3Fs8
7. Boogie Wonderland... https://amzn.to/3LXa3qa
8. Once Upon a Time: The Captivating Life of Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy... https://amzn.to/4iiawQ6
9. In Pieces (Sally Field)... https://amzn.to/3LSVGmQ
10. My Next Breath (Jeremy Renner)... https://amzn.to/4r64yWh

And, not forgetting Paris Ink: Australians Reflect on the City of Light, an anthology of short travel stories by Moi and six other writers... https://amzn.to/48oVKU1

Happy reading!

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16/11/2025

A lunch worth bragging about

Stopped in at the Miners Arms Hotel in Torbanlea today, a country-style pub that has been serving travellers and locals since the 1800s. The charm is still very much alive.

My lunch was a generous bowl of creamy garlic prawns — 12 beautifully sized prawns on rice, full of flavour and perfectly prepared. Enjoyable!

Just a short drive from Hervey Bay or Maryborough, it’s an ideal spot for a relaxed meal, especially on a rainy Sunday like this one.

15/11/2025

Five CSIRO-Style Summer Meals to Beat the Silly Season Bloat

Already sliding into “party leftovers for breakfast” territory? Same. 😅
Here are five light, breezy CSIRO-style meals to help you stay energised (and a little less pudding-shaped) while still enjoying the fun stuff. Very Aussie, very doable, and no kale smoothies in sight.

Read the blog here 👇

https://jocelynwatts.com/csiro-style-summer-meals/

Fresh, easy CSIRO-style summer meals to keep you energised through the silly season. Light, healthy recipes perfect for hot Aussie days. Save for meal inspo!

13/11/2025

Hurry! Oaks Click Frenzy Deal Almost Gone

Oaks Hotels’ Click Frenzy “Main Event” ends tomorrow — save 30% when you book two nights or more between 11 and 14 November, for stays between 11 November 2025 and 11 May 2026.
Think lazy mornings, long lunches and sunset cocktails… your summer break starts here. Conditions apply.

👉 https://tinyurl.com/4wa4hx2e

(Contains affiliate links. We may earn a small bonus.)

13/11/2025

K’gari (Fraser Island) invites you to slow down, listen deeply, and let the island speak. Here’s a glimpse from my recent visit.

👉 Learn more at jocelynwatts.com/walking-country-kgari-cultural-experience/