Alex Speed freelance journalist & writer

27/09/2021

Three years ago - and nearly there - so looking forward to seeing Ngununggula open soon

09/01/2020

With our koalas so tragically impacted by these fires around Australia, did you know here in the Southern Highlands, Wingecarribee Shire Council has been working on an initiative for years to help our local koala population? As we hold our breath and hope with every fibre that our local koala community survives this fire crisis, here’s a story we ran in Escape Southern Highlands recently about the great work going on at a local level

They are one of Australia’s most loved native animals, but how many of us have ever actually seen one in the wild? Well look up! A team of researchers and ecologists has discovered there is a world…

09/01/2020

Hats off to Robertson locals Kerstin and Woody for doing such an amazing job during these bushfires caring for our devastated native wildlife and who are now fund raising to help more ... catch a story we ran on them recently in magazine & if you want to donate, they and our animals could desperately do with your help so please help where you can Native Wildlife Rescue www.escapesouthernhighlands.com.au

Generous and dedicated wildlife carers Kerstin and Woody devote their time, money, home and backyard to rehabilitate sick and injured critters. WORDS ALEX SPEED IMAGES ELISE HASSEY Tug the koala is…

04/09/2019

The new issue of Escape Southern Highlands magazine is out now - and here is our new video to promote the new issue. I love it - think it captures the Southern Highlands and life in it so well. Spring has arrived here well & truly. x

20/06/2019

I had the pleasure to interview Annabelle Chauncey, founder of School for Life recently so it is a pleasure to return the favour to her and the thousands of Ugandan children she helps daily by giving what I can x

As Uganda faces a major food crisis, we urgently need to ensure that 1000 of our students and food and clean water for the rest of the school year. Will you Feed a Child now?

06/06/2019

Our new issue of Escape Southern Highlands is out now with this gorgeous fire pit cover shot by Elise Hassey taken at Links House Boutique Hotel .. also check out our new website www.escapesouthernhighlands.com.au to see our first video promoting this new issue - if you're local you'll probably see some familiar faces - if you're not local, get yourself to the Southern Highlands of NSW, Australia this winter - if you love rural, wineries, artists, producers and fabulous people it's a pretty special place x

The winter edition of Escape Southern Highlands will arrive today! It will be distributed this week and next to various drop-off points, including coffee shops, wineries, restaurants and retail shops etc. It is also available from the Visitor's Information Centre, Mittagong, and over 220 NSW newsagencies including the Southern Highlands, and at the Sydney & Canberra airports and Qantas Lounges. Our cover shot is taken at by the very talented photographer . And thank you so much to the amazing team we have who work tirelessly to make it happen , , Bronwyn Reilly and Elly Byrnes. Thank you also to for all things 'arty' in the art pages, Geoff Jansz for the delicious Egg & Ham Breakfast Pie recipe and to the other contributors, and the story providers who help make Escape SH what it is. Great teamwork! It We hope you enjoy it! 🌳

02/06/2019

Back on Malolo Island Resort - all in the name of work as am writing a story but what work! It’s a sublime place ...

31/05/2019

Huge congratulations to Pip and Norm Smith of LoveMerino for winning most influential rural play maker at Country Style Rural awards last night ... Pip and I shared a house together many many years ago straight out of school and it was wonderful to renew our friendship last year while writing their story for Country Style. Well done Pippa Smith and Norm xx

01/03/2019

What an important piece of writing by ABC journalist Louise Milligan .. heartbreaking and harrowing but as a parent, perhaps especially so, vital to read ...

In this extract from Cardinal: The Rise and Fall of George Pell, one boy’s family tell Louise Milligan the cataclysmic effect abuse had on him