03-07-2025
When a sea change collides with messy midlife
During Melbourne's lockdowns, Journalist Kate Halfpenny and her husband Chris decided to leave the city for a sea change, to a beautiful town called Ocean Grove on the Bellarine Peninsula.
For the first time in her life, Kate had an empty house, no job commitments and no city life to distract her.
She was able to indulge daily in her love of boogie boarding and surf-side walks with her dog, Maggie.
One day at the beach, Kate saw her elderly father struggling in the surf.
Chris was in the water next to him, but was acting strangely and couldn't manage to haul him out of the dangerous water.
That evening, Chris confessed his alcoholism to Kate and the couple faced the inevitable decisions they would have to navigate, together and apart.
Further information
Boogie Wonderland is published by Affirm Press.
