Latest news with #JamesStirling
Perth Now
15 hours ago
- Business
- Perth Now
One of WA's oldest grand residences hits market
HOUSE THAT takes an exclusive tour with the owner of an 1800's iconic heritage homes for sale in York, see inside the opulent ball, wall to floor library plus the secluded secret garden. An important part of WA history has hit the market with the listing of one of the State's oldest grand residences — Faversham House in York. Construction began an incredible 189 years ago in 1836, at a time when Governor James Stirling was in charge of the Swan River Colony. Further afield, it was the year Oliver Twist was penned, when the Battle of Alamo took place and when King William IV reigned supreme. If the walls could talk, they would speak of the pioneer families, recuperating soldiers, refugees, and of the more recent wedding parties and tourists. Owner Eden Munro said the family had lovingly restored the grand old dame which they bought in 2022 to run as a bed and breakfast. But after a death in the family, plans had changed, and they were now selling it as a private residence, albeit with permission to continue operating it as accommodation. 'We have some guests here who are enjoying the log-fire right now,' he said. Faversham House is listed for only $2.5 million. Credit: / There is clearly no shortage of superlatives when describing the historic property, which is the grandest estate in WA's oldest inland town, built by one of the richest men on the era. But now another superlative is in the mix, with 'craziest price' coming to mind, following its listing for only $2.5 million. The bargain price includes some of the antique furniture and period fittings, including marble fireplaces. Listed through Alan Bourke real estate, the home has 15 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms with a total of 1302sqm of indoor and verandah space, set on a massive 1.72 hectare block. It also has a drawing room, a formal dining hall, a ballroom, a billiard room, a wine cellar and a library. It is located at 24 Grey Street in York. Credit: / The home has 15 bedrooms. Credit: / Historic records show the estate was built by John Henry Monger — who became one of the richest men in WA at the time — partly through the saw mill he operated in the area now known as Lake Monger. He walked 100km to York to seek new opportunities. The commencement of the basement trails only a few years behind Patrick Taylor Cottage in Albany, built in 1832, which is the oldest surviving dwelling in WA. Faversham was developed from 1850 with the help of convict labour. It was an integral part of the war effort in 1941, accommodating recuperating soldiers. By 1945 it was used to house refugees escaping from the war.
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Unanimous support from Calgary council for rezoning despite creosote concerns
Calgary city council voted unanimously to rezone a vacant site in the city's northwest, despite concerns from some residents in the area about the environmental impact of potential creosote contamination. Creosote is a chemical that's used as a wood preservative, and is considered a probable carcinogen in Canada. The land use amendment up for debate is a proposal from Anthem Properties to build three apartment buildings, providing more than 250 housing units, at 1706 Westmount Boulevard N.W. in Calgary's Hillhurst neighbourhood. CBC Calgary was headquartered at the site for nearly six decades up until 2017. After the CBC relocated, its former headquarters were demolished. But the land is in an area that's historically been affected by residual creosote contamination, stemming from a former Canada Creosote company site that used to stand across the Bow River. Developers behind the proposal faced questions from council, spurred by some local opposition, about its plans to mitigate the creosote. The plant closed in 1962 after 38 years of operation, but over time, creosote leached under the Bow River and into nearby communities, including Hillhurst. The contaminated soil was walled off in the 1990s, but has proven extremely difficult to clean up in the ensuing decades. Opposition from residents like James Stirling, a petroleum engineer who lives north of the site, raised questions about whether enough care was placed on the environmental assessment of the land and the proposed development's mitigation plan. "We don't think the risk management accounts for the risks associated with venting creosote-related components into the atmosphere," Stirling said. Alberta Environment has accepted the risk management plan for the project, which includes monitoring the site's construction for issues related to creosote contamination. Stirling said he's been frustrated at a lack of communication from the city and province in response to his attempts to reach out about environmental concerns around the development. But developers argue the project won't dig deep enough to disturb the soil and risk the community's health. After debate surrounding the issue began at Tuesday's city council meeting, councillors continued to discuss the matter on Wednesday, where council voted 14-0 in approval. Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian said she supported the development because she's confident appropriate monitoring systems are in place to assess the development's environment impact. "I think there are different tolerances for risk and risk management, and I can appreciate why members of the community might have absolutely zero risk tolerance, but I do think that we have good regulations set out to manage different concerns, and it seems like all of those have been met," said Mian. Opposition to the development from residents expressed various other concerns including increased traffic, the development's height shadowing other buildings and changes to nearby intersections.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Forget endless sit-ups – here's how you build a solid core with just your bodyweight, says a personal trainer
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Sit-ups are the exercise we probably all first came across in regard to strengthening our midsection muscles. And while they aren't completely useless – as they do target lots of the core's key muscles – they are a tad boring and not the easiest. Luckily, there are plenty of other brilliant bodyweight exercises that are highly effective for building a rock-solid core, which Personal Trainer, James Stirling, has shared. Even better, it doesn't include crunches or the plank either. Can you build a stronger core using just your bodyweight? Absolutely. Just like bodyweight training can build strength and muscle, it works for your core too. The key is progressive overload. Again, that doesn't mean you have to start incorporating weights; you could simply perform the exercise for a few seconds longer, slow it down, or reduce your rest time between sets. By increasing the intensity, your core muscles are constantly being challenged, encouraging growth, endurance, and stability over time. Hollow hold – 30s Back extension – 30s Leg lifts – 30s Shoulder taps – 30s Copenhagen plank – 20s each side If you enjoyed this core number, then why not try this five-move Pilates workout next? Pilates is renowned for its controlled movements that target the deep core muscles to help enhance stability and alignment. Plus, it'll only take you 15 minutes. Alternatively, for those who struggle with floor-based exercises – or if you simply want a break from them – then this upright core workout will freshen up your usual routine while still delivering a solid burn to your abs, obliques, and lower back.
West Australian
6 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Painting of Governor James Stirling and Prinsep Family archive sell at auction for eye-watering sum
Following an intense five-minute bidding war for a painting of WA's first Governor, gasps and applause broke out when the hammer finally slammed down on an eye-watering sum. The portrait of Admiral James Stirling, painted in the 1830s, last sold in 2013 for $77,000, but on Sunday that price was blown out of the water. It was the marquee piece among 236 lots on offer at the auction by Artvisory of David and Marie Louise Wordsworth's private collection of historical treasures. Two anonymous bidders - one on the phone and one on the internet - battled it out to be the new owner of the painting which ultimately sold for $110,000. Mr Wordsworth was a politician in WA's Court government in the 1970s and 80s. He and, particularly his wife Marie, were keen historians and collected furniture and documents they considered important to the State. Other pieces in the collection that drew eyewatering bids included an octant and watch owned by explorer Alexander Forrest that sold for $18,000 and $28,000, respectively. A bidding war also broke out for an auction lot labelled the Prinsep Family Archive, by two in-person collectors for the 3000 documents, paintings, photographs and sketches owned by the family. Ultimately, this historical collection went for $100,000 to a woman who said she was bidding on behalf of an 'institution'. The Prinseps were an early colonial family with connections to the formidable Dutch East India Company, who owned swathes of land in Bunbury and Dardanup in the 1800s. Seven ink drawings by Henry Prinsep sold for $44,000 to the same collector. Other memorable bids include documents belonging to pioneer Captain John Thomas that sold for $18,000, two portraits of an Indigenous man and woman that both sold for $14,000, a collection of watercolour botanical studies by Stan Kelly that sold for $42,000. Mr Wordsworth died last year and the family sold their Peppermint Grove property which left the collection without a home. His daughter, Sara, who helped collate the collection for auction, said last week she hoped West Australians who valued the history of the State would purchase the items.
Tom's Guide
20-05-2025
- Health
- Tom's Guide
I tried this 30-minute no-equipment core workout — here's what happened to my abs
I recently finished a marathon training block and, as much as I'm enjoying the extra time in my week, I feel a bit lost without the hours I got so used to spending training. So for now, I've decided to channel my energy (which I'm still building back) into smaller challenges before I sign up for my next challenge, and today that came in the form of a five-move core building workout. It mostly appealed to me because it only takes 30 minutes, which isn't long enough to come up with any excuses, and it doesn't require any equipment, so I didn't have to drag myself to the gym. Is it just me, or does working out inside a stuffy gym completely lose its appeal when the weather's good? Although it's free from weights or machines, I'd still recommend laying down one of the best yoga mats to cushion your back. I get an achy tailbone if I don't have any padding during ab workouts. And if you loathe floor-based core moves altogether, you might prefer a standing alternative like this 10-minute standing abs workout. If not, here's what this mat based routine involves from online trainer James Stirling, aka the London Fitness Guy. A post shared by James Stirling - HOME WORKOUTS 💪🏻 (@london_fitness_guy) A photo posted by on The aim of the game with this workout is to complete five (yes, five) rounds of five exercises. You work for up to 30 seconds on each move, rest for 30 seconds between exercises, and take a one-minute break between rounds. You'll definitely want to make the most of that minute to help you get through to the end. I have fairly average core strength and found some parts of Stirling's routine more challenging than others. I'd say it's suitable for most fitness levels, but total beginners may struggle to hold moves like the hollow hold and Copenhagen plank for the full duration in the later rounds. If you feel your core giving out early or around the halfway mark, it's completely fine to increase the rest periods or shorten the work intervals. After giving the workout a go, here are my main takeaways. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. If you don't look like Coach Stirling when you drop into that first hollow hold, don't let it dishearten you. I'm saying this now rather than further down because it's easy to compare yourself to the trainer right from the start and forget that he's been training for years. The video only shows a quick demo of each move, so you don't see the breaks, the effort, or any slip-ups that might happen off camera. As long as you're doing your best to follow proper form and pushing yourself to complete each exercise, you're on the right track to building strength and definition in your abs and core muscles. While Stirling has recorded himself demonstrating each exercise, there aren't any audio cues, so it's up to you to keep track of the timing. I set timers on my Garmin watch for each exercise and just checked the watch face during the rest periods. I plan on using this routine again, and when I do, I'll build my own activity of the workout on my Garmin Fenix 7S to make following the workout smoother. That way, I can add each step with its duration, and my watch will buzz when it's time to move on, saving me from setting timers as I go. If you're looking for a watch to track your workouts, we can recommend the best fitness trackers to you or the best Garmin watches. When your core starts to burn — which it certainly did for me around round three — it's tempting to rush through the moves just to get them over with. But all that does is sacrifice your form and reduce the potential benefits. This workout isn't rep based, it's time based, so speeding up doesn't get you out of the work. You still have to stick it out until the timer runs down. Take a cue from Stirling in his demonstrations. His movements are slow and controlled, not fast or erratic. That kind of control, paired with exercises that include extended holds, is what really challenges your muscles and helps build strength. You'll feel this routine working all around your core, not just in your abs. Some moves focus more on the front of your body, while others challenge your sides, back and even your hips. For example, I really felt the hollow hold deep in my core, while the Copenhagen plank lit up my inner thighs and midsection. The shoulder taps added some stability work too, especially through the obliques. It's only a handful of moves, but trust me, they pack a punch. Stick with this style of core training on a regular basis, and you'll notice your core feeling stronger and more switched on in no time.
