celebrity catch-up McLeod’s Daughters reunionREWIND LOOK AT US NOW! It’s been 11 years since the series burst onto our screens, and the girls of Drover’s Run are as gorgeous as ever. Michala, Bridie, Jessica and BRIDIE Lisa tell PHILLIP KOCH how they stop the clock CARTER Tess Silverman-McLeod (first 6 seasons) A very youthful 44, Lisa insists she Bridie’s still breathing in fresh LISA does nothing extreme to maintain country air, but nowhere near the her movie-star looks, but she does McLeod’s location in rural South CHAPPELL credit 14 years of being a vegetarian . She lives on a property Claire McLeod (first 3 seasons) for her enviable figure. near Byron Bay on the NSW far Lisa spent the past five years in her “I’m a bit annoying – I don’t work north coast, and continues to birthplace of , but now hard at it,” she confesses. “I eat a lot travel interstate for work. Married the happily single actress lives in and I drink, but I don’t have a car, so to Michael Wilson, she is mum with her adored five-year-old I do walk everywhere, and I walk my to Otis, 7, and Tobias, 2, and Shih Tzu, George. dog George a lot too. stepmum to James, 15. “A girlfriend who’s known “I adore my kids and husband,” me for 25 years recently said smiles Bridie, 42. “I’m very grateful she wanted to become a for my family life – it’s number-one vegetarian, because my figure for me – but I’m also passionate hadn’t changed in that time. about my work. I need to work. It has helped stabilise my It’s the great juggling act that all weight. I’m not stick-thin, but women know, work and family, Country I’m happy with the way I look.” and I believe we can have both.” cuties to Lisa embraces getting older, Bridie most recently starred in saying the only real difference Wild Boys, Rescue Special Ops, as city chic! is in the types of acting roles well as the movie I Love You Too, she is now offered. and for the past two years has Nobody rocks an “I don’t have a problem with been developing her own series. Akubra like these ageing in terms of looks, and No doubt living in a natural girls, but Michala, Bridie, Lisa and I don’t feel the need to get paradise helps the busy mum Jessica relish a Botox,” she says. “I’m not maintain her healthy glow. And chance to glam it saying it’s wrong for people that flawless skin, she tells us, is up, city-girl style. to do it – I just don’t have any largely a result of great genes, her problem with looking my age.” skincare regime (“I use SKII”), plus Lisa is single following her a healthy lifestyle and diet that “I still miss Claire,’’ says Lisa of her character, 2004 divorce, but admits includes lots of raw vegetables. she may have missed her t one point, you could switch on a TV than I can tell you. I can drive a tractor and who was killed o! in a truck accident in 2003, Bridie was a vegetarian before opportunity to become a mum. she started work on McLeod’s in almost anywhere in the world and I can –badly – shear a sheep!’’ leaving fans shattered. “I loved playing her, but “That’s the sad aspect of 2000, when she was diagnosed you’d see an episode of McLeod’s Michala can’t believe it’s around 10 years she was very di!erent to me. She wasn’t very getting older, but I’m at peace with an iron deficiency. She ate ADaughters, the sweeping romantic since Lisa Chappell and Jessica Napier left the feminine, but I’m very feminine, expressive with that now,” says Lisa, who meat from then on, to help boost drama series celebrating the pioneering spirit show, as they’ve barely changed – though Lisa and communicative. I tend to spend a lot of my relished the time she spent her energy levels, especially with of Aussie women on the land. has lopped o! her locks. But it’s Bridie Carter time ‘in the clouds’. ” back in Auckland with her her punishing workload. “I’m still getting mail from the Netherlands, who really amazes her. “McLeod’s ignited my love with the family, including her dance- “I love cooking for my family – Germany and Italy,’’ laughs Michala Banas, who “Bridie looks exactly the same – it’s quite countryside,’’ says Bridie, who left the show in instructor sister Catherine and most of the time – and cook every played Kate. “I think it was such a great thing to remarkable,’’ she says. “But then, they all look 2006 after nursing her "rst-born, Otis, on set. eight-year-old nephew, Josh. night,” she says. “Because we’re be a part of, because lots of things come and go, remarkable. I think it’s inevitable that we have Jessica agrees: “It was so beautiful to be in the “It was time to go home and in the country, we don’t have the and embrace my figure. I can’t eat but this had a lasting e!ect on people.’’ all changed, but my time on McLeod’s really country and surrounded by animals. And you be a daughter, an aunty and luxury of take-out, but I don’t feed whatever I want, but I’m not into a sister,” she explains. my family anything processed or Michala left halfway through the "nal season, does seem just like yesterday.’’ never knew what to expect – it would go from deprivation. Come Friday night, in Now, Lisa – who followed pre-prepared. Cooking with love my house it’s homemade pizzas and in 2009, but fans are still smitten with the series’ Bridie, Lisa and Jessica were in the original dust storms to rain and extreme heat. It was up McLeod’s Daughters with makes all the difference.” chocolate. You need some treats!” strong and independent female characters. cast, which included Rachael Carpani, Aaron tough, but I loved my time there.’’ a role in TV series Stingers, is Her healthy approach has clearly And how about nips and tucks – “I was petri"ed when I got the job, because it Je!ery, Myles Pollard, Sonia Todd, John Jarratt All but one of the four actresses is now back in ready to get several acting paid off, although, as she points for or against? “I’m very anti it! involved horse riding, sheep, cows and dirt. and Brett Tucker. Simmone Jade Mackinnon the big smoke. They tell us how their lives have and writing projects off the out, “I’m not a size 6, I’m size 10. I don’t think manufactured beauty I’m a city girl, and I really didn’t know anything joined in Season 3, while Matt Passmore, Luke changed since the show ended, and share their ground, after an enjoyable I’m a woman with curves and I try is very interesting.”

about that stu!,’’ she admits. “So I learned more Jacobz and Abi Tucker starred in later seasons. secrets to staying in such amazing shape… theatre stint in New Zealand. 28 ! § Pictures: Peter Brew-Bevan. Clothing –Jessica: George Gross dress, Wittner heels. Lisa: Mesop dress, Wittner heels. Michala: Charlie Brown . dress, Wittner heels. Bridie: Harry Who dress, Winsor Smith heels. Crownies , a spin-off of the the of spin-off a , Jess has also been kept busy on on busy kept been also has Jess the small screen. She’ll be seen seen be She’ll screen. small the series ABC new in year this later Janet King drama legal successful

hot! Her great love is is love great Her around baby eight-kilo an push “I Red “I used to be a mad mad a be to used “I a Maintaining body my gave just “I what it wanted and and wanted it what says myself,” nourished a been who’s Jessica, the since vegetarian kept “I four. of age whole the exercising and through, way and yoga practised was I until boxing did pregnant. weeks 30 in walking of lots did I weeks.” 10 last the and yoga, Ashtanga 90-minute a does she Sunday, every session provides Emily while training. weight incidental of lots any which pram, seven-kilo a in punishing!” is you tell will mum NAPIER Howard Becky (first 3 seasons) a becoming Since Emily little to mum Jess September, last her down toned has workoutregime. just I Now exerciser. My get! I time the take [David] husband coming to commits nights two early home a do can I so week a usually class, gym spin.” or yoga during regime fitness Jessica saw pregnancy her from back bounce quickly, weight baby to quick she’s however, other to out point didn’t she that mums of amount huge a put to herself on pressure shape. into back get JESSICA JESSICA

, is is , Upper Middle Bogan. Winners & Losers ’s was initially daunting, daunting, initially was ’s McLeod Michala says the physical aspect physical the says Michala “There was something really really something was “There out hanging Michala’s days, These also who Michala, now, For they do crazy things to my body. So, So, body. my to things crazy do they a It’s now. food healthy pretty eat I pie!” meat a love do I because curse, of upcoming series series upcoming although she fell in love with the great great the with love in fell she although stint. four-year her during outdoors with out hanging about empowering and ride to how us taught who guys says. she animals,” with work She Kade. fiancé – guy one just with the to engagement her announced and year, last actor/videographer year. next marry to plan pair the in appeared alongside starring be to excited in Nevin Robyn and Robbins Glenn

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malabsorption, which means I’m I’m means which malabsorption, because foods certain to allergic foods. A few years ago I got a virus, virus, a got I ago years few A foods. fructose with diagnosed was and but it’s more through need than than need through more it’s but many to intolerant I’m – desire and that’s the honest truth. I’m just just I’m truth. honest the that’s and small. naturally I’m because lucky, terrible,” says the 34-year-old. “I’m “I’m 34-year-old. the says terrible,” exercising, of terms in lazy quite the first to admit she could do more. more. do could she admit to first the While life “on the farm” kept her fit, her kept farm” the “on life While Michala’s exercise, to comes it when Kate Manfredi (seasons 4-8) BANAS MICHALA MICHALA celebrity catch-up celebrity