STM Loves: Katie Noonan, Unwavering exhibition, Cambray Cheese, Ride for Youth and Sleep Ins.

Katie Noonan

The acclaimed singer from George has poured the heartbreak from the end of her marriage — and the journals of her friend and bestselling author Trent Dalton — into an emotional new album. Alone But All One, released on Friday, chronicles Noonan’s feelings about her separation from the father of her two adult sons, as well as songs based on 156 unpublished pages by Dalton, written in the six years he was falling in love with his wife. “It was super healing for my heavy heart to read these words and remember the deep love that the father of my children and I had 26 years ago,” Noonan explains. “It felt special to honour the birth of love while I was exploring the death of love at the same time — a dichotomous reflection on love in its different forms.” Noonan will bring the new music to WA on tour this month, playing The Rechabite on July 16, Camelot Arts Club on July 17, and Miss Chow’s in Margaret River on July 18. See katienoonan.com.au.

Unwavering exhibition

The celebration of the “unwavering strength and fierceness” of Aboriginal women living in the Pilbara has been curated by Ruby Djikarra Alderton, a Yolngu artist and daughter of the celebrated Indigenous artist, the late Dr B Marika AO. Unwavering features the work of 14 artists — described as “an act of grace, not a document of hardship” — from the acclaimed Spinifex Hill Studio in South Hedland, including this piece, Rowu (Morning Glory) by Alderton. It will run from July 9-August 30 at the FORM Gallery in Claremont. Alderton will do an artist talk at 11am on July 11 and there will be a NAIDOC Week market with original artworks available from 9am-midday. See form.net.au.

Cambray Cheese

Tom Wilde, the owner of this Cundinup business, had been seriously thinking about retiring its washed rind brie because he was so sick of washing it — but then it won the champion overall dairy product at the recent Perth Royal Food Awards. Best known for its sheep milk cheeses (one of which is famously Blur bassist-turned-cheesemaker Alex James’ favourite) Wilde says they now produce more cow’s milk cheeses, using milk and cream from the Letchford family farm in Busselton, and Northcliffe’s Bannister Downs Dairy, which also took home multiple awards.

At What Cost?

This play from Yirra Yaakin, written by Nathan Maynard and the subject of sell-out seasons at Sydney’s Belvoir Theatre in 2022 and 2023, explores the concepts of identity and responsibility. Set in Putalina (Oyster Cove) in Tasmania, it tells the story of Boyd Mansell, a man forced to confront difficult questions as more people come forward claiming Palawa identity. Artistic director Maitland Schnaars says the play is “honest, it’s complex and it doesn’t shy away from the hard parts of who we are as people”. It runs July 17-August 1 at Subiaco Arts Centre. See yirrayaakin.com.au.

Ride for Youth

Expressions of interest are officially open for 2027’s Hawaiian Ride for Youth — the annual charity cycling event which raises funds for mental health support for young West Australians. Participants ride a whopping 700km journey from Albany to Perth, and the funds they raise go to local not-for-profit organisation Youth Focus. To sign up or read more information, visit www.rideforyouth.com.au.

Sleep Ins

When AFL player Luke Parker was struggling to get a good night’s sleep, his interior designer wife Kate Lawrence-Parker decided they could create it themselves. The result is Sleep Ins, a bamboo bedding brand that merges Lawrence-Parker’s love of beauty and design with Parker’s need for something truly comfortable. The sheet and duvet sets come in a stylish range of tones and prints, including oat and white stripe and chocolate, starting from $200. More details at sleepins.com.au