About Us

Hi! 

We were both born on unceded Ngunawal country and grew up in Australia before moving to Papua New Guinea, then Fiji, and back to Australia again. We’ve spent half our lives in Australia and half in the Pacific islands where we had our three daughters. 

We have been fortunate to meet and connect with a dazzling array of amazing people over this time. We have shared our lives and stories, recognised common perspectives and explored our differences. We have always sought a deeper understanding of the ways in which the peoples of Australia and the Pacific are connected. Coconuts and Kurrajongs is an expression of our families experience and love of both homes.

Through Coconuts and Kurrajongs, we seek to partner with our Pacific friends and family to share some of the things we have experienced and just a small selection of the many things the Pacific has to offer. We have also collaborated on our own projects with Pacific artists, the first of which is a children's book about our shared ancestors illustrated by Oceanic Artist Anga'aefonu Bain-Vete.

There are many talented artists working across the region today and wherever we have found ourselves, we have always made an effort to get to know the local arts scene. We have been fortunate to meet so many of the regions remarkable artists and collect their work. Sadly, we don’t have enough space to put everything on our walls and so we offer you the opportunity to add some fine works of contemporary Pacific art to your own. We remain committed to supporting artists across the region and a further 10% of any resale price sold through Coconuts & Kurrajongs will return to the artists or their family.

We have also been fortunate to experience kava and the joy that comes form sitting around the kava bowl (Tanoa) with friends and family to relax, to connect and to talanoa & tok stori.  Kava has become part of our own lives and we blieve it is something special that many Australia's are yet to appreciate and enjoy.

We became close friends with Torika and TuCagi, the driving force behind KavaLava, while living in Fiji and are grateful to have the opportunity to partner with them in their efforts to support their home village of Nakasaleka on the beautiful island of Kadavu. We’re proud of the partnership but also to be working in partnership with our friends and family in the region and helping to make their organic noble kava available to Australian drinkers for the first time.

We have bigger plans for Coconuts and Kurrajongs and working in partnership with our Pacific friends and family. Whatever comes next will be consistent with our goal and purpose of enriching connections between the peoples of Australian and the Pacific.

Cheers! 

Soli & Jordie