For over two decades, STM has captured the evolving stories of Western Australia's most remarkable personalities, from Hollywood-bound actors to Olympic champions and literary giants. As the magazine celebrates its 21-year legacy, these iconic figures reflect on their journeys and the changing landscape of Australian success.
From Perth to Hollywood: Acting Transformations
Emma Booth's life has transformed dramatically since her first STM cover in 2008, when she channeled Marilyn Monroe with blonde curls and red lips. Back then, the actress was riding high from her AACTA Award win for the 2007 indie film Clubland, which earned her international representation.
Today, Booth embraces a slower pace in Florida with husband Dominick Joseph Luna, where baking sourdough and occasional alligator encounters have replaced Hollywood glamour. Despite her international success, including roles alongside Henry Cavill and Michael Fassbender in Blood Creek, she remains deeply connected to WA's South West, where she grew up.
The project she's most proud of remains the gritty Australian film Hounds of Love, Perth director Ben Young's feature debut that earned her a 2017 AACTA for best actress. For the role, Booth underwent significant physical transformation, wearing a wig, dark contact lenses, fake teeth, and gaining weight - a far cry from her international modeling days.
Sporting Glory and Olympic Gold
Nina Kennedy's STM covers tell the story of an athlete's evolution from contender to champion. Her first cover in June 2021 featured the pole vaulter "Going For Gold" ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, where COVID-19 disruptions and injury led to early elimination.
By her second cover in May 2024, Kennedy had become world champion and was demanding Olympic gold. The cover image showed her draped in a gold sequin dress with a defiant upward glance, perfectly capturing her mindset before Paris. "I remember doing that shoot before Paris. They put me in that gold sequin dress, because I'm gonna win gold," Kennedy recalls.
Her victory with a jump of 4.90m made her the first Australian woman to win an Olympic gold medal in a field event, achieved despite managing a stress fracture in her back that limited her to jumping once per week.
Literary Legends and Cultural Guardians
Tim Winton reflects on his privileged position of making a living "just from writing literary fiction" since his teenage years. The four-time Miles Franklin Award winner recently released Ningaloo: Australia's Wildest Wonder, marking his first picture book in over twenty years and his first non-fiction children's book about the UNESCO World Heritage site.
"Fostering an ethic of stewardship, care and responsibility for the world's natural places is important," Winton says, noting Ningaloo's unique biodiversity where visitors can interact with whale sharks, dugongs, and whales within a single day.
Kim Scott, another dual Miles Franklin winner, continues his work reclaiming First Nations stories and language through the Wirlomin Noongar Language and Stories Project. The 2012 Western Australian of the Year recently released three new books, including collaborative works inspired by creation stories returned to the Noongar people by American linguist Gerhardt Laves' family.
Fashion Icons and Music Legends
Melanie Greensmith revolutionized Australian fashion when she opened her first Wheels & Dollbaby boutique on Perth's Hay Street in 1986. The brand's rockabilly aesthetic attracted international attention from Michael Jackson, Kate Moss, and Bob Dylan, expanding into Harvey Nichols and Harrods throughout the 90s and 2000s.
After unexpectedly shuttering the brand in 2017, Greensmith returned with an exclusive STM cover featuring model Simone Holtznagel in 2022. Today, Wheels & Dollbaby continues manufacturing in Western Australia while shipping worldwide.
Kav Temperley of Eskimo Joe reflects on the band's steady rise rather than overnight success. "We weren't like an overnight band. We were slowly chipping away at it," says the frontman, whose band is celebrating 20 years of Black Fingernails, Red Wine with a national tour.
Temperley takes pride in helping establish Fremantle as a music hub where bands like Tame Impala and San Cisco could build sustainable careers.
Political Power and Personal Strength
Rita Saffioti's political journey has seen her evolve from new minister to Deputy Premier and Treasurer. Featured first in 2017 with her three young children shortly after being sworn into Mark McGowan's ministry, Saffioti now oversees the completion of Metronet projects almost a decade in the making.
"The bigger the challenge, the greater the highlight when you deliver something," she says, citing budget delivery and new rail line openings as career highlights despite the stress of balancing political responsibilities with teenage children's homework.
Mechelle Turvey's grace following the tragic murder of her son Cassius in 2022 earned her recognition as WA Australian of the Year. Her powerful calls for calm and non-violence, while grieving both her son and husband, demonstrated extraordinary strength. Turvey now works with WA Police, training cadets in empathetic communication with crime victims.
These stories represent just a fraction of the remarkable Western Australians who have graced STM's covers over 21 years, each contributing to the state's rich cultural tapestry while inspiring future generations to pursue their dreams with the same determination and authenticity.
