35 gippsland the lifestyle winter 2018 by gippsland life

Winter ISSUE #35

lifestyle | coast | country $7.95

food, wine leongatha the heart of accommodation features inside

south gippsland

gippsland events & markets

glenaladale people & places

what to do in gippsland

more insid e ISSN 1838-8124

+ Regular Features Horoscope | Positive Lifestyle Tips | Canine Corner |Millieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Adventures

1 - 5 Roughead Street, Leongatha, Vic, 3953 P (03) 5662 2327 F (03) 5662 2642 E edney@dcsi.net.au W edneysleongatha.com.au LMCT 1500

editorial

winter #35

Welcome to Issue 35 and Winter in Gippsland!

There is no better excuse in winter than to rug up and enjoy being cosy and grabbing a copy of Gippsland Lifestyle magazine, which once again, brings the best of what there is to enjoy about this great region. Leongatha is regarded as the heart of South Gippsland, located in the green rolling hills that is synonymous with the region.

This bustling township has a wonderful history and, in this edition, we present some of the iconic residents, families and businesses. We also look at their sporting success with Leongatha winning the Gippsland League premiership and C Grade Netball in 2017. Winter is also about dining out and in our Food, Wine and Accommodation section you will find some wonderful places to do just that. And if snow is to your liking, then Dinner Plain resort in far, East Gippsland should be on your to do list, as you will love this little Alpine village.

Gippsland Culture continues to grow, and our front cover depicting the tantalising skills of Kongwak artist Fiona Kennedy is tantamount to what this edition brings. Enjoy winter - it is a great time in Gippsland, and check out our events section, as there is plenty to do in Gippsland! Doug Pell

lifestyle / coast / country

index our content BUILDING YOUR NEW HOME IN GIPPSLAND - KINGBUILT PROTECTING OUR PONDS – WGCMA LOCAL JEWELLER CAPTIVATES A GLOBAL AUDIENCE FLIGHT NAVIGATORS DINNER PLAIN ALPINE VILLAGE PEOPLE & PLACES OF GLENALADALE REGION THESE LOCH OAKS EACH HAVE A SPECIAL STORY FARM WORLD – LARDNER PARK HIGHLIGHTS GOOGLE: WHAT ARE YOUR CONDITIONS OF OPERATION BEACONSFIELD SUPERULES – FOOTY FOR FUN BICYCLE HELMETS – GETTING THE CORRECT FIT 8 LITTLE DUCKS WENT OUT ONE DAY – WALHALLA TRAINING YOUR GUN DOG PART III MILLIE, MYTH & MYSTERY CANINE CORNER WHERE YOU CAN GET YOUR COPY OF THE MAGAZINE YOUR MARKET GUIDE TO WINTER YOUR EVENT GUIDE TO WINTER HONOUR YOUR INNER SEASONS – ERIN MILLER YOUR WINTER HOROSCOPE – KERRY GALEA TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE & FARMING WONTHAGGI STREET FESTIVAL HIGHLIGHTS SUSTAINABILITY FESTIVAL

6-8 10-11 12 14 16-17 54-57 106-108 110-111 112-113 114-117 118 120-121 122-123 124-126 127 128 129 130-131 132 133 134 135 136-137

our advertisers COAL CREEK COMMUNITY PARK & MUSEUM CRAWFORD MARINE CURTIS AUSTRALIA BAIRNSDALE DINNER PLAIN GARY WILKIE DENTIST GROWMASTER TRARALGON IMAGE DIRECT KINGBUILT HOMES RIVIERA CYCLES BAIRNSDALE STONY CREEK GO-KARTS WEST GIPPSLAND CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT AUTH. WONTHAGGI MEDICAL GROUP WONTHAGGI NEWSAGENCY & LOTTO

Writers Contributors Photographers Advertising Proofing Editor Creative Printers

5 19 19 18 104 109 113 9 119 105 13 15 128 & 146

leongatha feature index

EXPRESS OFFICE CHOICE EDNEY’S LEONGATHA LMCT 1500 LEONGATHA – THE HEART OF SOUTH GIPPSLAND LEONGATHA DAFFODIL & DAIRY STREET FESTIVAL MOUNTAIN VIEW LEONGATHA RESORT LIVING LEONGATHA RSL LEONGATHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE – NEW LIFE HENRIETTA’S THE HICKS TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS – EXPRESS OFFICE CHOICE A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS – FRANK DEKKER HARTLEY WELLS BETTA HOME LIVING HARTLEY WELLS HISTORY PAINT PLACE GROUP OF STORES JOHN & DI SCHELLING – A SPORTING AFFAIR HISTORY IN MOTION – EDNEY’S LEONGATHA HITECH WORLD OF CONNECTIONS HITECH LEONGATHA NATIONAL PARTY: DANNY O’BRIEN GIPPSLAND SOUTH NATIONAL PARTY: MELINA BATH EASTERN VICTORIA EVANS BP PETROLEUM SALMON FAMILY LEONGATHA HEALTH NUTRITION & WHOLEFOODS BRENT SINCLAIR CATERING | FEAST ON US INFLUENCE ON DUSK SWEET LIFE CAKES PRECISION MOVE – M&S CNC MACHINING PRESERVING THE HISTORY & HERITAGE L&DHS LENNIE GWYTHER STORY LEONGATHA FOOTBALL & NETBALL 2017 PREMIERS LEONGATHA DRIVING SCHOOL PHONE RITE

2 3 58-62 63 64 65 66-67 68 69 70-71 72-73 74-75 76-78 79 80-81 82-83 84-85 86 86 86 87 88-90 91 92 93 93 94-97 98-99 100-101 102-103 104 104

gippsland food + wine + accommodation & culture index Page 20

Chris West, Lyn Skillern, Wendy Morriss, Stuart Hay, Lisa Maatsoo, Trevor Stow, Brendan Black, Ruth Williams and Matt Dunn Ali Fullard, Erin Miller, Kerry Galea, John Turner MAAPM, Jim Radford, Gary Jackson, Trevor Brown and Simon Duck Lisa Maatsoo, Wendy Morriss, Ruth Williams, Stuart Hay, Matt Dunn and Douglas Pell Douglas Pell Maree Pell Alex Smirnakos Southern Colour (VIC) Pty Ltd | www.southerncolour.com.au

GIPPSLAND THE LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE PO Box 862, Wonthaggi 3995 P: 0404 301 333 E: thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au W: thelifestylemagazine.com.au facebook.com/lifestylegippsland instagram | g_the_lifestyle

Front Cover Image ‘Lady and her Kingfishers’ Oil Painting by Fiona Kennedy www.fionakennedy.com

thelifestyle winter 2018

BUILDING YOUR NEW HOME IN GIPPSLAND WITH KINGBUILT winter living by Kelly Koochew Marketing Manager Kingbuilt

thelifestyle winter 2018

WINTER IS THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME TO BE AT HOME. ESPECIALLY IN GIPPSLAND. Though milder near the coast, Winter in Gippsland is unforgivingly bitter, particularly further inland or in the mountains. Unending rain, early morning frosts, snow and winds strong enough to send your trampoline over the fence make home an irresistible place to be. Each Kingbuilt home is custom designed for the Gippsland climate. General Manager, Lochlin Wall explains, "When we design your home, we have the whole year in mind, not just Winter. We work with your land to establish the ideal orientation of your home. By understanding this regional climate and the seasonal variations in the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s path, we can ensure your house is drenched in the warmth of the low Winter sun, and protected from the most extreme heat of Summer. This increases the energy efficiency of your home and reduces the bills." Kingbuiltâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s design consultants also show you the most innovative options for maximising energy efficiency and enhancing the comfort of your home throughout the year. Mr Wall elaborates, "This might include showing you alternative cladding products to better retain heat, or the latest heating and cooling systems in the market like Geothermal, which we use at our Drouin display home. We'll also discuss some of the more familiar and very popular options such as double glazed windows, upgraded insulation and the installation of a gas log fire."

thelifestyle winter 2018

winter living

Building your new home in Gippsland means you often have the added benefit of beautiful views or space. “We're a bit spoilt in Gippsland," says Mr Wall, "being able to design your house to capitalise on the beauty in and beyond your block of land means that you can bring it inside. You never feel stuck inside in Winter when you’re looking out across water, mountains or paddocks." Jo Daly of Jo Daly Interiors works with every Kingbuilt customer on the colour and style of their new home. "Colours are so important for adding warmth to a home," says Ms Daly. "Concrete and white are huge right now, which is great, but we need to look at ways to introduce some warmth and balance out those cold finishes. Sometimes that might mean warming up the mix with timber in the cabinetry, a table or some stools."

"Once the client and I have finished the colour palette for the home and selected the floor coverings, cabinetry and external finishes, sometimes we continue the journey," explains Ms Daly. "I love being reengaged by the client to finish the styling of their home. For Winter living, things like the placement of soft furnishings, lighting, rugs, layers on your bed, throws and cushions can make all the difference. It’s a real joy to make the home a cosy haven for cold weather." To explore the potential of designing and building your Kingbuilt custom home in Gippsland, contact their design consultants on 1300 546 428 or at sales@kingbuilt.com.au kingbuilt.com.au

thelifestyle winter 2018

PROTECTING THE ICONIC CHAIN OF PONDS

Gippsland is well known for its natural beauty. Just east of central Gippsland is a rare and unique natural feature that’s receiving a much-needed boost thanks to the local community and a project coordinated by West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority (WGCMA).

Providence Ponds, the Perry River and their branches are a type of waterway known as a ‘chain of ponds’. Chain of ponds have unevenly spaced, deep pools separated by a grassy depression or a shallow undefined channel. Chain of ponds systems used to be common across South-eastern Australia but are now very rare.

“We’re excited to be working with the local community and our partners on this project that will have a direct impact on protecting the chain of ponds.”

"On top of this there are introduced pest plants and animals that pushout native species and further damage the ponds by digging or trampling."

But what is it that the ponds need ‘protecting’ from?

“These factors combined are a recipe for disaster." Actions underway to help protect the chain of ponds include:

No fully intact chain of ponds systems are known to currently exist. Post-European changes in the way land is used has resulted in a loss or serious modification to these chain of ponds waterways. The Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment is unique in that it still contains sections of intact ponds, as well as ponds that are recovering from erosion.

Paula explains that it’s a complex combination of factors that are threatening these unique, natural treasures.

WGCMA’s Strategic Planner, Paula Camenzuli, said chain of ponds systems are an amazing natural feature that are vital to protect. “This area is home to many threatened fish species such as the Dwarf Galaxias and Pygmy Perch,” continued Paula. “Rare frogs – the Green and Golden Bell Frog – also call the ponds home.

thelifestyle winter 2018

“Periods of drought and flood, changes in land and water use over time have all had an impact on the health of the ponds,” continued Paula. “At the same time, we have native vegetation that has been cleared which is a common cause of erosion. "

Planting trees to create a buffer along the lower Perry River Fencing and planting out intact ponds in the upper Perry River, Providence Ponds, Sandy Creek and Middle Creek Protecting trees, habitat and vegetation on private property through permanent agreements, known as covenants Improving the size and quality of remaining sections of vegetation. This links these important habitats, making it easier for native species to move through the area Treating the invasive weed, African Lovegrass, on roadsides in the catchment area.

In early May an enthusiastic group of local residents came together at the Munro Hall to learn more about the Protecting Our Ponds project. The meeting included a series of presentations, followed by a visit to a Stockdale property to inspect the work being done with landowner John Boyd. “By working with landowners to fence, plant trees, reduce erosion and control weeds and pest animals, we can protect and restore the ponds,” explained Paula. “Presentations at the meeting gave people the opportunity to learn more about the aims and methods of the project. The group asked plenty of questions and there was lots of room for discussions. “Visiting John’s property then gave everyone an opportunity to see the results for themselves, as well as hearing directly from a fellow farmer.

“John discussed his initial reservations about the project and how his thinking has changed, particularly as he saw the benefits of the work on his property.” “It is wonderful to see so much support and enthusiasm from the community." The Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment is a high priority listed in the West Gippsland Regional Catchment Strategy.

WGCMA is working together with Trust for Nature, Wellington Shire Council, HVP Plantations and Landcare to protect and restore the valuable ponds system. For more information visit www.wgcma.vic.gov.au

WGCMA received $1.6 million in funding through the Victorian Government’s Our Catchments, Our Communities (OCOC) Program. This funding is being used to deliver the Protecting our Ponds project in the Providence Ponds and Perry River catchment area over four years.

thelifestyle winter 2018

AROUND THE WORLD WITH A STORY TO TELL LOCAL JEWELLER CAPTIVATES A GLOBAL AUDIENCE

Master Jeweller Glenn Curtis

The Great Race Pen graces the cover of Russian 'Pen World'

Building a strong local reputation for high quality jewellery making and design is one thing – but how do you take that to a wider audience – even a worldwide one? And what does this mean for your valued local customers, many of whom you have looked after for decades?

The 'Wildlife Warrior' pen featured in Singapore, helping raise funds for the late Steve Irwin's charity of the same name

Italy, Russia, Singapore and India are some of those who noticed Curtis artistry. In India, where Curtis pens are particularly well received and sold, a live television audience of nearly 400 million saw Glenn explain aspects of his complex craft.

Bairnsdale based jewellers Curtis Australia has embraced being a local jewellery brand while evolving into an internationally recognised luxury brand. Taking a local business onto the global stage is not something that happens overnight. It's the result of continuous hard work on new products, adapting to other cultures, and thousands of miles of international travel, meetings and events to pursue opportunities. This all happens while ensuring your local customers are well cared for on every single occasion.

By Paul Henderson

This stunning ring handcrafted by Curtis jewellers

this astonishing pen set with hundreds of Australian white and champagne diamonds in a fluid design evocative of Australian landscapes. Further recognition came with Curtis being favourably compared to world famous brand Cartier in an online article by Superyachts.com - and if that wasn't praise enough, the world's leading authority on luxury 'The Robb Report' awarded Glenn Curtis their coveted 'Best of the Best' Award, a globally recognised marker of the very highest quality craftsmanship and design. More recently, the Robb Report Australia has featured Curtis Australia watches. This is a new aspect to the Curtis product line up, with this article focusing on details such as how each watch case screw is hand made individually from solid gold, and how a Curtis watch takes on a more sculptured, organic feel than traditional watches. It's this approach to design that helped attract significant attention to Curtis Australia. Their products are just simply different. Of this, Glenn Curtis has said he '...has always thought you shouldn't be designing any product just to copy someone else. I'd like to offer something different to people that gives them another choice'.

Curtis craftsmanship has reached this specialist Portuguese magazine

Publications all around the globe have featured Curtis in their pages, with many writing in-depth stories. The specialist Italian pen magazine 'Penna' told the fascinating story of the solid gold and gem set 'Wildlife Warrior' pen, a philanthropic Curtis project raising funds for endangered animals.

'Stylus' Magazine is based in the USA

'International Watch' magazine thought so highly of Curtis Australia's skills they took an unprecedented 26 pages over six articles to explain the mysteries of the Curtis craft to their sophisticated, watch loving readers.

Curtis have expanded their renowned jewellery making skills into several different areas to include pen making and now watch making. These specialised areas rely on Curtis core strengths as jewellers and stem from their heritage of five generations of Australian craftsmanship.

One of these articles told how Glenn Curtis and Jack Nicklaus collaborated on a series of collectible solid silver pens for golf fans to mark the legendary golfer's stellar career. Interestingly, this opportunity came about through exceptional Curtis customer service, leading to Glenn Curtis lunching privately with Jack in Florida.

In 2002, with four Gippsland jewellery stores to maintain, Glenn Curtis could be forgiven for stopping there. Instead, he took on a whole new challenge, creating unique handcrafted pens that quickly caused a stir in an established market. Most pens are machine made, but Curtis saw an opportunity to create sculptured, carved solid silver and gold pens that draw on their jewellery techniques – a strategy that led to 'Pen World' magazine awarding their prestigious 'Metal Mastery' Award - and a lot of recognition in other countries too.

thelifestyle winter 2018

Another prestigious title, '.art Pens & Culture' based in London, has written a fascinating biography about Glenn Curtis and his work highlighting the fact that Curtis is Australia's only pen maker competing on the world stage. In Russia, the focus turned to the 'Great Race' pen – a highly detailed solid silver pen recounting the epic tale of the world's first round the world auto race. 'Designare' magazine in Singapore chose the 'Colours of Australia' pen to entertain their readers,

Other honours have come Glenn's way – including being the only jeweller outside the USA to be invited to judge Rio Tinto's Global Jewellery Design Competition held in New York. Of this, Glenn is characteristically generous, saying 'this honour recognises the skills of all Australian jewellers, not just me'. It's a modest approach backed by a love of his craft and a determination to be among the world's best that drives Glenn Curtis and his team of skilled jewellers, watchmakers and designers onwards to even more objectives. Over the last three years they have created hand crafted Curtis watch collections – another set of complex skills that they will doubtless stamp their own distinctive mark on. It's this energy and drive that keeps Glenn Curtis motivated to take on even more while enjoying the considerable responsibility of looking after his treasured local clients. He's well aware the Curtis brand has developed because of the trust locals have in him and his team. 'There's nothing we love more than looking after locals and their jewellery. If anything, winning international awards gives our customers even greater confidence in our skills, quality and reputation' says Glenn Curtis. 'We lavish the same care on everything we do in our studio, from a simple repair to a brand new, custom designed gem set ring – we only have one exacting standard of work, and our customers know it's a standard that compares to the world's best'. You can see more of Curtis Australia's stunning work at www.curtisaustralia.com | 03 5152 1089 All magazine covers copyright of their respective titles

THE FLIGHT NAVIGATORS By John Turner B.Social Welfare, Master International & Community Development, MAICD, MAAPM As we go about our busy lives most of us rarely give a moment’s thought to the truly wonderous natural world in which we live. There are times of course when we are pleasantly surprised and transfixed by what our senses experience. It could be the beauty of a particular landscape, the call of frogs on an evening walk in the local reserve or maybe the spectacle of a flock of migrating birds as they seemingly move in unison reminiscent of a wellrehearsed ballet. Yet whatever it is that causes us to stop, watch or listen, how often do we take a moment to ask ourselves how this is possible?

What five decades of research has shown is the amazing array of migratory birds’ abilities and the way they combine these abilities to reach their destination.

It is the domain of the scientist to seek answers to the questions of “How’’ “What” and “Where”. The question “Why” is generally reserved for the theologian or philosopher. How the scientist collects data and constructs experiments to answer these basic questions has always fascinated me. Perhaps surprisingly, it is often the mundane and the ordinary things that are the most intriguing for scientists and the things to which they turn their attention.

So how do they do it? Apart from the amazing physical feat they achieve, how do they find their way? The research done by the scientist Stephen Emlen and those before him and others since has shown clearly that birds use a variety of informational cues from the environment. These informational cues include:

As a young man in my early twenties I would devour journals that revealed new scientific discoveries or spoke of the cosmos or provided new information about our fauna and flora. One such journal I subscribed to was ‘Scientific American’ and while much of what was in this journal was outside my scientific understanding there was enough in it, that I could understand, to peak my interest in the methodologies that scientists use to test their ideas. In 1967, one article really caught my attention because it described an experiment that was both ingenious and elegant in its simplicity. The experiment was constructed to test the hypothesis that birds used the stars to select the correct direction on their migratory journey. Perhaps it also caught my attention because of my own poor sense of direction which has been a regular source of amusement to my family. The scientist who conducted the experiment was Stephen Emlen and what he did was to place captive birds (Indigo Buntings) in funnel shaped cages which were inked at their base and allowed the birds a view of the ‘sky’ overhead. As each bird scrambled up the side of the sloping sides of the cage in an attempt to embark on their migration journey they would leave inked footprints in the direction of each jump. The accumulation of all these footprints clearly showed the birds’ orientation, that is the direction in which they were attempting to leave. By placing the cages in a planetarium and changing the night sky, he was able to show that the buntings changed their direction in response to the changing position of the stars. Through a process of continually changing the night sky and removal and replacement of the stars he was able to identify which star constellations were used by the birds to determine their flight path. When all those years ago I read the article in the Scientific American and in the ‘Auk’ which is a quarterly Journal of Ornithology it struck me as a brilliantly simple and effective science experiment. Since then there have been many similar experiments, more refined of course, testing similar hypotheses about birds’ extraordinary navigational skills many of them using what has since become known as “Emlen funnels”.

thelifestyle winter 2018

The journeys that migratory birds make are truly astounding, the ‘Bar Tailed Godwit’ for example completes a journey from New Zealand to Alaska for the northern summer, a journey of approximately 11,500kms in eight days and nights non-stop, sleeping on the wing in short micro-sleeps lasting a few seconds.

The Sun as a directional compass. Skylight polarization patterns particularly around sunset and sunrise. The earth’s magnetic field and lines relative to the earth’s gravity to distinguish between a direction which is “Poleward” or “Equatorward”. Variations in the Earth’s gravitational field. A sensitivity to barometric pressure enabling the birds to detect small changes in altitude particularly useful when flying though cloud and probably essential for utilising the sense of gravity and magnetic fields. It has also been shown by some researchers that Olefactory information (smell) and perhaps even sound may also play a part both in terms of initial orientation of the birds and in the final stages of locating their final destination. This is particularly relevant for homing pigeons. It would seem that birds of varying species use some or all of these cues to navigate their way and if they have conflicting information they will “check” against the other cues and “recalibrate”. It took centuries for humans to solve the problem of accurate navigation, that is to be able to locate our position on the north-south (Latitude) and eastwest (Longitude) axes of the earth and find our way precisely to another point on the earth similarly located by coordinates of Latitude and Longitude. Finding Longitude accurately was a difficult problem that was finally solved by the development of a highly accurate clock that could enable the navigator to calculate the exact difference between local sunrise and Greenwich mean-time. Birds however, have managed the same feat for millennia using their ‘magnetic compass’ and visual cues. While I have described birds as “The First Flight Navigators”, it is probable that some of their abilities have been derived from their prehistoric ancestors the Dinosaurs. Therefore technically birds may not be the first navigators, but they are certainly the most accomplished of them all. There is another question which the reader may ask themselves and it is even more intriguing. While we have a very good understanding of how birds accomplish the amazing feat of navigating their way to their winter feeding grounds in migrations that often cover thousands of kilometres, how do the

birds know where to go? Is this something that they learn, or is this knowledge innate? Well, just as there are birds that are born with the ability to reproduce their species’ unique birdsong it would seem likely that in the case of buntings at least, they are born with the knowledge of where to migrate to. In other words, birds may possess some form of DNA memory through which their offspring can inherit the experience of previous generations. Some may consider this notion of inherited memory to be rather fanciful, for myself I regard it as extremely likely while retaining a scientist’s scepticism. Research on mice undertaken at the Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia appears to support the hypothesis of the existence of DNA memory (reference given below). Further research into this area of genetic or DNA memory is probably the next step to understanding the uncanny ability of some bird species to be able to leave their home and fly thousands of kilometres to arrive with pinpoint accuracy at the same feeding grounds year after year. Meanwhile I will not rely on my innate navigational abilities for fear of never arriving anywhere; instead I will continue to use my phone’s GPS to find my way around.

REFERENCES Balarman, Kavya (2017) “Climate Change Might Make Birds Mis-time Their Migrations” in Scientific American, “Climate” https//www.scientificamerican.com/article/ climate-change-might-make-birds-mis-time-theirmigrations/?print=true Chernetsov, Nikita et al (2017) “Migratory Eurasian Reed Warbler Can Use Magnetic Declination to Solve the LongitudeProblem” in Current Biology, Volume 27, issue 17, p2647-2651.e2. September 11,2017 Emlen, Stephen T (1967) “Migratory Orientation in the Indigo Bunting., Passerina Cyanea – Part 1: Evidence for Use of Celestial Cues” in The Auk, A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology, Volume 84 No 3, July 1967. Emlen, Stephen T (1967) “Migratory Orientation in the Indigo Bunting., Passerina Cyanea – Part 2: Mechanism of Celestial Orientation” in The Auk, A Quarterly Journal of Ornithology, Volume 84 No 4, October 1967. Keeton, William (1979) “Avian orientation and navigation a brief overview” in British Birds, Vol 72, Number 10, pp 451-470 October 1979 Lemind, Anna (editor) (2018) “DNA Memory Exits and Keeps Our Ancestors Experiences” in The Learning Mind https://www.learning-mind.com/dna-memory-exists-andkeeps-our-ancestors-experiences/ Sandberg, Roland & Pettersson, Jan (1996) “Magnetic Orientation of Snow Buntings (Plectrophenax Nivalis), A Species Breeding in the High Arctic: Passage Migration Through Temperate–Zone Areas in Journal of Experimental Biology, 199, PP1899-1905, The Company of Biologists Ltd, UK Sheffield University (2007) “Birds Learn to Fly With a Little Help from Their Ancestors” printed in Science News August 20, 2007.https://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2007/08/070814100515.htm" https://www. sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/08/070814100515.htm Treffert, Darold, Dr (2015) “Genetic Memory: How We Know Things We Never Learned” in Scientific American Blog https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/geneticmemory-how-we-know-things-we-never-learned/

WONTHAGGI MEDICAL GROUP

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YOUR LOCAL GENERAL PRACTICE FOR • Medical Services for the whole family • Obstetrics - Pregnancy Management/Birth • Palliative Care • Aged Care • Vascular Health Assessments • General Health Assessments • Healthy Kids Check

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OPENING HOURS 42 Murray Street, Wonthaggi

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Consulting Suites, Wonthaggi Hospital 2/1524 Bass Highway, Grantville

9.00am - 8.00pm Mon - Fri 9.00am - 4.30pm Mon - Fri early closing 1.00pm Wednesday

Holiday Season

MOO’S is closed on CHRISTMAS DAY & BOXING DAY Then OPEN 7 Days a Week until the end of January

Tel: 5672 1333 For Appointments and After Hours www.wonthaggimedical.com.au

Dinner Plain Dinner Plain, or DP to those who live in and love this little alpine village, has a way of unexpectedly grabbing hold of you and weaving you into its tale. If you have been here, this could be your story, as I am definitely telling you mine. DP is a mountain town and to find it just head into the mountains. We have a grandly-named road – The Great Alpine Road (not to be confused with the great one by the beach) – which will carry you to Dinner Plain, 13km down from the road’s highest point at Mount Hotham. There, it is nestled into a nook in the eastern edge of Alpine National Park, and at 1580m DP sits in the snow through winter and as a cool mountain retreat from the heat of summer in the lowlands. It's a mountain town, and with the lower oxygen, clearer nights and a tendency to want to strap things to our feet or just look out across the wilds of the high country, it changes those who come and stay. You could throw some blame at the open nature of the village, the big fireplaces and the ready availability of a good local red and great food. Maybe it’s the missing oxygen. But it gets into your blood, hooks you in and you become forever more a mountain person, destined to approach the world in a new way. This village, our village in the high country, started life as an idea and is now turning 32. Back in 1986, a group calling themselves Dinner Plain Pty Ltd, a very direct if not imaginative name, came together. DP Pty Ltd purchased a parcel of land then called Rundells Paddock; a name that lives on at Rundells Alpine lodge, albeit a bit more refined than the paddock, but then so is Dinner Plain.

thelifestyle winter 2018

The architect of the group defined the style of the town drawing inspiration from the alpine environment and the mountain huts of the region. To this day, the unique style of timber, stone, corrugated iron and the green-grey tones of the snow gums defines the village’s buildings. DP is now considered both the birthplace of and the best example of the Australian alpine style, which has created an unexpected difficulty for the uninitiated as they make their way home after being caught by one of those longer than expected après gatherings, “was I staying in the grey-green house with the timber and stone, or the green-grey house with the stone and timber?” As with all mountain environments, Dinner Plain still has the wilds of the rugged country that visitors need to be on the alert for. DP is prey to packs of prowling children building kickers and igloos, hunting for hot chocolates with singleminded determination and the extra couple of Schnapps that crept up on you when your guard was down. Again I would blame the altitude. With a mountain life, grand vistas and visits to the Onsen in town, we are imbibed with insights. So we of Dinner Plain practise balance and an holistic approach to life, with activity and experience in harmony with the pleasures of a King Valley Sangiovese, Bright amber ale or beautifully crafted meal at one of the many eateries. Ah yes, regional and seasonal, you might have guessed eating well is a way of life in DP, as is enthusiasm for our activities.

It all flows together here, from ripping around on skinny tyres or your fat ones, challenging the bitumen or the dirt; to chasing the kids up and down the Cobungra platter in DP as they scream along on skis for the first time with zero intention of turning but every intention of increasing parental blood pressure. To you embracing your inner child and screaming yourself as you hurtle down the hill on an inflatable tube grinning like someone with low-oxygen induced euphoria. To laying out some cranking big turns down Imagine at Hotham, you know your well-earned pleasures are awaiting you in DP to complete a well-rounded day. To paint a more detailed picture try this: take a posse of high country cowboys who smile only on the inside, a Range Rover driving pack wearing once a year white jeans and ski bums in hoodies all together on a working cattle station deep in the Victorian mountains. Mix in commentators cheating like it’s a sheep station, grown men with one too many Schnapps, thinking they are still 16 trying to run 100m and getting 20m, and a game of flying frozen chooks, and you have the great Dinner Plain Easter tradition of The Geebung Polo match, very much styled after its namesake poem. Now to speak to our diversity, variations and passions. Take your imagination to the frozen tundra of Alaska and the Iditarod. Imagine it’s a good bit warmer and imagine going around a village, not through remote wilds, but this is just splitting hairs.

Dinner Plain

For more information go to visitdinnerplain.com.au

With that image firmly in your mind, let’s talk dogs. You love your dog, I love mine. Did you know that an enthusiasm and passion for dogs is exponential so once you have four, six or eight dogs, we won’t speak of those with more as this goes off the edge of all reasonable graphs. At this dizzying rate of enthusiasm, we have reached what we call ‘pack level’. The only logical thing to do now is to hook them together, grab a sled and hold on tight. In DP we call this the Sled Dog Challenge and for a wild howling week in winter, the dogs run, the people slide with grace and in ways only gravity decides, along the frozen trails around the village.

DP is a village of trails, a town lost among snow gums, a blanket of snow and the Dargo mist, as if Lost Horizon and Shangri-La were written by A.B. Paterson. We don't have a monastery or Tibetan lamas of course, but we do have larger gathering halls where people converge and talk philosophies, insights and stories both too metaphysical and practical to be rationalised, declared or contemplated. With tales of exploits and achievements, the details laid bare, a flurry of excitement around the stone hearth across crackling coals. To my fellow Dinner Plainians, I salute you! To those yet to join us, let the good food, big fireplaces, wild events, low oxygen and mountain life welcome you to our little alpine village up in the Victorian high country. Cheers, Proost, Santé, Salute, Эрүүл мэндийн төлөө, Skål, Kanpai... you get the idea.

thelifestyle winter 2018

CALL IN AND INSPECT OUR RANGE OF NEW AND PRE-OWNED BOATS

BOATING SINCE 1964

71-77 Chickerell Street, Morwell 3840 P: 5134 6522 E: info@crawfordmarine.com.au www.crawfordmarine.com.au

MEMBER

thelifestyle winter 2018

lifestyle | coast | country

food + wine + accommodation

A FA N SELE TASTIC C THE W TION O F ON HOS DERFUL GIPP PITALITY SLAN TO O D HAS FFER

Focusing on our extraordinary winemakers, our abundant and wonderfully diverse stays and of course our amazing food providers, producing fare from lush Gippsland farms or creating delectable dishes for the table.

index BLUE HILLS RISE Cranbourne East BRANDY CREEK ESTATE DiViNE RESTAURANT Drouin DUCK INN Willow Grove FISH CREEK HOTEL Fish Creek FOSTER SEAFOODS Foster HARMAN WINES Wattle Bank HEALING LEAVES CAFÉ Mirboo North INVY ESPY HOTEL Inverloch KOOKABURRA RIDGE FARM Carrajung LITTLE RED DUCK Noojee MOO’S AT MEENIYAN Meeniyan MORWELL BOWLING CLUB Morwell NOOJEE HOTEL Noojee PANGRAZZI CHEESE Fish Creek PHILLIP ISLAND RSL Cowes ROSEDALE BUTCHERS Rosedale ROSIE’S HEALING RETREAT & LABYRINTH Carrajung SOUVANNY COFFEE & CHOCOLATE Wonthaggi ST FIACRES Neerim South THE CAPE TAVERN Cape Paterson THE CHEQUE - GIBSONS CAFÉ Fish Creek THE CHEQUE - LA PROVINCIA Corinella THE OLD HOSPITAL Loch Village THE TINY TEAPOT Korumburra TONEMADE Inverloch TRARALGON VINEYARD Traralgon

154-155 156 38 29 40-42 47 25 21 44-45 34-37 33 25 39 48-49 24 43 30-32 43 26-28 46 52 53 20 51 22-23 50

gippsland culture index ALI’S ART PAGE – BUSY BRIAGOLONG BRENDON SIMS EXHIBITION – MY GIPPSLAND LAKES BRIAGOLONG ART GALLERY FIONA KENNEDY ARTIST GEORGE BERNARD SHAW’S PYGMALION LAURIE COLLINS SCULPTURE GARDEN & RED TREE GALLERY EXHIBITIONS PETERSEN’S GALLERY & MUSEUM OMEO THE WEDGE – AROUND THE WORLD THE WEDGE – PYGMALION WARRAGUL ART’S MARKET WITHOUT PIER GALLERY PAYNESVILLE

142-143 148-151 146 1 & 153 152 141 138-140 146 141 144-145 147

Gippsland lifestyle / coast /country PO Box 862, Wonthaggi 3995 P: 0404 301 333 E: thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au W: thelifestylemagazine.com.au facebook.com/lifestylegippsland instagram | g_the_lifestyle

ACCOMMODATION FOR GROUPS OF 6 TO 18 ADULTS

WWW.THEOLDHOSPITALLOCH.COM.AU

LL W FU O N ING ING ER ER FF AT C

THE OLD HOSPITAL - LOCH VILLAGE

OPEN 7 DAYS

CAPTAINS LOUNGE NOW RE-OPENED

LUNCH & DINNER

1 A’Beckett Street, Inver loch 3996 (03) 5674 1432 www.invyespy.com.au BEST OVERALL HOTEL - REGIONAL B E S T FA M I LY D I N I N G BEST SPORTS BAR – REGIONAL

TONY RICHARDSON

good to the bone by brendan black

tonemade kitchen

Suffering a dramatic bout of ill health can be enough to deflate even the most positive among us. This is particularly the case if the cure is difficult to find or it takes a long time to get better. Tony and Felicity Richardson, of Tonemade in Inverloch, went through hell but emerged with a new business and vastly improved, healthier lives. Tony was born in the Barossa Valley, with a father, perhaps unsurprisingly, who worked in the wine industry. From a young age, Tony loved cooking and his first job at age 14 was washing dishes in a restaurant, from where he could see how the whole kitchen operated. Eventually, he was allowed to pick the cos lettuce and make croutons, as well as clean and debone the Spanish anchovies, which was an especially tricky and exacting job. Along with cooking, Tony played field hockey, to the point where he was the goalkeeper for the South Australian team. His two passions of hockey and cooking soon began to compete for his time and attention, and he was forced to make a choice, ultimately choosing the latter.

thelifestyle winter 2018

Felicity, originally from Traralgon, grew up alongside the construction of her family's mudbrick house, in a family she describes as "not hippies but alternative", with a father who was an industrial engraver and a mother who was a nurse and then owned a lighting shop. After high school, she missed out on a place in medicine, instead opting for biomedical science.

One morning in 2015, Tony woke up, could barely stand or walk, and had terrible vertigo and a migraine. While normally he would "push through" any feelings of unwellness, he knew this time he couldn't. He went to work the next day, feeling slightly better, but was clinging to the bench and could hardly walk. His boss, quite rightly, sent him home.

Later, she managed to get into the medicine degree, but around this time, her father passed away and her brother was involved in a very serious accident, which put insurmountable pressure on Felicity. She nevertheless went back to her biomed science degree and finished it, then went off to explore the world and her other options. It was then that she met Tony.

After rounds of tests, it was discovered that Tony had developed Hashimoto's Disease, another name for thyroiditis, an autoimmune disease affecting the thyroid, which regulates growth and metabolism. The main treatment for it is the hormone thyroxine, but unfortunately, the supplements Tony had been given by a naturopath cancelled out the effects of the thyroxine, so it took longer than normal for him to get better.

Tony and Felicity opened a restaurant together in Inverloch, which was a hard slog for both of them, as it required 16-hour days just for dinner service. In 2013 they sold the restaurant but continued working in hospitality for other restaurants, where Tony had learnt to cope with the high levels of energy and stress - or so he thought.

Tony and Felicity's focus on good health and clean eating now became even more stringent, as they tried to eliminate certain things from their diets, such as sugar, wheat and gluten. One of their coping mechanisms was to make bone broth, richer and more nutrient-rich than chicken

FELICITY RICHARDSON

or beef stock, using only organic meat and vegetables. Over a year, Tony returned to good health, and he was faced with a decision: go back to a job working 80 hours a week, something that had no doubt contributed to his condition; or find something else?

In the beginning, Tony and Felicity made 20-litre pots of broth for themselves, and they saw the health benefits, plus it was something that took virtually no toll on their minds and bodies. As a way of coping with stress in her 20s, Felicity had taken a deep interest in yoga, which was aided by completing teacher training in later years. Tony and Felicity now had a chance to both do things they loved, without driving themselves to an early grave. In mid 2016, Tonemade was officially created, first operating out of their home kitchen, which they registered with the health department.

In January 2017 they leased a space in an industrial estate in Inverloch that would not only give them the room to cook the bone broth but for Felicity to conduct her yoga classes. Over a few months, Tony, a self-confessed perfectionist, undertook much of the factory conversion himself, which ended up saving them around $30,000 in labour, followed by purchasing second-hand cooking equipment, saving another $50,000. Originally, the bone broth was sold as a liquid, which had a relatively short shelf life, and they found customers were often reluctant to freeze it, even though it didn't impact the quality. This prompted them to dehydrate the broth, which added 18 hours to the 48 hours of cooking, but made things easier for customers and created a shelf-stable product with no bacterial issues. They have two 165-litre pots in their kitchen that can be left to simmer away (thanks to failsafe gas cooking) so the business does not absolutely consume their lives every second of the day.

The bone broth is being used by many health practitioners (both from Western and alternative backgrounds), with great results. While Tony still needs to take medication for the Hashimoto's, his days of almost total incapacitation are well behind him. Due to running Tonemade, they're "armed with more knowledge" now and are much better at "listening" to their bodies. When they're not working, Tony and Felicity like to travel with their daughter and actually take the time to enjoy living on the coast, something they couldn't do much when they owned a restaurant. Their plans for the future involve building a sustainable, off-the-grid home, and perhaps having another child, but they're not waiting for those things to happen to be happy - they're happy already. As Tony said, "if you have good health, everything else just follows." Photography by Brendan Black

thelifestyle winter 2018

PHILLIP ISLAND RSL – A VENUE FOR ALL OF LIFE’S OCCASIONS BIRTHDAYS/CHRISTENINGS | ANNIVERSARIES | WEDDINGS | CONFERENCES/MEETINGS | WAKES

Lone Pine Bistro located at the gateway to Cowes + New eating venue The Terrace Family friendly and Fully accessible Vegetarian, gluten free, children’s and senior’s options Kids playroom, monthly Funday Sunday and free Playful Puggles playgroup Wednesday mornings Function rooms ideal for weddings, reunions, seminars, wakes, parties

OPENING HOURS MONDAY TO SATURDAY 9AM TO 1AM SUNDAY 10AM TO MIDNIGHT NEW EATING VENUE • THE TERRACE

Phone: 03 5952 1004 BH

Enquiries: functions@pirsl.com.au

LONE PINE BISTRO PHILLIP ISLAND RSL LUNCH: NOON TO 2PM DINNER: 5.30PM TO 8.30PM

Visit www.phillipislandrsl.com.au

MORWELL BOWLING CLUB

The Morwell Bowling Club is the ultimate in function dining! We delight in meeting your every requirement, through personalised professional service, attention to detail and friendly staff. The Morwell Bowling Club provides wedding packages or we can tailor to suit your needs. Morwell Bowling Club caters for group bookings, and is great for children. OPEN SEVEN DAYS - SERVING LUNCH, DINNER, COFFEE & DRINKS RESERVATIONS OR WALK-INS ARE WELCOME Visit www.morwellbowls.com.au for news and upcoming events. NEW MEMBERS ARE WELCOME Winner of Peoples Choice Award 2014 for Excellence in customer service

Winner of CCV 'Best Bowling Club'

Finalist of CCV 'Club of the Year'

52 Hazelwood Road Morwell 3840 Ph: 03 5134 3449 Em: functions@morwellbowls.com.au www.morwellbowls.com.au

A range of Dietary needs catered for Gluten Free

Cold pressed juices Water Kefir Organic Coffee

Vegan

We support Local

Fresh Organic food

Sustainability Projects

WHOLE FOODS, COOKED ON SITE

HOURS Weekdays + Saturday: 8.00am to 4.30pm Sunday: 9.00amto 4.30pm Closed Tuesday

71A Ridgway, Mirboo North 3871 Like Us on Facebook + Instagram thelifestyle winter 2018

MARIA AND DAVID IN THE VINEYARD

St Fiacres HEAVENLY FARM PRODUCE BY WENDY MORRISS

DAVID AND MARIA ANTONIE PRODUCE BEEF, WINE, SEASONAL VEGETABLES AND HOMEMADE CHUTNEYS, RELISHES AND SAUCES, ALL FROM THEIR SCENIC, SMALL ��-HA FARM IN GIPPSLAND. The endearing and industrious couple both work full time while striving to build their farm business into a full-time career. David, who once worked on a family grape farm in Mildura, works for a farm machinery company in Warragul and Maria, originally from South Melbourne, works in Melbourne as a food technologist. They purchased their Neerim South property in 2006. It now comprises 2-ha of bush, a small rainforest area, a 1-ha vineyard, ½ ha of vegetables and the rest is pasture for their Black Angus cows and calves. The year they purchased the property, they planted 500 Sangiovese vines by hand and the following year they planted 500 Shiraz vines. “We dug every hole,” Maria said. “There was a drought and we didn’t have a lot of water but once a week we watered by hand giving the 1000 plants up to a litre each.”

thelifestyle winter 2018

David said they purchased all the grafted vines from Fussy Britches Grapevine Nursery near Mildura. “We told him the soil type and climate we had and he told us what root stock to get so that’s what we ordered, because he knew his stuff.” They now have Shiraz and Sangiovese vines, which are their two main varieties and a smaller lot of Grenache and Tempranillo vines that are just for blending. The couple produced their first wine, a blend of Sangiovese and Shiraz in 2012. Then the following year with a larger crop, they were able to produce the two separately. “Last year was our first year of blending the Grenache and Shiraz and this year we blended the Tempranillo with Sangiovese, which we are looking forward to tasting shortly,” David said. “The Shiraz and Grenache blend is our first full-

bodied wine and we are pretty happy with it. Most of our other wines are nice but lighter. The wine is made by Gippsland winemakers. We have a liquor licence but we don’t have a licence to make wine on the property and we are not winemakers.” They launched their range of wines early this year after getting their licence in order and completing a few training courses. “David is very proud of what we’ve achieved from our small vineyard,” Maria said. “We now pick 2.5t of grapes and produce more than 2000 bottles of vegan and gluten friendly wine a year, which is pretty exciting.” Maria has a degree in applied chemistry and majored in food science after attending Swinburne University for four years. For the last 25 years, she has worked for a German-based company developing food products for the three major supermarkets.

SOME OF THIS YEAR’S ANGUS CALVES

SILVER BEET AND CHARD GROWING OUTSIDE

A RANGE OF DAVID AND MARIA’S WINES

She applied her skills to producing preserved food from their own property and has now developed a range of 15 chutneys, relishes and sauces that they sell with their wines at several Gippsland markets and a few local retail outlets.

She made some chilli sauces and a few chutneys then hand printed some labels and took them to a market in Cowes to test their value. “People really enjoyed them, they also really loved our fresh vegetables and the business grew from there.”

David initially started growing vegetables after establishing the vines so they would have fresh produce for their own consumption. Maria said he then grew more seedlings and more vegetables and one year ended up with an abundance of chillies. “He bought them to the house and said what are you going to do with this Maria, so I started looking up recipes and putting ideas together. The first thing I made was chilli jam and our friends were the guinea pigs.”

The preserved condiments are all produced only from the vegetables they grow and Maria said their chilli sauces are particularly popular especially their green chilli sauce, which is made from jalapeño chillies and has a mild flavour that isn’t too spicy.

She said being a food technologist was an advantage because she knew what labels were needed and the ingredient and nutritional information required to sell products commercially.

“One product I have a lot of respect for is our sweet tomato relish made using David’s grandmother’s traditional recipe. It took a little while to perfect it as I had to convert pounds to kilos and grams and we have done very well with it. I’ve also developed a zucchini relish that stems a bit from what I learnt while making the tomato relish.”

Her pickled eggplant and eggplant chutney are made using traditional European style recipes and she still makes the original chilli jam that sells well. “I promote the products as condiments as well as ingredients that can be used in cooking or marinades. I have also developed a nice tomato kasundi, which is a fiery Indian-style sauce that people enjoy and I used it in a cooking demonstration at the Warragul Farmer’s Market to make chilli con carne. I had a recipe handout so people could make it at home and I sold all the kasundi.“ She said each season they try to grow a variety of chillies because people that like chillies, like their sauce hot. “In our sauce we have jalapeno, habanero and cayenne chillies.” She has also developed pickled cauliflowers with a hint of lemon, some cracked pepper, bay leaf and small amount of garlic as well as curried cauliflower, and a home-style tomato sauce.

thelifestyle winter 2018

St Fiacres “I really get excited when David brings in the vegetables he’s grown,” she said, “like our first pick of zucchinis. It’s a real buzz. I also love getting feedback from people that purchase our products, I really do. I love talking about them and teaching people how to use them, and I love learning from them how they’ve used our products.

“I know the ingredients that go into commercial food, but the ingredients in our products are only what we grow on the farm with a few basic additives like sugar, vinegar, a little bit of salt, herbs and spices and that’s it.”

MARIA WITH SOME OF THEIR HOT CHILLI SAUCES

PART OF THEIR ANGUS HERD

She said there are new laws coming into Australia for labelling products with the percentage of Australian ingredients. “Ours I’m proud to say, are 80 – 90% and I can’t wait to get the labels redone to show that.” The farm isn’t certified organic but David and Maria farm using organic principles. They have nine grass-fed beef cows that produce calves each year. One animal a year is used for their own meat and the rest are sent to market. “The original plan was to use them for making small goods because that’s what I develop when I’m working,” Maria said. “People like quality small goods especially beautiful salamis and real smoked bacon that’s not just flavoured, but the food regulations are more stringent and we haven’t had the funds to go through all the procedures and processes yet but there is a demand for it.” David and Maria named the farm after St Fiacre who grew up in Ireland and then lived and gardened in France during the 15th century. He is the patron saint of the French commune SaintFiacre. He is also the patron of those who grow vegetables, medicinal plants and gardening in general. “I always think of Dave as being St Fiacre because he has such a green thumb and he loves growing vegetables. We are not very religious people; it was something that just grabbed us because it had a meaning and we wanted the farm to have a meaning.” Apart from the Gippsland markets, David and Maria also annually take their produce and food products to the Garlic Festival in Meeniyan, the Italian Festival in Mirboo North and the Thorpdale Potato Festival. “Next year we’d like to also try some Melbourne markets,” David said, “because for us to be able to stop working and farm full time, we need a large volume of people to purchase our products.” Photography by Wendy Morriss DAVID AND HIS INDOOR VEGETABLE CROP

thelifestyle winter 2018

The iconic Fish Creek Hotel (1939) is a magnificently imposing Art Deco building located in the heart of Fish Creek. Seven comfortable upstairs bedrooms and nine motel units provide accommodation. With the Great Southern Rail Trail and art galleries on its doorstep, award winning wineries nearby and only 25 minutes from the gates of Wilson’s Promontory, it is ideally located as your accommodation base.

Enjoy a plate of fresh handmade Gippsland pasta. Craft Beers on Tap The Bar has TAB facilities and also provides Foxtel on a giant 100” plus HD screen to show all sports live. ◊◊◊◊◊ The Fish Creek Hotel ArtSpaces - a new exhibition space in the Art Hub of Fish Creek featuring local artists. ◊◊◊◊◊

BISTRO O P E N 7 DAYS

LUNCH Mon – Fri: Midday – 2pm Sat – Sun: Midday – 2.30pm

THE

DINNER Sun – Thur: 5.45pm – 8pm Fri – Sat: 5.45pm – 8.30pm

FISH CREEK HOTEL

1 Old Waratah Rd, FISH CREEK, Vic 3959 (03) 5683 2404 www.fishcreekhotel.com.au

BAR OPEN Mon – Sun: 11.00am till late

thelifestyle winter 2018

Rosie’s

Healing Retreatand Labyrinth

The Healing Power of Nature Words & Images by Lisa Maatsoo Rosie Scott’s bluestone labyrinth is one of only a handful located in the Gippsland region. The labyrinth forms a focal point in Rosie’s carefully landscaped yard, behind her home in the township of Carrajung. Her property is surrounded by natural woodlands that add to the tranquillity of her garden. It is a place of calm and relaxation for all those who come to visit. A labyrinth has mythological origins, but in English it translates to a maze or puzzle. This is represented by a pathway on the ground, usually created with a series of circular patterns, with only one way in and out. A walk through the pathway helps to focus your mind, and it is considered a place of spiritual reflection.

The healing properties of the labyrinth make them a popular choice for gardens in aged care facilities. Former Sydney based palliative care facilitator, Dr Margaret Rainbird is a strong advocate for the positive effect this type of therapy can have on people’s health in times of despair. She recently made it her own personal goal to walk a labyrinth a day in locations around the world. Dr Rainbird connected with Rosie, and earlier this year she visited Carrajung and spent time walking Rosie’s labyrinth. Rosie Scott developed an interest in alternative medical practices over 30 years ago. She regards these therapies as a complementary option to western medicine that can help people who are suffering from various conditions.

Rosie is trained in Reiki and Kinesiology, and she works with the earth to provide Energy Healings. Rosie grew up in Yarram but moved to northern Victoria at an early age. She and her husband owned a dairy farm, and in 1994 they moved interstate to NSW to take up an opportunity to purchase a larger farm. After a battle with motor neurone disease, Rosie’s husband passed away 10 years ago. After the loss of her husband, Rosie decided she’d like to do a trip around Australia for a year or so in a caravan. Not long before she was due to depart, an unexpected back injury saw her end up in hospital requiring surgery.

thelifestyle winter 2018

Rosie's Healing Retreatand Labyrinth Her trip away was put on hold, and an old friend in Carrajung suggested she bring her caravan and stay whilst her injured back recovered. That was Rosie’s first visit to Carrajung. She really enjoyed the scenery and small village, so much so that when a house came up for sale in Stitchling Street, she decided to buy the property. With a love of all things nature, Rosie started to build upon the existing garden which now has many hidden locations to explore.

Rosie has started taking on regular clients who seek her assistance with a variety of different issues. Her aim is to help people to reduce stress and improve their overall well-being. She is also now offering people the opportunity to stay at her property as a retreat Bed and Breakfast. Located at the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges, Carrajung is a perfect location to stay and visit Tarra Bulga National Park for trail walks. It is also centrally located to visit Yarram and surrounding beaches, and the Latrobe Valley to the north west.

Nearly six months ago, Rosie decided that she’d like to add a labyrinth to her garden. With the help of her daughter Jodie, over a six week period they worked regularly in Rosie’s backyard to bring the creation to life. The pattern that Rosie chose for her labyrinth is known as Santa Rosa. It is divided into four quadrants with a seat in the middle under which Rosie has placed a rose quartz crystal. There are also smaller crystals placed elsewhere surrounding the labyrinth.

There is a new term currently emerging around in the world of wellness called ‘Forest Bathing’. It comes from the ancient Japanese practice known as Shinrin-Yoku which involves spending time outdoors, in a garden amongst the trees and other foliage. Rosie’s Healing Retreat and Labyrinth is the perfect place to engage in this mindful practice. Surrender to the surrounds and you might be surprised at what the healing power of nature can do.

The healing properties of the labyrinth can also extend to problem-solving. “Some people like to enter the labyrinth with a question, and hopefully by the time they exit, they will have found the answer to their question,” explains Rosie.

Rosie’s labyrinth is available to visitors by private appointment. Please phone Rosie on 0427 597 906 or email rosie93@bigpond.com for further details about accommodation or other healing therapies.

thelifestyle winter 2018

moo’s at meeniyan Restaurant & Café

TRY OUR NEW DELICIOUS TAPAS MENU SOUTH GIPPSLAND’S TOP FOOD, WINE AND SERVICE

Savour the flavours at Moo’s at Meeniyan Restaurant & Café, which has a relaxed, fun ambiance.

Hours of Trading

Thursday to Monday 8.30am - 4.30pm | Dinner Friday & Saturday Nights from 6.00pm

Closed for the month of August

moo’s at meeniyan | 89 whitelaw street, ,meeniyan vic 3956 Phone: (03) 5664 0010 | Email: eat@moosatmeeniyan.com.au visit www.moosatmeeniyan.com.au

Noojee’s delightful Little Red Duck By Wendy Morriss

Rosie with staff members Crystal and Julie

The café/shop in earlier times

thelifestyle winter 2018

Rosie outside the café

The Little Red Duck café in the heart of the serene, picturesque town of Noojee is the perfect place to unwind and relax. It’s close to the Latrobe River and not far from the iconic Trestle Bridge, Toorongo Falls and Mt Baw Baw snow fields.

Rosie and Simon took over the venue previously known for 13 years as The Red Parrot Café in late November last year and after a complete renovation and transformation, re-opened a month later.

The contemporary eatery with an old-fashioned touch and friendly, country atmosphere is owned and operated by Rosie and Simon Duck, business owner of the Noojee Hotel, affectionately known as the Nooj, and the Willow Grove Duck Inn.

They hired skilled local people to carry out the work but they were also helped by many local people who Rosie said were very supportive. “The previous owners were very helpful and supportive as well.”

Rosie manages the café. She has worked in the hospitality industry for the last 12 years and said in the past she had always wanted to run a hospitality business of her own but didn’t believe it would be realised, and she loves cafés. “The first place I worked was in a café, so it’s a bit nostalgic.”

Simon said the management team and staff in their other venues also helped by picking things up in the morning on their way to work, helping with the computer system or helping to flash out ideas for the menu. “We all worked well together,” Rosie said. “I don’t think we would have been able to figure everything out on our own.”

It’s believed the venue was initially built sometime after the 1939 bushfires that razed the town and it has been a café with other business interests since. One part of the café was once an agent for the State Bank of Victoria; the main seating area was once a large vegetable garden and the other end of the building was an adjoining residence.

She said renovating was a little scary particularly when it was just a big white blank canvas. “After taking out all the fixtures and painting, we then had to work out and visualise in our heads how it was going to look and function, which was a bit daunting. Between all of us and the builder we managed to come to an agreement on how to make it work and it works really well.”

Rosie said they served their first customer the night before they opened. Both she and a staff member were organising things for the next day when a cyclist pulled up outside so they offered him a drink. “It was nine o’clock but he came in and asked what else we had, so we warmed up some quiche and he had some cakes, juice and a hot drink and paid us with an added tip.” She said since opening, the café has become much more than they expected. “The last few weeks have been extremely busy and we see so many different people. When we first opened we served many local people, family, friends and customers of the former café. As each weekend went past, it got bigger and bigger when more people realised we were here. One couple who had been coming to the café previously for many years, have been in every Sunday since we opened and have the same order.” Rosie and her staff serve all day breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea. They offer perfectly brewed coffee, quality T2 teas, light meals, many house made sweet treats and a selection of Peter’s gourmet and traditionally flavoured scoop ice cream.

thelifestyle winter 2018

The café is heated in winter by a wood fire, fresh organic flowers placed around the venue are supplied by local organic flower grower Heather Gillespie and an exhibition of photographic works by local bushman and photographer Peter Christian adorn the walls.

Organic flowers supplied by Heather Gillespie of Noojee

The couple employ eight people in the café on a shift basis and also get help from staff working in the other venues. Rosie and her chef, who has more than 10 years’ experience, create and cook the wonderful food that’s served. For patrons that wish to take something with them, Rosie has made available their own packaged blend of coffee beans, Noojee honey and honeycomb supplied by Eric Duffy and homemade chutneys, and sauces from St Fiacre’s farm in nearby Neerim South. Stella the family kelpie cross dog sits outside the café all day long, while a pet magpie walks into the café daily to collect his treat and walk out again. “I’m very busy,” Rosie said, “and there are days that are challenging but then I look around and feel pretty proud of what I have personally achieved and what we have all achieved together. “Tourists are very impressed, the town is buzzing and now log truck drivers call their orders through.” As for the name Little Red Duck Café – Rosie is short, has red hair and is engaged, soon to be married to her partner Simon Duck. Photography by Wendy Morriss Rosie with her partner Simon Duck

Noojee’s delightful Little Red Duck

thelifestyle winter 2018

A range of fresh seafood

all the best

FRESH SEAFOOD By Wendy Morriss

Alice and Lachie Duncan have spent the last eight years providing Foster’s fortunate residents and visitors with fresh seafood while specialising in fresh local fish they purchase straight off the boats.

For three years prior to that, Alice worked in the shop for John and Andrea, while Lachie worked away on a fishing boat. Lachie had worked in the fishing industry for about 20 years and Alice said when the business came up for sale, it was an opportunity for them to work together and to have Lachie at home instead of always working away.

“We try to source as much fish as we can locally,” Alice said. “A lot comes from Corner Inlet and the rest comes from Bass Strait. We are very lucky to be able to buy straight off the boat. The rest of our seafood comes from The Victorian Seafood Centre in Melbourne and another supplier in Williamstown.” The local fish they acquire includes flathead, whiting, calamari, garfish, flounder and scallops with smaller quantities of other varieties including grass whiting and mullet. Lachie said flathead and gummy shark are two of the most popular local fish.

When asked if he missed being on the water, Lachie said he does sometimes but if he went back to it, he would miss being at home. Alice with a tray of fresh mullet from Corner Inlet From Melbourne they source Tasmanian Atlantic salmon, oysters, mussels, prawns, barramundi, swordfish and tuna. “We try to get as many varieties as we can without having an over supply,” Alice said. Foster Seafood is a retail establishment that operated for almost two decades before Alice and Lachie purchased the business eight years ago from John and Andrea Doran.

thelifestyle winter 2018

The couple live in Port Welshpool. Alice has lived there for 25 years and Lachie who is originally from Portarlington has lived there for 12. Alice said she had never sold fish until she started working for John and Andrea. Previously she did many things, which included owning and operating a general store in Port Welshpool, market gardening, retail and for a while she was a stay-at-home mum.

Alice and Lachie in their seafood shop

Alice outside their seafood shop in Foster

Her two daughters, one a teacher and the other an event manager, help out in the shop around Easter time when it’s hectic and around Christmas time when Alice said they need an extra six dozen pairs of hands. “Christmas Eve especially is chaotic.” She said she enjoys the work. “We see many loyal customers and friendly tourists and Foster is a nice friendly town.

Many people come from different areas into Foster because they like what’s on offer. The town’s seafood shop, butchers shop and fruit and vegie shop are a big attraction.

There are people that come in especially for those three stores and then find plenty of other shops in the town where they can buy what they need.”

He said generally, they are able to source a good supply of quality seafood for the shop all year round.

Alice and Lachie don’t have any major plans for the future and said they are happy ambling along the way they are. Alice said they work hard but they have a good lifestyle and they go away for a month every year in July.

“We might have less for the odd week or two when the weather’s bad and then people come in after five to six days of 30-knot winds and say, “Oh you don’t have much fish!”

Lachie said it would be difficult to expand the business and still be able to get the quality seafood they’d require. “We’d have to go further and wider, and trying to keep up with the demand would be our downfall.”

“Fishermen don’t want to fish in that sort of weather,” Alice said, “and we don’t want them putting their lives at risk anyway.” Alice and Lachie both enjoy working together. They have a really good rapport with their customers, many of whom they know by name and they enjoy serving them. Photos by Wendy Morriss & Doug Pell

thelifestyle winter 2018

Specialising in Local Fish

Order Your Seafood For your Party or Event

For all

the best in fresh

Seafood

For all the best in fresh seafood, there is none better than Foster Seafoods This shop has everything for the seafood lover. Alice and Lachie Duncan have added new lines to their business along with the freshest and best fish caught locally within Corner Inlet and Bass Strait.

On offer are freshly cooked Prawns, Moreton Bay Bugs, Crayfish, freshly opened Oysters, Mussels and a large variety of Local Fish â&#x20AC;&#x201C; whole or filleted; along with our beautiful sauces. Just give us a call or drop in. You are always welcome!

And you can be assured that the quality and service is still the best!

Crumbing: Sardine and Garfish fillets Smoking: Hot Smoked Atlantic Salmon, Chilli Mussels & Smoked Sardines all in Olive Oil Pickling: Local Scallops, Oysters with Tartare and Seafood Sauce, Home Made Chilli Sauce on the Mussels

35 Main Street, Foster, Vic 3960 Tel/Fax: (03) 5682 2815 Monday to Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm, Saturday 8:30am - 12:00pm Contact: Alice and Lachie Duncan

thelifestyle spring 2015

SERVING THE WORLD'S FINEST COFFEE & CHOCOLATE

DELICIOUS, TASTY THAI & LAO FOOD

Hours Tues - Sat 9:00am to 3:00pm | Thur, Fri, Sat 5.00pm - 9.00pm Dinner [BYO] 60 McBride Avenue, Wonthaggi, 3995 Ph: 0488 200 522 Like us on Facebook | Instagram

ROSEDALE BUTCHERS Local Family Owned Country Butcher

Three generations of Vaux Family owned and operated business since 1977. In 1986 their first smokehouse was purchased and then later in 1992 a second larger smokehouse was obtained and are still used today, which allows them to produce the quality products that Rosedale Butchers have become known for. Ray and Janet Vaux took over the business in May 1977 with their son Neville starting his apprenticeship with them and eventually he and his wife Debbie took over the business in July 1995. In turn, in 2012 their son Matthew after completing his apprenticeship in 2012 took on the job of smallgoods making and created the line of Mattyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gourmet Sausages.

Call now for all Meat and Smallgoods Needs 32 Prince Street, Rosedale 3847 Ph 5199 2210 Like us on Facebook www.rosedalebutchers.com.au thelifestyle winter 2018

Kookaburra Ridge Farm

An Ethical and Sustainable Way of Life Words and Images by Lisa Maatsoo

On arrival at Kookaburra Ridge Farm in Carrajung Lower, I was greeted with a fresh pot of coffee and a tasting plate with some of the farm’s current produce. We sat down on a deck overlooking the hills, and I began to sample some sliced ham off the bone, and pork with cheese kranski. What a beautiful way to start the morning before my tour of the farm owned by Dan and Risa Green. About 10 years ago, Dan decided on a change of pace from his busy life and work in Melbourne. Having grown up in East Gippsland, he decided to return to the area and found a scenic 52acre property on the edge of the Strzelecki Ranges. The site is surrounded by a nature reserve, with wildlife and native birds regular visitors to the farm. Dan saw an opportunity for the rural lifestyle he was after that could also provide an income, and in 2010 he began selling eggs produced from his free range hens. As his brand Real Free Range Eggs started to grow, Dan realised he needed a farm-hand to assist him. He turned to the volunteer movement WWOOF (Willing Workers On Organic Farms) to find a helper.

thelifestyle winter 2018

Risa was on a working holiday in Australia, and after spending some time employed in Melbourne, she connected with Dan through the program. Risa started work on Dan’s farm in 2011. What was expected to be a three month stay extended into a more permanent arrangement, as Dan and Risa’s friendship grew into a relationship. Risa originates from Hiroshima in Japan, where she was trained as a veterinary nurse. With her willingness to give anything a try, Risa’s skills on the farm continue to diversify, including learning how to weld and build their pig pen enclosure. Risa is now an integral part of the Kookaburra Ridge team, working in all areas of the business to keep the farm operational. Dan and Risa’s three year old son is also an important team member, he is already showing positive signs of becoming a successful young farmer. The property is currently home to 900 chickens that lay 800 eggs a day. It takes about three to four hours each morning for the eggs to be collected, washed, quality checked, weighed and then packed into cartons or trays. They are stored on site in a commercial cool room in readiness for

loading on Friday mornings into a refrigerated van. Dan then begins his weekly routine of wholesale deliveries followed by a trip to Melbourne for a weekend of selling eggs at inner city Farmers’ Markets.

Free range eggs remain the core product of the farm, but more recently Dan and Risa have also started production of meat goods. Under the label of Kookaburra Ridge Meats, they offer a range of fresh lamb and pork cuts and unique mutton smallgoods. From paddock to plate, their meat products are grown and processed in Gippsland. At present, the pigs are taken to an abattoir in Orbost and the lamb to a location in Warragul. They are then transported to a butcher in Rosedale where the final cuts and products are made. Dan and Risa’s growing list of smallgoods includes bacon, ham, cabana, pepperoni, kranskis and other specialty sausages.

All chickens, lambs and pigs on the property receive a lot of love and respect from Dan and Risa. They are also well guarded by their Maremma Italian sheep dogs who protect the animals from predators. Ethical grazing practices are an important part of Dan and Risaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s farming strategy. No sprays or chemicals are used on the property, and none of the animals are fed antibiotics or hormones. Dan and Risa follow permaculture principles, using systems and cycles in the natural ecosystems to minimise waste and lessen the impact on the surrounding environment. This philosophy also extends into lifestyle choices that Dan and Risa make. They work hard to ensure their built environment is sustainable too, using both solar power and tank water for their house on the property. They have several worm farms which help to create fertiliser for their veggie patch. They strive to be self-sufficient growing their own fruit and vegetables, however if they fall short, Dan is able to trade some of their eggs with other stall owners at the Farmersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Markets to ensure they have all the supplies they need. It is these conscious decisions that ensure the high quality of all products created on Kookaburra Ridge Farm. The workload is intense and on-going, leaving little time for weekends away or holidays. However, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a lifestyle that Dan and Risa love, especially as it gives them an opportunity to raise their family in a healthy and wholesome environment. You can follow the progress of Kookaburra Ridge Farm on the following platforms:

Kookaburra Ridge Farm

Facebook: www.facebook.com/KookaburraRidgeMeats www.facebook.com/RealFreeRangeEggs Instagram: www.instagram.com/kookaburra_ridge_farm

thelifestyle winter 2018

LOCATED IN THE HEART OF CAPE PATERSON NEW OUTDOOR LICENSED DINING AREA BISTRO – A GOOD VARIETY OF DISHES WITH SPECIALS CHANGING DAILY BAR – A GREAT SELECTION OF BOUTIQUE BEERS AND CIDER BOTTLESHOP SPECIALISING IN LOCAL WINES REGULAR EVENTS INCLUDES MUSIC USING LOCAL MUSICIANS CHECK OUR FACEBOOK PAGE FOR LATEST NEWS & EVENTS

Market Place Surf Beach Rd CAPE PATERSON, VIC 3995 Ph: (03) 5674 8122 w w w.th ec a p eta ver n .c om visit our facebook page

HARMAN WINES

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612 Korumburra-Inverloch Road, Wattle Bank (C441) | Ph: (03) 5611 3857

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The cheese is regularly turned to ensure for even drainage

TO BRIE OR NOT TO BRIE Pangrazzi Cheese

Paul and Carolyn Pangrazzi have been dairy farmers in the idyllic hills of Fish Creek for decades. Soon after they married, they took over the farm from Paul’s parents and raised their three daughters on the property that offers breath taking views across Wilson’s Promontory. When their children were young, they decided to go back to basic, chemical free agricultural methods. This led the couple to transition their conventional farm to producing certified organic dairy. This transition occurred 25 years ago, during a time before organic produce enjoyed its current popularity and established them as one of the inaugural instigators of the Organic Dairy Cooperative in the area.

that Barry Charlton from Berry’s Creek Cheese, was looking to expand his business, but was not able to do so at his Poowong facility. With Barry’s long-established cheese making knowledge and the Pangrazzi’s capacity to build a state-of-theart cheese making premises on their property, the union was described by Carolyn to be “like a happy marriage”.

Paul, who hails from three generations of Italian cheesemakers, began making cheese as a hobby at home about 15 years ago. His personal interest grew from completing a course at the local Foster Community House, to making cheese for family functions and birthdays. The Pangrazzi’s then realised this would be the perfect way in which to value add to their organic dairy farm as there are currently very few organic cheeses on the market. Around 5 years ago, Paul and Carolyn learned

Paul and Carolyn established their own brand, Pangrazzi Cheese and currently offer a variety of cheeses including the Hoddle Camembert, Hoddle Brie, the Cherokee Red, Washed Rind and a Persian style Fetta. The latter they described as being soft and creamy as opposed to the more traditional hard and salty fetta which crumbles. Carolyn explained that their fetta has citrus notes that is ideal to compliment quiches and salads and to sprinkle over roast vegetables.

Paul drains the whey from the cheese

Paul scoops the cheese into hoops, ready for setting

thelifestyle winter 2018

Over a nine-month duration, the Pangrazzi’s hand built the 600 square metre cheese factory themselves with Berry’s Creek Cheese leasing part of the factory to make different types of cheeses using their own milks, such as blue cheese and sheep and buffalo bries.

I followed the Pangrazzi’s around their facility observing the cheese making process while they explained to me what they were doing and why. While observing this intricate procedure, I was surprised to see how scientific it was; Carolyn constantly checked and documented correct pH levels, scrutinised strict hygiene standards and ensured stable temperature and humidity control during the making and storage processes in order to ensure the cultures worked correctly. Other vital processes included regular turning to allow for the cheese to drain evenly and for the curd to knit together, brining or salting, which requires an accurate solution containing 85% salt and the diligent recording of dates and times during maturation. In addition, the facility contains an air lock which ensures there is no possibility of cross-contamination of specific blue and white moulds that are essential in the making of different cheeses. White mould chesses have a creamy texture and are surface-ripened, meaning they age from the exterior to the interior of the cheese. While blue cheese has a distinct blue or blue-grey spotted or veined appearance throughout.

During the initial stages, Carolyn stirs the cheese in the whey to ensure the curd doesn’t yet knit together

The cheese is draining and knitting together

Carolyn carefully wraps large wheel cheeses in special microperforated paper

Carolyn feels for the correct amount of ‘spring back’ in the cheese, to determine if it is ready

Small wheels of cheese being turned

Carolyn carefully wraps small wheel cheeses in special microperforated paper

Despite this very scientific process, there was also a strong intuitive element as everything was done by hand, from the regular stirring of the cheese in the whey to prevent it from knitting together, to monitoring the readiness of the cheese by touch.

It was a pleasure to see Paul and Carolyn work together like a well-oiled machine. After being work and life partners for the last 30 years, few words were spoken between them as each instinctively knew what was needed to prepare for the next step.

Carolyn explained the brie, before being set, was determined to be ready, by feel. She stated it had to have a certain ‘squish factor’ or ‘spring back’ to it which was determined entirely by touch. There are also no standardised timings of each process as each batch of cheese is inherently different, Carolyn stating that “it simply takes as long as it takes”. The day I visited, the Pangrazzi’s had started work at 4:30am. By 11am they had used 1,000 litres of their own organic milk in creating their cheese. They describe their seven day a week job as a lot of work but well worth the effort. Carolyn says “It’s a busy process and there’s no idle time. But hard work makes you sleep well at night”. Leading up to Christmas and Easter is their busiest time of year as they fill bulk orders of cheese that will find their way to dinner tables at family get togethers. Carolyn particularly takes the tasting part of her job very seriously, explaining they taste cheese from every batch for quality assurance. Interestingly, they don’t only taste for flavour but also look for subtleties in salt, texture and markers of maturity such as earthy notes resembling field mushrooms or an acidic flavour indicating a young cheese.

Large wheel cheeses in the maturing process

Beautifully wrapped large and small wheel cheeses

Pangrazzi cheese has stockists all over Melbourne and Sydney but the family particularly credit the support from local retailers in the area for establishing a loyal market base. The couple are part of a community that whole heartedly supports fresh local produce and proudly claim their involvement in the Prom Coast Food Collective. This comprises of 40 farmers and makers who are dedicated to supporting local, home grown food that is healthy and sustainable. The Pangrazzi’s also supply to many local wineries who serve cheese platters with their tastings and also to the newly established Gurney Cidery in Foster. Pangrazzi cheese has won several awards, including at last year’s Royal Melbourne Show, taking home gold for their camembert, silver for their brie and Cherokee red and bronze for their washed rind. Paul and Carolyn are exemplars of hard work and business acumen, showing that initiative and drive can proffer great results that we can all enjoy!

Pangrazzi Persian style fetta marinated in olive and sunflower oil

Words & Images by Ruth Williams

thelifestyle winter 2018

TraralgonVineyard AWARD WINNING WINE, GROWN AND PRODUCED ON SITE

Unsurpassed views across the Latrobe River flats from Mt. Erica to Mt. Hotham. The restaurant enjoys full windows and a large deck to the north looking over our lake and vines. RESTAURANT/FUNCTION CENTRE Our Restaurant operates lunch Thursday to Sunday and Friday and Saturday nights. Private functions can be booked for any day or night with 20 guests or more. Conventions and weddings are our speciality as well as private parties.

CHAPEL Our onsite chapel is available for all types of ceremonies and drink can be provided on the deck afterwards overlooking the lake and enjoying wonderful views to the north.

WINES We Wholesale directly to the Public Clean skin Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz $8.90 All other top line reds $14.90 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2010 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2012 - 2013 Plus Moscato $11 Sauvignon Blanc $13.90 Sparkling Chardonnay and Pinot/ Chardonnay $14.90 (while stocks last)

Traralgon Vineyard For Enquiries Contact Marg and Leon Hammond 140 Burnets Road, Traralgon VIC 3844 ~ P: 03 5174 0557 ~ E: traralgon.vineyard@bigpond.com www.traralgonvineyard.com.au

• All Day Breakfast Menu • Daily Specials Menu • Great Coffees & Tea • Cakes & Slices • Caters for Parties • Fully Licensed • Variety of Giftware

New Ponchos A new line of ponchos and tops now available

The Tiny Teapot Café

135 -137 Commercial Street Korumburra, Vic 3950 ph 5655 2605

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GIBSONS LICENSED CAFE & LARDER FALLS ROAD, FISH CREEK | 03 5683 2593

THE LOOK

A main street house repurposed as an open plan cafe. Big bay window for perching in and a large white walled room with artistic recycled timber lighting make for a homey yet individual space. Outdoor seating is available on the back verandah and classic park picnic tables are scattered through the garden.

THE FEEL

Lots of community notices on the walls and windows speak of a place that takes part in local life. The warm wooden floor and recycled timber fixtures make it a room for examining. The room buzzes with talk of rail trail riding and day trips in the car.

THE THEORY

Michelle was born and raised around Fish Creek, with her parents owning a farm. As they have reached an age where she has returned to care for them, this professional film set caterer needed a job to provide for her locally while she was back in town. Initially buying a cafe was expedient but a year in, her passion for food and order is shining through.

THE CREW

Owner and Chef Michelle Gibson is the general who leads an able crew of floor and kitchen staff who are all based locally.

THE SERVICE

Order at the counter or take a menu and order at the table. I have been here twice and both times the service has been quality and quirky, with the staff not afraid to inject their own personality and opinion into their interactions with customers.

THE TASTE

The ploughman lunch is anchored with some fantastic corned beef. So well cooked it almost pops with its juiciness. Beetroot relish, cornichons and pickled onion provide tang while a boiled egg, potato salad and cheddar cheese bring the lactic. Mix to your liking inside a crusty roll and youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll wish you had just spent a day on a Massey Ferguson so it tasted even better. The pancakes are a centimetre thick, fluffy and just slightly sweet. Their combination with tart berries and maple yoghurt is sublime and filling.

THE PRICE

Organic freshly squeezed Orange Juice 4.5, Latte 4, Ploughmans Lunch 20, Pancakes 9.5, Total 38 and yes, I made a pig of myself again.

THE WASH

A great place to break a bike ride, run by people who can cook and know how to combine flavours. Simple sandwiches and cooked meals that nail it for flavour and satisfaction. Go and enjoy. This is a cafe that has real hand picked flowers in the vases. Words & Images by Stu Hay

thelifestyle winter 2018

LA PROVINCIA 105 CORINELLA RD CORINELLA 3984 | 03 5678 0382

THE LOOK

A spacious rectangular dining space is tastefully fitted out with a central display table and a bar dominates the back wall. Selected use of wallpaper adds style and interest. The windows are shaded by a deep vine covered pergola, which also shelters tables for fine weather eating.

THE FEEL

Elvis and Pavarotti are on rotation. The chairs are comfortable and you get the sense of being in a family business. The view from anywhere in the room is pleasant with water features and greenery to look at out all windows. This is a room to relax and spend time in. Helped by the selection of house made liqueurs to linger over.

THE THEORY

Sharing traditional Roman family cooking is the ethos behind this restaurant. There are two generations of Chefs to direct this creative vision. No fandangled fusion here, just classic dishes prepared with passion and pride. As much content as possible is produced on site: fruit and veg as well as wine, liqueurs, balsamic vinegar and olive oil.

THE CREW

Gina and Ben Riccardi are the parents who have called on daughter and son-in-law Maria and Michael to assist them in presenting their Roman ideal. Eva and Chantelle are waitressing on the day I dine.

THE SERVICE

Relaxed and informal with plenty of staff. Both Eva and Chantelle are efficient and attentive. You have to enter via the fruit shop and deli and Ben and Gina provide a smiling welcome. This is a place where you can always catch a waiterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eye.

THE TASTE

The first course of house Bruschetta is very generous with two pieces of toasted sourdough drizzled with house olive oil and house balsamic. Each slice is loaded with fine cut tomato, red onion and basil. Some would call this a meal in itself. It is properly fresh and the balsamic has a Vincotto like sweetness which works well with the red onion. The estate Chardonnay has a hint of sweetness and little oak. It works well with the fresh flavours. The Veal saltimbocca is slim pieces of veal blanketed with prosciutto backstroking in a lake of lovely sage butter. Roast pumpkin, eggplant and mash accompany which are all good but the pumpkin stands out for its pan juices complexity. What a great and hearty dish. The Sfogliatelle is sublime with a great creme patissiere and crisp and easy to cut pastry. The fresh strawberry goes beyond garnish and is a lovely accompaniment to the creamy goodness. Simply sensational.

THE PRICE

Bruschetta Di Casa 12, Saltimbocca Alla Romana 29, Italian Sfogliatelle 8, Glass of Chardonnay 9, 50ml of Limoncello 6.50, Latte 3.5, Total 68 for a huge Meal.

THE WASH

Stop at an ATM on the way as they donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t take card. This is a real gem where you walk through a green grocer and deli to get in to the restaurant, have a wonderful and generous meal and then dawdle through the same Greengrocer and deli on the way out discussing your meal with the chefs and taking some of their kitchens produce home with you. If I lived round the corner I would be there often. Hooray for people sharing their passion!! Words & Images by Stu Hay

thelifestyle winter 2018

Corn harvesting at John Hine's vegetable farm

people and places of the

Glenaladale region

The Glenaladale region is located near Bairnsdale on the road leading north to Dargo. With several other small towns in the area, the district is well recognised for its value to the agribusiness sector in East Gippsland. Vegetable growers, cattle and sheep farmers produce high quality goods that make a significant contribution to the economic prosperity of the region.

Words & Images by Lisa Maatsoo

The Glenaladale district also has significant appeal for visitors. It has a rich indigenous history, and a landscape of natural beauty including the Mitchell River National Park. The Den of Nargun is a popular tourist destination, with many bushwalking tracks and nature trails. Horse riding activities bring enthusiasts to the area, and creative arts and sport bring locals together in the community.

Lionel Rose and his partner Astrid live on a dryland farming property in Glenaladale. Lionel grew up in Melbourne, but as a school teacher travelled where work was available across Victoria. A placement in East Gippsland introduced Lionel to the area, and after retiring many years ago, he is proud to call this region his home. I was fortunate to be hosted by Lionel on a visit to Glenaladale, and he gladly introduced me to several of the local people and places in the district.

Lionel Rose has been a local resident in Glenaladale for over twenty yearsÂ â&#x20AC;&#x201C; at the location where he and Astrid hope to build their new home

thelifestyle winter 2018

left : Freshly picked broccoli in John Hine's processing shed

Vegetable Growing The Mitchell River catchment supplies irrigation farms in the area, including the well-known vegetable growing locations of Lindenow and Woodglen. There are several farms that have grown into large commercial operations, however there are still many small to medium sized growers who also form an important part of this Gippsland food bowl. John Hine is one such farmer at Woodglen, his property backs on to the Mitchell River. The farm propagates their own cuttings for a variety of crops grown on the river flats, including sweet corn, broccoli and other green leaf vegetables. The crops are harvested and processed on site, before being moved in refrigerated vehicles for delivery to customers. Vegetables grown within this irrigation district supply both local and interstate markets stretching right across the east coast of Australia.

The beautiful Mitchell River as seen from John Hine's property in Woodglen

Community Locations Not only a farmer, John Hine is also president of the local cricket club based at the Glenaladale Recreational Reserve. Known as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Glenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Cricket Club, the oval does more than just play host to the sport of cricket. The recreational reserve is the designated District Emergency Assembly Area, and the club house is often used as a meeting place for community and social events. The Woodglen School established in 1903 was a small rural school supporting local students. The school was closed many years ago, but it is still maintained and used for community childcare services. In 2009, the historic school was recognised as a secondary campus to the Lindenow Primary School. The site and facilities are used for their outdoor education program, including day activities and overnight school camps.

Propagation greenhouse on John Hine's vegetable farm

Woodglen school originally established in 1903

Glenaladale Recreational Reserve

thelifestyle winter 2018

The Barn at Calajero in a picturesque bushland setting

The Barn at Calajero offers horse trail riding in the bush

Horse Riding Adventures Children and young adults are frequent visitors to an establishment known as ‘The Barn at Calajero’. The historic site was home to one of the earliest settlers in the area, and is now operated by Ron and Anne Rees who offer horseback trail rides for small or large groups. Rustic selfcontained accommodation is available with a sharing kitchen area and wood-fired pizza oven for guests to enjoy a bush meal and campfire experience. The Barn attracts many visitors to Glenaladale, including school and riding groups from as far away as Ballarat. The regular return of these guests is testament to the hospitality of Ron and Anne, but also the beauty of the bush country which continues to draw horseback explorers to the region.

Beef Cattle Farming

Hereford herd of local farmer Geoff Johnston

East Gippsland is currently going through one of the driest seasons in the last decade. Geoff Johnston is a fourth-generation farmer in the region, and can testify to the fact that times are tough for farmers in the area at the moment. Geoff and his wife Lyn operate a farm across two sites that combine to approximately 1000 acres. Their cottage home is located on one of these properties, from which they enjoy a spectacular view over the Mitchell River catchment area.

Geoff Johnston rolling out feed for his Hereford herd

Fourth generation local farmer Geoff Johnston

Geoff and Lyn breed pure Hereford cattle, the best of which are sold at the fat cattle market in Bairnsdale at the East Gippsland Livestock Exchange. Geoff considers himself to be very fortunate, in that over the many years he and his family have farmed their properties, they’ve been able to make improvements to droughtproof the operation. Whilst that does help to reduce the pressure on their business during times of low rainfall, it still doesn’t take away from constant need to re-assess the decision to sell or hold stock. It’s a balancing act that all farmers are constantly working on, with East Gippsland farmers currently at significant risk from their most influential variable - the weather.

Glenaladale region 56

thelifestyle winter 2018

Signage at the historic Fingerboards road intersection

Tony Power at his workshop on his homestead

Creative Arts Tony Power grew up in Port Melbourne but as a teenager would regularly visit Newlands Arms near Paynesville to go water skiing with his family. He enjoyed the area so much that over twenty years ago he decided to move to East Gippsland. His current home in Glenaladale was one of the original homesteads in the region. A large shed on the property has now become his workshop where he creates hand crafted artworks. Trained and employed as a tool maker, Tony enjoyed his working life in this trade, but always felt it didn’t give him flexibility for his creative side. Now retired, Tony works with many natural materials to create artwork to realise his passion. Most of the artwork he produces is for himself, but he does present some of the pieces for sale, and he has also been commissioned to create several items. The many mediums Tony enjoys working with include wood, stone and metal.

Identifiable Landmarks A crossroad intersection known as ‘The Fingerboards’ is a historic landmark in Glenaladale. The name originated from old signposts made of timber boards installed at the location, showing directions to the next identifiable town. The intersection of the Bairnsdale-Dargo Road and Fernbank-Glenaladale Road is significant as it was the original site of the district saleyards for cattle, sheep and pigs. As such, it became the central meeting place for locals to gather for business and socialising. ‘The Fingerboards’ is now a vehicle rest stop for travellers, where they can read of local history displayed on information boards. East Gippsland is a land of extremes, with floods, droughts and natural disasters all having affected the region. Glenaladale is still recovering from bushfires in 2014 which devasted many acres of bushland. With tragedy comes resilience, and there is no doubt that the diverse mix of residents in the Glenaladale community have proven their strength in navigating some tough challenges.

View of shearing sheds from The Fingerboards intersection, now a rest stop for travellers

Glenaladale is situated in a peaceful rural area within a highly productive food bowl and farming zone. Whether driving through the region heading north to Dargo and the high country, or as a destination in its own right, the area is a beautiful section of East Gippsland that is well worth exploring and supporting.

thelifestyle winter 2018

LEONGATHA the heart of South Gippsland BY WENDY MORRISS

ART & CRAFT GALLERY

VIEW OF THE HILLS - LEONGATHA NORTH

Located in the foothills of the Strzelecki ranges is the attractive rural, regional town of Leongatha, a service centre for the dairy farming community and the civic, commercial, educational and sporting centre of the region.

Leongathaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s first butter factory opened in 1895 and there were many dairy farms but corn, sugar beet, broom and flax were also grown in the area until the early 1900s and the town's first agricultural show was held in 1903.

Leongatha was kilometres north originally known area was home people.

The town was connected to electricity in 1925 and many Dutch and Italian families came to the district during the 1950s and 60s. The railway closed in 1993.

first settled in 1845, several of its present location and was as Koorooman. Previously the to the Boonwurrung Aboriginal

The settlers started clearing the land in the 1870s. Dairying was established in the 1880s and in 1890 the town was officially renamed Leongatha. The same year, the Great Southern Star published its first local newspaper and the railway reached the town in 1891.

CARL HAMANN RESERVE

GIPPSLAND SOUTHERN HEALTH SERVICE

Along McCartin Street are some of the townâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s oldest, significant public buildings. The Post and Telegraph Office was designed by J.B. Cohen and constructed by Neil Falconer in 1906-1907. The Court House was constructed by Frogley and Smith in 1912.

The magnificent Leongatha Memorial Hall was designed by T.E. Molloy and constructed by Raymond V. Ritchie in 1925-1926. Today it functions as a community hall, a citizens advice bureau and art and craft gallery. The Mechanics Institute built in 1911 - 1912 is currently being used by the Leongatha and District Historical Society. South of the old Leongatha railway station is the beginning of the Great Southern Rail Trail, a 74km walking, cycling and horse riding track from Leongatha to Port Welshpool. The trail passes through several small towns that offer food, wine, accommodation, attractions, galleries and unique shopping experiences.

MCINDOE PARK

MECHANICS' INSITUTE HOUSES THE LEONGATHA & DISTRICT HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MEMORIAL GATES LEADING INTO THE SPORTING GROUNDS

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THE MEMORIAL HALL

CORNER BAIR & MCCARTIN STREETS

Mossvale Park located between Leongatha and Mirboo North on the Tarwin River, is a picturesque picnic spot surrounded by English and European ornamental trees and shrubs. It was first developed in the late 1880s by Francis Moss who had emigrated from County Durham in England in 1851. The sound shell in the park was completed in 1980 and is the venue for the ‘Music for the People’ concert with the Victorian Concert Orchestra in February and the Mossvale Music Festival in March. Carl Hamann Bush Reserve on Wild Dog Valley Road is a living relic of the vast, dense forest that once covered the area and there are walking tracks and bench seats throughout the park.

LEONGATHA TOWN CRICKET CLUBROOMS

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LEONGATHA'S DAIRY FACTORY

ST PETER'S ANGLICAN CHURCH

The Leongatha Wetlands on the outskirts of the town, which can be accessed from Johnston Street, has a 500m, scenic track around a picturesque lake that is home to a variety of birdlife and features an attractive rotunda.

Leongatha is a major education centre for South Gippsland, with several primary schools, secondary colleges, a specialist school and a Federation Training campus.

An interesting attraction recently erected in the town, is the stature of Lennie Gwyther in Anderson Street. Lennie Gwyther was a local farmer’s son who at the age of nine years, and with his father’s permission, rode his pony Ginger Mick to Sydney for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

The town also has some wonderful sporting and recreational facilities including an indoor heated swimming pool, velodrome, equestrian park, cricket grounds, skate park, tennis courts and the Woorayl Golf Club all conveniently located.

Leongatha is still a dairy farming community and the centre of Victoria's dairy industry. The Murray Goulburn Dairy (Devondale) factory just north of the town, that has recently been taken over by Saputo Dairy Australia, is the largest in the country, producing milk-based products for Australian and overseas markets.

West of the town is the Leongatha Airport, the home of Woorayl Air Services, established in 1972. The company offers many aerial services including joy flights and charters.

FEDERATION TRAINING CAMPUS

LEONGATHA FOOTBALL CLUB GRANDSTAND

BAIR'S OTAGO HOTEL

LEONGATHA

CENOTAPH LOCATED OUTSIDE THE MEMORIAL HALL

LEONGATHA VELODROME

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GREAT SOUTHERN RAIL TRAIL

LEONGATHA the heart of South Gippsland

For cultural enthusiasts, in the heart of town is The Leongatha Gallery that has represented predominately local artists for the past 44 years. The community ‘Leongatha Lyric Theatre Company’, which has existed since 1965, regularly stages theatrical productions in the town’s Mesley Hall. The exceedingly popular Leongatha Daffodil Street Festival is held annually in September with competitions, a spectacular flower show, art show and a variety of festival activities. MCCARTINS HOTEL

The Rotary Art Show held annually in October, showcases works by local artists and is one of the largest art exhibitions in the region.

SOUTH GIPPSLAND SHIRE OFFICES

Leongatha is the largest shopping precinct in South Gippsland yet offers boutique shopping in a pleasant country setting, and throughout the town, there are several small peaceful green spaces for rest and quiet reflection.

LEONGATHA WETLANDS

FORMER LEONGATHA COURT HOUSE 1912

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ST LAURENCE O'TOOLE CATHOLIC CHURCH

AVENUE OF HONOUR

THE POST & TELEGRAPH OFFICE 1906-1907

THE LEONGATHA DAFFODIL & DAIRY STREET FESTIVAL SATURDAY 1ST SEPTEMBER 9AM-3PM BAIR ST, LYON ST & MICHAEL PLACE

Free entry & free kids’ activities, market stalls, cooking demonstrations, live music, food trucks, cars on display plus much more.

The Daffodil Festival will incorporate many community groups holding displays around Leongatha starting on Thursday 30th August and running through until Sunday 2nd September. Groups such as the Rotary Club with their Art show in Mesley Hall, The Horticultural Society with their Floral show in Memorial Hall, South Gippsland Woodworks, Leongatha & District Historical Society, South Gippsland Gemstone & Lapidary Club, St Peter's Ladies Guild, Friends of the Library, Gippsland Historical Automobile Club & Autobarn's Car display just to name a few.

THE LEONGATHA DAFFODIL & DAIRY STREET FESTIVAL thelifestyle winter 2018

OPEN FOR INSPECTION from 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday and weekends by appointment

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LEONGATHA RSL â&#x20AC;¢

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Members Happy Hour

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BOOK YOUR FUNCTION TODAY AT LEONGATHA RSL

Weddings, Birthdays, Anniversaries, Any Special Occasion Catered for Business Breakfasts Seminars

CALL RICKY TO ORGANISE A QUOTE! Corner of Smith Street & Michael Place, Leongatha

CORNER OF SMITH STREET & MICHAEL PLACE, LEONGATHA

NEW LIFE FOR OLD CHAMBER

THE LEONGATHA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY THAT HAS SERVED THE REGIONAL CENTRE FOR MORE THAN 50 YEARS, IS NOW UNDERGOING CHANGES INCLUDING A NEW NAME TO REINVIGORATE THE TOWN. BY WENDY MORRISS

thelifestyle winter 2018

LCCI president, Brenton Williams has been a member for the last four years. He said he got sick of sitting in the background and complaining about what everyone else was doing and decided to get involved and try to make a difference. A year after joining, he became vice president and later the president. He then encouraged Anthony Walls, owner of Phone Rite in Leongatha to join, who is now vice president. Jodie Clarkson, who has Sweet Life Café and Cake Shop, is the secretary and Anthony’s wife Kristie Walls is the treasurer.

The Daffodil Festival is part of the group’s Leongatha Events subcommittee and the driver behind it is Brenton’s wife and group member Clare Williams. “I facilitated the festival coming together last year and it was a fantastic event, but some of the queues were long so more funds are needed,” she said. “We had a set budget we had to stick to but we had no idea how popular it was going to be. For this year’s festival, we have held smaller events to raise more money. We held a light music event in Lyons Street, an outdoor kid’s movie, an Easter egg hunt and a comedy night.”

“My mother was secretary during the 80s, so the LCCI has been around for a long time but we’ve come to a point where we think it’s time for a change,” Brenton said. “We are currently going through the process of getting more members and changing the name to the Leongatha Business Association.”

Brenton said the festival brings the community together and people come from Melbourne, the Mornington Peninsula and other parts of Gippsland, so it brings money into the town as well. All the shops are open and visitors also learn more about Leongatha.

Anthony said there were issues with the old LCCI and it was run in a way that was a bit segregated and they wanted to change the whole thing with a new outlook and a new direction. “There are new people involved and there’s a new committee so it’s a new fresh start.” Brenton said pounding the pavements seemed to be the only way to get new members on board. “Six of our members have got together to target 10 and 20 businesses each and they just go out and talk about what we are about and what we want to do. We want to get all the businesses on board including people in the industrial estate, retailers and tradespeople. Then if any member has an issue with council or anything else, we are there to help. Some people have great ideas and we need them to come to a meeting and put them on the table.”

A recent achievement for the group was raising $60,000 for the statue of Lennie Gwyther in Leongatha, a project the whole town became involved in. Lennie Gwyther was a local farmer’s son who at the age of nine years, and with his father’s permission, rode his pony Ginger Mick to Sydney for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The group hope the unique statue will now be an added attraction for tourists.

LCCI GROUP MEMBERS BRENTON WILLIAMS, KRISTIE & ANTHONY WALLS, JODIE CLARKSON, KRYSTEL DEAN & CLARE WILLIAMS

Last year, the LCCI took over the management of the Leongatha Daffodil Festival, and rebranded the annual event that has been held in the town for the last 60 years. “When I was a kid, The Daffodil Festival was a lively event with a lot going on and markets in the main streets,” Brenton said. “But over time, the number of people involved has dropped off and last year, the Leongatha Horticultural Society, who have been running it for many years, decided to just look after the hall events and flower show and we managed the rest.”

The LCCI is able to get help and support from other strong community groups in the town particularly The Rotary Club and The Lions Club and he said they all work together well. Additionally, the group has an alliance with the Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “They’ve been great since they have come on board,” Brenton said. “They come to our meetings, they support us in any way they can and our members benefit. We pay one dollar to them per member and they automatically become members of the VCCI, which gives them access to things like work place relations information, consulting, mediators and training and they can contact them whenever they need to.” The group’s future project is bringing back the Leongatha Cycling Carnival. Anthony said it was an iconic event that ran for 30 years until 2007. It attracted international riders and around 8000 visitors. “Not many towns are fortunate enough to have a velodrome, which is in Leongatha’s sensational recreational centre and we need to utilise it. The Leongatha Cycling Club ran the event but eventually found it too difficult. We thought if we ran it under our banner, we could organise the gate, food and entertainment and the cycling club could focus on running the races, but we’ve been told the track condition is too poor for a quality race. We are now working with the Leongatha Cycling Club, Rotary and the Lions Club to raise funds to upgrade the track for the event.” Other future projects include working with council to redevelop the rail yards and Bair Street. “I think generally the town is going really well at the moment,” Brenton said. “We have a few empty shops but some businesses have grown and moved to larger premises in the town.” Anthony said Leongatha is the cross road to Melbourne, The Prom, the coast, The Valley and the beach. “It’s a great central location and it’s a great town.” Photography by Wendy Morriss

He said the recently built heavy vehicle bypass for Leongatha, provided them with the opportunity to shut off the main street and make a decent day of it. “We renamed it ‘The Daffodil and Dairy Festival’ as well because we are a large dairy community. We had a huge street party with market stalls, children’s activities, food trucks and a variety of live music, the Rotary Club's Art show, The Horticultural Society's Flower show and the South Gippsland Historical Auto Club’s car display.”

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Located just a few minutes walk to Leongatha town centre and the start of the Great Southern Rail Trail, our large light filled home is the perfect place to rest while visiting our beautiful countryside in south Gippsland. Twenty minutes drive and you'll be on the clean sandy beaches of Inverloch, Venus Bay and less than an hour to Wilson's Prom and Phillip island. Our large modern home has all you need for a comfortable and relaxing work or play get away. We are able to accommodate up to 10 guests with our 5 twin bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. Priced per guests we can accommodate just one travelling on business, or your large extended family holiday. Boasting a fully equipped kitchen & laundry, open lounge room and secure back yard with deck. For the time poor or the romantic, we can also arrange breakfast or dinner, or a local tasting plate with a bottle of bubbly, on request.

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taking care of business Images & Words by Matt Dunn

Kate Hemming, Georgia Anton, Corrie Hemming & Dean Watchorn

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FOR Leongatha Express Office Choice director Dean Watchorn the idea of a ‘local’ business knows no bounds. Since becoming an outlet for one of Australia’s largest business-to-business office suppliers, the Leongatha newsagency, a fixture in the town since 1974, is getting orders from far and wide.

“We also offer a high level of service - we can come down and assemble something, let you have a chair for a week. It’s that personal service that matters.”

Whether it’s stationery, office equipment, furniture or any other number of related items, Dean said if it wasn’t on the floor they could get it in. Given the enormity of Office Choice’s range it means they pretty much have access to just about every imaginable office related product.

Kate said it was great to be out on the road, meeting new people. A special Office Choice pack with jelly beans definitely helps to break the ice. “It’s often not the manager who gets the pack and someone else will pop the jelly beans in their pocket,” she said with a laugh. “We also offer first time customers a box of paper with their first order.”

It’s the reason sales representative Kate Hemming spends so much time on the road. “Kate’s travelling from Yarram through to Phillip Island, talking to businesses about their office needs. She’s out there communicating with a lot of businesses,” Dean said. “We are the local Office Choice. We sell everything that businesses need and we can always fill an order.” With an explosion of online shopping, buyer habits had changed dramatically, Dean said. “Online orders are making up close to 20 percent of our business for Office Choice products,” he said. “As far as what you can order online through the Office Choice website, it’s amazing. The range is enormous and there’s a really great support network of other outlets in Gippsland.

In addition to the work being done out on the road, there’s still plenty happening at the Nextra Leongatha newsagency. Dean said the business’ Office Choice copy centre is something he is extremely proud of, with faxing, photocopying, desktop publishing, laminating, binding, folding and trimming all part of the service. “We’ve got a really professional team, and we value our ability to offer prompt and professional service. Our photocopy service includes black and white and colour copying. We also offer desktop publishing services for invitations, booklets and pretty much anything else the

customer needs,” he said. “In addition, we have a Canon large format colour printer that can print up to A0 posters.” The newsagency is famous for something else too - a winning $40 million ticket in a 2016 Tattslotto draw. The mystery winner is still unknown in the community - a minor miracle in a small country town. If Dean and his brother, Peter (who runs the Tattslotto end of the business), know anything about the person’s identity they’re certainly not saying anything. Professionals to the end. Family owned, the newsagency employs about 25 people. It also has a proud history of donating to local sporting clubs and community groups. While Dean said the nature of business was changing, he was happy to still have a “bricks and mortar” presence in the town. “I feel like we’ve had an important place in the town. We’ve certainly given a lot of people the opportunity at first time jobs,” he said. “I’d hate to think how many people we’ve employed from 1974 through to today as the Watchorn family. I reckon it would be hundreds. If we have a reunion it would be a huge amount of people.”

Kate Hemming the Leongatha Express Office Choice sales representative is clocking up the miles, showcasing an impressive range of office equipment to local businesses.

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A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS Frank Dekker

the Leongatha and Hallston identity has been a driving force behind sport in the region.

Words + Images by Matt Dunn

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As secretary of the Leongatha Recreation Reserve Committee of Management for the past 15 years, Frank Dekker has played an essential role in making the town the region’s unofficial sporting capital. The reserve is the jewel in Leongatha’s sporting crown, if not the crown itself – boasting a home for 14 clubs at the one Roughead Street site. Frank, it should be noted, has been a driving force behind many of them. The reserve began its life in 1896, with an army of volunteers clearing bushland at the site. Rifle shooting and cricket were the first sports played there, but now it houses facilities for table tennis players, automobile enthusiasts, small bore rifle enthusiasts, skaters, junior footballers, senior footballers, football umpires, netballers, basketballers, swimmers, croquet players, little athletics competitors and volleyballers. “It’s just massive. As far as the community goes everyone can just gather in one spot and feel part of it. Hopefully it just brings a sense of community to everybody,” Frank said. “Some people do take it for granted, just how good it is. It’s unique. There’s not too many other places in Victoria, and I don’t even know about Australia, that have got all those facilities in the one place.” He believes Wangaratta may be one other exception. Frank came to the role of secretary when the late Tony McLeod, whom he met through his time on the Woorayl Golf Club committee, asked him to give it a go. “He said to me, ‘You’re secretary on the golf club committee, so you may as well become secretary on the rec reserve committee,’” Frank said.

As Frank will tell you, he has trouble saying no – especially when it comes to being a part of the local sports scene.

The life member of the Leongatha Badminton Club, Woorayl Golf Club and Hallston Tennis Club is the current chairman of the South Gippsland Landcare Network, Hallston Fire Brigade member, president of the Leongatha Badminton Club (14 years), secretary of the Leongatha Tennis Club (three years), president of the Hallston Tennis Club (29 years), trust member of the Leongatha Cemetery Trust (four years), past secretary of the Woorayl Golf Club (20 years), past secretary/treasurer of the Hallston Landcare Group (five years), past secretary of the Hallston Hall Committee (three years), past president of Leongatha Tennis Club (nine years) and past president of the South Gippsland and District Golf Association. Asked why he wanted to give so much of himself to the local community, his reply was simple: “I enjoy meeting people. You meet some really good people along the way.” “I met my closest friends mainly through tennis, and they’re still my best mates now. That goes back to when we were teenagers. You have that common connection when you play a sport and you get involved in a sport,” he said. “I was never really a footballer as a young fella. I only played one season, but always from a young age played tennis. I started when I was nine. My mate Warren Litttlejohn and I just couldn’t get enough of it. People would sit down, have supper and go home.

It’s a sport Frank still plays now, along with another childhood favourite – badminton. Warren, who was best man at Frank’s wedding, just as Warren was at his, believes his mate is motivated by something more than just a desire to meet good people. “Frank’s been involved in an unbelievable amount of stuff. You probably wouldn’t get a more community-minded person. He’ll put himself out so that somebody else will get a better run at things,” Warren said. “He will sometimes short change himself so that somebody else gets an opportunity. He’s got a great love of this local area. In a lot of ways he’s very traditional. He probably likes to see things preserved. “From a sporting point of view, when you think of tennis and badminton and other sports that may be struggling for numbers, he likes to see them stay strong for the next generation of people.” Warren believes Frank is on the Hallston Hall Committee for that very reason. “He grew up there from a little boy. He saw that the hall was getting rundown. I reckon Frank would have thought if he was on the committee he could keep it going for the community for years to come,” he said. “From the outside looking in, that would be his focus, I reckon. A lot of people out there just don’t do anything, really. “The load is carried by too few a people in a lot of ways. Frank has certainly been involved in a lot of different things in his life.” There’s no doubt those visionaries of 1896, who dreamt of a grand sporting venue for the town, would be mighty grateful.

We’d play another three or four or more sets – playing into the afternoon.”

Frank Dekker

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HARTLEY WELLS

BETTA

HOME LIVING DARREN FOX

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FOR HARTLEY WELLS BETTA HOME LIVING’S DARREN FOX IT’S AN HONOUR TO BE PART OF A FOURTH GENERATION FAMILY BUSINESS By Matt Dunn

WILLIAM HARTLEY WELLS C.1950

HARTLEY Wells Betta Home Living managing director Darren Fox knows his family’s business has a deep history. Much of it has been preserved for posterity in a folder that boasts clippings and photos from the past 86 years. Started decades ago by his grandfather, Wallace Hartley Wells, Darren now updates the folder. In light of the recent passing of his father, Raymond Fox, it has taken on an even greater significance. Raymond took his own place in the clan when he married Roslyn, Wallace’s daughter. Thus, another generation of dedicated workers was added to the ranks. Asked how many family members had worked at the business, Darren was quick to reply: “Every one.” While the retail outlet was crowned the Victoria/ Tasmania Betta Store of the Year in 2015, it began in the humblest of circumstances – with the closure of a furniture shop in Korumburra in 1932, during the Great Depression. William Hartley Wells and his son Wallace both worked at the business and were forced to think fast about their family’s future. After a hasty talk with Catherine Wells - wife to William and mother to Wallace - it was agreed they would buy the business and turn it into one that traded in luggage, nursery items, sewing machines and a number of other goods. By 1934, they operated a furniture shop in the town. In 1938, Wallace, his sister, Dorothy and business partner Charles Blake purchased their own Leongatha furniture shop. However, Wallace went off to serve in World War II soon after. The shop was closed until his return.

DEEP HISTORY FOR WELLS

CATHERINE MAUDE WELLS C.1950

In the meantime, William – as reported in a 1939 news article from The Great Southern Advocate – showed his faith in Korumburra by installing a new shop front.

The Advocate gushed: When completed, this well-known Gippsland furnishing house will be the most modern in any country district in the State, and will enable the public to view their furnishing requirements laid out in a manner comparable to any leading city emporium. Upon returning from the war, father and son merged their business interests – meaning they now had two outlets locally. “The history is fantastic. I’m really proud of where it all started,” Darren said. “There’s been so many people over 86 years that have worked here. Every now and again I’ll pull out a picture and see someone who used to work here – it really takes you back.” Family, staff, friends and customers all have a part to play in the Hartley Wells story. One 1977 newspaper clipping in the scrapbook features the firsthand account of a man who went to the store in 1953 with very little money in his pocket. Granted tenancy of a housing commission residence, the man and his new bride went to see William about purchasing a “kitchen suite”.

WALLACE HARTLEY WELLS

While the man was willing to make do with rickety old furniture and substandard floors, he was told by the store owner that he would not allow it. And although the man only had £20, he walked out of the store with some £400 worth of goods. Wells would not hear the man’s protests, insisting he paid the amount back when he could. “Many people came to Korumburra in those days down on their uppers. They always had a sympathetic ear with philanthropist, Hartley Wells,” the grateful scribe recalled. That kind of philanthropy is something William instilled in the family. Today, the business is a big sponsor of local community groups. Darren proudly displays a thick folder, crammed with thank you letters from those who have been supported by Hartley Wells. He said he felt a great connection to the region, “working in Leongatha by day and living in Korumburra by night”. Now, Leongatha North is home. The South Gippsland Highway store has been there 26 years, after a time trading at the current Sports First (grandfather Wells and Blake) and Voyage Fitness (Ray and Roslyn Hartley Wells) sites on McCartin Street. “We also had a chain of stores. The old man, Raymond, had Hartley Wells in Yarram, Foster, Leongatha, Korumburra and Phillip Island. We also had a Retravision store in Korumburra too,” he said. “Unfortunately, that was in the mid-80s, when we had ‘the recession we had to have’. Dad had to sell off some stores to Pattersons, which traded as Billy Guyatts. They were also closed or sold off later on.

thelifestyle winter 2018

DEEP HISTORY FOR WELLS

ROSYLN AND RAYMOND FOX

DARREN AND WIFE PRISCILLA WITH THEIR CHILDREN, CHELSEA, ISAAK AND FELICITY

“We then went from kiosk type stores to one out on the South Gippsland Highway, Leongatha. We were the first large retail store down here. People at the time said, what’s he doing going down there, building this big shop? As the years have gone on all the big stores have moved out here.” Darren said that “back in the day it was a pretty big gamble”. Like William and Wallace before him, Raymond was not a man to be content with little dreams. “It took a lot of time to get back on our feet. We went through some hard times,” Darren reflected. Early mornings and late nights were the norm. In the end the business would spawn another – Choices and Beaumont tiles which is owned and operated by Darren’s brother, Steven and his wife, Megan. “We were packing big days, back in the day, just to get through that time. In the end it paid dividends,” he said. “This is a fourth generation business and my wife Priscilla and I bought 11 years ago. We have three kids, so there’s another generation that could come in. If you asked my dad when I was a similar age whether I’d come into the business he would probably have said, I hope not. “I know he was happy in the end that I came in and was able to make it work.” Photographs supplied courtesy of Darren Fox

thelifestyle winter 2018

ROSYLN AND RAYMOND FOX

paint place

group of stores

Leongatha

the paint specialists Leongatha

PH: 5952 2522

52 Bair Street, Leongatha Vic 3953 Tel: 5662 2941 Email: leongatha@paintplace.com.au Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 9.00am to 12.00pm Sunday Closed Manager: Luke Watson Luke Watson and Assistant Penny Coulter

Cowes

Wonthaggi

PH: 5952 2522

215 Settlement Road, Cowes Vic 3922 Tel: 5952 2522 Email: cowes@paintplace.com.au Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 8.00am to 1.00pm Sunday 9.00am to 1.00pm Manager: David Fusinato

Wonthaggi

PH: 5672 5522

5-7 Korumburra Road, Wonthaggi Vic 3995 Tel: 5672 5522 Email: wonthaggi@paintplace.com.au Hours: Monday to Friday 7.30am to 5.00pm Saturday 8.30am to 1.00pm Sunday 10.00am to 12.00pm Manager: Rob Geyer

A SPORTING AFFAIR Words + Images by Matt Dunn

JOHN AND DI SCHELLING HAVE BEEN UNITED BY A SHARED LOVE OF ALL THINGS SPORTING. It’s never a comfortable conversation when you ask Leongatha’s John Schelling to talk about himself. His wife, Di, is exactly the same. The couple is all for giving, never for taking - and that includes the spotlight. “We’re not really those sort of people, are we?” John asks Di, as she buzzes about the couple’s kitchen, ready to get one of their three grandchildren off to school. Di pauses momentarily, shaking her head. It’s an emphatic no.

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Looking around the couple’s lounge room you can see the evidence of their devotion to all things sporting. Collingwood Football Club memorabilia jostles for space with all sorts of local club trophies and knick knacks. Taking pride of place on a wall is a framed Herald Sun front page, featuring a large photo of John holding the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games torch aloft. “The torch came through Wonthaggi. Pam Kennedy from the Leongatha Basketball Association nominated me to carry the torch. I was president at the time. I did the walk, carried the torch,” he says.

“It was pretty awesome. Pretty humbling.” The man universally known as ‘Schells’ is a life member of the Town Cricket Club, Stony Creek Football Club and Leongatha Basketball Association, playing various roles as president, secretary and league delegate. “The main thing is when you go to annual meeting and everyone sits on their hands - no one wants to take a job on. That shits me to tears,” he said.

A champion basketballer and netballer, Di is a life member of both the Leongatha Basketball Association and Stony Creek Football Netball Club. At the basketball association - where she played for about 40 years - she was the registration secretary, a team manager and committee member. At Stony, she is still a player after 38 years and has variously served as president and coach. She has also been secretary of the Leongatha and District Netball Association and a member of the Twilight competition committee. Schells said his main reason for volunteering was simple: “I love meeting new people.”

“My father, Bert, said to me when I was a young fella, ‘You’ve been put on this earth to make a difference.’ That’s what inspired me. He used to take me around and show me his crowning glories - the Toora swimming pool, the St Vinnies building,” Schells said.

Like his parents, Schells has drawn strength from his religion. “I’m not a bible basher, but I believe there’s something there and I follow that,” he said. Di said she loved playing basketball, but was forced to give it away because of injury. She is in her forty ninth year of playing netball. “In the thirty seven years I’ve been out at Stony, I’ve only ever played in one grand final and we lost by a goal. That was heartbreaking,” she said. “I have coached junior premierships though, with a couple in a row over Meeniyan - which makes it even better.” Di said sport was a connection for the couple, while Schells jokes that “it’s about the only thing we agree on”. “And we both have a love of our kids and our grandkids,” he adds with a grin. Di agrees. Sport may be something, but people – particularly family - are everything.

“He was just a simple dairy farmer, but he was always involved in those sorts of committees. My mother, Corry, was always involved in committees too and in later years with the local Catholic church. They were both community minded people.”

JOHN AND DI SCHELLING

“Put your hand up and help out where you can. That’s what it’s all about. It’s easy to say no, it’s hard to say yes and follow through.” Follow through, he has. Aside from his various roles at Town Cricket Club, Stony Creek Football Club and Leongatha Basketball Association, Schells has been president of the Alberton Football League and Leongatha Little Athletics Club. He has been a Cub leader, a chairman at St Laurence Primary School, an Auskick coordinator, a Central Gippsland Junior Football League delegate, a vice president and board member of the Leongatha Secondary College school committee, chairman of the St Laurence Parish Council and member of the South Gippsland Shire Recreation Committee. Currently he serves as the Leongatha RSL secretary, Commissioner of AFL Gippsland, Junior Vice President of Leongatha & District Cricket Association and an umpire. And while Di admits to sometimes being cranky when her husband takes up yet another volunteer role, she has been no slouch herself in this regard.

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HISTORY IN MOTION EDNEY’S DEALER PRINCIPAL DARRYL MCGANNON CAN’T WAIT TO SEE WHAT THE FUTURE OF THE CAR INDUSTRY HOLDS BY MATT DUNN

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EDNEY’S history stretches back further than Darryl McGannon can say. But the dealer principal of the Leongatha car dealership knows the business has been around for a long time. “I know we’ve been going for at least 100 years, because the Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce has been going for that long and we’re member number three. We’re one of those originals,” he said. “But Edney’s was definitely going before the VACC started. No one can tell me when it started, and I have tried to find out. “In any event, I still think it’s significant the business has been running for so long, and although the business may not still be family owned, the name still stands.” Local historian Lyn Skillern, a member of the Leongatha Historical Society, supplied a treasure trove of photos of the business when its primary purpose was filling up fuel tanks and offering mechanical services to the region’s growing stock of automobiles.

In its time it has sold cars for Ford, GMH, Austin, Leyland and Nissan Datsun. Today the business - which has had a long association with the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria (RACV) and still operates as a thriving mechanical business – sells Nissan and Hyundai vehicles. Some historical research by Gippsland Lifestyle magazine revealed an explosive history, at least on one eventful day, with a story in the Herald’s December 22, 1939 edition, which proclaimed, ‘Tank explodes in Leongatha garage’. The story ran: The explosion of a compressed air tank in Mr Charles Edney’s motor garage blew a hole in the upper floor, smashed 10 by 3 Oregon beams, and broke all the ground floor windows. All employees escaped injury. John Murphy’s superb book on the history of the former Woorayl Shire, No Parallel, notes that in 1932 Charles ran a bus service from Kongwak through Korumburra to help arrest declining numbers at Leongatha High School and was “instrumental in immediately bringing attendance back over the 100 mark”. The same historical work reports that the community-minded businessman was also part of the Sewerage Authority, which, by 1940, had completed a number of test bores about the growing township of Leongatha.

“And you do feel a part of the business. I worked here when Alan and Jack were still here. Most people know where Edney’s Leongatha is, so there’s a connection there for people. I’m just happy to help continue the tradition,” he said. “I just love it. I always have. I did work experience next door at what was Hogan Ford. And now the Edney’s business owns that shop. “I’ve always had an interest in cars. Don’t know why. Just have. The newer the car, the better. The more technology in the car, the better. I just like to watch as things change.” Darryl, a motoring enthusiast, said he never got sick of being around cars. “It’s a good industry. They say it’s like a drug addiction and you can’t kick the habit – and it is. I get to go to new car launches, all that sort of stuff. It’s great,” he said. Darryl believes today’s cars are a mile ahead of those of 30 years ago. “The quality of the cars is so much better, the technology of the cars is so much better and the safety of the cars is so much better,” he said. Darryl said the cars being sold in Australia in 15 years time would be vastly different again, though he confessed to being uncomfortable at the idea of autonomous vehicles. “I like to drive cars, myself. Though I guess it would be handy on some nights. I still can’t get my head around the idea that that’s what they’ll do,” he said. “But we’re already seeing it with parking assist and lane keep assist. In 15 years time EV’s (electric vehicles) are certainly going to be a lot more common than now. Nissan’s got a purely electric car ready for release, the Leaf, and Hyundai’s got one called the IONIQ. “So they’re starting to filter through to our range now. I know Nissan’s going to have an e-power vehicle. We’re going to get more and more of those very, very soon. I think the industry’s going to change dramatically in the next 15 years.” Whatever is being sold in the future, Darryl said he would be keen to sell it. “I’m not hanging up my hat any time soon. I enjoy it. We’ve got some plans ahead for this place. Hopefully things will keep going the way they are,” he said.

Darryl McGannon: the dealer principal of the Leongatha car dealership knows the business has been around for a long time. Photos were supplied by Lyn Skillern at the Leongatha & District Historical Society, with some dating back to the early 1900s.

Charles’ sons Charlie, Alan and Jack would one day takeover the running of the dealership. Darryl said there was a responsibility that came with carrying on the traditions of a name that was so deeply woven into the fabric of the town.

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Rachel and Greg with their children Hannah and Daniel

HiTech THE COMMUNITY AND THE COMPLEX WORLD OF CONNECTIONS BY WENDY MORRISS

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HiTech Leongatha is a small family business that specialises in connecting people to the world through technology, which is now an essential part of life and business. Greg and Rachel Carruthers who own and operate the business, combine their skills, their knowledge of the region and their ability to stay well ahead of new technology, to provide their customers with a one-stop-shop solution for all their connections. The couple are also actively involved in the community and undertake a considerable amount of volunteer work. “Technology moves so fast and everything now is more integrated,” Rachel said. “Your phone is not just your phone anymore; it’s your camera, your calendar and your computer. People now carry around their life in their pocket, with many connected to other devices and they need them to all work together. For this reason we have expanded to become an authorised Apple reseller and we’ve introduced IT services as well so we can better serve our customers.“ “We can now do everything, “Greg said. “In the one business we can take care of phone plans, review phone bills and provide internet services, mobile and landline phones and computer networks, so it’s all networking, phones and IT. “Being accountable for the work we do is important, so it’s not just setting things up but following the whole process through from beginning to end to make sure customers have the best experience they can.” Greg started his working life in his family’s business in Leongatha when he was 16 years old. It was an electronics and photography store and he said they added phone systems about 14 years ago when the first mobile phones were the size of bricks. Since then the industry has grown and their business has grown with it. Rachel said since breaking away from the family business six years ago and becoming independent, they have gone from working on their own to employing six people.

Rachel’s background is predominately education and corporate business. She said she has brought some of those skills in and married them with Greg’s technical skills and they balance each other out. “Greg’s the man that gets things done while I support him in the administration area, do the HR and be where I’m needed. We are also parents and the business affords us the flexibility to be there for our children when we need to be. “Probably our biggest challenge,” she said, “is that people know us as the Telstra shop not realising that it’s a local family business and although we are a Telstra partner, we are independently owned.

“We know the area, we are part of the community and we know how much people rely on their connections with each other and we hope that gives people confidence in what we do. We are here to build relationships and put back into the community and having a more personalised and trustworthy service is important to us.” She said being in business has provided them with the flexibility to be able to put back into the community, which in turn has enabled them to build relationships that serve the business. “It works well both ways. People often feel overwhelmed with choice and it helps if they can talk to a local person they know, that’s working in their community.” Greg and Rachel are both active members of the Leongatha Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Rachel has also spent time as a volunteer on the board of management for the Karmai Community Children's Centre in Korumburra. “I was part of the board of management that integrated the two children’s services and then we project managed the new centre working with the Shire. It became my part-time job as a volunteer for about three years until the new centre opened. I’m now on the board of directors for Koonwarra Village School and part of a special project there, and I’m also involved with the groups establishing a new secondary college in Ryanston.”

Greg has been involved with the CFA for the last 18 years in various roles from captain of brigade to fire fighters training officer. He is now the group officer of the Strzelecki Group, which he said involves administering and looking after the operations of 14 fire brigades, assisting in major operations and ensuring day to day requirements are concluded. “I’m not doing firefighting as much anymore but just making sure everyone else has the ability to do it.” He is a member at Leongatha South and has been for the last seven years and previously he was a member of Leongatha CFA where he was captain for four years. “It’s a big area that’s covered,” he said. “Three years ago the group was restructured and Strzelecki now has fewer groups along the coast but more inland. From one end to the other takes about an hour and 15 minutes to drive around but being centrally located here for me works really well and I have a great group of people working underneath me.” As for the business, he said technology is always going to be there and it’s becoming more complex. “People will need a better understanding of how and what things can do and making them work together. We have to keep continually updating our own skills to provide our customers with the best coverage and networks.” Rachel said it’s not just the technology that’s changing but businesses as well. “Greg does a lot with the farming community, working out on farms, so that’s an industry that’s changing and using more technology. We have farmers now that once would have walked to the calving shed at night to check everything is ok, whereas now they just open their phone from their couch and use a camera to check on things.” “We have an added advantage over other service centres,” Greg said. “We do tests of our own in the area and we can compare specific models rather than rely on reports, so we can improve localised issues and make the most of the technology.” Photography by Wendy Morriss

Employees Matt King, Nick Meadows and Nikita Lillis with Rachel and Greg Carruthers

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BP Service Stations

EVANS PETROLEUM & LARDNER PARK

Fish Creek 2 Falls Road, Fish Creek, Vic 3959 Tel/Fax: 5683 2521 Email: fishcreek@evanspetroleum.com.au

Foster 94 Main Street, Foster, Vic 3960 Tel/Fax: 5682 2008 Email: foster@evanspetroleum.com.au

Inverloch 25 Williams Street, Inverloch, Vic 3996 Tel/Fax: 5674 1442 Email: inverloch@evanspetroleum.com.au

Johnsonville 1760 Princes Highway, Johnsonville, Vic 3902 Office/Fax: 5156 4102 Workshop: 5156 4233 Email: johnsonville@evanspetroleum.com.au

Korumburra 2-8 Commercial Street, Korumburra, Vic 3950 Tel/Fax: 5655 1668 Email: korumburra@evanspetroleum.com.au

Leongatha 95 Bair Street, Leongartha, Vic 3953 Tel/Fax: 5662 2440 Email: leongatha@evanspetroleum.com.au

Mirboo North

Warren Evans - General Manager and John Schelling - Sales Manager Evans Petroleum’s association with Lardner Park goes all the way back to 1991 when Stuart Evans became the Mobil Distributor for South Gippsland. The then joint association with Mobil Oil and GPG Mobil would soon became Evans Petroleum in its own right and the strong bond between both parties grew to ensure that it was a win, win for both organisations. In the past five years the move to BP/Castrol distribution has strengthened the Evans alliance with a “Strategic Partnership” evolving to the point of joint promotional activity between Lardner Park Events and Evans Petroleum, combined with social media links which is a major benefit to both.

This model follows traditional service and reliability trends backed by a quality range of products, which are BP and Castrol’s trademark as well. Following on from his father’s ethics, Stuart Evans as the managing director and his son Warren in the General Manager’s role both are passionate with partnering with quality suppliers to ensure our customers hold no fear as to the Evans product reliability. This is what sets us apart from many of our opposition, “Get Evans Petroleum Performance”.

106 Ridgway, Mirboo North, Vic 3871 Tel/Fax: 5668 2377 Email: mirboo@evanspetroleum.com.au

Muddy Creek 26 Foster Road, Toora, Vic 3962 Tel/Fax: 5686 2324 Email: toora@evanspetroleum.com.au

Newmerella 5327 Princes Highway, Newmerella, Vic 3886 Tel/Fax: 5154 1601 Email: newmerella@evanspetroleum.com.au

Sale 344 Raglan Street, Sale, Vic 3850 Tel: 5143 1030 Fax: 5143 2686 Email: sale@evanspetroleum.com.au

Traralgon 23-29 Shakespeare Street, Traralgon, VIC 3844 Tel: 5174 1138 Email: Tim@evanspetroleum.com.au

Westside

Danny O’ Brien National Party State MP for Gippsland South with John Schelling

7 Anderson Street, Leongatha, VIC 3953 Tel/Fax: 5662 2834 Email: westside@evanspetroleum.com.au

Wonthaggi

Evans Petroleum display at Farm World, Lardner Park For Evans Petroleum the Lardner Park Field Days are an opportunity to greet many of our customers who purchase bulk fuels and lubricants through our depots at Leongatha, Traralgon and Sale and assist with their knowledge of new products such as Ad Blue and Ultimate Diesel or simply changes to the Castrol Lube range. Our customers are the most important people in the organisation and to spend some time with them ensures that we maintain the personal touch that has always been the Evans trademark. It also provides an opportunity to liaise with new customers and allows us to follow up their enquiries once the field days are over. As a locally owned and operated distributorship, Evans Petroleum’s management is heavily involved in the setting up and manning of the BP Ultimate Pavilion and this allows us to showcase our business model to our peers.

Being hands on also keeps both Stuart and Warren in touch, and combined with the rest of our staff, continues to focus on our customers as number one in our business which ensures the sustained success of events such as the Lardner Park Field Days, and it is a major part of taking us to our customers so we can understand their expectations.

103-105 McKenzie Street, Wonthaggi, Vic 3995 Tel: 5672 3988 Fax: 5672 5229 Email: wonthaggi@evanspetroleum.com.au

Yarram 325 Commercial Street, Yarram, Vic 3971 Tel: 5182 6019 Fax: 5182 6458 Email: yarram@evanspetroleum.com.au

As a group, Evans Petroleum looks forward to many more fruitful years of partnering with Lardner Park and its people and welcoming our customers to the Evans BP/Castrol Pavilion.

Evans Petroleum Head Office 22 Hughes Street, Leongatha Vic 3953 Tel: 5662 2217 Web: www.evanspetroleum.com.au

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‘GATHA’S CLIVE SALMON, GRAEME ‘GRUBBY’ SALMON, COACH NEVILLE STONE, IAN ‘CURLY’ SALMON AND BRIAN ‘ERNIE’ SALMON

WHEN THE SALMON BOYS GET TOGETHER THERE ARE ARGUMENTS ABOUT WHO WAS THE BETTER SPORTSMAN – BUT NO ONE STATES HIS OWN CASE FOR THAT TITLE. RATHER, THEY’LL ARGUE ABOUT WHY ONE OF THE OTHER BROTHERS WAS BETTER THAN THEM. BY MATT DUNN It’s fair to say most people remember them as the awesome foursome of Leongatha Football Club’s star-studded 1982 premiership team. But the brothers’ stories reach far beyond that single game, and feature characters like sporting legends Ray ‘Slug’ Jordan – "first-class cricketer, who became a VFL coach - and the great E.J. ‘Mr Football’ Whitten. Graeme ‘Grubby’ Salmon (67), Brian ‘Ernie’ Salmon (66), Ian ‘Curly’ Salmon (65) and Clive Salmon (64) have a sporting pedigree that is second to none in the local region. Their achievements are spoken about in hushed tones – with bags of money offered to them to play another season in the big time and sporting venues named in their honour.

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As far as cricket went the brothers had many successes together, with three golden seasons at Nerrena where they went undefeated. “People start to hate you then,” Clive said. All were named in Gippsland Cricket League sides, while Clive believes Brian was “one of the country’s quickest bowlers.” Testament to the statement came with him being named in a GCL Team of the Year. He was also selected for the Victorian Country Colts team to play against Western Australia. In addition, he played against a visiting Sri Lankan side, while Clive played against the English.

Both Ian and Clive played in a Provincial Country Week premiership. In later years, Graeme, who played at Nerrena from the age of 14 until his retirement at 52 – though there were stints and premierships elsewhere too - had the ground named in his honour. He was curator there for about 30 years, as well as president and secretary at various times. Graeme’s memories are kept alive by his wife, Narelle, who oversees a battered suitcase full of sporting memorabilia dating back to the brothers’ earliest days – which includes newspaper clippings about the Bulldogs’ signing of a young Ian. A grinning Mr Football sits beside him.

BIG CATCH CLIVE, GRAEME, IAN AND BRIAN

Other stories include local cricketing triumphs, along with letters from the Richmond Football Club to a young Graeme urging him to come down for a run at Punt Road.

Ian would become similarly disillusioned with VFL footy, pining to be back on the farm all the time he was away playing at Footscray (from 1970 to 1977). Even now, it must be said, he would prefer to be on the farm than most other places.

Graeme has something of the Midas touch, having never been in a losing grand final side in either footy or cricket. Between the two sports there have been quite a few.

Neither was Brian all that keen on the big smoke; Brian was a startlingly quick fast bowler and talented footballer. He spent just one year playing footy at Hawthorn.

“I went to Richmond in 1967 and came home in 1970. Nineteen sixty-nine was my last year. Three flags at Richmond in the under 19s. I was part of the 1970 grand final at Leongatha but I didn’t actually play,” he said.

Clive would also later decide on Leongatha rather than Melbourne, saying he was “having too much fun back here”. “Plus I had a business at the age of 23, with Riseley’s old Golden Fleece fuel depot,” he said.

“Then we won 1977, 1979, 1982 at Leongatha. In the meantime I’d coached at Fishy.

In Graeme’s second year at the Tigers, he would travel by train from Leongatha and stay at a pub on the Corner of Bridge Road and Punt Road overnight.

“I was only 16 when I went to Melbourne. I didn’t know what to expect and it was really different. I had to go down on the train. The first time I was picked up by Slug Jordan. I stayed at his place the night before the game.” After the game: “He put me on the train to come home. I didn’t used to get home until after nine o’clock.” “They didn’t get looked after in those days,” Narelle said.

To make the point, she talks of another time when Graeme was taken to hospital by a Richmond club official, only to be left to find his own way home.

“No sleep whatsoever, so that was hard. The following year I moved down there. But I didn’t really like it there. There was no money. There was the honour of playing with Richmond, which was great, but it was not enough to keep me there,” he said. The upside was clear: “We did have a great side at the under 19s. We hardly got beaten.”

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‘GATHA’S BIG CATCH The Salmon brothers’ younger sister, Heather, managed to secure a handful of dirt from the MCG, scraping it from Graeme’s boots into a bag after his first run on the hallowed turf.

“No, no, no,” Brian said.

Graeme ended up playing seconds, but it was a powerful senior side at the time, including such renowned footballers as Mick Malthouse, Francis Bourke, Geoff Raines, Jim Jess, Kevin Bartlett, Dale Weightman and Michael Roach, just to name a few.

“It was $25,000, at least,” Brian said.

“I was about 40 and he was about 19. We didn’t play a lot of footy together, but it was great to have a bit of a run around,” he said.

It was Leongatha Football coach Neville Stone who brought them all together, with Graeme the final piece in the puzzle. He was lured away from Fish Creek.

He confesses that he doesn’t “remember a great deal” from the 1982 Grand Final, as he felled early in the game by friendly fire and ended up with broken ribs.

“It was really hard for juniors, though of course there were quite a few I played with who ended up playing senior football. Maybe it was something I could have done if I’d wanted to stay there, but I just wanted to come home and that was it,” he said.

“Neville had three of us, but he wanted me to come back. It was an easy decision in the end,” Graeme said.

“I can still feel it hitting me now. I spent the night in the hospital. I got some painkillers and stuff. The doctor stitched me up with a few things that kept me happy,” he said.

“I was straight off the farm, milking cows. Lots of things happen and you’re on your own. You really had to make the best of it. “Slug was good. He was an angry bugger, but he was good. He used to abuse the umpire. The umpire would often send him over the fence.” Ian, when he walked away from Footscray, was pursued all the way back to Leongatha by a persistent E.J. Whitten. According to legend, he offered Ian a substantial incentive to come back. “The money was in a bread bag. They came down to see me and they chucked the bag on the kitchen table to try and get me to stay. I said no, I’d had enough,” he explained. “I was in and out of the side a lot and I wasn’t really enjoying it. Garry Dempsey was there at the time, along with Round, Quinlan, Baker – and I was probably about the shortest of the lot. “I was being shunted from position to position.” He was popular, though, at least with the cheerleaders at the club, who voted him them his favourite player. And the amount of money in the bag? “Every time the story gets told the amount goes up. It was actually $3000,” he said.

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“I’m telling you the truth. The last time I heard this story it was $15,000,” Ian said.

“Stony was just great. He was a really easy man to get along with – you knew when he meant it and he was a really good coach. All of us have a really great friendship with Stony – and that probably goes for anyone who was in a team he coached. “He always seemed to bring success with him as well. Everywhere he went he wasn’t going to fail. If you were going to play in a footy side, Neville would probably be the coach you’d want to have.” Professional though they may have been, “there was a lot less pressure to stay off the grog and all this sort of stuff”. “Not like today, when you’d come off and have a milkshake. We’d have a can of beer or three,” he said. Neville rarely made bad decisions, though Graeme does remember one Inverloch beach session that ended badly. “Took us for a run in the cold water. It was a freezing night. We ended up with about eight players available on the Saturday. We all ended up with the bloody flu, so he never did that again,” he said. “That was a strange one. I didn’t go in the water. I was too chicken.” For Clive there has really been no other club but Leongatha, except for five years spent at Meeniyan toward the end of his career. In 1993

he came back to the Parrots and played seconds footy with his son Caine.

“I was just useless after the incident – couldn’t breathe.” Brian said the best part of being in the 1982 Grand Final was “having three of my best mates playing with me, who happened to be my brothers”. “It was only after the game people made a big deal of it, and it probably wasn’t a huge deal. Everyone was just happy for everyone. We were being congratulated for playing together, but it was no big deal,” he said. “We’d been playing together since we were little kids, when it’s all said and done. We played in cricket premierships together and that was more than one.” He said it was a good time for the club, but the Parrots should also have won the 1980 premiership as well. “I didn’t play in the 1980 Grand Final, that’s why,” Graeme quipped. Images courtesy of the Salmon family

Leongatha Health Nutrition + Whole Foods

Leongatha Health Nutrition + Whole Foods Best Price Organics and Local Fruit and Vegetables Organic Teas and Coffee Freshly Ground Peanut Butter Organic Sourdough and Gluten Free Bread Organic and Preservative free Wines Large Nutritional Range Bulk Dispense Wholefoods Conscious Cleaning and Personal Care Products Organic and Natural Cosmetics

Glenn + Suzi Bath 21 McCartin Street, Leongatha 3953 Phone (03) 5662 2290 | Email leongathahealth@hotmail.com | Web leongathahealthfoods.com

TRUCKING AROUND GIPPSLAND TO ALL YOUR EVENTS, WE CAN CATER ANY LOCATION. We are fully self-contained and can take care of everything including attendants. BOOK US FOR LARGE SCALE FESTIVALS - EVENTS - CORPORATE FUNCTIONS.

We also offer catering for many other occasions including birthdays, weddings and engagements. You can find us at Markets around Gippsland and we can prepare our menu to suit your event.

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When looking for a superior culinary experience from an intimate gathering to a lavish banquet choose Brent Sinclair Catering. Relax and have the Brent Sinclair Catering team handle all the details and tailor any menu to perfectly suit your event.

Call Brent Sinclair on 0447 728 547 146 McCartin Street, Leongatha, Vic 3953 E: brent@brentsinclaircatering.com.au www.brentsinclaircatering.com.au

Influence on Dusk created in 1991 continues to be at the forefront in women’s fashion and design.

LEADING BRANDS | JOSEPH RIBKOFF | VERGE | YARRA TRAIL | PING PONG Influence on Dusk also has a range of shoes and scarves, with the popular Django and Juliette shoes. Wedding Attire – Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Groom. Judy Stone, along with her loyal staff, consisting of Kim Cullen and Sacha Holderhead, are always able to assist with any requirements. Kim Cullen

Judy is also a long standing sponsor of the Stony Creek Cup Day, leading into the Fashions on the Field, and is also involved with the Ladies Day at the races. Judy Stone

HOURS Monday to Friday 9.00am – 5.00pm | Saturday 9.00am – 1.00pm 32-34 Bair Street, Leongatha Vic 3953 | Tel: 5662 5111 After Hours appointments available

Sweet Life Cafe

Hours ~ Monday 10am-5pm | Closed Tuesday | Wed-Fri 10am-5pm | Sat & Sun 9am-3pm

Gourmet Chocolate, Fayale Coffee, Gelato & Sorbets, Freshly Squeezed Juices, Large Variety of Gluten Free Products Available

3 Bair Street, Leongatha | 0409 863 299 thelifestyle winter 2018

PRECISION MOVE M&S CNC MACHINING

MARK, LUCAS, DANIEL & SALLY ANDERSON

A CHANGE OF LIFESTYLE AND BUSINESS SHIFT TO SOUTH GIPPSLAND HAS ENABLED THE HUSBAND AND WIFE TEAM BEHIND M&S CNC MACHINING TO ENJOY THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS. WORDS: CHRIS WEST

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When former Melbourne-based couple Mark and Sally Anderson made the decision to relocate their specialised precision component manufacturing business to Leongatha at the end of 2009, there were many who questioned their wisdom. “I was often asked how we were going to move the business down here and make it work,” Mark remembers. “Well, we’ve walked the walk, and have managed to do it relatively easily,” he says. Mark concedes there have been challenges along the way, but nothing that he and Sally haven’t been able to overcome. “There’s a mentality out there that you need to be next door to your customers, but nothing could be further from the truth these days,” he says. “Electronic media via email and text is being used so much for day to day work now. You can transfer drawings and technical data between customers whether you’re next door or a hundred miles away. Having said that, I don’t think the relocation would have worked very well for our clients at that time if I’d gone four hours away to somewhere like Albury, but an hour and a half away to Leongatha is nothing if I need to get in the car and go to meet with them face to face.” Mark and Sally established M&S CNC Machining Pty Ltd in 1998 and operated the business from premises in Bayswater in the outer eastern suburbs of Melbourne. As the Director of Accounts, Sally has always looked after the administrative side of the business and later also assumed responsibility for managing some of the quality control systems in the factory. “We founded the business as a general engineering company, but over time developed into more of a niche company targeting technology companies that require specialised skills and certain types of equipment,” Mark explains. “Having gone from having a wide variance of customers to becoming a specialised niche supplier, we found that business model works better for us.” Prior to starting the business in his thirties, Mark had already accumulated a wealth of experience across several different aspects of the engineering field, including Computer Numerical Control (CNC) technology programming. “I’d always been in the industry and along the way had managed CNC shops for a number of companies. I then went into professional sales, selling cutting tools and then CNC machines before we set up the company,” he says. CNC technology uses CAM software to formulate code to operate the precision cutting machinery that Mark and Sally rely upon in their business. “You could liken CNC to complicated mathematics. It’s like another language of its own,” he states. Mark and Sally’s business found its way without any major difficulties in its early years in Melbourne until the whole industry started to experience some strain around 2005/2006. “It became a bit of a struggle for everyone back then when the customer mindset switched on mass to outsourcing labour to cheaper South East Asian countries, mainly China, but also Vietnam, Taiwan and to a lesser extent Korea,” Mark recalls.

“We were still a viable business but were feeling the pressure like everyone. We then made enquiries about becoming a potential supplier for the Desalination Plant in Wonthaggi just prior to the commencement of its construction. “After weighing everything up, we decided to take a punt to come down here for a combination of the lifestyle and to try to get involved with the Desal Plant when it got up and running.” Mark and Sally already knew the South Gippsland area well, having purchased three acres of land at Inverloch a few years earlier. They bought the land more as a lifestyle property and investment. There was no dwelling on it, so they built a large shed around a caravan and would holiday there with their two sons Luke and Daniel. In searching for a new location for their business, Mark considered both Wonthaggi and Leongatha before deciding to opt for the latter. “I didn’t want the premises to be too close to the coast, as I was worried about the intake of salt air into the machines causing corrosion,” he explains.

Mark secured a factory under construction in Leongatha as the new base for M&S CNC Machining. “These premises are about twenty five per cent bigger than what we had in Bayswater and have been custom built to give us a lot more capability,” he notes. The relocation of the machinery was a sizeable task and was undertaken in the Christmas holiday period at the end of 2009. “We managed to get everything moved and back up and running in four days,” Mark says. “One key staff member came down for three months to help get us up and running and train new staff until he finished his contract.” For Mark and Sally to make their move permanent, the couple sold their house in Melbourne and built a new home for their family on their land in Inverloch. While the house was being built, they lived in temporary premises on site. Their two sons Luke and Daniel were both primary school age at the time of the move, but are 21 and 18 respectively now.

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LUCAS ON CMM PART MEASURING MACHINE

“Daniel is mildly autistic, which meant his needs had to be considered in coming down here, including his education,” Mark states. “There are very good specialist schools facilities in Leongatha, which was part of the decision to have our work premises close by.” Mark has no doubt that coming to South Gippsland has been the right move to make. “The mix of being able to enjoy both Inverloch and Leongatha has been perfect for us. We just pick and choose what we want out of it. For us, it’s not just been a sea change or a tree change, we are fortunate that it’s been both,” Mark observes. “We like the close proximity to Melbourne without having the traffic and all the hassle. You can find everything you need in the triangle that is formed between Korumburra, Leongatha, Inverloch and Wonthaggi.” Mark and Sally were able to make new friends in the area and enjoy the outdoor lifestyle. “Sally loves to surf and gets out on the water every Friday with one of her local friends. They go through to June,” Mark says. “I surf a bit, but am not quite as keen as them. I’ll surf up to about March,” he adds. A knee injury has altered what Mark now can and can’t do with his sport choices. For much of his life, cricket had been his main pursuit. Mark was an opening bowler with a nice fluent action who worked up a very lively pace. He was also a highly capable batsman, which added to his all-round talents. Mark played his suburban club cricket in Melbourne at Heatherdale and progressed as far as Sub-District level with Box Hill, where he remained for approximately ten years.

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“When I first came here, I filled in for a game in Inverloch’s B Grade team and took five wickets and made fifty. I then got promoted to the A Grade team and for the next five years couldn’t find a way to get myself out of the team,” he laughs.

It is now 20 years since Mark and Sally first started their company in Melbourne. Reflecting on the progression of the business and the relocation at the end of 2009, Mark sees no downside in having made the move to South Gippsland.

“I did manage to win the A Grade bowling average at the age of forty eight, which isn’t bad I suppose. But then I had a problem with my knee which required arthoscope surgery. It was fixed enough for me to play on a bit but I’m finished now.”

“The client base and machinery may be different, but the business is essentially the same,” he comments.

The surgery allowed Mark the chance to play alongside his son Luke for a couple of years. “I captained Inverloch’s B Grade team and got to play with him before he stepped up to A Grade, where he is now a solid first change bowler showing considerable potential. Being six foot six, he loves his basketball and cricket. But his size has also made him a bit of a late developer and I’ve noticed he is now starting to develop more pace and zip with his bowling,” he states. Mark’s knee injury also caused him to give up waterskiing, but he has taken up golf since moving to South Gippsland. “I had to learn the game from scratch and absolutely love it. I never travel anywhere now without my clubs,” he says. Mark has joined Leongatha Golf Club and describes the layout as beautiful but challenging. He now only lives a couple of minutes away from the course. “Sally and I bought a nine acre block a couple of years ago and built a new home there which we moved into last September,” he says.

“We have a very good name in the industry and are now in a position to be a lot more selective in the type of work we take on and stay within the areas that we focus on. It takes a lot of hard work to get there, but when customers come to know and trust you, and you’re giving them what they need, they are loathed to change.” Mark says that most of the work his business accepts comes via recommendations from clients. “If a job request is not quite right for us, I recommend the customer to someone else I know who has expertise in that area and those businesses will tend to reciprocate by directing suitable work to us.” The majority of the components manufactured in Mark and Sally’s factory end up in the telecommunications, defence, emergency services or forensic science fields. “Everything we make starts out as a solid block of metal. We have different machines to handle different aspects of the manufacturing process, from cutting and shaping to polishing and measuring,” Mark says. Whilst much of the company’s output is produced for businesses operating in the domestic market in Australia, its work in the analytical science space is virtually all for export.

“Every laboratory around the world has to have a machine to analyse samples. There is a huge market for this equipment in Europe and the US,” he explains. “My client is based in Sydney and has the ability and expertise to mix it with the best in the world in this field. They invent systems to improve the way these machines work and then come to specialist companies like us to make products for them. We are part of their supply chain for the equipment they export to customers overseas.” Mark has trained up new staff throughout the period since coming to Leongatha. His team presently consists of Sally and himself, son Luke and casuals and additional staff responsible for the afternoon shift that runs three days a week from 4pm to 10pm. Sally has reduced her hours to four days a week, providing additional leisure time for her enjoyment and to attend to tasks away from work. As someone who has made a success of relocating a business to South Gippsland, Mark says it could be argued that not enough is done to promote the towns in this area as a manufacturing base or to provide incentive for businesses to come to the region. “We’ve got smooth and solid power supply. We’ve got really good transport logistics - heavy and light - straight to Melbourne overnight from here,” he states. “For instance, I can put a box on a courier here and send it up to Melbourne for less than I could get a piece of steel delivered to me in Bayswater from Dandenong when I was up there. It’s seamless, it’s cheaper and there’s less business interruption here.” Mark finishes with one final endorsement. “As I have said, there have been some challenges at times, but in terms of lifestyle and our business, we really do get the best of both worlds here.”

LUCAS ON TOOL PREMEASURING MACHINE

JOHN LOADING PARTS INTO 4 AXIS MACHINING CENTRE

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Leongatha & District Preserving the history and heritage

* Leongatha 1914

* Leongatha McCartin Street

In the 1960s some concerned residents of the Woorayl district were worried that the history of the area might be lost if the stories of older members of the community were not recorded and photographs, documents and memorabilia saved. A public meeting was called and the Leongatha and District Historical Society was founded. The first president was John Murphy, who was also the first member to write articles and booklets for the Society. These articles told the stories of local landmarks such as hotels and farms, the pioneering era and the people who established not only Leongatha but other communities in the area. At first the Society met in a small room in the Memorial Hall and later in private homes. The collection was stored in private homes and cataloguing was a near impossible task. In the early 1980s the Society became the Woorayl Shire Historical Society to better reflect the area covered by the collection. When the Shire of Woorayl built a library as part of its new office complex the Mechanics’ Institute became available for community use. The Society set about acquiring the building for use as an historical society archive and museum. After much lobbying, the building was given over for the exclusive use of the Society in August 1983. Later that year the first exhibition about historical clothing was set up and gradually other items from the collection were moved in.

Society Volunteers: L-R Keith Hogan – Geoff Michael – Pat Spinks – Alan McGuinness

McCartin Street Leongath – Looking South

Leongatha Railway Station 2001

Meanwhile, John Murphy wrote several books and journal articles and became recognised as the predominant local historian. It was therefore appropriate that he was commissioned by the Shire of Woorayl to write the history of the Shire for the its centenary in 1988. Many years of research and writing went to create the local classic ‘No Parallel’. Since 1983 the Society has held many exhibitions highlighting the varied features of the area. Books written about the area’s history have also increased, written not only by John Murphy but other local historians. Many of these coincided with celebrations such as the centenaries of schools, halls, sporting clubs and other notable people and events.

Railway Stockyards Leongatha 1910

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Leongatha Railway Station c.1900

Historical Society of the former Shire of Woorayl.

* After the fire Leongatha 1913

By Lyn Skillern

* Leongatha School yard 1910

* Leongatha looking north 1910

In 1993, after the Shire of South Gippsland was formed, the Society’s name reverted back to the Leongatha and District Historical Society. With the amalgamation of four smaller shires in the region there are now four Societies in the Shire of South Gippsland; Mirboo and District, Korumburra and District, Foster and District and, of course, Leongatha and District. Inverloch, formerly in the Shire of Woorayl, has its own Historical Society but is now part of Bass Coast Shire. The task of cataloguing the collection is endless, and as new photographs and memorabilia comes in the volunteers are kept busy sorting and labelling the items. Members of the public are welcome to visit and use the resources for research. Researchers regularly make inquiries requesting assistance with family history and other projects. In addition, the South Gippsland Genealogical Society’s research facility is located in the Mechanics’ Institute as well adding greatly to the material available to the community. This valuable community resource is run completely by volunteers and new members are always welcome. Through the generosity of local residents, the collection continues to grow and activities undertaken by the Society are many and varied. Books and journal articles continue to be written, the collection is organised and displayed for the public, school groups are shown through the collection and more. The preservation of Leongatha and District’s heritage and culture is in good hands. Without a past we have no present.

* Leongatha Memorial Hall 1930

This gavel was presented to Brig.Genl.H.E. “Pompey” Elliott and used by him at the opening of The Leongatha Memorial Hall May 24th 1926.

Leongatha and District Historical Society, 10 McCartin St., Leongatha VIC 3953 Call in and see the many artefacts and collections gathered over the past years and visit their facebook site. Photographs were supplied courtesy of Leongatha and District Historical Society *All photographs courtesy of State Library of Victoria

Leongatha: Commercial Hotel & Hitching Rail 1912

Display inside Historical Society

* Leongatha High school football team 1920s

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r e h t y w G Lennie Lennie’s father,

Lennie, His Gra ndfathe r & Carl

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eer, eps of pion ing on the st use on his Lennie rest ho ’s lly ei O’R John Joseph e near Ruby journey hom

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ick Ginger M Lennie With

illern

By Lyn Sk

The next day he was taken on a city tour and visited Ginger Mick at his accommodation at the Royal Showgrounds. Lennie stayed with friends of his father’s and enjoyed a trip to Bondi Beach and Taronga Park Zoo. Boy and pony were invited to take part in the Bridge opening pageant. For several days Lennie prepared Ginger Mick for the parade, he trimmed his mane and tail and brushed his coat until it shone. On the day Lennie and Ginger crossed the bridge following 100 workmen who represented all the tradesmen who had worked on the construction. Although very nervous, Lennie waved to the crowds and thoroughly enjoyed himself. On the other side of the bridge he watched the rest of the pageant. On March 21st he attended a cricket match and met Donald Bradman. Lennie and Ginger Mick then competed in the pony events at the Royal Easter Show but did not win any ribbons. He was, however, presented with a cup by Sir Isaac Isaacs the Governor General. Despite being offered a steamship passage home Lennie wanted to ride. He celebrated his 10th birthday at Gunning near Goulburn. The Hume Highway was chosen for the return trip and he was greeted with enthusiasm along the way. After four months away, Lennie finally reached Leongatha on June 10th. The town came to greet him and he was given a civic reception. Lennie returned to school and farm work. Ginger Mick worked on the farm and took Lennie to primary school and later high school. The pony died in 1949 and was buried at Flers.

There was great excitement in Leongatha on October 24th last year when the statue of local hero Lennie Gwyther was unveiled in the park along the highway opposite the police station. What an event it was. The crowd was well over 500 and included school children dressed as Lennie or pony Ginger Mick. Gwyther family members came from all over and special guest authors Mary Small (Lennie’s Ride) and Stephanie Owen-Reeder (Lennie the Legend) as well as Peter Lalor author of The Bridge were all present. This fine bronze statue commemorates the lone journey of nineyear-old Lennie and his pony Ginger Mick to Sydney for the opening of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1932.

Lennie Gwyther was born in Stradbroke Hospital Leongatha in April 1922 and grew up on the family farm ‘Flers’. Lennie’s father, known locally as the Captain, was awarded a military cross and bar in World War 1 and named his farm after Flers a place where he fought in France. While ploughing paddocks for the year’s onion and potato crop, Captain Gwyther broke his leg and Lennie at the young age of nine took over the task of ploughing the paddocks so crops could be sown. Lennie, like the rest of the nation, had been following the construction of the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the newspapers very closely and it was his hope that one day he would see it.

The Captain wanted to reward Lennie for his work and Lennie asked to be able to go to Sydney for the opening of the bridge. After some discussion it was decided to let him go and the planning began. Lennie’s pony ‘Ginger Mick’ was rested from farm work and given special food to build him up. The local blacksmith made special horseshoes for the pony so he could travel on sealed roads. The Captain gave Lennie letters of introduction to friends and acquaintances so he would be supported along the way. His journey started with a large community farewell at the Leongatha Recreation Reserve and Lennie headed off to Mirboo North. His route took him through the Latrobe Valley, Bairnsdale and on to Cann River where he turned north going to Bombala, Cooma and Canberra before heading to Sydney. Lennie’s ride had already caught the attention of the press and reporters from the local papers along the way were writing stories and sending reports on to the newspapers in Sydney. In Canberra Lennie stayed at Canberra Grammar School and met Mr. Paterson the MP for Gippsland and the Prime Minister Joseph Lyons. He even had afternoon tea in the Members Only refreshment room. After five weeks Lennie and ‘Ginger Mick ‘reached Liverpool on the outskirts of Sydney. The townsfolk were there to get Lennie’s autograph and pat Ginger Mick. Cameramen from Cinesound were there to take film footage. In central Sydney he was escorted down George Street by men from the Royal Agricultural Society on horses and boys on ponies. Hundreds crowded around boy and pony on their way to a welcoming committee at Martin Place.

The Lennie story started to become better known when Peter Lalor wrote about the boy from Leongatha in his book The Bridge. Mary Small then wrote her children’s classic Lennie’s Ride after reading the story in The Bridge. Following the launch of Lennie’s Ride in Leongatha, local Councillor Bob Newton put forward the proposal for a memorial statue to be made in Lennie’s honour. Local Glen Wright supported Bob and then the Chamber of Commerce came on board. Lennie’s family approved the project and the campaign began. A sub-committee was formed to raise the $50,000 needed to have a bronze statue of Lennie and ‘Ginger Mick’ made and placed in the park on the highway in Leongatha. Also helping to gain more community support was Leongatha Primary School when the students performed a musical production based on Lennie’s ride. With so many students in the production the knowledge of the famous boy from Leongatha grew. The fundraising committee members were able obtain a federal government grant from Russell Broadbent, a South Gippsland Shire grant and assistance from the local RSL and Rotary. The general public gave generously to the campaign. When the money required was raised the design was selected and the process of having a bronze statue made, commenced. When the installation was being planned a number of local tradesmen offered their skills free of charge. People who now stop at that parking area for a break will no doubt visit the statue. The statue is something the district can be very proud of. Gundagai’s Dog on the Tucker box, look out! Our Lennie will become a rival must see! References John Murphy ‘No Parallel’ Stephanie Owen Reeder ‘Lennie the Legend’ Historical photographs kindly supplied by the Leongatha & District Historical Society

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LEONGATHA SENIORS FOOTBALL PREMIERS 2017

Chris Verboon - Co-Captain, Beau Vernon - Premiership Coach & Hayden Browne - Co-Captain

LEONGATHA PARROTS WIN THE FLAG IN A THRILLING GAME AGAINST MAFFRA EAGLES An emotional grand final win for all Leongatha players and coach, Beau Vernon to score a one point victory over Maffra. It was the Parrots' first senior flag since 2001, having lost the past two deciders to Maffra in 2016 and Traralgon in 2015. Chris Dunne received the AFL Victoria Country Medal for his six-goal effort, while Parrots co-captain Hayden Browne was awarded the Stan Aitken Medal for his gallant performance in the middle of the ground.

GIPPSLAND LEAGUE 102

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LEONGATHA PARROTS NETBALL WON THE C GRADE FLAG, DOWNING WONTHAGGI POWER.

LEONGATHA FOOTBALL NETBALL CLUB thelifestyle winter 2018

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DRIVING LESSONS FOR L PLATERS HIGH QUALITY TRAINING IN DUAL CONTROL CARS SERVICING LEONGATHA & SURROUNDING AREAS SKILLS ASSESSMENTS FOR OLDER DRIVERS

CALL OR SMS 0439 244 224 20 BENNETT LANE (OFF LONG STREET) LEONGATHA 3953 EMAIL gregjgoss@gmail.com DRIVER EDUCATION ABN 16 373 778 842

MOBILE PHONE AND TABLET ACCESSORIES AND REPAIRS

OPEN 9AM – 5PM MON TO FRI

1300 136 535

55 BAIR ST LEONGATHA facebook.com/PhoneRitePtyLtd

THE KORUMBURRA DENTIST

The Korumburra Family Dental Surgery is located upstairs in a historical building in Korumburra and blends today’s dentistry with a cost effective professional environment. Dr Gary Wilkie BDSc (Melb) has been servicing the Bass Coast and South Gippsland communities for over 30 years, as a local family owned and operated dental practice which was established in 1945.

Dr Gary Wilkie B.D.Sc. (Melb) L.D.S. F.R.A.C.D.S. F.A.I.C.D. Member of Australian Dental Association 104

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We bulk bill eligible child dental scheme and Veteran Affairs patients.

Call now 5655 1026 1 Radovick Street, Korumburra 3950

Stony Creek Go-Karts is now well and truly one of the highlights of South Gippsland.

■ Hire Karts ■ BYO Kart Membership (Day/Yearly Rate) ■ Corporate Days ■ Group Bookings ■ Birthday Parties & Functions ■ Driver Education ■ Phoenix Kart Agents ■ Kart Sales & Spares ■ Café

Please check website for dates and times.

PH : 5664 7272

EM: info@stonycreekgokarts.com.au For more information visit stonycreekgokarts.com.au Please Note: When Stony Creek Racing Club is holding a race meeting the venue will be closed. During the winter period the venue is closed mid week unless prior booking is made.

OPEN 7 DAYS FROM 10am

THESE LOCH OAKS E A C H H AV E A S P E C I A L S T O R Y

FIFTEEN MAGNIFICENT OAK TREES FORM THE PERFECT BACKDROP AT THE LOCH OVAL. EACH OAK IS NOT ONLY A HEALTHY SPECIMEN GIVING GREENERY AND GRANDEUR, EACH HAS A BRASS PLAQUE GIVING CLUE TO THEIR PURPOSE AND IMPORTANCE. BY GARRY KNOX Back in 1950, just a few years after the end of World War 2, the Committee of the day chose to commemorate the sacrifices made by fourteen locals. In every case the sacrifice involved the loss of life, either during the war or directly as a consequence of war service. What better way of remembering these lost soldiers than with the longevity and strength of the mighty Oak. The fifteenth Oak tree was dedicated in 2014 to acknowledge the more recent loss of Loch's Brett Wood in Afghanistan in May 2011. Brass plaques at the base of each of these Canadian Oak trees give us the soldier's name, rank and serial number. However, as time marches on there is the real chance that the stories behind these names would be lost. Where did these Loch boys and girls live, what family did they leave behind, where were they schooled, their occupations, the circumstances of their demise? To this end, a booklet was researched and printed to permanently record their Loch connection. One such story is the heartbreaking detail of David Caldwell, VX 21622. The Caldwell family were an established farming family at nearby Krowera. David had three brothers, Bill, Tom and Jim. David was schooled at Almurta, then Scotch College. He suffered bouts of pneumonia in Winter, so he took work as a cane cutter in Queensland. He fought in the battle of the Tol Plantation at Raboul. His battalion was routed; he became part of a dishevelled group that survived for weeks in the jungle. They saw horrendous atrocities, contemplated surrender, and they spent weeks in a small boat that eventually limped home to Australia.

Late in the war David found himself back in action at Tarakan in Borneo.

BBQ AND REST STOP AT THE LOCH MEMORIAL RESERVE

The district heard on the wireless that armistice (peace) had been declared on the 8th of May 1945. Elation turned to sorrow later that same day when news came through that David had been killed in action just a week earlier. David's family still has his war helmet. A walk on the carpet of acorns and Oak leaves at the Loch Memorial Reserve is a very contemplative reminder of WW2 and all its sadness and loss. The Oaks at the Reserve do these Loch families and the broader Loch community, proud.

We remember... Ray and Jack Brock, Bobbie De Burns, David Caldwell, Jim Collier, Jack Coster, Frank Fitzpatrick, Cam Henry, Jean Horner, John Loh, William McM Allen, Gilbert McLaren, Ernest Pedder, Bill Wells and Brett Wood. The Loch Memorial Reserve celebrates its centenary in four yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time. The Reserve is situated on the Poowong Road and occupies just over ten acres. Current President of the Reserve is mechanic George Elton, now into his twentieth year in the job. His committee includes Geoff and Meredith Birnie, Chris Cronin, Terry Smith, John and Trish Fleming, Ray Humphrey, Paula and Frank Springer, Ray Philpot and Stuart Hayes.

CARAVANNERS That peaceful and historic setting at the Loch Memorial Reserve is proving popular with the "grey nomads." There's a constant stream of travelling baby boomers and others who spend a night or two parked at the Reserve. Their patronage helps both the balance sheet of the Reserve and the economy of the Loch township.

THE SWING BRIDGE Built in 2000, the pedestrian swing bridge safely connects the Loch township to the Reserve. It's 198 feet of (gentle) bounce is a hit with the kids and gives a different perspective of the Alsop River beneath. The bridge was jointly funded by the famous Loch Stock and Barrel Committee, the Reserve Committee, the South Gippsland Shire and the Victorian Government.

FOOTBALL CLUB TIME CAPSULE

FOOTBALL & CRICKET The Loch Memorial Reserve was the home of the Loch Football Club until the club's demise in 1993. A football club time capsule is buried near the gazebo. Now shouts of "kick it to me, kick it to me" are made by the players of the Poowong Loch Junior Football team. The mighty Bulls! And during Summer, the Oaks and the Pennyroyal, and the Ray Humphrey pavilion combine to play host in an English setting to the Poowong Loch Cricket Club.

SWING BRIDGE

MEMORIAL PLAQUE ON THE GATES

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THE LONE PINE & MEMORIAL GATES LEADING INTO THE LOCH MEMORIAL RESERVE

ALSOP RIVER BENEATH THE BRIDGE

RECREATION Other activities at the Loch Memorial Recreation Reserve include the annual Royal Children's Hospital appeal Family Fun Day run by the Community Comrades, Loch Primary School school sports, Remembrance Day service in November, Rusty cricketers, walkers, Music festivals, camping, tennis, soccer and an array of parties and celebrations. BRASS PLAQUE AT THE BASE OF CANADIAN OAK TREE

This booklet is for sale phone 5659 4312 for your copy

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE The autograph wall in the clubrooms proves that celebrities like Alan Jeans, Bruce Ruxton and a houseful of politicians have left their mark at the Reserve. The Lone Pine and the Memorial gates remember the heroes of WW1 and the gazebo is a good place for a free BBQ. The Reserve or the clubrooms can be hired by phoning 5659 4441 Photographs by Doug Pell BRASS PLAQUE AT THE BASE OF OAK TREE

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& THE EQUESTRIAN EXPO LARDNER PARK APRIL 12-15, 2018

WILLIAM ROGERS KNOWN AS ‘ THE BUNYIP BEEKEEPER’ WITH CAROLINE V HAMMOND OF KEEP IN TOUCH.

DANNY O’ BRIEN, NATIONAL PARTY, MP FOR SOUTH GIPPSLAND WITH JOHN SCHELLING, SALES MANAGER FOR EVANS PETROLEUM IN LEONGATHA.

LINDA BALLIS, BUSINESS MANAGER FOR GRIDEDGE WITH IAN SOUTHALL FROM ECO HUB GIPPSLAND.

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FARM WORLD & THE EQUESTRIAN EXPO | LARDNER PARK | 2018

MELINA BATH, NATIONAL PARTY, MP FOR EASTERN VICTORIA REGION WITH DANNY Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; BRIEN, NATIONAL PARTY, MP FOR SOUTH GIPPSLAND.

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WHAT ARE YOUR CONDITIONS OF OPERATION CAN GEEKY WEB DEVELOPERS DELIVER EXCELLENT CUSTOMER SERVICE? YOU BET!

Beyond the products we offer (websites, printing, et al), there’s a fundamental component that remains the same regardless of the kind of business we run, and that’s customer service. Even in this day and age where we can get answers and service from a swipe of a finger or push of a button, at the end of the day, it still comes down to human interaction. People want to be sure that they’re being looked after, and since we act as a go-between for our clients and the world wide web, it’s best to reassure them that they won’t be swallowed up by the likes of Facebook and Google when they venture onto the internet. At Image Direct, we have recently instituted our newly-minted CONDITIONS OF OPERATION under which the business and its team operate. They are as follows.

2. LISTEN FOR THE GOLD. Oftentimes the problem the customer approaches us about solving may not necessarily be the problem that needs fixing. For example, if a client tells us they’re not being found on Google, we need to ascertain what they want to be found for, and if their current web presence is helping them do so. The solution could be as simple as a few SEO tweaks, or as wholesale as a new web site. The underlying problem, though, could be lack of sales/enquiries/ leads – at which point we put our collective heads together and offer a solution that’s in line with their business goals. When approaching your friendly neighbourhood web developer be prepared to discuss specifics about your business. HERE’S A QUICK LIST OF IDEAS:

1. WE WANT OUR CUSTOMERS TO BE HAPPY, SO WE ARE IN TURN HAPPY. We shorten this in-house to ‘happy-happy’, which sounds like it leapt from a Chinese fortune cookie, but is actually a sound philosophy to work to. Suffice it to say, if our customers aren’t satisfied with what we do, we work to ensure an outcome that satisfies all parties involved. Occasionally things do get lost in translation, but if we can get everyone talking the same language, then everyone’s happy(-happy).

Main area/s of the business which generate income Those areas of your business which are unique to you and can be capitalised on. The most profitable services and products you sell Who your main competitors are online.

If you are in business or about to venture into business make sure you know what would make you happy. Not too many web developers will take the time to sit with you and discuss what would make their client happy. Keep in mind that a large proportion of those elements which would make you happy must be directly related to your desired business outcomes. Gone are the days when a website was some fancy online brochure. Websites can and must pay for themselves. Make sure you know what your desired business outcomes (or business goals) are before forking out your hard earned dollars for a website.

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3. AVOID SURPRISES Each job has a set of goals and expectations. These are typically outlined in the job brief. The job is then scoped to establish timeframes and ensure that tasks are carried out to meet the job deadline. Scoping the job is to completing the job as having the ingredients in place to prepare the recipe to taste. We want to make sure that the cake looks the way you want and tastes as it should (to further stretch the metaphor). This way, the project is as outlined from start to finish without any hurdles.

MEASURE TWICE

On the flip side we also work with you to work what ‘noise’ you have to deal with.

CUT ONCE

HERE’S A QUICK LIST OF THINGS TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT: What are all the costs involved? Read everything. Website proposals should be read cover to cover. Will you own the website outright? What are the initial costs? Ongoing costs? What happens if my website goes down on a Sunday? Who do I call? Where exactly is my website being built? Where is my website going to be hosted? Can I see some examples of websites you have built?

4. GET FOUND IN THE NOISE

THE FOLLOWING IS A SHORT LIST OF THE TYPES OF ‘NOISES’ WE ARE TALKING ABOUT: Competitors in the market: Online, offline, on Google, on Facebook, elsewhere. Client is very time poor No-one in the business is really tech savvy Return on Investment for Marketing activities has not been calculated or is unknown. When it comes right down to it, customer service is more than just asking ‘do you want fries with that?’ It’s not about trying to upsell or cross-sell something you don’t need, it’s about ensuring you’re happy with your meal (there’s that food metaphor again), and the best kind of feedback is “yes, I enjoyed that, I want to eat here again.” Customer’s happy – we’re happy – no surprises. Building a website is more than just pretty pictures, awesome video, fantastic creativity and smart SEO. Your website MUST connect to how your business operates and more importantly how you want your business to operate. If you are looking for a website that is perfectly aligned with your business objectives and want to work with people who know how to do this, give us a call. For a FREE evaluation of content on your website contact our studio and we'll get you on the right track. Ph: 1800 774 119 Em: sales@imagedirect.com.au

This is our raison d’etre here at Image Direct – ultimately, we want our customers to be heard amongst the array of competing and conflicting ‘noise’ other businesses make. Even more to the point, we want to pinpoint what the right kind of ‘noise’ our clients need to make in order to be heard. What do they want to be found for? What kind of message do they need to convey? This is what we do at Image Direct, and what we enjoy doing.

Jim Radford Image Direct Gippsland www.imagedirect.com.au About the author. Jim's Traralgon based company is Google AdWords Certified and Google Analytics Certified & has been building websites, managing SEO & Social Media in Gippsland for the past 9 years.

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FOOTYFOR FUN SUPERULES FOOTBALL IS EXTENDING THE CAREERS OF AGEING PLAYERS AND HELPING TO KEEP THE SPIRIT OF SPORTING MATESHIP AND COMPETITION ALIVE. WORDS: CHRIS WEST

Beaconsfield footballer Matthew “Gubbo” Gubbins first experienced Superules at Cranbourne in 1995. Superules, or Masters football as is sometimes referred to, was created specifically for mature age players over 35 years, with some slight modifications to the rules.

Gubbo remembers that in the inaugural year at Beaconsfield in 2003, the Superules team had a squad of 32 players for one side at Over 35s level.

“We previously also had a Masters side for Over 50s, but are not fielding a team in that competition this season. To be eligible to be Premier division, it is a requirement to have a minimum of three teams. With our two Over 35s teams and the Over 45s, we still meet that qualification standard and we do plan to reintroduce the Over 50s next season,” Adrian states.

“I went to Cranbourne for a season with a mate of mine Peter Shearer, who had played all his life at Noble Park,” Gubbo recalls.

“We lost the Grand Final in the first year but gained promotion. In the second year, we went to two sides.”

Superules players have to adapt to a few modifications to the traditional game of AFL football.

“I had played my football in the suburban leagues, including time at Beaconsfield which is where I live.”

Initially the Superules team was part of the Beaconsfield Football Club, but later became a standalone club with its own identity and home ground base.

“It could be described as football without malice, well on the whole anyway,” Gubbo says.

After a few Superules games at Cranbourne, Gubbo’s mate Peter had become a big fan of the concept. “It led to him and I starting a Superules side at Noble Park and we played there for about seven years,” Gubbo says. “Most of the players we assembled were from around Beaconsfield and it eventually became a struggle for numbers due to the commuting. Then we received an offer from the Beaconsfield Football Club for us to come under their wing, so we made the move across in 2003.” In the final match of last season, Gubbo reached the outstanding milestone of 250 Superules games since his debut year in 1995. He still looks in remarkably fit shape for a footballer turning 59 years of age this June.

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“I missed half a season once when I went overseas and had a few injuries, otherwise I would have brought up the 250 a bit sooner,” he laments.

“We quickly became a big club. Up until this season, we’ve fielded four sides for the past six or seven years,” Gubbo says. Beacy, as the club is affectionately known to its players and supporters, has become a mainstay of Superules football. In 2018, Beacy has three teams in the Victorian Metro AFL Masters competition – Over 35s, Over 35s Reserves and Over 45s. The Over 35s main team is regarded as the club’s first choice side. “We’re an older group. Most of our players are over forty five years of age and a couple of them are still playing in the Over 35s team,” Gubbo remarks. Club President, Adrian Patella is one of those. At 47 years of age, he is still competing against much younger opponents.

“You can only have one person up in the ruck. You can’t go up with your knee in the ruck or when marking. There are no sling tackles and no shirtfronts allowed either. You cannot kick in from a point until the goal umpire has waved his flags and there’s no time on. A drop kick goal from outside the goal square used to count for nine points but they’ve scrapped that rule now.” According to Gubbo, the game style in the Superules competition is starting to follow some of the trends seen at AFL level. “Some of the good sides now tend to play more the modern game. Clubs like Marcellin have some ex-AFL players in their team, so it’s not surprising that Superules is moving that way,” he says. Above all, competitiveness and mateship are the main factors that attract players to Superules.

MATTHEW “GUBBO” GUBBINS

“We’re still competitive beasts by nature,” Gubbo states. “I played some senior footy at an older age and when you’re playing with 18-year-olds the generation gap is far more noticeable than when you’re playing Superules. Even the ten-year age gap between Over 35s and Over 45s doesn’t seem as wide as when I was a mature age bloke playing alongside kids. There is great camaraderie amongst our Superules guys.” For some players, Superules offers an outlet to return from retirement, while for others it can be a seamless transition from senior football without any break. “We’ve had guys turn up that haven’t played for twenty years and others who are straight out of footy,” Gubbo remarks.

“Our attitude, especially in the early days, has been that anyone who comes along will get a game. We’ve prided ourselves on that approach, even though at times it has been to the detriment of on-field success. That’s also one of the reasons why our club got so big quickly.” Despite making new players welcome, like any Superules club it always a challenge for Beacy to maintain its squad numbers. “Around this area in the country a lot of good footballers in the thirty five to forty five age bracket who are eligible for Superules are still wanting to play for their senior clubs,” Gubbo notes.

“Factors like that are making it harder to get younger players to join us, so we are always looking for new recruits.”

a co-operative relationship with them, which includes making our ground available for junior training and Auskick,” he explains.

Injuries are also difficult to manage within a mature age squad.

Like any club, Beacy has its share of characters amongst its Superules players. Without hesitation, Adrian Patella names Matthew Gubbins as being high on that list.

“You find some blokes that haven’t played for a while can get injuries like torn hamstrings and calves that they haven’t had before when they were younger,” Gubbo says. In the current 2018 season, the Over 35s are being coached by Matt Shorey, who also coaches Nilma Darnum in the Ellinbank & District Football League. Beacy’s four-time Best & Fairest winner Jon Rutter leads from the front as captain. The club is once again based at its traditional home at Perc Allison Reserve in Beaconsfield after a short-lived move up the road to nearby Holm Park. “We’ve been back at Perc Allison Reserve for three years after going up to Holm Park with Beaconsfield Football Club’s senior and junior teams, but unfortunately it just didn’t gel successfully with us all sharing the new facility. We didn’t last a year up there before making the decision to come back,” Adrian reflects. Gubbo says that returning to Perc Allison Reserve did not sever the ties between the Beaconsfield Superules Club and the Beaconsfield Football Club.

“Gubbo is our games record holder. How would I sum him up? I’d describe him as a man of wisdom,” he says. “He’s been around for a long time and has seen the Superules competition evolve over those years.” Adrian and Gubbo also name John Blackburn and Glenn Stacey as being among the legends of the club. “John has played over 200 Superules games now himself,” Adrian comments. “In his younger days, he made it to Reserves level at Richmond and also played for Oakleigh in the VFL.” John’s daughter Ellie, who played in the premiership winning Western Bulldogs side in this year’s AFLW competition, has a strong connection to Beacy. “Ellie used to come along to training with John and would train with us for years,” Gubbo recalls.

“Holm Park was built as a complex for everyone, but it just didn’t work out for us. We’ve still got

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PINO PARLAPIANO

BRENDEN FREDERICKS

“We’ve followed her progress in the AFLW competition very closely. A couple of our guys even watched her play in Brisbane when they were up there at that time.” Adrian says that the club is indebted to the ongoing contribution made by another of its great characters, Glenn Stacey. “Glenn is a Life Member and Ex-President. Back in our club’s early days, he was pretty much the Committee. It was a one man show for a long time. He is now President of the Beaconsfield Recreation Reserve Committee covering all the tenants at Perc Allison Reserve, which Gubbo also serves on. Glenn is still playing but injured at the moment.” As Gubbo points out, Superules has the capacity to build mateship, not only within the four walls of the club but with opposition players as well. “You can make lifelong friends through this game,” he says. “I went to a 60th birthday last year for an Essendon Superules player, Peter O’Dea, who I’ve played against for many years and I’d now call a good

ADRIAN PATELLA AND FUNDRAISERS

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SHAUN STIRTON

MARK WINTERTON

JULIAN TAYLOR

friend. We’ve not just been opponents. We’ve also played in Victorian representative teams together over the years.”

We held our annual Ladies Day earlier in the season when Williamstown visited the Perc Allison Oval.”

Of all the clubs in the Superules competition, Gubbo says that Beacy has its strongest rivalry with Williamstown.

All three Superules sides play one after the other at the same location on the same day, whether that be at home or away, which helps to build team spirit and networks of friendship throughout the club. Opposing teams are based all over Melbourne. Away games can be as close by as Cranbourne and Frankston, or as far away as Ascot Vale, Essendon and Williamstown in the city’s west, Parkdale in the southern bayside area and Coburg and Plenty Valley to the north.

“We were probably the first two clubs that added a second team, which meant we began playing curtain raisers. We also played each other twice per season and just built up a rivalry from there. Our Reserves side also played off in a few Grand Finals against Williamstown which added to it a bit more,” he explains. Although there is a healthy dose of competitiveness in Superules football, Adrian says that enjoyment is the fundamental name of the game. “Footy for fun is the Superules motto,” he notes. “The social scene at our club is excellent. Training night every Wednesday is your traditional old style footy night – the boys have something to eat, a few beers and play some cards. Match days are on every second Sunday and we make them all about families.

Adrian and Gubbo encourage any prospective players of the eligible age to give Superules a try. “Everybody’s always welcome here at Beacy,” Adrian emphasises. Gubbo also highlights some of the mature age game’s important additional benefits.

ADRIAN PATELLA

JOHN BLACKBURN

MICHAEL POGZREBA

NICK BAYLISS

ADAM MARSHALL

SUPERU LES

“Superules footy provides a good escape and not only does it extend playing careers but the mateship and fitness aspects that come with playing are also good for general wellbeing and mental health which shouldn’t be underestimated,” he adds. Although just a year away from being sixty, Gubbo is not yet ready to hang up the boots. This season he is continuing to add further to his game tally in Beacy’s Over 45s team, playing mainly as a forward. “I’ve no plans to stop as long as the body stays in good nick,” he declares. Adrian has more than a decade of age advantage on Gubbo, but concedes that the final siren inevitably sounds for everyone eventually. “We all know we’re going to play our last game of footy at some stage, but we’re just going to keep enjoying it while we still can,” he says.

CANTEEN STAFF

GLENN STACEY AND JOELI SPENCER

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bicycle helmets

Getting the correct fit to protect you

By Gary Jackson, Riviera Cycles

Bicycle helmets come in varied types to suit different styles of riding. There are road race helmets, Mountain Bike Trail helmets, BMX helmets and more. By far the best and easiest way to select the right fitting helmet is to pop into your local Gippsland bicycle store and try a few from their large selections. You are guaranteed to find one that meets the mandatory Australian Standard and the bike shop staff will be able to assist in selecting the right size and help adjust it to suit you. Almost all helmets these days come with a retention system at the back, either a dial or a slider to easily make fine adjustments to the helmet fit. The bike shop staff can assist with getting the right fit and also advise on the right style of helmet for your favourite type of riding. It’s worth trying on a couple of different brands of helmet as the inner shape does vary and one brand may fit you better than another.

CORRECTLY WORN

HOW A HELMET PROTECTS You would be forgiven in thinking that a helmet won’t do much, after all they seem like a simple piece of polystyrene foam covered in a thin layer of plastic. However, there are many hundreds of hours of design and testing in each helmet to produce a device that protects, while also being lightweight and well ventilated.

HOW TO WEAR YOUR HELMET CORRECTLY Bicycle helmets have been designed to be worn level on your head, covering your forehead and should sit a fingers width above the eyebrows. A common mistake we see is the wearing of helmets tilted back, exposing the forehead which reduces its ability to protect you. It may be necessary to adjust the side straps and the retention system of the helmet to get it to sit level. If after adjustments it’s still not sitting right, or it is uncomfortable, then you may need to try a different helmet. Side straps on the helmet should sit flat against the side of your face and in an even “Y” shape over your ear, coming together about one to two centimetres below the earlobe. The buckle that sits at that junction allows adjustment to get this part of the fitting right. The strap then continues under your chin where it should be adjusted so you can comfortably get two fingers in between the strap and the underside of your chin.

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A helmet is designed to fracture on impact like a crumple zone in a car, dispersing the energy across the helmet and reducing the impact through to your head. As a result, if your helmet has suffered an impact, either through a crash, being dropped, sat on or has been chewed by the family dog (it happens!) it should immediately be disposed of as it has then lost its ability to fracture and redirect the energy away from your head. INCORRECTLY WORN

Even the humble plastic cover has a purpose beyond adding colour. In the event of a crash, the cover allows the helmet to slide or skid on the ground, with just bare foam the helmet would grip the ground and twist your neck. We often see people wearing cheap helmets that have lost their plastic cover as they are poorly made, but it should never be used without one. Regardless of any known or visible damage, it is recommended to replace your helmet every five years in case of accidental damage that is not immediately noticeable. It may be possible to recycle the polystyrene foam from old helmets by separating it from the rest of the parts. Check with your local council recycling depot. One last word of advice from someone who has crashed more than once, and is thankful for the protection a helmet can give in a crash; NEVER ride a bike without one! Gary Jackson Riviera Cycles

OVER

Years of

Riviera Cycles

Bairnsdale

Gary and Lisa Jackson love cycling. They love the freedom of pedaling a quiet country road, the exhilaration of descending an off-road trail, the sense of achievement felt from conquering a big climb, and since 1995, they have been sharing that love of cycling with the people of East Gippsland. SALES

WE HAVE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE BRANDS AVAILABLE.

EXPERT REPAIRS

WE TAKE PRIDE IN AND GUARANTEE THE QUALITY OF OUR REPAIRS.

DEMONSTRATION BIKES

WE HAVE A SMALL FLEET OF THE LATEST BIKES TO SHOWCASE NEW MODELS FROM OUR MAJOR SUPPLIERS.

ACCESSORIES & COMPONENTS

WE STOCK THE MOST CURRENT CYCLING ACCESSORIES AND COMPONENTS.

Come and see our exciting 2018 range at RIVIERA CYCLES BAIRNSDALE

Opening hours Monday - Friday: 9am to 5.30pm Saturday: 9am to 1pm Sunday: Closed

193 Main Street, Bairnsdale, 3875 Phone: 03 5152 1886 www.rivieracycles.com.au

8 LITTLE DUCKS WENT DAY � We set out to take advantage of the last of the beautiful autumn weather. DESTINATION WALHALLA. Simon, Rosie, 6 kids: Macca, Matilda, Ruby, Connor, Riley and Cohan, and Stella the dog. Stella was the best behaved by the way. We set up camp by the main road, really nice spot, green grass and a nice area for a fire. This nice spot just happened to be at the foot of the cemetery, no problems - we don’t believe in ghosts! Dad and mum get to work setting up camp while kids roll out their swags and light a fire. The boys quickly disappeared into the scrub with torches looking for mines to explore, within minutes they had found one, much to mother’s dismay.

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They all returned safe, dirty and wet and without any gold. Luckily they did collect some firewood on the return trip, which was great as we were in for a cold night. The sun was falling behind the hill so we took the short walk up to the cemetery. The kids were very interested in the different shapes and sizes of the graves and were quick to point out the rich and the poor graves. I explained that it doesn’t really matter what your headstone looks like when you’re dead!

The Wally Pub has a warm homely atmosphere. We were quick to order as the kids’ worms were biting.

The kids were taken aback by the low age of many of the deceased which lead me into boring dad stories of mine explosions and the Black Plague and so on.

Couple more bevs then back to camp. Ruby (6) said she was “full as a fat lady’s sock”. Stella the dog made friends with the publican and scored herself a free feed, good work Stel.

“IM HUNGRY” seemed to be echoing around the camp. Time for tea - off to the “Wally Pub”. We were quickly served drinks and supplied menus. Beer was cold... yay!

Kids fried off some marshmallows, some of which were charcoaled and some were like flying balls of lava across the camp.

The meals were all delicious with the highlights being “Chicken Walhalla Parma” and “Nacho Parma”. Kids’ desserts were ice cream Saturday, because it wasn’t Sunday! And we shared a lemon tart. The beer was still cold.

Kids were now all tuckered out and jumped straight into their swags, ‘twas going to be a cold night.

OUT ONE DAY DAY � Kids awoke very excited at some stupid hour, 6am. They were quick to get the fire going and boil the billy; mum is always happy with coffee in the morning. We took a walk through the town, which was full of autumn colour and looked amazing. The kids took full advantage of the dropped leaves and started throwing them at each other, which nearly turned savage and needed the warden (dad) to intervene. The whole town is clean, neat and tidy. First stop was the post office which opened in 1864 and still mostly original. The kids got to send Morse code and made phone calls on the old phones. We checked out the postmaster’s quarters which is like stepping back in time, the kids were very shocked at the size of the beds, especially Riley (14) who is 6 feet 2 inches already!! The postmaster tried to engage the children in the duties of the post office in the 1800’s practice, but the children were still buzzing with energy, so on we went.

WORDS & IMAGES BY SIMON DUCK

We checked out the original bank vault and the many shops lining the street, skipping the Lolly shop, no need to add sugar to these little buggers!!

Mum and dad packed up the camper and the swags whilst the kids played four square in the middle of the road, this seemed like a good idea to them.

We continued on foot, inspected the old fire station and the bandstand. Then the echo of bagpipes filled the valley, perched high above the town on a rocky outcrop was a Scottish gentleman in full frock playing his bagpipes. This was not what I was expecting! I then went on to tell the kiddies how once I played the bagpipe using just a cat! Yep it’s called the cat bag!

Time was ticking by, so off to visit the train. Walhalla station has been beautifully restored along with their loco and carriages; it’s a real credit to them.

We booked our tour at the “Long tunnel extended mine” and our guide, Geoff, was very versed in the workings of the mine and the history. The tour took us 200 metres into the hill. It’s truly amazing that this was dug mostly by hand. It’s a must see.

SUM UP.

Lunch time: killed two loaves of bread, 24 slices of cheese and half a kilo of ham. And they’re still wanting more.

We caught the 3pm train to Thompson station and back; the kids loved it. Stella the dog wasn’t a big fan!

Walhalla was a great weekend away for us (a large family), everything was reasonably priced, the pub put on a great feed, the town was gleaming, facilities were clean and there was plenty to keep the troops entertained. Walhalla also has a great variety of accommodation for those not keen on camping.

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PART THREE BY TREVOR STOW

TRAINING YOUR

In the last few issues we talked about buying your pup, health checks, training aids and teaching your dog to come and to sit. In this issue we will look at training your pup to heel and fetch, and your pup will need training whether it is going to be a house pet or a working gundog. HEELING

From the time pup leaves the litter until he is a mature dog, you will need to work on heeling. This is one of the most important things that you can teach your pup to do. Heeling means pup walking on your left hand side with his nose in line with your knees. Why the left hand side? The reason is in hunting, we normally carry our guns in our right hand so it makes sense for pup to be on the opposite side so that he will not get accidently hit on the head with the gun, and he will not get in the way when we raise the gun to fire. Pup must be taught that when he is told to heel he must stay in that position until we give him another command. He must not run off chasing game that he has seen or the local cat or a wallaby that crosses his path. Even when he gets good at heeling you will still need to keep a lead on him. He may drag it and you may need to put your foot on it occasionally. When pup is young, attach a lead to his collar and encourage him to follow you as you slowly walk. Often pup will resist and pull back on the lead. That is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about at this stage. You want pup to come with you but don’t be too concerned if he lags behind a bit or even gets a little in front of you. The important thing is that he is with you and going in the same direction.

You’ll need to encourage pup to come by giving the lead a gentle tug and calling his name. Remember the pocket full of treats that you always have? That’s right, get out a treat and hold it near his nose. As he moves forward to take it, move it forward a little while coaxing him to follow. Let him have the treat but continue to slowly move forward and of course, have another treat ready when you see any resistance from pup. Before long you and pup will happily be walking together. As time progresses, you will encourage pup to ‘heel’ more and more. Timing is everything in training. When pup gets into the correct position, give him a ‘good dog’. Over a period of weeks and even months with encouragement, pup will heel better and better. When pup is a little older and loses his baby teeth, you may then purchase a Choker Chain. This is a poor name for this collar as the last thing that you want to do is to choke pup. You will however, want to give pup a quick correction using the collar. To do this snap the lead upwards and pull the chain tight quickly. Just as quickly, immediately release the lead and the chain. As you do this say ‘heel’ to pup and move him into the correct position with your left leg. ‘Good dog’. After a short period of time pup will get the message and all you will have to do is gently tug the chain, give him a ‘heel’ command and pup will be just where you want him. He will respond to the noise of the chain and not need the correction. Good heeling isn’t taught overnight. It takes a lot of training and practice. Remember to hurry slowly! Expect little and be surprised. Do a little every day.

Elle sits beside her handler awaiting the ‘heel’ command. This is the correct position for pup with her nose level with Rea's toes.

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FETCH

You can start teaching pup to fetch at a very young age. Find a nice grassy area, perhaps your back lawn or the nearest football oval, somewhere that pup can easily see the bumper. You don’t want pup hunting and looking for the bumper. You want him to find it easily. Sit pup by your side on a light rope lead. Hold onto his collar to stop him running off and tease him with the bumper (dummy). Get him really excited. Once he looks like he will do anything to get the bumper, throw it a short distance in front of him, only a metre or two and let him go and fetch it. Normally pup will pick up the dummy and run off with it. That’s fine and normal but remember he is attached to the rope lead and you are holding that lead. Without using a lot of force, encourage him to come back to you. Call his name and say ‘come’ while gently pulling him in by the rope. Once pup is back near you he will do one of two things: Drop the dummy on the ground. This is no problem at this stage. We are only looking for him to run out, pick up the bumper and return back somewhere near you. You can fix up delivery later. Alternatively he may not want to give you the dummy. He may have his jaws firmly closed around it. Again, that’s perfectly fine. Just put your palm under pup’s tummy and gently lift him off the ground. He will normally spit out the dummy into your waiting hand at this stage. When he is dropping it into your hand you will say ‘give’. So you are teaching pup to: Fetch, Come and Give all in one simple exercise. As the weeks progress, you will be able to throw the dummy further and further, but remember, hurry slowly! Pup is now several months old and he is retrieving well. He still drags the rope.

Elle sits in front of Rea Roberts and offers her the dummy. Elle is looking up to Rea and therefore will not drop the dummy.

GUNDOG RETRIEVER He doesn’t know you are not holding it and if you have to, you can always grab it and encourage pup back to you on the odd occasion when he decides to run past you with the dummy.

Pup continues to get older and now having a helper is a big advantage. Get your helper to walk just outside of your throwing range and after you have pup sitting steadily by your side, give them the signal to throw the bumper up in the air. Now a word of advice here, most people think that they have to throw that bumper into the next postcode and they end up throwing it low and flat. That is not what you want. Before your ‘Bird Boy’ starts to throw, you will need to give him a lesson so it’s a nice high throw that breaks the skyline. It does not have to go far but getting it up high where pup can easily see it is very important. Also your Bird Boy needs to carry a spare bumper. Pup must have success every time! If he has any trouble finding the bumper, your Bird Boy must help him and throw the spare bumper near the original one after getting pups attention. Remember, you are still on short grass where pup can easily see the bumper. Pup should be steady by your side whilst the bumper is being thrown. A few seconds after it has landed you should give the instruction to ‘fetch’. Pup must not move until then. Of course a bumper being thrown is a huge incentive for pup to charge off but you must ensure that he does not go until he is told. Hold onto that short lead if necessary. In a few months you do not want pup charging off every time he hears a gun shot or sees a duck fly past. Remember, it is easier to train him properly in the first place than to try and cure faults later.

As time goes by and pup gets good at retrieving bumpers, you can extend the distance up 150 metres. At that distance you need to make sure that pup can see the bumper when it’s thrown. A larger 80mm bumper is an advantage with these longer distances. At this stage you can also introduce some cover into the retrieving. Throw the bumper into some grass, nothing too demanding but enough to make pup use his nose as well as his eyes. Perhaps at this stage, you could send pup over a log or other obstruction on his way to get the dummy. Perhaps you could send him over a gully or up a hill. Once he is confident and marking and retrieving well, you can then add more of these challenges. Some dogs are great marking dogs and some are just ok. It all depends on what eyes and nose they’re born with. You can improve their skills with a lot of practice but at the end of the day, some dogs just mark better than others. Ideally you want pup to go straight out and straight back with the bumper. If pup takes a straight line then the chances of him finding the bumper will be greatly enhanced as he will either run over the bumper or very close to it. On the other hand, if he runs out in a loop, his chances of success are diminished. If you leave it to nature, pup will weave all over the place and this can be difficult to correct later. Straight out and straight back should be your goal, even though this is hard to achieve. One simple thing that you can do is blow ‘come in’ and whistle just as pup is about to pick up the bumper. Blow it several more times and call him to ‘come’ as he is returning to you. This will encourage pup to run quickly back to you and in a straight line.

Bob Tawton shows us how a dog should heel. The dog must not walk ahead of or behind the handler.

A ‘Walking Single’ drill is a useful way to help pup run straight lines out to the bumper and it is a good training exercise when you do not have an assistant to throw the bumper. Firstly sit pup, then walk out some distance (at first perhaps only 20 metres, then as pup gets more experienced, increase the distance up to 150 metres). Make sure pup is still sitting and throw the bumper straight out at right angles to pup. Give him the command to fetch. Once he has picked up the dummy, call him into you and again sit him. Again walk away from him and repeat the exercise numerous times. As usual, always have a spare dummy in your back pocket in case pup has trouble locating the one thrown. Remember that pup must always have success. Help him if you need to. Dogs can never get enough marking. It increases their confidence and teaches them a good hunting pattern. Practise marking as often as you can. In the next issue we will look at teaching your pup to retrieve doubles and the ‘back’ command… (See the Spring Issue for the next instalment of Training Your Gundog Retriever) Photographs by Trevor Stow

This is a great delivery by Tas. He is sitting, facing Rocky and freely handing over the dummy with a ‘soft’ mouth.

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Millie,

It never ceases to amaze me that Gippsland is so diverse and interesting. I was talking to a friend and she mentioned a place called “White womans waterhole”, somewhere I had never heard of before. I jumped online and found a wealth of fascinating, mythical and factual information about this actual place that was not so far away. It sounded like a great excuse for a road trip adventure for me and Millie the wonder dog! She loves to explore as much as me. We left Maffra early and by the time we arrived in Sale the area was shrouded in fog. The day didn’t look promising for such a trip. As we drove through Longford and up the rise on the South Gippsland Highway the fog disappeared and the sun and blue sky welcomed us. I had pre-planned the route and before Woodside we darted down a side road. We were on our way on a “short cut” across country to find this strangely named place. It surprises me that so soon after leaving the highway, you can feel like you are in the backblocks and on roads you never expected you would ever be on.

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Millie was observant and confident in my ability, I wasn’t so sure, especially when the mobile had no service and I had been relying on Google maps! My memory of the route and driving just a little further took me to the site, in the middle of the Won Wron State forest, White Womans Waterhole. There was a large cleared campsite in the middle of the forest with a couple of high tech camping outfits enjoying the free camping. Millie and I ventured off, following the signs to the waterhole. We reached the end of the trail and totally missed the waterhole! Back tracking a little we found the rather unimpressive, empty waterhole. I’m not sure what I expected. The story that goes with it though is far more interesting and has been the subject of a book, artworks and much conjecture and sorrow. There is much written about it online and different versions of what may have happened. One story is that a woman was on a boat shipwrecked on the Ninety Mile Beach and taken in by a local aboriginal tribe.

myth&mystery By Ken Roberts

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White Womans Water hole | Minneha’ha Falls | TarraValley

Another myth says that there was a sign put on a tree and a drover saw it, a search party was organised, she was rescued and eventually sailed back to England. Other stories are far more sinister. The local aboriginal tribe supposedly captured a white woman and local explorer Angus McMillan organised a search party, which was documented in the papers of the 1840s, and in hunting for “the captive white woman of Gippsland” many indigenous people were slaughtered. There is even evidence of the handkerchief that they pinned to trees with writing to her in English and Gaelic telling her that they were looking for her. The white woman was never found but legend has it that the ship’s figurehead of a woman was located. It’s a strangely twisted and mythical tail that somehow was a real event though most of the basis for the existence of the woman is not known. A nearby massacre at Warrigul Creek is recognised as one of the worst in the history of Australian settlement. The site of White womans waterhole is significant to the local Bratwoloong people because it commemorates the tragedy of

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this story. It was such a sobering story and as I drove away I was thankful that I had made the effort to find this tiny spot in the middle of the forest and be aware of this part of our history, no matter how tragic. I had decided I would visit a trio of places that were easy driving distance around Yarram. I had never been to Hiawatha before and had never seen the appropriately named, Minnie Ha’ Ha Falls there. Through farmland, rolling hills and eventually a narrow gravel road, we passed the disappeared township of Fairview and arrived at The Falls. A quaint little waterfall in a dark pond. Millie enjoyed having a wander and explore. The forest and tree ferns come right up to it at the back. I think we take this sort of beauty for granted after a while. Two down and maybe the best to come, Tarra Valley! It must have been over 40 years since I had been there and yet so many tourists visit daily. As we drove through the grassy farmland, past deserted farmhouses the terrain became more prehistoric. Towering trees and tree ferns in

their thousands that were really the size of fully grown trees. It was like journeying into a movie set of Jurassic Park. The slow and winding drive was really worth the trip even before you get to the entrance. Once through the portal you enter the deep gullies of trickling streams and waterfalls. The hillsides were awash with even more tree ferns and lush vegetation. It made me wonder again why I had taken so long to return here and to thank my parents for that initial visit so long ago. They were always taking us to these amazing local places. I met and chatted with other visitors who were equally in awe of the beauty of the wonders of Gippsland. It’s a reminder that we have our own beautiful “backyard” to explore and make the most of.... Millie and I both had packed lunches which we ate in the sunshine before heading home, happy that we had explored again new (and old) parts of our Glorious Gippsland. Love it! Words and Images by Ken Roberts

Benson

Angel Peppi

Kobe

Millie

r e n cor

Minnie

Lucky

Buddy

Bunny + Tippy

George

Clancy

Dori

Tess

Zac

Do you want to place a photo of your dog in Canine Corner ? It's easy, just email us your pic and their name at thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au thelifestyle winter 2018

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where you can get your copy GIPPSLAND LIFESTYLE OUTLETS

EVANS PETROLEUM OUTLETS

Bairnsdale newsXpress 21 Bailey St Bairnsdale Stow's Authorised 212 Main Street Berwick Newsagency 29-31 High Street Boolarra Store & Newsagency 9 Tarwin Street Briagolong Art Gallery Forbes Street Bunyip IGA 2-6 Main Street Cape Paterson The Cape Store 2-4 Market Place Churchill Newsagency Hazelwood Village Shopping Centre Cowes Newsagency 44-46 Thompson Avenue Dalyston General Store 4213 Bass Highway Dumbalk General Store 25 Farmers Road Drouin Newsagency 93 Princes Way Fish Creek Alison Lester 1 Falls Road Fish Creek General Store 25 Falls Road Foster Newsagency 52 Main Street Garfield Licensed Post Office 77 Main Street Glengarry General Store Main Street Golden Beach Blue Water Fish & Chips Heyfield IGA 18-22 George Street Inverloch FoodWorks 10-12 Reilly Street Inverloch Newsagency 10 A'Beckett Street Jindivick General Store 1055 Jacksons Track Johnsonville Black Stump Princes Highway Korumburra Michael's Supa IGA 1 South Railway Cres Lakes Entrance Lamanna's Newsagency 24 Myer Street Lakes Entrance Newspower 297 Esplanade Lang Lang IGA 32 Main Street Leongatha Authorised Newsagency 30 Bair Street Leongatha Michael's Supa IGA Cnr Church & Bruce Sts Loch Sport General Store 2-4 Government Road Loch Victoria Street Gallery 34 Victoria Street Maffra FoodWorks 87A Powerscourt Street Maffra newsXpress 144 Johnson Street Meeniyan IGA 100-102 Whitelaw Street Metung Village Store 62 Metung Road Mirboo North Newsagency 52 Ridgway Moe Nextra Lotto 87 Albert Street Morwell Card Alley Shop 33 Mid Valley Shopping Centre Morwell Newsagency 174-176 Commercial Road Nar Nar Goon, Clough Fuel 1975 Princes Hwy Neerim Junction General Store Main Road Neerim South IGA147 Main Road Newborough Newsagency 30 Rutherglen Road Newhaven IGA 8/10 Forrest Drive Newry General Store 44 Main Street Noojee Post Office 1 Bennett Street Omeo Post Office 155 Day Avenue Pakenham Newsagency 99-101 Main Street Paynesville Newsagency 65a The Esplanade Poowong IGA 17-19 Main Street Rosedale Newsagency 1 Prince Street Rhyll General Store 41 Lock Road Sale Newsagency 308-310 Raymond Street San Remo IGA 135 Main Parade Stratford IGA 67 Tyers Street Swan Reach General Store 2025 Princes Highway Swifts Creek General Store Great Alpine Road Tarwin Lower IGA 45 River Drive Tinamba General Store Maffra-Rosedale Road Toora FoodWorks 66 Stanley Street Trafalgar IGA 5 McCrorey Street Trafalgar Newsagency 97 Princes Hwy Traralgon Newsagency & Lotto 51-55 Franklin Street Traralgon Seymour Street News 83 Seymour Street Ventnor The Anchorage Caravan Park Ventnor Road Venus Bay General Store 139 Jupiter Blvd Warragul Newsagency & Officesmart 43 Victoria Street Welshpool Supermarket 18 Main Street Wonthaggi Newsagency 31 Murray Street Yallourn North Supermarket 42-44 North Road Yanakie General Store 3640 Meeniyan-Promontory Road Yarragon Newsagency 107A Princes Highway Yarram newsXpress 195-197 Commercial Road Yinnar General Store 44 Main Street

Fish Creek 2 Falls Road Foster 94 Main Street Inverloch 25 Williams Street Johnsonville 1760 Princes Highway Korumburra 2-8 Commercial Street Leongatha 7 Anderson Street Leongatha 95 Bair Street Mirboo North 106 Ridgway Newmerella 5327 Princes Highway Sale 344-350 Raglan Street Toora 26 Foster Road Wonthaggi 103-105 McKenzie Street Yarram 325 Commercial Street

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Gippsland the Lifestyle Magazine is published quarterly. This magazine is distributed throughout Victoria. All photographs in this publication are copyright to Gippsland the Lifestyle, and if any are used in other publications or used in a commercial sense, you are liable to prosecution. Permission to use any photos in the publication must be obtained by contacting South Gippsland Publishing Pty Ltd via email to: thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au Disclaimer: South Gippsland Publishing Pty Ltd 2018 has the discretion to add or remove words or photos that are deemed unsuitable for the magazine. South Gippsland Publishing Pty Ltd is not responsible or liable for any inaccuracies, omissions, nor use of information contained within these pages, offering no warranties, either expressed or implied with respect to any material contained within the pages. Material in this magazine cannot be published or reproduced without South Gippsland Publishing Pty Ltd's written consent. Failure to heed to this could result in prosecution. The opinions and views expressed within this publication are not necessarily those of the publishers.

WONTHAGGI NEWSPOWER & LOTTO

31 Murray Street, Wonthaggi Vic 3995 Tel: 5672 1256 Monday to Friday 6.30am to 5.30pm Saturday 6.30am to 2.30pm | Sunday Closed

Your Market Guide to Winter june | july | august BAIRNSDALE FARMERS’ MARKET 1st Saturday of every month – 8am-12noon Location Bairnsdale Secondary College Oval, McKean Street Contact John 5156 9342 or Ian 5152 3698

BERWICK AKOONAH PARK MARKET

Every Sunday – 8am-1.30pm Location Akoonah Park, cnr High & Cardinia Sts, Berwick Contact Gary Maker (03) 9796 1455

BRIAGOLONG FARMERS & ARTISTS MARKET ‘BY LAND, OR BY HAND’ Sunday, 24 March 2018 – 9am–2pm Location Cnr Forbes & Avon Streets Contact: briagmarket@gmail.com or their Facebook page

BRUTHEN VILLAGE MARKET 3rd Saturday of month – 9am-1pm Location Mechanics Hall, Main Street Contact 0432 188 295

CHURCHILL ISLAND FARMERS’ MARKET & CRAFT MARKET

4th Saturday of month - 8am-1pm Location Samuel Amess Drive, Churchill Island off Phillip Island Contact Peter Arnold 5664 0096

COAL CREEK COMMUNITY PARK & MUSEUM FARMERS’ MARKET AND CRAFT MARKET 2nd Saturday of month - 8am-12.30pm Location Coal Creek Community Park and Museum Car Park, Silkstone Rd, Korumburra Contact 5655 1811 FREE Entry/Ample Parking

COWES ISLAND CRAFT MARKET

2nd Saturday of month - 9am-2pm Location St Phillips Parish Hall and grounds, Thompson Ave, Cowes Contact Monica 0412 710 276 or 5678 8784

COWES MARKET ON CHAPEL (VARIETY)

4th Saturday of month – 8.30am-2pm Location Uniting Church, Chapel St, Cowes Contact Darlene 0428 603 043

DROUIN PRODUCE & CRAFT MARKET

3rd Saturday of month - 8am-1pm Location Civic Park, Civic Place, Drouin Contact John 0419 428 564 Drouin Rotary Club

FARMERS’ MARKET @ THE OLD CHEESE FACTORY 2nd Saturday of month – 8am-12.30pm Location The Old Cheese Factory, 34 Homestead Road, Berwick Contact Market Manager: Geoff Rankin 0407 968 841

PROM COUNTRY FARMERS’ MARKET

3rd Saturday of month - 8am-12pm Location Foster War Memorial Arts Centre Main Street, Foster Contact Catherine McGlead 0407 543 371

GRANTVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET

4th Sunday of month - 8am-2pm Location Grantville Recreation Reserve (weather permitting) Contact Pat 5997 6221 & check Facebook for updates

HEYFIELD COMMUNITY MARKET 1st Saturday of month – 8am-1pm Location John Greaves Memorial Park, Temple Street Contact 5148 3408 or 5148 2394

INVERLOCH COMMUNITY FARMERS' MARKET

Last Sunday of the month – 8am-1pm Location The Glade, Opposite Inlet Hotel, Inverloch Contact Lions Club: 0417 361 436

INVERLOCH FARMERS’ MARKET

3rd Sunday of the month – 8am-1pm Location The Glade, Opposite Inlet Hotel, Inverloch Contact See Facebook for details Lions Club

JOHNSONVILLE COMMUNITY MARKET

1st Saturday of month – 8am-12pm Location Johnsonville Hall, Princes Highway Contact Perry 5156 4162

JUMBUNNA BUSH MARKET

1st Sunday of the month – 9am-1pm Location Public Hall, Cruickshanks Road Contact Dawn Wylie 5657 3253

KONGWAK MARKET

Every Sunday – 10am-3pm (Closed 24 December) Location Korumburra Road, Kongwak Contact Jane 0417 142 478

KOONWARRA FARMERS' MARKET 1st Saturday of the month – 8.30am-12.30pm Location Memorial Park off Koala Drive (Held in adjoining Halls on wet days) Contact Rod 0408 619 182

KOOWEE COMMUNITY MARKET 2nd Sunday of the month - 9am-2.30pm Location Koo Wee Rup Community Centre Cnr Rossiter Rd & Sybella Ave Koo Wee Rup Contact Admin 9796 5744

LAKES ENTRANCE SURF CLUB FORESHORE MARKET 1st Sunday of the month – 9am-3pm Location Near the Rotunda - Foreshore, Lakes Entrance Contact Tom Morris 0407 098 805 or 5153 1916

LATROBE COUNTRY MARKET Every Sunday - 8.30am-1.30pm Location Latrobe Road, Morwell (near Holmes Road) Contact 0449 294 453

LEONGATHA FARMERS MARKET 4th Saturday of month – 8.30am-1.00pm Location: Howard Street Contact: Julie 0412 515 854

LEONGATHA ROTARY MARKET 4th Sunday of month Location: Safeway Carpark Contact: 5662 5800

LOCH PUBLIC HALL WINTER MARKET 2nd Sunday of the month (May-Sept only) Location Public Hall, Smith Street Contact 0407 362 736

LOCH SPORT COMMUNITY HOUSE Sunday 10 June – 8am-12.30pm Location Loch Sport Community Hall Contact Mandy Johnson 5146 0145

LONGWARRY FIRE BRIGADE MARKET

1st Sunday of the month - 8am-1pm (except Jan & Feb) Location Longwarry Fire Station, Bennett St Contact Janine 5629 9636 or 0419 158 946

LUCKNOW MARKET

4th Sunday of the month - 8.30am-1pm Location Howitt Park, Princes Highway, East Bairnsdale Contact 0432 602 007

MAFFRA VARIETY & FARMERS’ MARKET 1st Sunday of month - 9am-1pm Location Main St/Johnson St, Maffra Contact Rob 0419 869 114

MALLACOOTA ARTISANS MARKET 1st Saturday of month – 9am - 1pm (except January) Location Mallacoota Mudbrick Pavilion, Maurice Ave Contact Leah 0467 856 236

MEENIYAN MID WEEK MARKET 3rd Thursday of month – 10am-2pm Location Whitelaw Street Contact Tracey Robertson 0402 995 063

METUNG FARMERS’ MARKET 2nd Saturday of month - 8am-12.30pm Location Village Green in Metung Contact Tracey O’Brien 0409 233 648

MIRBOO NORTH COUNTRY MARKET

Last Saturday of month – 8am-2pm Location Baromi Park, 49 Ridgway Contact Cheryl Belton 0490 884 265

SALE PRODUCERS’ MARKET

3rd Saturday of month - 8am-1pm Location Sale Showgrounds enter from Maffra Rd Contact Cate 0404 840 128 (Craft) or Karen 0429 344 675 (Produce)

SALE CHARITY VARIETY MARKET 3rd Sunday of month - 7am-1pm Location Thomson River Canal Reserve Contact 5144 1258

SAN REMO CUPPA & CHAT MARKET

2nd Friday of month - Bric-a-brac, cakes & jams 9am-1pm 2nd Saturday of month - Sausage Sizzle 9am-12pm Location St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, Marine Parade Contact Roma Caulfield 5678 5386

50 MILE FARMER’S MARKET

STRATFORD VARIETY & FARMERS MARKET

2nd Saturday of month – 8am-1pm Location Tarwin Street, Morwell Contact 0487 380 529

4th Sunday of month - 9am-1pm Location McMillan Street, Stratford Contact Rob 0419 869 114

NEERIM DISTRICT ALLEY MARKET

TOORA COMMUNITY MARKET

4th Sunday of month – 9am-1pm Location 147 Main Neerim Road, Neerim South Contact 0409 090 725

2nd Saturday of month - 7.30am-1pm Location Former Bonlac Store, Jetty Road, Toora Contact 5686 2690

NEWHAVEN CRAFT MARKET

TRAFALGAR ARTS MARKET

4th Saturday of month – 8am-1pm Location Newhaven Hall, Newhaven Contact 5678 8163

1st Saturday of month – 9am-1pm Location Trafalgar Public Hall, Contingent Street Contact Wendy Hitchins 0407 710 180

NOWA NOWA FARMERS MARKET

2nd Saturday of month – 8am-12pm Location The VRI Hall, Queens Pde, Traralgon Contact 0419 568 772

3rd Sunday of month – 9am-1pm Location Mingling Waters Caravan Park Contact 0409 233 648

OLD GIPPSTOWN HERITAGE PARK MARKET 3rd Saturday of month – 9am-2pm Location Lloyd Street, Moe Contact 5127 3082

PAKENHAM COMMUNITY MARKET 3rd Sunday of month – 8am-1pm Location Pakenham Football Club, Toomuc Reserve Contact Noel 0422 822 688

PAYNESVILLE LIONS CLUB MARKET

2nd Sunday of month - 8.30am-1pm Location Gilsenan Reserve Contact Lions Club 0400 327 526

PAYNESVILLE FARMERS MARKET 4th Saturday of month – 8.30am-1pm Location Foreshore by playground Contact 0473 149 409

PORT ALBERT MAKE IT, BAKE IT, GROW IT

50 MILE FARMER’S MARKET

TRARALGON FARMERS’ MARKET 4th Saturday of month - 8am-1pm Location Kay Street Gardens Contact 0409 232 715 Traralgon Lions Club

WARRAGUL FARMERS MARKET 3rd Saturday of month – 8.30am-1pm Location 1 Civic Place, Warragul Contact 0425 259 177

WONTHAGGI ROTARY MARKET

2nd Sunday of month - 8am-1pm Location Apex Park, Murray St, Wonthaggi Contact Ash 0412 300 456

YARRAGON COMMUNITY CRAFT & PRODUCE MARKET 4th Saturday of month – 9am-1pm Location Yarragon Public Hall, Campbell St Contact Alison Butterworth 5634 2209

YARRAM VARIETY MARKET

1st Sunday of month - 8am-1pm Location Guide & Scout Hall, Yarram Contact 0419 362 083

4th Sunday of month - 10am-2pm Location Mechanics Hall, Victoria Street Contact Gayle 0437 247 242

PORT WELSHPOOL UNDERCOVER MARKET Sunday 8th July - 9am-2pm Location The Old Ferry Terminal Contact Robyn on 5686 2321

REH CORK CLUB CRAFT MARKET 2nd Saturday of month September to May, 8am-1pm Location Kay Street Gardens, Traralgon Contact Chris Van Der Meer 0487 342 675

ROKEBY MARKET

2nd Saturday of month September to May Location Rokeby Reserve, Brandy Creek Road Contact 5626 8523

If you require your events or markets to be promoted please email Gippsland the Lifestyle / Coast / Country thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au

ROSEDALE COMMUNITY MARKET 2nd Sunday of month - 8am-1.30pm Location Prince Street Reserve Contact 0473 543 906

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Your Events Guide to Winter { LEONGATHA RSL PRESENTS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT JACKIE V AND PUPPY LOVE 1st Friday of each month with Members Date: June 1 Time: Act begins at 7.00pm – Free Entry Location: Leongatha RSL, Cnr Smith St & Michael Place Contact: 5662 2747 PROM COAST FILM SOCIETY – THE BIG SICK Date: June 1 Time: 8.00pm – Gold coin donation Location: Fish Creek Memorial Hall, Falls Rd Contact: F: @promcoastfilmsociety ESPANA-EL VITO – SPIRIT OF SPAIN Date: June 2 Time: 8.00pm – 9.30pm Location: Wesley of Warragul, Victoria St Warragul Contact: West Gippsland Arts Centre P: 5624 2456 MORWELL CELEBRATES ITALIAN REPUBLIC DAY Date: June 2 Time: 10.30am – 12.00pm & Dinner Dance at 6pm Location: Gippsland Immigration Park – flag raising Italian Australian Sporting Club Morwell Contact: Silvana Summerfield 0408 454 470

june WHICH WAY HOME Date: June 5 Time: 7.30pm Location: Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Contact: Box Office P: 5176 3333 BRIAGOLONG FILM FESTIVAL A CELEBRATION OF AUSTRALIAN CINEMA Date: June 8 to 10 Time: 7.00pm Location: Briagolong Hall, Avon St Contact: Annette Short P: 5145 5282

} GRAPE EXPECTATIONS WITH WINE EDUCATOR: ROB HICKS Date: June 22 Time: 4.00pm – 6.00pm $50 per person per class - limited numbers Location: Jeetho Hall, 209 Jeetho Rd Contact: Robert on 0419 106 093

2018 TANJIL VALLEY ART SHOW Date: June 9-11 Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm Gold coin entry Location: Old Hill End School, Paynters Road Hill End Contact: Alene, Liz or Di 5635 4272 | 5635 4277 | 0429 184509 THE CHILLY CHILLI LONG WEEKEND Date: June 9, 10 & 11 Chilli eating competition on Sunday at 3pm for a chance to win a hamper Location: Djinta Djinta Winery, 10 Stevens Rd Kardella South Contact: 5658 1163 W: djintadjinta.com.au

WARRAGUL WINTERFEST AND LANTERN PARADE Date: Time: Location: Contact:

THE CREATORS COLLECTIVE MAKERS MARKET Date: Time: Location: Contact:

June 3 4.00pm The Exchange Hotel, Foster YEP Gallery 0408 871 379

YEP GALLERY FOSTER PRESENT THE CLIP CLOP CLUB Date: June 3 Time: 7.00pm – 8.30pm Location: Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Contact: Box Office P: 5176 3333 LATROBE CITY CYCLING CLUB – ROAD RACE Date: June 3 and June 16 Time: 7.00am Location: Boolarra, Limonite Rd Contact: Wayne Tunks P: 5127 5714

2018 LOCH FOOD & WINE FESTIVAL Date: Time: Location: Contact:

June 10 10.00am – 3.00pm Loch Railway Station Reserve www.trybooking.com/book/event

SALE TURF CLUB MIDWEEK HORSE RACING Date: June 14 and July 12 Free Entry Time: Gates open at 12.30pm Location: Sale Turf Club, Maffra Road, Sale Contact: Sale Turf Club 5144 2962 MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING Date: June 15-17 Time: Fri: 7.30-9.00pm | Sat & Sun: 1.30-3.00pm Sat: 7.30-9.00pm Location: Warragul Exhibition Hall, Howitt St Warragul Contact: West Gippsland Arts Centre P: 5624 2456 THERAPY Date: Time: Location: Contact:

June 16 7.00pm – 8.30pm Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Box Office P: 5176 3333

LATROBE CITY CYCLING CLUB – ROAD TIME TRIAL CHAMPIONSHIP Date: June 17 Time: 7.00am Location: Yinnar, Main Street Contact: Wayne Tunks P: 5127 5714

THE WEDGE FORT Date: Time: Location: Contact:

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June 4 and 5 4 (6.30pm) 5 (11am and 1.30pm) John Leslie Theatre, Sale Box Office - www.ebbwec.com.au

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June 23 4.30pm – 8.30pm Eastern Park, Normanby St Warragul Facebook: Warragul Winterfest and Lantern Parade

TROSP WALKS AT WILSONS PROM Date: June 18 Time: From 9.30am Gold coin donation includes morning tea Location: Wilsons Promontory National Park Hourigan Camp Lane Contact: E: dana@danahughes.com See website for starting points www.tidalriveropenspace.com DARGO WINTER CHRISTMAS LUNCH Date: June 21 Time: Midday (12pm) Location: Dargo River Inn, Lind Avenue Contact: Sarah Carr P: 5140 1246

SCOTTISH ROAD SHOW 2018

The Scots are coming to Leongatha The South Gippsland Genealogical Society in conjunction with Scottish Ancestry Group of the Genealogical Society of Victoria Topics: 1. Beginning Scottish Family History Speaker: Joy Roy 2. Scotland’s People Speaker: John Blackwood 3. Statistical Accounts of Scotland Speaker: Malcolm Horsburgh 4. Scottish Land and Inheritance Speaker: Susan McLean Date: June 23 Time: 9.30am for 10.00am Start $35 Lunch, Morning and Afternoon Tea Location: Uniting Church Hall, Peart St Leongatha Contact: Alison P: 5668 1860 CARMEN Date: Time: Location: Contact:

June 23 2.00pm Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Box Office P: 5176 3333

Your Events Guide to Winter {

SALE TURF CLUB MAFFRA CUP Date: Time: Location: Contact:

July 1 Free Entry Gates open at 12.30pm Sale Turf Club, Maffra Road, Sale Sale Turf Club 5144 2962

july

}

Date: Time: Location: Contact:

July 4 11.00am Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Box Office P: 5176 3333

MADAME BUTTERFLY PERFORMED BY OPERA AUSTRALIA Date: July 21 Time: 7.30pm – 9.30pm Location: St Pauls Anglican Grammar School, Bowen St Warragul Contact: West Gippsland Arts Centre P: 5624 2456

HERITAGE CRAFT DAY AT COAL CREEK Date: August 5 Time: 10.00am – 4.00pm Location: Coal Creek Community Park & Museum Silkstone Rd, Korumburra Contact: Coal Creek P: 5655 1811

Date: Time: Location: Contact:

July 25 2 course lunch, raffles Sale Lakeside Club, Foster St & Guthridge Pde Marg Speed 0429 953 023

CAFÉ CULTURE 2018 SERIES, DR CRASK & HIS SWINGING ELIXIR Date: Time: Location: Contact:

August 12 7.30pm Toora Hall, Gray St Mary on 5682 1166 or 0439 178 730

FAIRIES IN THE PARK Date: August 19 Time: 10.00am – 2.00pm Location: Old Gippstown, Lloyd St Moe Contact: Beck or Megan P: 5127 3082

THE WEDGE SHOW STOPPERS Location: Contact:

July 27 & 28 August 2 to 4 27 (7.30pm) 28 (7.30pm) 2-4 (7.30pm) 4 (also 2pm) John Leslie Theatre, Sale Box Office - www.ebbwec.com.au

FISH AND CHIPS AT CIVIC PARK WARRAGUL Date: July 27 Time: 12.00pm – 2.00pm Location: Civic Park, Civic Place Warragul Contact: Phillip Chalker 0400 603 367 WARRAGUL SNOWFEST Date: July 27 Time: 4.30pm – 8.00pm Location: Warragul CBD, Palmerston St Warragul Contact: Warragul Business Group F: @warragulfest LITERARY FESTIVAL OF PHILLIP ISLAND Date: July 27-29 Time: 10.00am – 5.00pm Location: Cowes Cultural Centre Contact: Stacey Shine 0468 328 477

NAIDOC FLAG RAISING CEREMONY & FAMILY DAY Organiser: Ramahyuck District Aboriginal Corporation Date: July 8 - 12 Time: 10.00am Location: Stead Street Reserve, Sale Contact: David Morgan P: 5143 1644 TROSP WALKS AT WILSONS PROM Date: July 16 Time: From 9.30am Gold coin donation includes morning tea Location: Wilsons Promontory National Park Big Drift – Stockard Camp Contact: E: dana@danahughes.com See website for starting points www.tidalriveropenspace.com

YARRAM EISTEDDFOD 2018 Date: August 6 – 13 Location: Regent Theatre, Commercial Rd Yarram Contact: Judy Stephens 0409 953 004

SWING MAN Date: August 15 Time: 7.30pm Location: Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Contact: Box Office P: 5176 3333

Date: Time:

ISLAND WHALE FESTIVAL Date: July 6-8 (3 day event during school holidays) Time: 9.30am – 5.00pm Location: Phillip Island www.basscoast.vic.gov.au

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PROM COAST FILM SOCIETY – WIND RIVER Date: August 3 Time: 8.00pm – Gold coin donation Location: Fish Creek Memorial Hall, Falls Rd Contact: F: @promcoastfilmsociety

LEONGATHA RSL PRESENTS LIVE ENTERTAINMENT MARTY BOX 1st Friday of each month with Members Date: July 6 Time: Act begins at 7.00pm – Free Entry Location: Leongatha RSL, Cnr Smith St & Michael Place Contact: 5662 2747 PROM COAST FILM SOCIETY ZACH’S CEREMONY - MOUNTAIN Date: July 6 Time: 8.00pm – Gold coin donation Location: Fish Creek Memorial Hall, Falls Rd Contact: F: @promcoastfilmsociety

august

SWEET CHARITY Date: July 20,21, 27, 28, August 3, 4 at 8.00pm Time: July 22, 29, August 5 at 3.30pm Location: Latrobe Performing Arts Centre, Traralgon Contact: Box Office P: 5176 3333

CHRISTMAS IN JULY LUNCHEON CANCER COUNCIL VICTORIA (SALE BRANCH) THE MAGIC PUDDING

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If you require your events or markets to be promoted please email Gippsland the Lifestyle / Coast / Country thelifestyle@dcsi.net.au

TROSP WALKS AT WILSONS PROM Date: August 20 Time: From 9.30am Gold coin donation includes morning tea Location: Wilsons Promontory National Park Kangaroo Valley Contact: E: dana@danahughes.com See website for starting points www.tidalriveropenspace.com JACICAN COOKING CLASS – LONG LUNCH VEGETABLES FROM THE GARDEN Date: August 25 Time: 11.00am – 3.00pm Location: Jacican Cooking School Studio, Mirboo North Contact: Jaci P: 5668 2475

GIPPSLAND INTERNATIONAL WINTER FESTIVAL DOG SHOWS Cancer Council Victoria (Sale Branch) Date: August 24 – 26 Time: 24 (9am), 25 (9am) 26 (8.30am) Location: Maffra Recreation Reserve, McLean St Contact: Kathy Austin 0427 973 414

THE LEONGATHA DAFFODIL & DAIRY STREET FESTIVAL Date: Time: Location: Contact:

August 30 - September 2 9.00am - 3.00pm Bair St, Lyon St & Michael Place Check out F: @daffodilfestival3953

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honour your inner seasons By Erin Miller

‘There is nothing in nature that blooms all year long. So, don’t expect yourself to do so either’ Unknown As the season is quickly turning to winter here in Australia; the trees have lost their leaves, daylight savings has ended, and the air feels decidedly more crisp and cool; beckoning us to turn inwards, to go inside, build a fire, and wait out the winter as our ancestors who came before us once did. My belief is that seasons not only occur outside and around us but also internally within us. I believe we are designed to transition, to change, and to vary throughout the course of a year. We are not designed to function at the same pace, do the same activities, and feel the same feelings all year round. Every living thing goes through certain stages of growth, from birth to full maturity. Everything in the universe works to cycles including us. Humans, just like the natural world, are meant to cycle through seasons of dormancy and new life, activity and contemplation, celebration and sadness, blossom and harvest, openness and closedness, scarcity and abundance. By allowing nature to be our template and example, we can easily apply the seasons to our own lives and how we are feeling. During autumn, we may start to get tired, maybe slowing down, lightening our loads, stopping some things altogether and getting ready to rest, we may find ourselves wishing to sleep more.

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Winter calls us to spend time on our own, cosy and safe inside, maybe reading or watching a movie, nourishing ourselves, eating heavier foods, we may even put on a little weight, keeping protected from the cold winter, not wanting to go out or to be as social. Spring ignites excitement, a fresh start, getting ready to step out, new growth and new beginnings. Shedding. A zest for life. Summer arrives, and we are visible, active, outdoors more, lighter and doing what we want to do; we are in flow, sociable, blooming, at our best, feeling happy and expansive.

’The earth is what we all have in common Wendell Berry, Naturalist and writer Do you have a question or a topic you would like Erin to write about? Send me an email at erin@erinmiller.com.au Erin Miller is a Holistic Life Coach, NLP Practitioner, Healer and Writer. Her aim is to live life with a sense of excitement, anticipation and energy! Her passion and purpose is to help and guide others to also find their true calling and zest for life!

Can you notice the pattern here and perhaps in your own life? Are you honouring your inner seasons? What do you need at this moment in time? If we ignore the lessons of the seasons, we may feel the pressure to be in “summer” mode all the time—always going, ever energetic, and happy. Only to find ourselves feeling restless, exhausted, stressed, anxious and even depressed without having any idea why. There is no shame or judgement in responding and honouring your inner seasons - in fact your body, mind and soul will thank you for it. Just as in nature, it is a cycle, and this is the moment you are in right now. It is not where you will be forever, and this too shall pass, just as the seasons change. Let the seasons, and their inherent gifts, rhythms, and offerings, teach you how to live and to just be.

For further information please call 0418 328 441 or visit my website www.erinmiller.com.au

WINTER JUNE JULY AUGUST 2018 SUN SIGN ASTROLOGY FORECAST WITH KERRY GALEA ARIES 21 MARCH – 19 APRIL You do not yet realise how deeply your actions are based on underlying motives from your past, or from the family’s past. Heard of Pavlov’s dog? The bell has just rung and you are salivating. This is the opportunity to learn exactly what your trigger is. Creative interests, and those young and playful of heart will have much to teach you. Listen, and you will get an important message. Long-term work plans seem to stall but stay focused as this is a time of training and rehearsal. Later in the season you will (too easily) offer to do what other people want. TAURUS 20 APRIL – 20 MAY

Other people who have achieved their goals are ready to help you, so ask them! All forms of communication will flow and speaking your own ideas and beliefs will become easier. It is also a great time to make decisions. Mid-season, create a peaceful place at home as the working world is not living up to expectations. But keep light and flexible on your feet as anything to do with home or family is apt to change or need readjusting. By season end, its nearly time to make long term changes, and you can easily lay the foundations of change in this time of adjustment.

GEMINI 21 MAY – 20 JUNE Work, duty and responsibility are expanding, but with seemingly little outcome. You may not value the role you are performing, but you are learning more about yourself and how others see you; and isn’t that worth it? This is a great time to begin a new habit or goal, so make it a good healthy one rather than a damaging one! Soon you are entering a time where ideas will need changing or adjusting. Then it’s a great time to reflect, rewrite, redesign and rethink. Later in the season “wait” until you know exactly what you are dealing with. CANCER 21 JUNE – 22 JULY

Risk and adventure are rolling together and the stars are helping you to leap into something new. Are you comfortable with big risks… or little ones? You will soon have a dash of courage and the assistance of some information that you need. Mid-season, other people’s needs are in the spotlight. Nobody has identical needs and desires. What is valuable to you, is a weight to somebody else. What is a weight to you, is valuable to somebody else. Spend time evaluating how you differ. Later, money and a sense of security (or insecurity as it may be), is in the spotlight.

LIBRA 23 SEPT – 22 OCT

Money is flowing out and I certainly hope it’s for a good reason; if not… plug up the leak! You are not getting as much as you hoped, so stop spending it before you have it! Its time to learn more about your work, or a role you do for others, and the more questions that you ask… the more information that you will get. Mid-season, work keeps you busy and emotions with relatives rise. I suggest that if you plan, design, and build the outcomes that are win-win, then all your futures will prove all the better for it.

SCORPIO 23 OCT – 21 NOV This is the time for a celebration, to be creative, or to take a risk, and this means that it’s time to do what you have always wanted to do. Your reputation will be enhanced and recognition will follow. Double check your investments, be they of money, time or energy, to make sure that nothing is being wasted. Soon tensions between family members can escalate so choose your words wisely. Tear down walls and rebuild, either with family connections or with physical renovations. Work, and your role in life, soon take a new direction, but don’t make changes too quickly as adjustments are needed. SAGITTARIUS 22 NOV – 21 DEC This season, it is important to let go of negative self-belief patterns that occur when the brain ticks. ticks. ticks out of control. You can stop thoughts, which means you are more than just a brain. Use your brain as a tool that is used wisely. Mid-season you start to prepare for a greater role in the world and there are opportunities to get an early start with networking and associations which will help. Later in the season, advice is not all that it is cracked up to be…. so, use your intuition, or get a second opinion. CAPRICORN 22 DEC – 19 JAN A confusing time! While you are trying to be logical and organised, the mere fact that you are looking to long-term goals causes confusion, and quite likely a rush of conflicting decisions. There is no real hurry, so be gentle with your mind, but keep exercising the body. Heightened emotions can be unnerving, and if you hide them, it may appear to others as coolness or aloofness. Mid-season is the time to wait patiently and tidy up loose ends and unfinished business. You will find out valuable information when you act like a detective and search quietly and carefully for clues.

Any confusion means you need to let a past situation go to the PAST in order to build a stable home base. A fresh new sparkle leads you onwards with the ability to convince others to believe in your decisions. Soon you are being called on to speak and connect to the world but know that the people around you are in a state of tension. While you think you may know what is going on, you will find out more over the coming months. So, don’t take anything at face value, and look to a deeper reason for what is happening.

AQUARIUS 20 JAN – 18 FEB Energy remains high, but self-doubt and self-worth are being influenced by the role, or work, that you are doing. If you don’t believe in the worth of the role; it will suck the spirit out of you. So, look for aspects of your role that has value for you, the group and for the future. Mid-season brings extra energy or impatience, but you have plenty of time, so pace yourself. Otherwise you will wear out, or take inappropriate, ill-judged actions. Letting other people do all the talking while you do the listening means you will find out more than you expect.

VIRGO 23 AUG – 22 SEPT Decisions should be easy to make but the opinions of others lead to mounting confusion. Instead, focus your energy on the most important role that you have. Work and responsibility continues on its seemingly never-ending cycle. But help comes mid-season with Venus entering your sign to bring a sparkle and the ability to lighten the load. She also enables you to get help when you ask and brings a worthy idea, or an item, your way. Your family’s past dramas, or your own karmic past, reawakens ingrained patterns of behavior which needs to be gently released.

PISCES 19 FEB – 20 MARCH Learning, travelling and different experiences will increase your creativity and joy. But it can also increase your sense of confusion and hence you can easily become forgetful, especially with times of low energy. Learning more about your home, or a family situation, will lead to a new idea or project which can be implemented mid-month. Social connections increase and people will enjoy your company. Later in the season, duty and responsibility will prevail over everything, but there is also time to stretch yourself into new ideas or understandings, even while being dutiful.

LEO 23 JULY – 22 AUG

KERRY GALEA ASTROLOGY Palmistry and Ancient Moon Gardening Email: kerry@kerrygalea.com.au Web: www.kerrygalea.com Web: www.ancientmoongardening.com

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TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINE & FARMING ...a match made in heaven My husband and I looked at each other, at our two in the back seat with tears streaming down their cheeks before we had even got out of the driveway, leaving again after another blissful two weeks. We knew this place, and we loved it, with all our hearts. This was the place for us, so it was decided.

By Dr Kylee Junghans, MPH;BHSc(Acu) On clinic days when it’s five degrees, sleeting and blowing a gale, I have a standard response to my patients who ask (often incredulous), “Why would you move from the Gold Coast in sunny Queensland, to this?” Firstly, I stick out my hand and ask them for $1 – to fund my retirement, then I say, hand over heart, “This is the most beautiful part of the country I have ever seen. Gippsland is home.” So, what drives a forty-something Chinese Medicine doctor to pack up her successful practice, her husband, two teenage girls and assorted animals and move 1,800 kilometres?

BALANCE From sun, sand, surf and rainforest, with more cafés and restaurants than you can poke a stick at, to four and a half acres perched high on the hills of Arawata. Life is good. Life is better than good, it is amazing. Arawata was not chosen randomly, no flinging darts at a map. You can’t afford to be lackadaisical when there are teenagers involved. We knew this place. We had visited the sister’s dairy farm many times, in all seasons. The icy rain hitting our cheeks as we herded the girls into the milking shed. The delightful stink of cow on a hot summer’s day. The wind that threatened to knock us over if our footing was not sure. The fire roaring all night, so, so welcome after a 2am trudge up the hill through the paddock to check the girls calving.

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Two crazy weeks later, my husband handed in his notice to a job he loved as an emergency department nurse at a large and very busy hospital in Brisbane. I submitted my Masters Research Dissertation and broke the news to my patients (there were tears shed). School was informed, and the house put on the market. It sold in five days. It was happening. On Christmas Eve, 2015 we drove up the sister’s driveway and we all burst into tears again, but this time tears of joy. We were home for good. Now for the reality hit. Living in the lounge room of the sister’s was fun, but we needed a place of our own. We had a very long and specific list of things we were looking for in a property – 4 bedrooms, fireplace, between 3 and 10 acres, flattish land with adequate water and good fences for animals not yet acquired. Near a good school and a town with a small to mid-sized population so I could open a new acupuncture practice - a hospital with an emergency department, near the sister and brother-in-law’s. After two years of searching… yes, two years, we found our dream property 400 metres down the road from them. We couldn’t believe our luck. The gods smiled and we bought it. It’s been four months since we moved in and we are in heaven. I talk about balance with my patients in the clinic every day. It’s such an easy concept to dismiss, but it forms the core of what acupuncture and Chinese medicine is about. There is no such thing as holidays when animals are needing your attention 24/7. Time passes almost imperceptibly down here, measured by routine chores and seasonal fluctuations. Not by a clock. I presumed that balance would be a difficult concept to convey to my new patients, and I was wrong. Happily so. Farmers, who constitute a large majority of my patient base, are the most balanced and easy going people I’ve ever encountered. There is no option other than going with the flow when your existence is tied so deeply to nature.

They understand, embrace and live the concepts from whence Chinese medicine was born over 4,000 years ago. Observation of the natural world and how people are affected by their environment, led to the development of a system of medicine to explain and correct sickness and imbalance. Traditional Chinese medicine and country life are a perfect fit. Farmers are forthright. They tell you what they think and ask questions if they don’t understand or want to know more. I have had many enlightening and entertaining conversations with patients who want to know how and why acupuncture works. And also true to most farmers, they don’t suffer fools lightly, so stick to the facts, lady. Abstract concepts such as meridians and qi are hard enough to explain to the lay person who has no knowledge or understanding of the poetry embodied in Chinese medicine theory, let alone a 70 year old who has a foot so sore they can barely stand. They just want their foot to not hurt. They have work to do.

Acupuncture works as a circuit breaker in the body. The insertion of very fine stainless steel needles into certain areas of the body sends a message to the brain, acting on the central nervous systems to say, ‘hey, more of that’ or ‘stop releasing that neurotransmitter’. Research shows (this is a science after all, with nearly 10,000 trials undertaken so far) that acupuncture stimulates the body to release its own natural painkillers (endogenous opioids). It’s effective for many conditions, gentle, typically painless and there are rarely any side effects. The body is amazing and has all the tools available to maintain health and well-being, but sometimes, it needs a reminder, and that’s where acupuncture can be a very powerful medicine. I count my blessings every morning as I sit on my deck with a glorious view down to Wilson’s Prom. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would be where I am now. The rolling, green hills, the big old gumtrees, the eagles swirling above and the cows mooing at the fence encouraging me to bring them some apples. Image supplied by Kylee Junghans

Terry Earl, Organiser

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WONTHAGGI STREET FESTIVAL 2018 Wonthaggi streets were brought to life with Local, Art, Craft, Music, Food, and activities on Saturday afternoon and night of the 7th April 2018. ‘Wonderful night had by many.’ Another great success.

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Sally Heeps and Eloise Hinson from the Threatened Bird Network

sustainability festival The Southern Gippsland Sustainability Festival is an annual event which focuses on sustainable living options. The event, which is now in its sixth year, is a collaboration of the South Gippsland and Bass Coast Shire Councils as well as local community involvement. The event aims to showcase exhibitors and speakers who focus on a wide variety of topics ranging from sustainable local produce, alternative renewable energy, eco-friendly products and practical skills for self-sufficiency. The Festival was officially opened by Bass Coast Councillor Pamela Rothfield and held in Wonthaggi on Sunday 8th April. This year, presentations in the auditorium consisted of talks on battery storage and energy efficiency, establishing a plastic free Bass Coast, co-housing, how to eat healthily and avoid genetically modified foods as well as presentations from Sustainability Victoria, Sunscape Electrical and South Gippsland Water.

ensure the consumption of solar power with no polluting emissions as the only by-products are table salt and nickel. These batteries are used by shuttle buses in Adelaide, the USA, Canada and Saudi Arabia, and in NATO submarines. Temperature greatly affects the operating capabilities and longevity of batteries. One of the competitive features of the GridEdge battery is that it is guaranteed to work in extreme hot temperatures. The heat does not cause the battery to deteriorate and ensures it can operate in areas such as Dubai, Saudi Arabia as well as the hot and bush fire prone areas of Australia.

This free, family friendly event also included a kidâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s activities area as well as a recycled art exhibition. Among the exhibitors were John Ballis from GridEdge, who showcased the non-toxic and 100% recyclable Sodium Nickel Chloride battery system (SoNick). John explained the batteries

The Wonthaggi Human Powered Grand Prix is an initiative for primary and secondary students. Allan Harris, a recently retired teacher from Wonthaggi Secondary College, explained the after-school program has been running for about 25 years. He stated that it gave kids the opportunity to work as a team and develop a wide range of skills including metal cutting, lathe skills and team

Boomerang Bags made by the Phillip Island community

John Ballis from GridEdge with the SoNick battery

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management. He stated that students could fulfill various roles such as competitors in the race or acting as pit crew. Many materials are donated by local commercial builders, with the frames being purpose built by the students. Allan stated that after the bikes were made, students race them in a non-stop 24-hour event around a 1.4km town circuit with a gender balanced team of eight. The three or four wheeled human powered recumbent bikes are presented to a panel of judges prior to the race to ensure safety standards are met. The bikes, as well as the teams are ultimately tested for endurance and Allan marveled at how the program has served as a wonderful confidence building initiative for students for decades. Boomerang Bags is a grassroots, community driven initiative that was established in 2013. Cofounders Tania Potts and Jordyn de Boer from Burleigh Heads in Queensland, had the idea to

Volunteers sewing Boomerang Bags

Geoff Lloyd from Senvion looks through a Virtual Reality viewer portraying workers climbing a wind turbine in Portugal

Allan Harris from the Wonthaggi Human Powered Grand Prix with a bike built by Wonthaggi Secondary College Students.

reduce plastic bags by sewing and donating cloth bags for use in grocery stores. Kylie McMurray who organises the Phillip Island Boomerang Bag cooperative said the bags were available at IGA supermarkets and 10 other locations on the Island.

“Each bag starts a conversation, which we hope, will lead to a change in behaviour,” she states. Kylie explains that the zero waste bags are made from scraps of upcycled or recycled fabric that are either donated or sourced from local opshops and would otherwise have gone to landfill. “Nothing goes to waste”, said Kylie, who stated they also make fruit and vegetable produce bags out of curtain netting and ottomans made from coffee bags which are stuffed full of the waste fabric scraps generated from making the boomerang bags. Sewing bees are held in Cowes and other local townships on a regular basis. There are no sewing skills necessary in order to volunteer as “we’re also always looking for people to do cutting, ironing and pinning”, Kylie states. 5,500 bags have been made from the Phillip Island group

in just over 12 months and Kylie conservatively estimates the use of one boomerang bag equals saving the use of 30 single use plastic bags. Phillip Island Nature Parks is a not-for-profit organisation that has joined Zoos Victoria in a bid to ban balloons. In their ‘When balloons fly, sea birds die’ campaign, they cite a 2016 CSIRO study which identified balloons among the top three most harmful pollutants, along with plastic bags and bottles, which threaten marine life. The initiative alternatively encourages people to blow bubbles rather than let balloons fly at outdoor events. It is not only the balloons but their attachments, such as ribbon that causes a great deal of harm through ingestion or entanglement. Locals of Phillip Island often see the devastation first hand as populations of seabirds and penguins are directly affected by marine pollution. The Threatened Bird Network is part of BirdLife Australia which is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to bird conservation. Sally Heeps and Eloise Hinson stated there are 11,000 members nationwide who volunteer in various ways including during the annual bird count, processing data and planting habitat. Project managers with specialised knowledge, mentor volunteers to develop practical conservation skills which also

Gippsland Solar ran a competition to win a solar powered electric vehicle

involve surveying and monitoring, research and recovery management and community education. Branches are located across Australia which tap into local issues, such as the beach-nesting Hooded Plover, as well as other conservation projects involving the Gouldian Finch, Australian Painted Snipe, Carnaby’s Black-Cockatoo and the Orange-bellied Parrot. Some of the other exhibitors involved in the Sustainability Festival included Senvion, an energy development company dedicated to the operating and maintaining of wind farms around the world; South Gippsland Beekeepers, a community club based in Leongatha that offers guest speakers, demonstrations, seasonal information, equipment, bio-security updates as well as practical advice for hobbyists; Enjo products dedicated to hygienic chemical-free household cleaning solutions; and Gippsland Solar, a local retailer offering solar alternatives for hot water and electricity consumption as well as battery storage and off-grid features for residential and business needs. Words and Images by Ruth Williams

An entry in the recycled art exhibition

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, PETERSEN S

GALLERY & MUSEUM, OMEO BY TREVOR STOW

Petersen’s Gallery and Museum was built in 1890 for Taylor Bros who had a three-storey flour mill next door. In 1940 the gallery was converted into a doctor’s surgery with the doctor’s family living in one side of the house and the surgery and waiting room in the other side. By 1968 the building was restored to a private home and was acquired by the existing owners Anne and Terry Petersen, who eventually developed it into the Gallery and Museum. From the moment that you enter the Gallery and Museum you are instantly taken back in time. Fifteen foot ornate ceilings with beautifully restored decorative trims and chandeliers feature in all rooms. The main room features magnificent bay windows overlooking Day Street and reflect Omeo’s gold discovery on Livingston Creek in 1851 and the development of the streetscape over the years. Terry recreates the old street scenes in his paintings based on photos and research, which provides a record of times long past.

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Omeo lost a lot of its history in the bottom end of town during the 1939 bush fires. The fire destroyed many buildings including the threestorey Golden Age Hotel and the Omeo Hospital. Both the “Age” and the hospital were rebuilt but not any of the other buildings that were destroyed. The museum has many historical papers including copies of Taz Reneirs’, The Church of England Minister, letter to the Bishop of Sale describing the events of Black Friday and its aftermath. The Minister was concerned that Omeo may not survive. He also credits Lady Lort Smith for her efforts to send fodder to the region. Across the hall the next room is devoted to the Chinese, who arrived in 1859-1860, and is dominated by a full wall mural that Terry has painted in their honour. The Chinese in Omeo were segregated into the Chinese camp on the outskirts of town and lived in humpies and huts. They had few water taps thus they lived in poor conditions. These buildings were bulldozed when the last Chinese left. Very little is known of

them and they arrived without families. However, some stayed and married Europeans and their descendants remain in the area today. Terry painted this wall as a surprise gift for Anne, by securing the room. He based the painting itself on his recollections of seeing the Great Wall many years earlier. Unusually, he used house paint to create this masterpiece. Upon completion, he opened the door and the blind and invited Anne to inspect his work. She was delighted as are most people who visit the gallery. The three rear rooms, which include the old doctor’s surgery and waiting room are dedicated to the first pioneers and the mountain cattlemen. The first pioneers, the Pendergast brothers, and later others, arrived in the Benambra district having crossed the mountains from Cooma and the Monaro district of NSW. They settled the area for agriculture in 1835. These men became known as “The Mountain Cattlemen”; a name that still exists today.

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They would graze their cattle on the high plains during summer, mustering them and returning them to the low country in autumn, before the winter snows. The Mountain Cattlemen followed the traditions of the Aboriginal people and burned the country, knowing that when they returned in spring the area would again be lush and green. The traditional Aborigines came to these same mountains over the centuries to conduct a corroboree, eat the Bogong moths and exchange wives. Following the arrival of the white settlers, aborigines worked for the early settlers as guides. Little is known of these early Aboriginals but their fierceness is well documented and a plaque is hung in the foyer dedicated to the “Alpine Aborigines”. Anne’s great grandfather, John Wells was one of the first white men to visit the Bogong High Plains. He and James Brown along with members of the Gray family took cattle on the road after they were burned out at “The Pelican” at Wangaratta. They met an Aboriginal guide who took them onto the High Plains and down into Cobungra. They took out the first lease of Cobungra Station for the Gray family in 1851.

Many settlers had Aboriginal guides but few gave them credit for their work.

One of Anne and Terry’s lifelong friends was local historian Coral Kracke, who passed away recently. Many of her research articles are on display in the museum together with her beautiful copperplate writing. About 60 years ago, a young Terry was employed to paint the roof of this building. An old painter gave the young Terry a tip, “If you want the paint to last, add a little concrete.” Terry did as instructed and 60 years later he finally repainted this same galvanised tin roof. It had not been touched in 60 years and was still in excellent condition. The museum and gallery are a work in progress with paintings and displays changing regularly. There is no entry fee and Anne is always willing and able to act as guide and resident historian. Photography by Trevor Stow

, PETERSEN S GALLERY & MUSEUM, OMEO

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Set in Jindivick’s rolling green hills discover an acre of recycled metal sculptures and browse the gallery space hosting the work of contemporary artists and Laurie’s small stories sculptures. Call in anytime, no cost and see the studio (amongst the metal chaos!)

RED TREE GALLERY EXHIBITIONS COMING UP AT THE RED TREE GALLERY JINDIVICK OVER THE NEXT THREE MONTHS ARE A RANGE OF SHOWS AND ACTIVITIES.

WINTER EXHIBITIONS 2018 JUNE

OUT OF THE WEST Costume, Photos & Jewellery set around a mythical theme

JULY

ROS GODMAN & BARBARA ANGST LANDSCAPES

AUGUST ROS GODMAN & BARBARA ANGST LANDSCAPES EXHIBITION IN JULY

CATHY SMITH I AM REALLY QUITE CROSS sculptures & other art Good on ya and all the best Laurie

420 Main Jindivick Road, Jindivick VIC 3818 P: 5628 5224 | E: info@lauriecollins.com.au

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ALI'S ART

By Ali Fullard

BUSY BRIAGOLONG

ALI FULLARD REPOSE 1 MIXED MEDIA

ARTIST PENNY CARRUTHERS AND RAFF

UNTITLED PENNY CARRUTHERS

Many small Gippsland towns survive because of community involvement in events that bring the community together and Briagolong is no different. The winter months see two exhibitions at the Briagolong Art gallery, which focus on works completed “EN PLEIN AIR” i.e., in the open air and on site. This has its challenges with changing light and having to work quickly and efficiently in a natural setting.

Penny studied graphic art in the mid 1960s at Swinburne, followed by post graduate studies in drawing, printmaking and photography. She had a significant gap in her practice when she had children and was working freelance for 12 years in architectural perspectives. At this time she moved to Gippsland from the Dandenong ranges.

I have a particular interest in natural animate and inanimate life form, from inception to decay, detritus and beyond. I chose to draw, and to wander with my canvas...taking inspiration from the fragile herb fields, the delicacy of the alpine wild flowers, the soil, the peatlands...and the sensuality of the beautiful snow gums.

In 1997, with her husband, they established a small certified organic herb farm, and a related niche furniture business at Cassilis, near Swifts Creek. She was fortunate to be involved in the inception of the Great Alpine Gallery in Swifts Creek in 1998. Over the last 8 years she has had the opportunity to paint and to explore techniques and ideas, especially in portrait and figurative work, finding influence at this time in the work of Lucien Freud and Jenny Saville, trying to fuse the landscape of brush marks with the intellect of symbolism and the mind.

The amazing diversity of the living creatures, plants and rocks that make this fragile and endangered landscape, was my very breath and my inspiration. As I grow older, I am finding artistic expression in, and from my dreams (and nightmares), my fears, the inner workings of my heart and mind and what I do not know or understand. I am interested in the ethereal, and the heartbreaking poignancy of life and end of life; decay, transcendency and entropy.”

She moved to Cowwarr last year, creating a new space, home, and studio, in a very different environment in the desire to down scale, and be closer to family.

Briagolong Cnr Forbes and Avon Sts Contact 03 51 455 439 or 0424 327 494 briagolongartgallery@gmail.com briagolongartgallery.com facebook.com/briagolongartgallery

Over recent months a group of artists from Briagolong and surrounds, have undertaken excursions across the Gippsland landscape. Places include Quarry Reserve, Red Gum Forest at Briagolong, Wombat Crossing Avon River, Valencia Creek and a private property which is home to an amazing array of old and ancient farm machinery all in various states of “REPOSE.” The works provide an interesting insight in how each artist has interpreted and responded to similar subject matter. From observation of the minute detail of the forest floor through to the grandeur of a Gippsland vista. BRIAGOLONG ART GALLERY will host an exhibition of these works, in a variety of media from June 9th to July 15th. July 21st to August 26th sees local Cowwarr artist Penny Carruthers exhibiting paintings, drawings and installations inspired by her “En Plein Air” experiences.

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Penny states, “I have recently had the pleasure to revisit plein air painting and drawing when I participated in a residency with four friends at Falls Creek. It gave me the opportunity to extend my work in the observation of the minutiae of that beautiful environment, in all its diversity.

Art Gallery is open 11.00 am- 4.00pm Saturday and Sunday

BRIAGOLONG & SURROUNDS

“I work across a range of media inspired by the natural world and dramatic landscape of the Gippsland region.” P r i n t s | D r a w i n g s | Wa t e r c o l o u r s Mixed Media | Digital images | Original cards

PAT WATERS TILTING AT WINDMILLS OIL

Friday May 25th to Sunday July 15th well-known Briagolong contemporary artist, Pat Waters, will be exhibiting at the Gippsland Gallery Sale. Titled “THE INFINITE WELL: A RETROSPECTIVE” this exhibition enables viewers to experience the intellectual and technical journey of an artist over a long period of time. It includes painting, printmaking and drawing. Pat uses her art to highlight current issues about the environment and society. “Tilting At Windmills” is from a series of paintings inspired by an art tour of Spain. The image makes reference to Cervantes’ Don Quixote doing battle with “giant” windmills.

Open: By Appointment | All Welcome 75 Landy Lane Briagolong 3860 Ph. 0427327494 | Email alifullard@bigpond.com

Gippsland Art Gallery, Wellington Centre, 70 Foster St. Sale. www.gippslandartgallery.com 9th, 10th and 11th June, Briagolong once again hosts the FILM FESTIVAL in the Mechanics institute. A unique experience, viewing films with an Australian content, in the wonderful old space.

BRIAGOLONG FARMERS AND ARTISTS MARKET

On Sunday 10th, the BRIAGOLONG FARMERS AND ARTISTS MARKET: BY LAND OR BY HAND, will be held at the corner of Avon and Forbes Sts. opposite the Briagolong Hotel. Come along and view the talent of our region in producing high quality items for sale! If you miss this opportunity the Market will be on November 24th. www.facebook.com/briagmarket www.facebook.com/briagolongfilmfestival JUDY DORBER FOREST RELIC PEN AND WASH ON PAPER

BRIAGOLONG ART GALLERY

Cnr Forbes and Avon Streets, Briagolong 3860 Open Saturday and Sunday 11am to 4pm or by appointment Contact 03 51 455 439 or 0427 327 494 | Email briagolongartgallery@gmail.com | Web briagolongartgallery.com Find us on Facebook | facebook.com/briagolongartgallery

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Jules Madden displays an assortment of her beautifully colourful artwork

Scrap metal owl wall hanging from Grantelle Cr8ve Scrap Metal

Warragul A rts Market

The first ever Warragul Arts Market was held in 2011 and has since blossomed into a cornerstone event for any local’s diary. It is held in the warmer half of the year on the third Saturday of the month from October to March, from 9am to 1pm in Civic Park, Albert St, Warragul. The Warragul Farmer’s Market also runs at the same time, offering an array of local produce sold directly from growers and makers. The vibrant Arts Market is a free cultural event which showcases the beautiful work of handmade local artisans with free live music and performances, arts activities, demonstrating artists, workshops as well as activities for kids to enjoy. Around 60 stalls participate each month, selling a variety of handmade arts and craft including wrought iron work, unique silver and gemstone jewellery, prints, paintings, sculptures, books, woodfired pottery, glass beads, greeting cards, felted artworks and wearable items, soaps, bags and purses, photography, custom designed furniture, knitted items, clothes and accessories, and leather work to name a few!

Pebbles Gippsland. Veronica’s unique designs made with natural objects such as pebbles, stones, shells and driftwood are simple but heartwarming. Many images depict people holding balloons, singing birds perched on wire fences, children serenely sitting on tree swings, and people fishing in boats or riding in hot air balloons made from seashells.

Helen Timbury Designs comprised limited edition art prints and greeting cards with Helen’s linocut and illustrative designs depicting adorable wombats, sly foxes, blinking barn owls, echidnas, lyrebirds, campsites, leafy sea dragons, landscapes, moonscapes and portraits of quirky characters such as The Frog Man and the Dyslexic Warrior.

Unique Rabbit Jewellery showcased handmade necklaces, earrings, bracelets, rings and bookmarks made by local artisan, Annie Laughton. Her pieces feature a variety of charms, beads and gemstones such as amethyst, agate, red jasper, rose quartz, malachite and onyx, and are lovingly wire wrapped in bronze, copper and silver settings.

The stall of the very talented Wilma Henshall, from Lizzie Bean crafts, showcased her handmade rag dolls, necklaces, scarves, decorative headbands, hair clips, beanies and berets, and bright key rings that would delight girls of all ages. From the array of ribbons, buttons and funky fabrics, everything in this stall was vibrant and colourful and guaranteed to catch the eye.

The last Warragul Arts Market for the season was held on March 17, which boasted a glorious sunny morning where patrons and stall holders were entertained by musician, Joe Matera. Joe played guitar and sang from underneath a Golden Elm tree, serenading an appreciative crowd with renditions of popular songs.

Studio potter, Adam Cox, displayed his wheelthrown and hand-built porcelain and stoneware ceramics which featured an array of coffee mugs, vases and bowls. Adam uses a range of glazing, decorating and firing techniques to produce various colours, textures and surfaces. His crystalline glazes offer up a particularly stunning result where multicoloured crystals form on the glossy surface, some of which resemble blooming flowers or floating galaxies.

A Little Entomology by Jess Crestani, displayed a stunning array of insect taxidermy for sale. The vivid patterns of these creatures were mesmerizing and included the pale turquoise and black Graphium Antheus butterfly found in tropical and sub-Saharan Africa; the black and transparent Neurobasis Chenises dragon fly from Asia; the Urania Ripheus or Sunset moth from Madagascar with iridescent wings of orange and green overlaid with a black pattern; an impressive specimen of the Heterometrus laoticus scorpion commonly found in Vietnam and Laos; the bright yellow

Printmaker and graphic designer, Helen Timbury

Veronica Halliday from Pretty Little Pebbles Gippsland

Stalls at the most recent Warragul Arts Market involved a wonderful array of products to marvel and admire. These included handcrafted framed pictures from Veronica Halliday of Pretty Little

All-purpose greeting cards from Helen Timbury Designs

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Wilma Henshall from Lizzie Bean crafts

Patrons of the Warragul Arts Market enjoying the sunshine

Musician, Joe Matera

Phoebis Argante butterfly from Peru; among other fascinating stick insects and beetles. Jess also had made necklaces with snake skin pendants, generously shed and donated by her pet snake! Pauline Mills from I DON’T DO Crafty SHt offered photography and brilliantly colourful mosaics made from recycled crockery. Her eye-catching art works include garden water features, pictures depicting spiders, cockatoos, lizards, owls and balloons, as well as glass garden flowers complete with wind chimes. Recycled materials can be identified in her work such as the use of forks and spoons, barbed wire, tea cup handles, keys, marbles and buttons which add to the delight of her whimsical pieces. The Johnsons from Grantelle Cr8ve Scrap Metal combine Michelle’s design skills with Grant’s welding skills to create unique sculptures out of recycled scrap metal. Featured among this creative metallic array was a fisherman made from old railway spikes, spheres made from disused horse shoes and frogs made from golf clubs. In each piece, various assortments of nuts, bolts, chains and saw blades can be found in the displays that are suitable for either in the home or garden.

Gemstone necklaces by Annie Laughton, Unique Rabbit Jewellery

Crystalline glazed mugs by studio potter, Adam Cox

Motor bike sculpture from Grantelle Cr8ve Scrap Metal

The Arts Market is run through the generosity of local volunteers on behalf of the Baw Baw Arts Alliance (BBAA). The BBAA involves a community of like-minded individuals who share an interest in the arts as well as sharing ideas, skills and knowledge. Members vary from people who simply appreciate the arts to those wanting to further explore, refine and disseminate their skills, to professional artists who facilitate workshops and exhibit and offer their work for sale. Some of the stall holders at the last Arts Market were also involved in the Open Studio West Gippsland’s ‘Meet the Maker’ weekend, last held in April. Open Studio West Gippsland, first launched in 2008, offers set weekends during the year for people to complete self-guided tours. The public are able to meet artists, watch them work, and discover more about the creative process directly in the artist’s studio. These encounters also allow you to browse, hear the stories behind each piece of art work and buy unique pieces direct from the artists themselves. Words and images by Ruth Williams

Jess Crestani from A Little Entomology

The Warragul A rts Market will resume its season in October 2018. ........................................ Enquiries for the Warragul Arts Market can be made to Jessie McLennan at jessiemclennan.art@gmail.com ........................................ More information about the Baw Baw Arts Alliance, including upcoming exhibitions, galleries, workshops and drop-in groups, can be obtained from their website at www.bawbawartsalliance.org.au ........................................ More information about Open Studio West Gippsland, including dates of Meet the Maker weekends and information about participating artists, can be found at openstudioswestgippsland.com.au

A heavy metal frog sculpture from Grantelle Cr8ve Scrap Metal

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THE SUNSET FROM DECADENCE POINT | 77 X 50 cm

B R E N D O N S I M S | PA I N T E R EXHIBITION - MY GIPPSLAND LAKES

RAYMOND ISLAND ARTIST BRENDON SIMS HELD HIS FIRST SOLO EXHIBITION AT WITHOUT PIER GALLERY IN CHELTENHAM IN MELBOURNE FROM 22ND APRIL TO 13TH MAY. The exhibition was opened by life-long friend, Geoff Hocking, retired Senior Lecturer, Visual Arts & Design, LaTrobe University in Bendigo.

has painted its planks in colours that play with the reflections of the water as it appears — at time — to float above the lake.

Many long term colleagues and friends attended the opening and were blown away with the superb lake-scapes of this iconic Gippsland geographic wonder that Brendon has claimed as his own over 40 years.

“What his teacher at art school once described as Electric Impression, Sims calls Chromatic Spontaneous Contrast, an effect which makes the water in these paintings appear to throb and heave is also applied to Thistle.

In opening the exhibition Hocking said,

“But — Brendon is not an Impressionist.

Brendon Sims…. “began making his art over 50 years ago at a time of great changes to its practice, and although there was a nod and a wink to pop modernism... Brendon was not a modernist.

“Although his work does appear to reflect many of the concerns of the great masters, the capture of the moment, the impression of atmosphere, the play of light, the change of mood, and the way a clever use of colour in contrast and in shadow and the observation of the scene time and time again — recording all its moods — is what Sims does.

“He remains an aesthete in the true sense of the word. He has always revelled in the traditional forms of an advanced cultural sensitivity and thereby exhibits his predilection for classical quality over practical function. “Thistle, the century old fishing boat in which he pootles about The Gippsland Lakes, is a relic of a grander era. However, the artist that he is, Brendon

“For years Brendon’s world was bounded by the enclosed landscape of the Gippsland Lakes. He had concentrated his vision to this particular environment and sought to express it in his own terms.

“To that end he can be described as an Australian Artist. “But not the sort of Australian Artist who fills his canvas with icons: gumtrees, cockatoos or windmills over rusting water tanks. He has a worldwide vision that places his work amongst the internationals, showing a unique view of an Australia that has been largely unrecorded. Within the confines of the lakes, Sims saw the universe. “Like the impressionists, he observed the changing moods of his environment, not to create a pretty picture, but to capture its essence, the spirit within what he saw and commit it to his canvas. “He has created his own world. He uses colour like a master. It is an intellectual act. A consideration of all those traditional techniques not taught any more. “He places colour, value, chroma and hue in such a way that his sun bursts through the clouds and sets the surface of the water awash with light. His water heaves. His looming skies about to burst with a coming storm.

THE EAST IS RED (STUDY) 97 X 67 cm OIL ON BELGIAN LINEN

BRENDON SIMS WITH GEOFF HOCKING LEFT AND TONY CLARK RIGHT

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BRENDON SIMS BRENDON SIMS, MARIA SIMS & TERRY EARLE

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GEOFF HOCKING

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BELL POINT | 77 X 50 cm

The tranquillity of an evening on his lakes as the sun goes down, these things are made palpable by his knowledge and his craft.

“His craft, his art, continued right from the start up to the present as a steady development of his wide ranging cultural and aesthetic sensibilities.

“In these paintings we can enjoy fifty years of dedicated practice — the result of pure professionalism as a painter, and the concentrated vision of the observer.

My Gippsland Lakes captures so may moments.”

RAYMOND ISLAND WHITE CLOUDS | 77 X 50 cm

Terry Earle, Director of Without Pier Gallery observed that Sims connects with his environment so completely that he is part of the lakes.

This is an extraordinary connection, and one not easily achieved. It is a trademark of many Aboriginal artists when painting their country.

320 Bay Rd Cheltenham Vic 3192 t: 03 9583 7577 www.withoutpier.com.au

B R E N D O N S I M S | PA I N T E R EXHIBITION - MY GIPPSLAND LAKES

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PYGMALION WEDNESDAY JUNE 20 AT 8PM

& THURSDAY JUNE 21 AT 1PM BY GEORGE BERNARD SHAW

GEORGE BERNARD SHAW’S ‘PYGMALION’ IS A DIDACTIC EXPOSE OF THE RIGID CLASS SYSTEM EXTANT IN VICTORIAN ENGLAND. A system designed to keep people in their place, regardless of talent and intelligence. Henry Higgins is Shaw’s Pygmalion, who, on a whim without any regard for consequences insists that he can transform a rough Drury Lane cockney into a Duchess or even a ‘Hungarian Princess’. His fatal flaw is that he never understands that what he creates just might have a mind of her own. Shaw’s wonderful deceit is that the transformation need only vernacular. It is also full of the wonderful vernacular and rich life experience of the working (or not) classes of England. They hold dear some aspect of middle class moral and ethical expectation and on the other can reject it with ease and aplomb. Alfred Doolittle is Shaw’s masterpiece of a moral-free character in this light. The work is bursting with humour and cheek. A liveliness that creates characters of depth, intellect and the unexpected. The characters are whole and true, full of joy, excitement and prescience. The character, Liza, ‘an East End dona in an apron and three ostrich feathers’, can know what she is but also knows what she can become with the ‘proper way of speaking’. Without formal education and refinement, she can, by casting aside her stigmata, consciously change her voice and thus change her station in the world.

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So, Shaw’s performance is one of transformation. A simple cockney girl could pass as a princess by simply changing the way she speaks. Just as a young Irishman could do the same after paying his fare on the overnight ferry from Dublin to become one of the most celebrated writers of the twentieth century. Pygmalion is full of twists and turns, highs and lows. A cacophony of thought, slapstick and epiphany. The play by the Australian Shakespeare Company is directed by Greg Carroll who is an accomplished director and designer. He has set up over five theatres in the Melbourne area and worked alongside many other theatrical companies all over the world. Greg has worked on theatrical productions for the many shows, such as La Mama, Theatre works, Gilgul, Stork and APG, as well as many commercial productions in Australia, England and the USA. TICKETS Adult Senior Concession Member Group 10+ Child U12

$35.00 $33.00 $27.00 $25.00 $25.00 $17.00

RUNNING TIME Approx. 2.5 hours Including 15 min interval.

100 Foster Street, Sale VIC 3850 (03) 5143 3200 | box.office@wellington.vic.gov.au www.thewedge.com.au @ebbwec

To you â&#x20AC;¦ Art from the heart

www.fionakennedy.com

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Family owned and operated - Blue Hills Rise joins the multi award winner Blue Hills Residences as the best 55 plus resort lifestyle options in Cranbourne East. Looking for the best way to spend your retirement, Blue Hills Rise offers six unit designs with modern furnishings and fittings. If you want to downsize our two bedroom Stephanie Apartments, may just be the answer. Live independently, within a secure, caring environment.

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Well, if you are looking for a quality home with access to some of the most amazing onsite facilities, then Blue Hills Rise is the best choice for you. This family owned and operated 55 plus resort, has a variety of home designs, all offering something just a little different. You will quickly realise that the Resort Owners, the Clarkson family, are serious about the homes they build in their very popular resort in Cranbourne East. No expense has been spared; all fittings and furnishings are of an extremely high standard.

The recent addition of Shopping On Clyde Shopping Centre right next door - you have a great variety of shops within walking distance. Remember Blue Hills Rise is only a 50 minute drive to Melbourne, and close to the Dandenong Ranges and the door step to Phillip Island and the Gippsland region.

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phone: 03 5991 5000

Open 9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday, or via appointments on the weekend.

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