#41 Regional Lifestyle | Winter 2023

WINTER

Real Country

Inspirational stories from

Gilgandra, Coonabarabran & Coonamble

ORANGE

FEATURES

Cootamundra Picnic Races

Showcasing

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of

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regional

New

South

Wales

Service Information Marketing

Wool store locations Forbes Tamworth Cooma

(02) 6851 4000 (02) 6760 7577 (02) 6452 3130

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CENTRAL WEST LIFESTYLE PTY LTD Trading as Regional Lifestyle Magazine ABN 151 6322 9418

CONTENT COVERAGE AREA

ADDRESS PO BOX 1050 DUBBO NSW 2830 PHONE 0429 441 086 WEBSITE www.lifestylemagazine.net.au FACEBOOK @RegionalLifestyleMagazine INSTAGRAM @RegionalLifestyleMagazine PUBLISHERS, ACCOUNTS & ADVERTISING Elizabeth & Alex Tickle info@lifestylemagazine.net.au EDITOR Elizabeth Tickle editor@lifestylemagazine.net.au CHIEF WRITER & PHOTOGRAPHER Jake Lindsay shotbyjake@outlook.com.au ART DIRECTOR Zora Regulic artdirector@lifestylemagazine.net.au

DISTRIBUTION Regional Lifestyle Magazine is published quarterly (available at the beginning of each season) and distributed to selected newsagents and retail outlets within the Central West and in the surrounding regions of the Far West, New England & North West, Riverina & Southern Slopes, the Monaro, Southern Highlands, Canberra, Northern and Eastern suburbs of Sydney, in addition to a selection of other rural and coastal areas of New South Wales.

Subscriptions and back issues are also available to read online, on desktop and mobile devices.

Unsold magazines are distributed to cafes, health waiting rooms, quality hotels/motels, bed and breakfast establishments, hair and beauty salons and tourist outlets.

Regional Lifestyle showcases authentic content from across rural and regional New South Wales. The heart of the magazine is in the Central West of the state, but a great story knows no boundaries.

We are continually amazed by the innovation, inspiration and spirit that we find time and time again in communities both within the Central West and further afield. It is our passion and privilege to bring these stories to you.

SUBSCRIBE ONLINE To order a subscription or back issue (mailed or online), visit www.lifestylemagazine.net.au. © Central West Lifestyle Pty Ltd 2023 All Rights Reserved No part of this magazine may be reproduced, copied, modified or adapted, without the prior written consent of the publisher.

While every care is taken in the publication of Regional Lifestyle Magazine, the publishers will not be held responsible for omissions, errors or their subsequent effects.

Pegasus Media & Logistics is an environmentally responsible printing company that is committed to helping achieve a sustainable environment.

To underscore our commitment to environmental sustainability, Pegasus Media & Logistics is FSC® (Forest Stewardship Council®) certified as well as being ISO 14001 accredited. Paper and paper-based materials carrying the FSC® symbol can be tracked back to their source, guaranteeing they come from forests which are managed to meet the social, economic and ecological needs of present and future generations.

Pegasus Media & Logistics is also an accredited ISO 9001:2008 supplier, which ensures each step of our production process is aligned with world’s best practice to deliver the finest quality possible.

Together these accreditations offered by Pegasus Media & Logistics, offer our clients a guarantee that their printed products are produced by world’s best practice environmental and finest quality standards.

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CONTENTS ISSUE 41 WINTER 2023

163 F AMILY FOUND Jane Lieschke shares the incredible story of finding the family she never knew she had.

172 CAN SING, CAN COOK Singing chef Rob Breese has made an impact in the Country Music Capital in hospitality and music.

176 HIGHLAND HOSPITALITY Michele and Farley Sherrot have created so much more than a luxury B&B in Glen Innes’s heart.

184 LATE BLOOMER Not picking up a paintbrush until retirement, June Beckett’s art is highly prized.

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Inspirational stories from

Gilgandra, Coonabarabran & Coonamble

ORANGE

FEATURES

GARDEN

194 W INDSWEPT WONDERLAND Explore Jason and Colleen Southwell’s magnificent cold-country garden.

Cootamundra Picnic Races

$15.00 inc GST WINTER 2023 VOLUME 41

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COUNTRY CHARACTERS

WINTER

Real Country

WEDDINGS

222 H ITCHED Check out these glorious brides on the most special day of their lives.

THE LAST WORD

240 A LONG-HELD DREAM At 85, Don Himsley plans to renovate his historic homestead before time runs out.

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EAL COUNTRY Meet the characters R and discover the beauty of this region that has so much to offer the traveller or those fortunate enough to live there.

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188 T AILORED TO PERFECTION Find out what inspired Jane and the late Simon Beverly to create the perfect venue for weddings, parties ... anything.

202 INNER STRENGTH Author Ruth Cotton shares for the first time how she has lived with multiple sclerosis for 26 years.

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GILGANDRA, COONABARABRAN, & COONAMBLE TOWN FEATURE

ON THE COVER

Matt Howard ‘Oakleigh’ Tooraweenah enjoys the farming and grazing lifestyle in the foothills of the Warrumbungles.

Story page 64.

Image: Jake Lindsay

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W I N T E R story name

FROM THE PUBLISHERS

Revealing Real Country “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson

Welcome to Winter and the 41st edition of Regional Lifestyle.

We hope you enjoyed the colours of Autumn and had a wonderful Easter with family and friends.

The Autumn 2023 edition featuring Armidale and Guyra (and with a Spotlight on Dubbo) has been extremely well received.

Everyone loved the stunning cover highlighting the magnificent Ebor Falls, one of the many natural attractions in the New England.

Winter 2023

This edition is a result of a collaboration between our magazine and the councils of Gilgandra, Warrumbungle (Coonabarabran) and Coonamble. These areas have the common marketing theme ‘Real Country’ and we have to agree it certainly is. You’ll receive an authentic country welcome when you visit these areas and wonder at the natural attractions that are both unique and spectacular.

We know your visit is much anticipated!

Spring 2023

We’ve had some wonderful trips to Moree recently completing research for the Spring 2023 edition which will feature the area across 120 pages.

Moree holds many special memories for me (Elizabeth). It was the town where I spent the first three years of my working life as a teacher after I graduated from UNE, Armidale.

Since my time there, it has grown enormously in so many ways.

It is certainly a thriving and dynamic centre which attracts visitors from all over.

We feel sure you’ll really enjoy reading about this rich agricultural area which has so much to celebrate.

Team changes

We have had many dedicated and long-serving team members whose skills and talents make this magazine what it is.

We farewell our sub-editor and proofreader, Gina Cranson and thank her most sincerely for her 10 years of magnificent contributions to our magazine. We wish her well as her life takes her in a new direction.

A warm welcome to Anna Rose (formerly an RLM writer) who now takes on the role of sub-editor and proofreader. We are certain she will be extremely dedicated and thorough.

Thank you to our strong and passionate team who continue to strive for excellence in each and every edition.

Where you’ll see us

We will have hopefully seen some of our loyal supporters at the Iandra Castle Open Days in April as well as at the Mudgee Small Farms Field Days on July 7 and 8. At these venues we sell current and back copies of our magazines as well as the Collector’s Edition Volume 2. Most of all we enjoy meeting people, sharing stories and hearing about why you love living in or visiting rural and regional NSW. Until next time, stay safe and stay happy.

Warm regards, Elizabeth and Alex

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FROM TOP: Publishers Elizabeth and Alex Tickle; the magnificent Warrumbungles; water towers have become compelling tourist attractions; (left) Gulargambone Water Tower, artist Jenny McCracken; (right) Coonamble Water Tower, artists John Murray and Sooty Welsh; Alex and Elizabeth enjoyed having a Lifestyle stand at the recent Iandra Castle Open Days.

Images: Jake Lindsay and Gilgandra Shire Council

W I N T E R from the boundary fence

A pleasure and privilege The sometimes-mighty Castlereagh River starts in the Warrumbungle Mountains before snaking its way through Coonabarabran, Binnaway, Mendooran, Gilgandra, Gulargambone and Coonamble.

In the early days, the river was the lifeblood to each of these resilient rural communities. It’s only fitting this feature includes a bunch of yarns from Gil, Coonamble and Coona, known collectively as Real Country.

As they say in the brochure, it’s a place full of full of real experiences, real nature, real grit, real culture, real wonders. real people, real mateship, real skies, real inspiration ... it’s as real as it gets!

Each town has its own unique charms. Gilgandra is known as the Town of Windmills, with hundreds located in backyards before the arrival of town water in the mid-1960s.

Coonabarabran is Australia’s Astronomy Capital and home of the Horse Expo, while Coonamble is the nickname capital and home to the country’s biggest rodeo and campdraft. All three are close to the natural wonders of the Warrumbungle National Park, Macquarie Marshes and Pilliga State Forest.

In my travels I’ve witnessed new dreams unfolding in each of these towns. While these communities may be doing it tough, there are always fresh signs of new life – newcomers who see an opportunity and are prepared to stake their future on it.

Having just returned from a trip through the majestic Warrumbungles, I’m feeling particularly inspired. I have shot the rugged outcrop from a plane and better still, a chopper – it never loses its appeal.

As much as I love the landscape, I’ll always be a portrait man.

I’m a huge fan of life-sized portraits that capture the very essence of someone we love, particularly those no longer with us. It hardly matters that some of my best subjects are not known to me!

From my desk, I look up and see a dozen hard-as-nails bushmen staring back at me from four walls. And it doesn’t matter where I move, they maintain eye contact, almost as though they’re speaking to me.

This only happens after a special magic between the sitter and a very “fast” lens that locks on the eyes and throws everything else out of focus.

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You, dear reader, are going to enjoy some ripper yarns in this edition – some of them found in mysterious ways. Imagine this scenario. I’m on my last trip to Coonamble and making my way out of town when I spot a newspaper. I can’t help myself and have a quick flick through the pages. Instantly I find my perfect treechange story. Call it a fluke but that’s how we roll!

After 10 years as RLM’s roving reporter, I’ve been fortunate to meet some real wags, champions of sport, industry leaders, go-ahead farmers, centenarians and a good smattering of down-to-earth country folk who just plod along every day. These are the ones I most admire.

There is no such thing as an “ordinary” person. Sometimes I hear the most unbelievable or soul-destroying stories that could never be printed.

The same applies to the value one puts on a property. I can’t help but be inquisitive, but it doesn’t mean I repeat this information in a story. It doesn’t always pay to advertise what we have in life – something of which I’m very conscious.

The same thinking applies to my camera. While my trusty Fuji opens plenty of doors, there are some things I have to appreciate with my eyes only – like some priceless family heirloom or magnificent, irreplaceable collection.

Often, it’s a thin line, bordering on trust and mutual respect.

Most people, fortunately, love sharing their stories with strangers, particularly those getting on in years. They’ve had ample time to decide what matters most. I would never have met any of them if it wasn’t for this job. Enough of my rave – you’ve had your entrée, now it’s time for the main course!

Bite into the ripping yarns of a lass from the Big Apple, Australia’s only safari guide, the Cactus King, the indomitable Max, a map lover, railway buff, refugees who started with nothing, poddy and pottery lovers, poets, new and (very) old homesteads and everything you have come to expect in between.

Enjoy your meal, but don’t eat too quickly. This literary feast is meant be savoured.

Bon appetit!

Jake Lindsay

ABOVE: It’s always a thrill coming home to Coonabarabran from Tooraweenah through the majestic Warrumbungles.

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WINTER 202 3 CONTRIBUTORS

meet your team

ELIZABETH TICKLE

ALEX TICKLE

Publisher, Editor, Advertising

Publisher, Distribution, Advertising

ZORA REGULIC Art Director

ANNA ROSE

JENNIFER HARDEN Writer, Photographer, Social Media

Website Developer, Advertising Designer, Writer

Advertising Designer

SALLY MARCEAU

ANNA CONN

JANE SANDERSON

ELIZABETH GRANT

ELIZABETH SWANE

ROBERT I BRUCE

LIZ TICKNER

LARA FLANAGAN

ELIZABETH EDWARDS

LORRAINE HILLS

CATHERINE PLAYER

TAYLAH HUDSON

KATE THOMAS

SUE CURLEY

JOHN CURLEY

Sub-editor, Proofreader & Writer

Wedding Writer

Photographer

Writer

Writer

Writer

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JAKE LINDSAY

Chief Writer & Photographer

KATE BOSHAMMER

Garden Writer

Writer

Writer

Photographer

Writer

RLM Accountant

Writer

Writer

Photographer

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your letters Armidale and Guyra are proud to have featured in Regional Lifestyle Magazine’s 10Year Anniversary edition. The area’s unique lifestyle, sitting on the New England plateau and surrounded by stunning natural wonders, was communicated beautifully to your readers through interesting interviews and articles, with accompanying quality photographs reflecting the diversity of the area. I thank the publishers for their fantastic effort to convey the experiences on offer – from adventure in our national parks, to sporting endeavours, agricultural, academic and cultural pursuits. The edition has been an outstanding success, selling strongly in retail outlets and online. Community members, both local and afar, have praised the professionalism of the publication, and are thankful to the publishers, Elizabeth and Alex, for showcasing the New England area to a wider audience.

Cr Sam Coupland Armidale Regional Council Mayor

The Summer and Autumn editions of the prestigious Regional Lifestyle Magazine showcasing the Northern Tablelands have delighted all our senses and filled us with joy, page after page.

From the heartfelt stories of inspiring individuals, families and businesses that underpin the fabric of strong, thriving communities to the weaving of words and accompanying photographs, the magazine is indeed much more than a mere magazine. Rather, it is a book celebrating community commitment at its very best. The generous sincerity and dedication of publishers Elizabeth and Alex, combined with the brilliance of chief features writer and photographer Jake, have been breathtaking. Those of us living in these incredible rural communities from Drake to Armidale, Guyra to Glen Innes and in between have always celebrated the amazing patchwork of community successes. Now, thanks to the Regional Lifestyle team, the rest of NSW, Australia and the world can celebrate with us, too.

Mary Hollingworth Community Projects Officer, Glen Innes

Thank you and congratulations for putting together such a wonderful publication, Regional Lifestyle Magazine. Your front cover of the 10-Year Anniversary Autumn production featuring Armidale and Guyra is so impressive. My congratulations to Armidale photographer Terry Cooke, who, with camera in hand, was there just at the right time.

The photos of Armidale present and in days gone by, show our beautiful city to the world. A copy has already gone to the UK and USA. I was so proud to be able to send such a quality production.

I will remember your magazine when it comes to thinking about Christmas presents and appreciate the online availability.

The variety of articles makes this magazine very readable to all. I especially enjoyed the ones on our historic buildings, seeing the spectacular photography and reading the stories of those who bring our towns to life.

I will look forward to your next production.

Barbara Roberts-Thomson Academy Wagyu Stud, Armidale

“The secret to having it all is knowing that you already do”.

This quote alone from your vol 39, charmed me into reading Regional Lifestyle vol 39. How true this statement is!

I’m visiting from Co Kerry, (aka “The Kingdom”), in south west Ireland. We are predominantly a rural community.

I’m captivated and charmed by this marvellous magazine. It’s given me a super insight into rural life in NSW. We’ve found this magazine so informative. Thank you very much. Well done to all.

Erika Kinsella Co Kerry, Ireland UK

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There’s so much more to Mudgee Rolling mountains, friendly faces, and clean country air make a relaxed setting for resort style retirement living.

Lifestyle, location, and lots to see and do…proud locals will happily tell you that Mudgee has so much more on offer than you might initially think.

Nestled among the Great Dividing Range, Mudgee is as scenic as it is charming. Centrally located within a few hours of Sydney, Newcastle, and major regional centres including Dubbo, Orange and Bathurst, Mudgee offers a relaxed, rural lifestyle with easy access to the big city when required. With no traffic lights, away from the hustle and bustle, you can make the most of the simple life among the natural scenery and good, clean country air.

That’s what makes it the perfect setting for Oak Tree’s retirement village, allowing you to enjoy an easy, lower-maintenance lifestyle being as active as you like. It’s a place where residents – like other Mudgee locals – are proud to call home.

The perfect setting for a vibrant retirement Living in a relaxed location doesn’t mean you’ll be lacking in things to see and do. At Oak Tree, our shared facilities and regular activities allow you to keep your social calendar as full as you choose, discover new hobbies, and enrich your retirement spending more time doing the things you love.

Beyond the village, the region is renowned for its produce and craft markets, shops, cafes, restaurants, wineries, breweries, live music, concerts and exhibitions. There’s a full calendar of festivals throughout the year, including Flavours of Mudgee, the Wine and Food Festival, Sculptures in the Garden, and more. Plus, there’s no shortage of entertainment and essential facilities, with a modern, purpose-built arts precinct, as well as a new $70-million hospital with plenty of great doctors and specialists.

“We fell in love with Mudgee on our caravanning trips, and the village here has everything we could want and more. Brand new, still a bit country and not all squeezed in.”

“Moving to Oak Tree is the best decision we’ve ever made and we’re enjoying it more than we thought possible!”

Oak Tree Mudgee residents Marie and Bill Dempsey”

Meanwhile, nearby nature reserves and World Heritage Listed bushland offer an abundance of recreational pursuits. You can enrich your post-work years being as active and social as you like.

Re-think the way you live Located just five minutes from the CBD, the Oak Tree community will have you questioning everything you thought about village living – in all the best ways.

The modern, boutique village has been purposebuilt to offer everything you thought you’d need in this next phase of life, and more. Gated and secure, Oak Tree is a lovely little tight-knit village community where you’ll instantly feel like you belong. Here, you’ll find companionship, regular social gatherings, and neighbours who look out for one another. Make the most of a lower maintenance lifestyle, spending meaningful time with loved ones rather than relying on them to help with home upkeep, do something new, or simply enjoy everything the Mudgee region has to offer.

Set in the vibrant Caerleon Estate – Mudgee’s newest master planned community – you’ll have easy reach to a town centre, lots of great facilities and lifestyle amenities, providing a new lively destination for locals. This award-winning community is set within beautifully landscaped surrounds to enhance the historic, rural backdrop. And with multiple new public infrastructure projects in the works for the region, the future is certainly looking bright.

Come and experience Oak Tree. Visit Village Manager Bec at 15 Meramie Street, Mudgee between 10am and 2pm Monday to Friday for a private tour.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

GILGANDRA TOWN FE ATUR E WORDS & IMAGES: JAKE LINDSAY

A Real Country welcome From the Mayor of Gilgandra Shire Council We are a small community, with a big heart, friendly faces and a splash of colour to showcase our vibrant community spirit.

When I returned to my hometown, Gilgandra over 30 years ago with my wife and young family to take over our family business.

I discovered a caring, giving, considerate community that provides a wonderful opportunity to live, grow a business and enjoy with my family.

I am a proud Gilgandra local, true (Gil) Panthers’ supporter, and am lucky to call this place home.

Since first featuring in the Winter 2017 edition of (formerly) Central West Lifestyle Magazine, the Gilgandra community has been

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impacted by drought, floods and pestilence – a mouse plague. Our community spirit has only grown through these times as we seized upon opportunities created by the decisions of state and federal government to grant funding that has seen upgrades to much of the community infrastructure across the region in Gilgandra, Armatree and Tooraweenah. Sporting facilities, parks and gardens, community halls, youth centre, cultural precincts and libraries have benefited.

This renewal, together with considerable investment by local business houses, has resulted in the presentation of a commercial centre that is both modern, vibrant, and continually growing.

Underpinning all of this is a council goal to grow our shire population from the 2021 Census-revealed population of 4300 to 5000 residents. It is worthwhile noting Gilgandra and Dubbo were the only two centres in the Orana region to record an increase in population in the 2021 count.

Through our “Towards 5000” vision, we move with confidence towards the 2026 Census.

Planning for the positive impacts of the Inland Rail construction, specifically the 307km greenfield section between Narromine and Narrabri which will provide a once-ina-lifetime opportunity for the Gilgandra community.

Gilgandra Shire Council is unique in that

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

not only does it provide traditional roads, rates and rubbish services, we are responsible for the operation of aged care services, with Gilgandra Lifestyles comprising an extensive aged care village, hostel living, Aboriginalspecific aged care, and home care packages.

Gilgandra Shire Council also delivers supported accommodation and employment for disability clients through Orana Living and Carlginda Enterprises – and support their incredible artwork talents; wait until you see their windmills along our Windmill Walk!

Gilgandra has a long and proud history of volunteering and community support. We are a rural support centre that is located at the junction of three major highways: the Newell, Castlereagh, and Oxley. All roads truly lead here. An agricultural community, supported by our township of Gilgandra and two unique villages of Armatree and Tooraweenah.

Gilgandra is known as a meeting place between three Aboriginal tribes – Wiradjuri, Wailwan and Kamilaroi, who contribute

As Mayor of this wonderful community, I extend an invitation to you to visit, stay and experience the Gilgandra region. proudly to the cultural identity of who we are today. Gilgandra continues to be a meeting place for both residents and visitors.

It is pleasing to be able to come together with Coonamble and Warrumbungle shires in featuring our Real Country in this edition of Regional Lifestyle Magazine.

As Mayor of this wonderful community, I extend an invitation to you to visit, stay and experience Gilgandra region.

You might see a flying pig, wonder of endless possibilities, be inspired by local artworks, give a “Coo-ee”, watch the wheat grow from the ground, or wonder at the natural assets in the Warrumbungles, Castlereagh River and unique cactus farm, I can assure you will leave with a smile on your face and a calling to return.

Cr Doug Batten, Mayor, Gilgandra Shire Council

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Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

Possibilities

are endless

Gilgandra region’s combination of agriculture, history, art, and culture offers real experiences in Real Country.

Here, the Coo-ee spirit was born and that spirit has been calling out to road-trippers, families and other adventurers ever since.

Steeped in history, the Gilgandra Region is known for its welcoming community and incredible natural landscape.

The shire covers an area of 4500sq km and has a population of 4295 lucky residents.

Gilgandra is located on the junction of three main highways, the Oxley, Castlereagh and Newell, and as a region, is a gateway to the Warrumbungle National Park.

This charming town offers a selection of restaurants, cafes, bakery, retail stores and sightseeing right in the heart of Gilgandra.

With 1930s buildings, murals and the Coo-ee sculpture, Gilgandra is steeped in military history, art, culture and a relaxed way of life.

Though ask anyone in town, the real strength is its people. You will hear them referred to as “local legends”; always up for a chat at one of the country pubs, or ready for a yarn at the counter in one of the many local shops, be sure to take some time to stop and say g’day. They’ll have the best stories (and know the best fishing spots).

Gil (as it’s called by the locals) is best known as the birthplace of the Coo-ee March and the Town of Windmills. Call in to the Coo-ee Heritage Centre and select from local produce, gifts, culture, history and art.

From there wander the Windmill Walk to the Gilgandra Museum, where visitors can step back in time and discover Australia’s past preserved in the museum’s collection of inventions and memorabilia, including the rotary hoe which was made right here in Gilgandra!

Beyond Gilgandra, there’s lots more to explore in surrounding towns and villages in the region. Take in the local military history at Armatree War Memorial Precinct. Home to a memorial for local World War I Victoria Cross recipient, Alexander Buckley, history boards and the one-of-a-kind Big ArmaTree, engineered right here in Gilgandra.

Be sure to visit Tooraweenah, a tiny tranquil village nestled in the foothills of the Warrumbungle National Park. Take yourself back in time with a wander along the historical trail through town.

Follow the walkway out to the GK Rohr viewing platform to visit the Returned Soldier Sculpture and take in the skyline.

Travel the winding route of Tourist Drive 1 through the Warrumbungles, you will find yourself up close and personal with an emu, Australia’s largest bird.

Gilgandra is known as a meeting place for three Aboriginal nations, Wiradjuri, Kamilaroi and Wailwan. Today, Gilgandra continues to be a meeting place for family, friends and visitors alike. With events from high-octane speedway to festivals, markets and country shows, there is always something happening in Gilgandra Region.

Whether you’re driving through, looking for a short escape or somewhere to settle, Gilgandra Region is a perfect addition as part of your next adventure. RLM Images: Gilgandra Shire Council

This is Real Country. Come and see for yourself. www.gilgandraregion.com.au

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Days gone by GILGANDRA

Images supplied by Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

Glorious Gilgandra Visit the region where the Coo-ee spirit is alive and thriving

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

Jewel on the NEWELL With a huge windmill and the world-famous Howard rotary hoe out the front, it’s impossible to miss Gilgandra Museum on the Newell Highway.

The rotary hoe, which changed farming practices all over the world, was invented

by Gilgandra farmer Cliff Howard but there’s plenty more to take in.

Visitors can check out a HV McKay harvester – the first mechanical machine to strip, thrash and clean grain in one operation – a Ridley stripper, the old Tooraweenah Gaol and Uargon School.

In the relocated “Berida” bookkeeper’s rooms is the Lodge Warrumbungle Room, an old-style kitchen with its vast collection of Arnott’s biscuit tins.

The museum was opened on its current eight-acre site in 1997, having started 30 years earlier in a section of the town library.

Later the machinery was moved to the rear of the Coo-ee Heritage Centre, which also accommodated the Historical Society’s other collections in the Allan Wise Gallery.

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Old sewing machines, historic images, irons, music room and a special signature quilt all have their own story. Motionactivated monitors, introduced after a government grant, tell the story of farming from the early days of the colony.

Allow an hour or two to wander through a dozen buildings, including a massive shed housing dozens of historic tractors and early farming implements.

Soon-to-be ex-farmer and museum president Max Zell remembers many pivotal moments in history since his birth 76 years ago in Gilgandra’s private maternity hospital “Chinnock” (now a B&B).

His great-great-grandfather, a German vinedresser, arrived in Kiama in 1852.

Max’s great-grandfather grew up with numerous farm duties, among them helping his mother in the dairy at Mudgee.

On cold winter days, like many farm kids, he warmed his toes in steaming cowpats!

Shoes would come much later.

He later found himself in Tooraweenah, starting a farming legacy that’s continued for 137 years. He purchased his first block in the Tooraweenah district in 1888.

In the late 1910s Max’s grandfather and his wife would hitch up their horse and sulky and set off for Coonabarabran to visit her family.

In those days it was little more than a bush track, with no less than 34 gates to open.

In 1969, Max moved onto his own property “Boomanulla” – a “Myall View” soldier settlers block, months before marrying the new maths teacher in town.

It’s been a good union with Margaret and Max blessed with three children and 11 grandchildren. In the past few years, the farm’s been leased but will soon be sold as

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E the pair move into the next phase of life at Coo-ee Retirement Village where he once served on the management committee.

Max has been serving the community a long time. In the early 1990s, he became the last shire president and the first Gilgandra mayor. Later he became the inaugural chairman of the Bendigo Community Bank – not a bad effort for a kid who left school at 14 to help his father on the farm.

Apart from his museum commitments, Max is also an enthusiastic and engaging volunteer at the Coo-ee Heritage Centre and, with Margaret, helps out with Meals on Wheels. One of his biggest concerns is filling the dwindling volunteer ranks.

“Gilgandra shire has a proud and wonderful history,” he says. “In order to keep this history alive, it’s imperative we attract new blood into the ranks.”

Curator of the Gilgandra Museum and Historical Society, Shirley Marks keeps the archives up to date, while husband Jeff is the museum treasurer.

Shirley lived in Scotland until she was 15, when an aerogram from her brother changed her life. He had landed on a Tooraweenah farm as part of the Big Brother movement and wrote to say he was feeling lonely and homesick.

In a moment of madness, the family decided they would all move to a tiny speck on the map on the other side of the world to join him.

Having left snowy Scotland to arrive in the middle of a summer heatwave, it all seemed so surreal, including their first big outing to the movies in Dubbo.

“When we arrived (in the 1960s) we were invited to the local hall and asked to bring a plate, which caused much confusion among us,” she laughs.

The volunteers have countless stories to share with visitors as they view inventions which shaped our nation and forever changed our way of life. RLM

1

2

3

4

6

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Thanks to the dedication of the dozen or so volunteers – who all believe in preserving the past for present and future generations – the museum opens every day of the year bar Christmas, from 9am till 1pm.

FACING PAGE: The Gilgandra Museum is a must-see for any travellers along the Newell.

RIGHT: 1. Steam engine.

2. Tobacco tins.

3. Museum president Max Zell.

4. Patchwork quilt.

5. Horse and sulky.

6. Windmill.

7. Telephones and switchboards from

yesteryear.

8. Allan Thiele has been a volunteer for 45 years.

9. Neil Cooper.

10. Mowers of all description.

11. Retired farmer Philip Godber.

12. Museum curator Shirley Marks.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

Standing proudly One of Gilgandra’s oldest original timber homesteads is still lived in, thanks to a couple devoted to preserving Australian rural history

The 160-year-old “Berida” homestead is home to custodians Ian and Di McCutcheon, who love sharing the history of their home and equally impressive woolshed with friends and strangers.

When not running their sheep, cattle and wheat enterprises, they continue enriching the lives of young people through Camp Berida.

When newcomers innocently ask how long they’ve been in the district, they can expect a brief history lesson dating back to 1818 when explorer John Oxley passed through the area, writing glowing reports in his journal of the grazing potential.

The first settlers arrived in 1839. Sarah Lowe was a stoic, country woman who travelled extensively throughout the unsettled districts, taking up various tracts of land on the Cudgegong, Castlereagh and Macquarie rivers.

Widowed after losing her second husband, she was determined to forge a better life for her 11 children, including five older stepchildren. Attracted by good pastures and a fresh water supply from the nearby Marthaguy Creek, they arrived with their cattle in a bullock-drawn wagon.

It was virgin country inhabited by Aborigines for thousands of years. The birth of Gilgandra on the banks of the Castlereagh 17 miles away was still light years away. Roads, fences and neighbours simply did not exist.

In the early 1860s, Sydney’s inaugural mayor and owner of Flood’s Wool Stores, the Hon Edward Flood was keen to establish a pastoral empire. Over several years he combined several squatting

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runs to build an impressive tract of land totalling 160,000 acres known as the Marthagi run.

Edward was the first to introduce sheep to the district and built the original homestead, naming the property “Berida” – possibly after daughter, Berida Flood, who was born there in 1862. She would go on to live to the ripe old age of 100.

It was a period of great change. In 1884, half the land was reclaimed for new settlers arriving by the score, including Thomas Foran, who called his block “New Berida”. Foran descendants are still farming there 140 years later.

In 1891, two years before Federation, the Floods wound up operations, selling their remaining 84,840 acres, 60,000 sheep, 100 cattle and 104 horses to the Barry brothers, “gentlemen farmers” from Melbourne.

This is where the McCutcheons enter the story. Young Oliver McCutcheon arrived in 1909 as relieving manager on a six-month contract but ended up staying a further 42 years. He was witness to the carving up of the big run. > THIS PAGE: The historic ‘Berida’ homestead has changed little in 160 years.

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The homestead; Di and Ian McCutcheon on their sweeping front verandah; the formal dining room; one of the two hallways lined with memories from the past; the original wallpaper from a century ago; historic ledgers; old books; the old storehouse, with meat house in the background; the former office at the end of the building; the billiard room; another connecting hallway.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

In 1912, a further 13 blocks were stripped away, 11 of them eventually going to the Mudford family, well-known district farmers. In 1949 the federal government acquired the property and split it into 24 soldier settlement blocks, with Oliver securing the homestead block of 1600 acres.

The clearing sale was the talk of the town, with new cars arriving at the station saleyards to snap up some of the 31,000 sheep on offer for the excellent price of 47 shillings a head (about $5 in today’s money).

Oliver’s son, Bob, worked on Tiger Moths at Narromine during the war years. He acquired the woolshed block in a promotional scheme – including the shearers’ quarters and magnificent 20-stand woolshed.

IAN TAKES CHARGE

Bob and wife Ailsa had four daughters before the welcome arrival of Ian in 1960, when Bob was 52. His education at Scots College, Bellevue Hill, ended after Year 10, when he returned home to finish his HSC via correspondence.

At 22, he took on the running of the farm following the passing of his father. It was time to share his life – and the big house – with close neighbour, Di Foran, whom he’d met on the bus to primary school.

After boarding school at St Vincent’s College, Potts Point, Di spent four years at university. Her teaching career in Gilgandra was cut short in 1984 after marrying Ian and moving into the old homestead.

Taking on the rambling home in those early days was a daunting prospect, feelings no doubt heightened by a mouse plague. Di often felt the place was simply too big and old to maintain but the home’s rich history was hard to ignore.

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Di reduced the eight bedrooms to six and installed a new kitchen and bathroom in her unusual home with two major hallways, both former verandahs. The home had been expanded every time there was a succession of good seasons.

Little has changed from a century ago when it was the centrepiece of station life. With 24 men on the payroll, along with a store, blacksmith, stables and meat-house, there was always enough time and energy to field their own cricket, tennis, golf and polo teams.

After dinner, the men would retire to the billiards room, where the table had been built internally in 1893 at a cost of £50. Much like the ancient palm trees dwarfing the homestead and the bell system for servants, it was a sign of prosperity.

One of the oldest rooms in the house is the “Governor’s Room”, formerly a sitting room but now a guest bedroom. The most notable visitor to pull up stumps for the night was the NSW governor in the 1930s.

Four generations of McCutcheon men and their wives have battled droughts, floods that lapped at the house, dust storms, plagues, fluctuating prices, poor seasons and pandemics.

Accidents happened frequently. The manager’s diary records the death in 1909 of a shearer trying to cross Marthaguy Creek on horseback. His body was found two weeks later, leading to the building of the bridge in 1921.

After surviving the war, Bob McCutcheon’s brother-in-law lost his life in a horrific fire west of “Berida” in the 1950s. The fire truck driver panicked, tragically leaving two fire-fighters behind.

Throughout it all they have quietly made history as one of the few Australian families still living in an original, 160-year-old home.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

WOOLSHED YARNS

Although the McCutcheon kids cleared out years ago, they are never far away. Emma Robinson is the local pharmacist and Andrew a woodwork teacher at Gilgandra High. Kate Melhuish lives on the adjoining farm with her diesel mechanic husband while Simon is a Dubbo construction manager.

Ian and Di are thrilled when they are visited by their children and six grandchildren under the age of four. Many a fine family function has been held in the old woolshed, including the occasional family wedding.

The original woolshed was a blade shed with 27 stands, replaced in 1899 with an expanded 20-stand machine shed to shear their flock of 40,000 Merino sheep. It took six weeks to cut the wood for the steam engine and a similar time to finish the job.

In a good season up to 1,000 bales of wool were prepared for their long journey to woollen mills in England and Scotland. The woolshed is still used for shearing their South African Dohne Merinos – dual-purpose sheep known for their foraging ability, early maturity and good mothering skills.

The walls are adorned with old photos and historical documents, offering a glimpse of life when things were done very differently. Farm tour visitors and budding photographers love the opportunity to see a historic woolshed in such great condition.

The magnificent building, which might easily have been left to an ignominious end, has played host to many family events.

Just as important for Ian, it’s become the unlikely venue for a Christian youth group he started 40 years ago.

“We have fortnightly meetings either in the woolshed or at the oval, high school hall, 10-pin bowling or at home,” says Ian, who has always shared a strong affiliation with teenagers of all denominations from mostly Gilgandra, Coonabarabran and Warren.

Camp Berida is designed to meet and mix, have fun and create new experiences in a safe and healthy environment. Lifelong friendships and even weddings have taken place through these associations.

“For us, it’s all about involving ourselves with the lives of young people, sharing their good times and bad while offering hope and good Christian values.”

It hasn’t always been an easy journey for Ian and Di McCutcheon. Their unbreakable spirit, strong beliefs and ability to nurture the next generation have made them model citizens and treasurers of an important part of Gilgandra’s proud history. RLM

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ‘Berida’ certainly rode on the sheep’s back in the 20th century. In 1949, 30,886 sheep averaged 47 shillings a head; the enormous shearing shed; fashions in the field at the local gymkhana; top dog; Ian’s father, Bob McCutcheon; a huge amount of timber was required for the steam engine to power up the shed; in its heyday ‘Berida’ produced up to 1000 bales; shearing and sorting the old-fashioned way.

ABOVE: Ian and Di use the shed for family gatherings and the meeting place for a Christian youth group.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

Get the Coo-ee

experience

Explore the delights of Coo-ee Heritage & Visitor Information Centre – a vibrant cultural meeting place where storytelling comes alive.

FROM TOP: The original Coo-ee March which began in Gilgandra in 1915; the information centre; art exhibits; history abounds; team member Nicki Loader in the shop; the large space tells Gilgandra’s story, past and present.

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Widely known as the CHC, it’s the perfect place to get a taste of Gilgandra’s local art, history, produce and culture – and it’s conveniently located on the Newell Highway.

Uniquely designed, the building features rammed-earth walls and floors, exposed timber rooflines, corrugated iron and steel.

A visit to the CHC is made even more memorable by volunteers who are extremely proud of their town. Be sure to ask for one of their tips or stories; it might just be the highlight of your trip.

True gem Shirley Marks has devoted countless hours as curator of the Allan Wise Gallery. This space focuses on Gilgandra’s history and the local story of mateship and spirit that remains the backbone of the region.

Feel the Coo-ee spirit of mateship as you wander the Coo-ee March Gallery, depicting the historic 1915 journey from Gilgandra to Sydney. Test your vocals and see if you can become a “local legend” on the Coo-ee Calling Experience leaderboard.

With the “Ladies Behind the Lines” interaction, hear the story of the march through women’s eyes.

Experience local, regional and travelling art in the Gilgandra Art Gallery. Exhibitions rotate every six weeks, with a large variety of artistic styles, keeping it vibrant and exciting as you visit time and time again.

Wander your way through the large and unique collection of shells, fossils and Aboriginal artifacts gathered by locals Gwen and Snow Collison on their travels to many parts of Australia.

Enter the Joy Trudgett Gallery to discover local Aboriginal storytelling and culture. Developed in collaboration with a local Aboriginal stakeholder group, The Meeting Place celebrates the stories, past and present, of the community.

Keep an eye out for the vibrant splashes of colour atop the windmills, and the Coo-ee soldier silhouettes along the Windmill Walk in the Gilgandra Cultural Precinct, winding along the Castlereagh River from the museum to the main street.

Collect a gift from Gilgandra and savour some regional drinks and light bites to eat on the riverside deck.

Coming exhibitions: June 10-July 23: Locals Joe and Judy Shalhoub have paired with Dubbo artist Ruth Roberts to create an abstract exhibition of paintings and glass.

August 29-September 10: Admire the artworks of local artist Ann Freeth. Ann paints acrylics applied with a palette knife.

September 16-October 29: Blowing in the Wind by regional art group Fresh Arts, featuring a broad range of regional artists, utilising all forms of artistic creation.

The CHC friendly staff and volunteers look forward to seeing you as part of your next adventure. RLM

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

PRICKLY PARADISE

Travellers passing through Gilgandra on the Newell Highway would no doubt have seen the insane cactus farm stretching towards the forever-blue central-western skies.

It’s the lifelong dream of octogenarian Lester Meyers, a man every bit as tough as the plants that dwarf him. Starting with a single cactus on an empty block 50 years ago, he now has thousands of thorny subjects in his kingdom.

His cacti thrive in dry environments, conserving water in their thick and fleshy spines. The past two wet years have sorely tested the patience of the self-made cactus king.

With several hundred varieties representing every shape and size, many visitors are surprised to learn that with time, they will all flower. And while they may look self-sufficient, like any plant they require regular maintenance.

Lester has always been a big fan of the razor-sharp thorns found among his prime specimens and offers sage advice for any travellers lost in the desert and hoping to find salvation in the fluid.

“Don’t do it – you’ll go plumb crazy,” he laughs. “And that I can guarantee.”

Despite his advancing years, Lester has no plans of winding up his priceless collection.

“I’ll be taking it to my grave and will never sell up,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

When he’s not tending to his plants, the former carpet layer likes to lose himself in a great western DVD, especially any starring his favourite actor, John “The Duke” Wayne. RLM You can inspect this fascinating collection from 9am to 1pm on weekends. A $2 donation will grant you access into the whole new prickly world of Gilgandra’s Cactus King.

THIS PAGE: Lester Meyers has devoted a lifetime to his prickly subjects and loves sharing it with visitors.

GILGANDRA RLM 29

From the big apple

TO THE BUSH

You don’t get a much bigger treechange than relocating from one of the world’s greatest cosmopolitan cities to a small country community better known for its windmills.

After a decade of kicking up her heels in New York, Lucy Babbage had enough of the non-stop allure of the city that never sleeps.

She relished the prospect of moving to a different pace in the countryside and set her sights on Gilgandra.

Life was always going to be unique for this adventurous traveller, who grew up in a converted water tower with jaw-dropping views of the Brisbane River and CBD. The award-winning renovation was the brainchild of Lucy’s parents – Gail Babbage, the director of a local heritage architecture firm and Hugh, an engineer. The innovative pair spent three years turning the massive concrete structure in Balmoral into a comfortable home for their two daughters.

After school, Lucy yearned to experience the world, and at 21, after three weeks’ holiday in the Caribbean and the Big Apple, rang her parents to inform them she wasn’t coming home.

Instead, she became a nanny for a well-todo family on the Upper East Side and loved exploring the city with her two charges and other young, inquisitive travellers, gaining valuable life experiences along the way.

“I got a taste for the good life,” she tells me from her delightful new digs in the town’s former Masonic Lodge.

At the end of this “gap” year, Lucy reluctantly flew home to Brisbane, switching from the arts degree she had started earlier to creative writing. During her study years she juggled several jobs, including freelance bookkeeping, copy editing, and running the online shop for a luxury fashion label.

But New York was still calling her name, so, following graduation, Lucy bundled up her future into a suitcase and hopped on a one-way ticket bound for the city that had captured her heart.

She found work at a fledgling tech startup and for the next 10 years led the human resources department as the company

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Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

grew from 20 to more than 400 employees, reaching unicorn status.

Life was so full and exciting, three years in she enticed her sister Claire to join her.

The two shared many adventures together, balanced busy work and social lives and travelled all over the world, including annual visits back to the family farm at Eumungerie where they spent many childhood holidays.

Although she thrived on the city’s fast pace, Lucy didn’t see herself settling in New York long-term. There just never seemed to be the right catalyst to bring her home … and then came COVID. “As enjoyable as it was, it was becoming monotonous burning the candle at both ends,” she admits. “COVID really sent that burnout into overdrive.

“I knew my time in New York was up, but I wanted to feel like I was going towards something, not leaving something behind.”

Back in Australia, Lucy’s mother, Gail had moved back to Gilgandra and bought the old Masonic Lodge in 2014. It was only a matter of time before Gail stamped her own indomitable style on the place, adding a stunning mezzanine level featuring two bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen.

Thankfully it didn’t have the metre-thick concrete walls of her former Brisbane address.

Looking for her next project and hoping a return was on Lucy’s mind, Gail casually suggested they buy an old Gilgandra butchery and “turn it into something.”

It was just the spark Lucy needed. A year later, after winding up work and saying her goodbyes, Lucy flew back to Sydney to meet her mother and start the next chapter in her life.

With the idea to convert the butchery into a small cafe, general store and wine bar, the pair embarked on a 10-day road trip throughout central western NSW and Victoria to check out the latest eateries in the bush.

“Mum and I had been inspired by what we saw in upstate New York and other American country towns,” she says. “It was gratifying to see new, exciting developments taking place in big and small regional towns like Mudgee, Gundagai, Trentham and Daylesford.

“There’s so much opportunity in Gilgandra. Here you have the ability to create – and not just from a business perspective. You can create the kind of lifestyle that works for you.”

Besides renovating the butchery and getting ready to open the store, Lucy has become a director of the local Bendigo Community Bank and continues to work in tech as a consultant.

“Moving here was a great opportunity to get a change from a big city while still being able to work remotely for interesting and innovative companies,” she says.

“MOVING HERE WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET A CHANGE FROM A BIG CITY WHILE STILL BEING ABLE TO WORK REMOTELY FOR INTERESTING AND INNOVATIVE COMPANIES.”

Her constant companion Berry, her beloved Cavoodle also endured the long flight and quarantine to take up permanent residence in the lodge’s garden – a welcome change from apartment living.

Acclimatising to her new life in the bush was always going to take time.

“I spent the first six weeks smelling the roses, slowing down and decompressing,” she laughs. “I really just wanted some peace and quiet.”

Lucy believes it’s perfectly normal to feel overwhelmed after a big life change.

“I’ve had to adjust to a new rhythm of life and feel lucky to have some family and very old friends in the district,” she says.

While she misses enjoying a martini with friends and the endless variety of cuisine, she doesn’t miss trudging through dirty snow, the noisy traffic and crowded subways.

Instead, she is tackling new challenges, like learning to drive and growing veggies on the empty block she recently bought with her sister.

“What I loved about New York was opportunities abounding at every corner,” she says earnestly. “It was surprising for me to find that feeling again in a small country town like Gilgandra.

“Gilgandra is much like anywhere – you can be as busy as you want to be. It feels like my story is still being written.” RLM

ABOVE: Lucy and her mum, Gail Babbage have big plans for their main street shop, The Meating Place; the former Masonic Hall which Gail renovated, and Lucy now calls home; the girls outside their nearly completed shop.

FACING PAGE: Lucy loved her time in New York but was lured to Gilgandra after 10 fabulous years abroad.

GILGANDRA RLM 31

LIVING LIFE to the fullest Come November, there will be celebrations aplenty at Orana Living as four employees notch up 30 years of service.

This organisation is proud to have been linking clients with supported employment opportunities in the Gilgandra community for many years.

The achievement of which it is most proud is the mutually beneficial association between Orana Living and Carlginda Enterprises, a recycling facility operated by Gilgandra Shire Council.

Employees Daniel, Stuart and siblings Nancy and Walter began work with Carlginda on November 1, 1993 and are all looking forward to reaching their milestone three decades of service.

Carlginda manager Michael Hodge credits his staff as being “safe in every aspect of

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their job” and always making the workplace a happy place to be.

“They are a fantastic group of people to work with and they do their job very well,” says Michael proudly.

Fifteen residents are employed fulltime, with just one, Sam, working two days a week part-time in the shredding department.

Their main role is to sort the recycling each day and conduct a business run every Thursday where recycling is collected from Gilgandra businesses. Some are even getting a few lessons on the forklift, too.

The staff make their workplace a positive environment. The local radio station, WarFM is always on during each day, where

fellow resident, Barry is on the airwaves.

Birthdays are always celebrated with a cake and Thursday is now lunch order day.

Social outings are an enjoyable aspect with a recent trip to Dubbo Tenpin Bowling lots of fun and competition for all, Michael said.

Michael is full of praise for the people of Gilgandra who actively include, accept and encourage residents to become active members of the community.

Kelly, another resident, recently turned 50 and celebrated it with a big party at one of the local clubs. Her parents, who reside in Sydney, came to the party and spoke of how wonderful the support and facilities offered to Kelly at Orana Living.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

Orana Living is a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) approved provider of disability services to adults with intellectual disability aged 18 to 64.

They had searched throughout Sydney and surrounds, but no other facility could match what Orana Living could provide. It is peace of mind for them knowing Kelly is happy and enjoying life to the fullest.

Orana Living is a National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) approved provider of disability services to adults with intellectual disability aged 18 to 64.

The organisation, in many forms, has been coordinating and delivering services in Gilgandra to clients, their families and carers since 1970, when they began as a small community-based committee called Koorabel.

As the committee disbanded, the services were delivered by a sub-branch of the SubNormal Children’s Association of NSW, later known as the Challenge Foundation.

When the Challenge Foundation ceased to operate in 1991, Gilgandra Shire Council stepped in to ensure these vital disability services stayed within the local community.

Since 1991 it has operated under the auspices of Gilgandra Shire Council. In 2000 a name change to Orana Lifestyle Directions was made, and most recently it simply became known as Orana Living.

Gilgandra Shire Council is incredibly supportive of the work done by residents and the positive differences made to the lives not just of clients and their families and carers, but also to the lives of their staff

and members of the broader community.

It is a special notion in Gilgandra that, as with many small rural communities, residents care about each other. Community members take the time to enquire about the health and wellbeing of friends and families, neighbours and visitors.

The facility provides accommodation options from purpose-built, high-support homes with 24-hour living support to private dwellings and shared residences. All their homes provide comfort, privacy and security for all their residents.

It also provides supported living services ensuring clients are given the best opportunity to live as independently as possible, with confidence, dignity and purpose, and feeling engaged in their local community.

Orana Living coordinates community participation programs including work placement and community engagement.

The recreation, social and life skills activities aim to encourage participation, learning and enjoyment for all residents.

A Life Skills Centre acts as a central hub for providing support for clients and hosting a wide range of activities, often being a gathering point for social outings. Activities include cooking, personal care, animal care, music appreciation and movement classes – and Zumba classes are very popular among residents.

Orana Living accommodates 28 residents, offering life skills and community participation programs to 20 of these residents.

It is committed to nurturing and respecting the independence of clients and growing their activities, life skills and providing a safe, clean and comfortable home for them.

Working within and being part of their rural community is very satisfying for the organisation and for the clients, their families and carers, who gain so much from this environment. RLM

Orana Living administration office is located at 9 Eura Street, Gilgandra. The Life Skills Centre is at 9 Byrne Street, Gilgandra and can be contacted on (02) 6817 8600.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Staff and participants of Orana Living love coming to work each day at the recycling facility, Carlginda Enterprises; new accommodation blocks; waste operations manager Michael Hodge.

FACING PAGE: Staff gather in front of the sign; painting windmills along the river walkway was part of the program; Stuart Skelly and Kelli Richmond (seated) with carers Jackie Richie, Tanya Kassas and director of aged care and disabilities, Donna Dobson.

GILGANDRA RLM 33

Beach to bush

It’s rather ironic that a bald, six-foot-three surfer lives in a town better known for its windmills than its waves, but artist Chris Kunko has always lived life with a twist.

About to paint one of Dubbo’s best-known identities for Australia’s top portrait prize, the big man is in fine form, having topped up his enthusiasm levels with a long hike through the nearby Warrumbungle Mountains.

Hiking in the wilderness helps Chris see things in a clearer light before returning to his small Gilgandra unit, filled with artworks, sketch books, magnificently coloured easels and the tools of his trade.

“Nobody is painting my kind of contemporary work out here in the bush,” he declares with a grin. “That’s why I feel I should be here, supporting and educating people with art.”

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It hasn’t been an easy journey for the separated father-of-three, but his efforts are starting to pay dividends – and he’s never felt better.

Recently Chris was judged the inaugural Central West Region Portrait Artist of the Year at Wellington Arts Western Gallery, taking home the top prizemoney for his bold and energetic depiction of local stand-in model, Stephen Moore.

Painted in layers of bold and vibrant oil strokes, the eye-catching work was painted in a four-hour session before a live audience.

“Ding-ding goes the bell and off you go,” he laughs. “It was great fun and the most

relaxed I’ve felt in a long time. Painting enriches my soul and gives me a real sense of purpose.”

Adelaide-born Chris grew up in an industrial area and by age 10 was sweeping a surfboard factory floor. Five years later he finished school, started surfing and joined the team at the factory full-time.

After two years of surfboard repair work, he progressed to decorating the surfboards with distinctive and one-off artworks. After five years of developing his art, Chris took his new-found skills to the Gold Coast, working with big factories producing custom-made boards for pro surfers.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

During this time Chris met a country girl and had three children in quick succession, including twins. Those days seem a lifetime ago, including a year spent filming races for Sky Channel at country meets throughout the Central West.

“I loved the different landscapes at every meet,” he says. “That’s when I realised the importance of racing in smaller bush communities. Such events brought joy to many lives – and I’m sure it wasn’t always about the horses.”

Determined to take his art to a new level, Chris finished a degree in Fine Art at the Queensland College of Art as a mature-age student in 2010.

Over the next few years, the pieces of his life started coming together. In 2015 one of his paintings won the Outback Archies at Coonamble, a feat replicated the following year. Recently he was a finalist in the 2022 Mudgee Art Precinct.

Although he has fully embraced his art, Chris insists he remains a surfer at heart.

“When I finish a painting, it feels like I’ve caught the best tube and am in a vortex, surrounded by water,” he says with a grin.

Painting is clearly his new high.

A pivotal moment in his artistic career was his Dubbo exhibition, Family Gold Pass, featuring portraits of his Ukrainian heritage at the Dubbo Cultural Centre.

Before WW2, his grandfather was a humble potato-grower who happened to play soccer for a national team. Five years later, with his country in ruins, he and his young bride became refugees, like millions of displaced Europeans.

To pass the time in camp, he kicked around a soccer ball with the American soldiers as his wife gave birth to Chris’s father.

“He was a good striker, and it was his friendship with the US soldiers that enabled him to bring his small family out to Adelaide in 1948,” says Chris. They arrived with nothing but the shirts on their backs and a small, zealously guarded tin box.

As a boy, Chris visited his grandparents every Sunday. It was always a magical connection to a distant culture, despite never really understanding those perilous times.

Many years later his attitude softened when the tin was passed down to him, the third generation of his family to call Australia home. Laden with tattered old black-and-white photographs, immigration papers, Christmas cards and letters written in a language he will never understand, the box represented his past.

The collection moved Chris in ways he could only express through his paintbrush and trusty palette knife. Those expressive oil paintings from that exhibition addressed his family’s fight for survival and how displacement affected future generations of his family.

“WHEN I FINISH A PAINTING, IT FEELS LIKE I’VE CAUGHT THE BEST TUBE AND AM IN A VORTEX, SURROUNDED

BY WATER.”

The exhibition proved an ultimate success, with some of the works from seven years ago currently on display at the Gilgandra Visitor Information Centre.

While he appreciates his Ukrainian heritage, Chris has never managed to get there, thanks to years of COVID and now a prolonged war that has again destroyed the country and thrown its citizens into a deep abyss. The irony is not lost on this deep thinker, who feels history is repeating itself.

Chris sometimes reflects on the difficulties faced by his father and grandparents, who led the lives of factory workers with little chance of ever mastering the new local dialogue.

Now at 48, he sees many family traits, including soccer, which, for a time, united three generations of Kunko men. For a time, Chris was a handy goalkeeper with the Dubbo RSL Club, playing for several

years until the drought and lack of water transformed the fields into a concrete-hard dustbowl.

Chris is happiest discussing the future of his art, and not his past, despite knowing it will always be part of what makes him so special. Some artworks he is still finishing off two years later.

“The job is never done, and a bit of pressure never killed anybody,” he grins.

“For me there’s freedom in pressure and I’m one of those blokes who naturally thrives when the pressure is on.” RLM

FACING PAGE: Gilgandra contemporary artist Chris Kunko has swapped his surfboard for a paintbrush and palette.

ABOVE: A career highlight was creating the Family Gold Pass exhibition, saluting his family’s Ukrainian heritage; a Kunko portrait; his busy palette is almost a portrait in itself.

GILGANDRA RLM 35

T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

Bank grows

WITH REGION

With a renewed commitment to its local customers, Community Bank Gilgandra & District is expanding its footprint, with the purchase of new premises in the town.

Quite fittingly, it was once the local Commonwealth Bank branch, at 51 Miller Street.

The bank is moving to the freshly renovated space for its next chapter after 16 years serving the Gilgandra region and beyond. Along with a full suite of banking and financial products, the new set-up will allow for a concierge desk to streamline access for existing and new customers.

Gilgandra Financial Services board chair Julie Prout commended the foresight of the original steering committee in securing banking services that give back to the Gilgandra community as part of a franchise agreement with Bendigo Bank.

“The commitment and determination of the steering committee and ongoing efforts of volunteer directors over the years have realised this milestone,” she says.

“The provision of quality banking services to our community remains a strong focus of the board, along with returning profits to the region. We’re here to grow.”

Local branch manager Morgan Adams leads the friendly and dedicated banking team of Kate McClelland, Kirsty Zell and Heidy Schink.

The bank’s reach extends beyond the Gilgandra region, with mobile lender Belinda Magee building the business from Orange, additional remote lending staff being recruited, and the Community Bank Cowra operating as an agency of Gilgandra.

Community Bank Gilgandra & District also offers access to the market-leading services of Rural Bank. As part of the wider Bendigo Bank group, Rural Bank is passionate about supporting Australian agribusinesses, helping customers grow and develop as part of thriving rural communities.

“As a business that understands the seasonal nature of farming, Rural Bank is expertly placed to provide the financial support and advice that farmers need,” explains Julie.

“The community is at the heart of the business, with the community bank

36 RLM GILGANDRA

model guiding our philosophy. This model is designed to return profits to local communities, often in the form of sponsorships and grants, to provide ongoing support and backing for local projects and initiatives.”

Not only does community banking have direct, tangible impacts at a local level, it also makes a significant contribution on a broader scale right across the country.

Since the mid-1990s when Bendigo Bank kickstarted its Community Bank model, more than $272 million has been reinvested back into local communities Australia-wide, with the local branch having contributed more than $600,000 to that national total.

For all your banking needs, personal, business or farming-related, drop into the Community Bank Gilgandra & District at 51 Miller St, Gilgandra where the staff will be only too happy to assist you. RLM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Cutting the ribbon at the official opening are Kate McClelland, State Manager Brendan Hendry, Kirsty Zell, the original four chairs Doug Clouten, Julie Prout, Tracey Stevenson and Max Zell OAM, Mayor and director Doug Batten, Belinda Magee, Heidy Schink and Morgan Adams; CSO Kate McClelland; Gilgandra Financial Services’ board chair Julie Prout, centre, with directors Lucy Babbage and Sandra Lawford.

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Bendigo and Adelaide Bank Limited, ABN 11 068 049 178 AFSL/Australian Credit Licence 237879. (1849525-1849438) (03/23)

BANK LOCAL

Attitude

determines

altitude

To spend a remarkable 41 years at the one school is almost unheard of in the teaching profession but it’s been a true blessing for Tony Musgrave, who retired after serving the past 30 years as its principal.

FROM TOP: Whole school photo with staff and students; Joey’s school square; infants students on the playground equipment; infants students dancing on the basketball court.

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From the moment Tony graduated Teachers’ College in 1982 and walked into his first job at St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, Gilgandra, he was impressed by the students’ attitude.

Forty-one years later, little has changed – that admiration has grown, making this school a great place to live and learn for one and all.

“I’m very proud of the fact I’ve spent my entire career at this one school and feel very blessed to have played a part in the education of these fine young people who’ve passed through the doors,” says Tony (fondly known as “Mr Muz” to the students).

At the end of term in December 2022, Mr Muz and wife, Mandy were overwhelmed by the traditional Joey’s send-off they received, complete with a tunnel formed by the students chanting the school’s war cry.

“The best thing about this school is our children – their reverence, respect for one another, living the school motto of giving of your best, the school spirit and their friendliness,” says Tony.

As he’s embarking on his “long holiday” (aka retirement), Tony takes a moment to elaborate on the qualities of the school he’s been part of for the past four decades.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

“There’s a real family atmosphere here.

We have some wonderful traditions like school leadership,” he explains.

“All Year 6 students are leaders, leading by example. Our school is as good as our student leaders. They do a wonderful job, watering the gardens, cleaning down tables, putting bins out, maintaining the sports shed, having a voice in the running of the school, caring for each other and showing all the other students the ‘Joey’s way’ … it sets the tone for the school.”

All Year 6 students are allocated a Kinder buddy, which offers the little ones someone to lean on and gives the more senior students the responsibility of their younger charges.

“Our Junior Joeys follow traditions set down by the Sisters of St Joseph,” says Tony with more than a touch of pride. “We’re very proud of our century long Josephite heritage.

“Before COVID, the students regularly visited residents at Cooee Lodge Retirement Village in their lunch hour, weeding the garden, reading books, playing games and singing songs for the elderly, which was beneficial on both sides.”

Another great Joey’s tradition is attending the City of Dubbo Eisteddfod, where students from Years 1 to 6 excel in the versespeaking choir.

“When they return to school, they’re always welcomed back and congratulated with the traditional tunnel and war cry,” he smiles. “We reward our students for participation in all fields, religious, academic, cultural and sporting.

“On a recent Canberra excursion our students were asked to be part of The Last Post ceremony. The kids stood at attention

for a 30-minute period in the freezing cold and were commended for the reverence and respect shown by all of them.”

Academically, Joey’s was recently recognised as a “high performing school” using NAPLAN results over the past three years (2019-2022). The school was listed in the top 20 schools in NSW and ranked first in the Far West and Orana region.

Tony believes the partnership between home and school is vital for a successful outcome and he firmly believes the more you put into something, the more you get out of it.

“We are fortunate to have a very supportive P&F Association, which through their hard work, raises much needed funds for the school.”

He paid tribute to the teaching and administration staff for their dedication, professionalism and for being so approachable.

“Our teaching and learning are quite structured, with dedicated maths and English blocks from 9am to 12.30pm each day,” he explains.

“We try to cater for all children and endeavour to give every child the opportunity to reach their full potential.”

Being a Catholic school, there’s a very strong bond between school and church.

“Father Greg Kennedy is our current parish priest and his love and care for our whole school community is inspirational.

We are also indebted to the Sisters of St Joseph and it’s our responsibility to continue their wonderful work.”

In the spirit of those pioneering sisters, the school participates in a number of community events including the ANZAC Day March. St Joey’s also sponsors a foster child,

finding innovative ways to raise money to help support this cause and many others.

With the horrific flooding that devastated Eugowra last year, the students launched into action and organised a unique fundraiser to help out their namesake school in the sodden town.

A dunk tank was brought in, with most getting totally saturated and the school raised a whopping $7000 in the process.

Everyone was amazed by the wonderful generosity of the school community.

“We encourage everyone to live the school’s vision statement: ‘For the glory of God, we give of our best’; you don’t have to be the best, but be the best you can be.”

Replacing Tony in 2023 as principal of St Joseph’s is Geoffrey Gibbons. Geoffrey has come to St Joseph’s after a 10-year period as assistant principal in the Wilcannia-Forbes diocese.

“Everyone has been extremely welcoming and supportive, both within St Joseph’s School and in the wider community,” says Geoffrey. “Throughout my transition period, Tony has provided terrific support and guidance to ensure Joey’s traditions and success continue. Tony’s support is testament to the love and passion he has for St Joseph’s and the Gilgandra community.” RLM Words: Anna Rose

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Year 4 students in the library with Mrs McIsaac; Year 4 students with Mrs Thomas; Year 5 students with Mrs Schier; Year 3 students with Mrs Stewart and Mrs Haling.

GILGANDRA RLM 39

Forward thinker Wiradjuri elder Ralph Naden OAM almost passed up the chance to sit down and chat with RLM due to his innate fear of scammers.

40 RLM GILGANDRA

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

“I thought you might be a scammer,” he declares with a cheeky grin when I finally catch up with him at his youth camp in Balladoran, a small but significant speck on the map 10 minutes from Gilgandra.

I was relieved to find out I was in good company, as “Uncle Ralph”, as he’s affectionately known among locals, was thinking similar thoughts when he got the call regarding his impending OAM for community service in 2019.

Ralph hung up on them a few times before daughter Kim convinced him it was legitimate. Clearly not a man out to win votes, he simply wants to give today’s youth a better start in life.

The concept was born in the early 1990s when Gilgandra was only marginally behind Wilcannia and Bourke in the field of petty crime.

“Back then, there were no drugs or ice – it was basically petrolsniffing and breaking-and-entering causing all the trouble,” he says.

With wife Audrey working with youth at Barnardo’s and Gilgandra High School, Ralph was inspired to try something totally different after a lifetime of shearing. The goal was simple: help country kids who had gone off the rails – or as he puts it, lost their sense of identity.

Ralph asks a lot of questions and often says to the youth under his care: “Which way do you want to go in life? What do you want to achieve? Go forward son, don’t go backwards. That’s what I’ve been doing – teaching my kids to go forward and not backwards.”

Ralph likes to use the word, Dhiiyaan, which is Aboriginal for one.

“One God, one mob – you have to treat everyone equal. I tell the kids if someone does you wrong, stay away from them. If someone is going down the wrong track, don’t follow them. Be your own person.”

Above all, he believes we are all equal, regardless of skin colour.

A PLACE TO GROW

With a bare patch of dirt, a few trees and not much else, the Nadens devised a plan that has grown over the decades but never deviated from its original concept.

Having completed mentor training for juvenile justice, Ralph started with fun activities, like taking his son and his town mates out for a night of spotlighting – a simple act that sowed the seeds of trust and respect.

Audrey and Ralph were a solid, understanding and loving team. They met on the streets of Warren when Ralph was stickpicking and burr cutting. He had ventured into town to stock up on supplies when he noticed “a good sort” walking towards him, unaware the chance meeting would change his life.

“I asked her a few questions and found out she was from the Burra Bee Dee Mission in Coonabarabran. I made up a little song, which she liked, and we went from there.”

They were wed in Audrey’s hometown in 1974, a place Ralph had never been to, being more familiar with Peak Hill, Trangie, Condobolin and Warren.

Audrey played a huge role in his life, raising their children Julie, Deidre, Phillip and Kim, along with Darren and Geoff from Ralph’s first marriage, and their adopted daughter Nicky. >

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Since retiring from shearing, Wiradjuri Elder Ralph Naden OAM has devoted his life to helping others; the art of dancing and storytelling has been kept alive for the next generation by this forwardthinking man of the people.

ABOVE: Countless lives have been changed for the better at Balladoran, Ralph’s bush camp.

GILGANDRA RLM 41

“When Audrey died 10 years ago, we buried her out the back, so she’s still with us,” he says quietly. “She was a lovely woman. When you lose someone close to you like that, something is taken from you. You never get over it – it’s always in the back of your mind.

“I achieved many good things in life but the thing I’m most proud of is my family, the rock on which I stand.”

At Yalmambirra Boogijoon Doolin, which means to “teach the little sand goanna”, some rules are non-negotiable.

“There’s no drinking alcohol or smoking drugs in this camp”, he declares as we take in the bush surroundings.

With its own museum, kitchen, toilets and plenty of places to bunk down for the night, the week, or however long is necessary, the place is dedicated to youth mentoring and a whole lot more.

“I run this place to help young people, not put them down.”

For years, Ralph has been sharing his knowledge and culture to communities similar to this one across central west NSW.

EARLY BEGINNINGS

Ralph is used to the flat, red-dirt country surrounding his home, which he lovingly refers to as his “mansion”. As a kid he walked barefoot to the one-teacher school across the paddock. Later he pedalled his bike eight miles to work on a nearby farm, earning $10 a week.

“I was taught from an early age that no one owed you a living,” he says. “You had to get out there and do things for yourself. I worked for the white man, respected the police, and listened to my elders.”

To get to school in Gilgandra, Ralph caught the train four times a week. There were no school buses after the war, which didn’t upset Ralph in the slightest. He much preferred a more traditional hunting-and-gathering lifestyle, which he found infinitely more interesting than sitting in a classroom.

It wasn’t long before he became a shearer, like his dad, Ralph Naden Snr, and a shearing contractor, like his grandfather, William Bee Naden.

Ralph Jnr shore his first ton at 19, with his best effort 231 sheep using narrow gear. In a career spanning 30 years, he toiled in sheds from Cooma to Charleville, and at one stage shore at Kerry Packer’s property, “Ellerston”, at Scone.

On his 50th birthday, Kim presented him with a framed, chromed handpiece, the significance of which means more to him than the OAM, bestowed upon him in later decades along with his 2013 Volunteer of the Year award.

With shearing behind him, Ralph took up mentoring, like his grandfather, a hugely-admired public figure widely known for his untiring work with the Aboriginal Inland Mission Church in the late 1940s and 1950s.

Pastor Naden’s services were legendary, especially after buying a generator and PA so his black and white congregation could better hear his sermons.

Spending time in Peak Hill and the Pilliga Scrub Mission, he and wife Stella were among the first Aboriginal families to move to Gilgandra, arriving by horse and cart in 1948 with their tribe of 10 children, along with their grandchildren, including three-year-old Ralph.

After a short stay in Lower Miller Street, they set up camp near the racecourse in a place that came to be known as “Tin City”. The 1955 flood washed the camp away, with all losing everything bar one family living on higher ground.

Some families moved to “The Pines” at the back of the showground, while the Nadens and others relocated to 22 acres at Balladoran on land given to them by the Church of Christ.

Although not a man of education and learning, the old pastor was fervent in his beliefs. Throughout the years of his ministry, he guided many away from excessive drinking and gambling. Others he helped find the right path for their lives.

42 RLM GILGANDRA

The pastor was a born gatherer of people, a gifted storyteller, and a true and humble servant of God. Never tempted by alcohol or cigarettes, Ralph is much the same.

“I come from a Christian place, having never grown up in a black or white situation. I was never a member of the Stolen Generation and don’t talk about that bit of history,” he says.

“That’s what the divide is all about – so many people are still holding that hurt. You can’t go and force our people to stand for the national anthem – they were traumatised by their history.”

Ralph has built his life on a steady foundation of community, family and faith.

“You build your house on sand and it washes away,” he says. “If you build it on a foundation of good family and community, you can grow.”

With almost 30 grandchildren and great-grandchildren and an equally supportive community, Ralph continues to teach and dance.

In 2021 he became the first Aboriginal to perform a smoking ceremony in Gilgandra. He did the same this year, with everybody in attendance impressed by his gutsy performance.

“I’m 78 and still dancing,” he laughs. “They told me the other day I still got some moves for an old fella. Life is great but I just wish Audrey could walk back through the door. When my time comes, I hope to be buried beside her out the back.”

The hallmark of this quiet and reserved man seems to be his genuineness and generosity with his time, particularly his selfless devotion to Aboriginal youth.

Ralph Naden is a teacher of good, a gatherer of people and a storyteller who relates to those he sees as most in need: young people, requiring focus in their lives.

Like his grandfather before him, he has chosen a path of humble service. Starting small, both he and the good pastor built their dreams from scratch, with a quiet determination to help others find a better way of life. RLM ABOVE: Ralph and his late wife Audrey and children in a family photo; the old chrome shearer’s handpiece presented to him on his 50th birthday is one of his prized possessions, along with his OAM.

Charming country comfort

Times may well have changed but at Gilgandra’s Chinnock Bed and Breakfast, guests can still expect a good, hearty meal to start off their day.

It’s all part of the five-star service provided by convivial hosts Laurie and Sandy McGrath, fourth-generation farmers who know a thing or two about welcoming strangers to their very special home.

In a previous life, their historic building was used as a private hospital, built by one of the town’s earliest doctors. Many of Gilgandra’s older residents were born there.

The hospital closed in 1951 to become a boarding house and later, a block of flats before the McGraths bought the property in 2003. The B and B has been in operation since late 2010.

Years of COVID didn’t affect their business, with numbers increasing due to families forsaking overseas travel in favour of inland holidays.

“It was a vastly different story with the floods and fires, when people simply weren’t travelling,” says Sandy.

It boasts three bedrooms, two bathrooms, including the master bedroom with its own ensuite, and the rooms all come with reverse-cycle air-conditioning, TV and WiFi. Many guests, however, prefer to open the door onto the verandah and let the cool afternoon breeze do its job, as happened in the early days of the hospital.

Conveniently located behind the main street and within walking distance of the Services club, the Royal Hotel and Chinese restaurant, Chinnock B and B ticks all the boxes. For Sandy, it’s all about making their visitors’ stay in Gilgandra an enjoyable one.

“The little touches are so important,” she smiles, referring to the chocolate she leaves on the pillow and a selection of homecooked nibbles in the fridge.

“We are a true B and B, unlike many places these days where guests wake up to a packet of cornflakes on the kitchen bench.

Our guests enjoy a proper, English, cooked breakfast at our big dining table in the former nurses’ office.”

After cereal followed by a hearty meal of sausages, eggs and bacon, Sandy and Laurie are available to sit down and discuss anything from world affairs to attractions in and around the district.

The pair greets and treats visitors like longlost friends. After many years of running the town’s only bed and breakfast, these warmhearted and genuine hosts will ensure your stay in their historic home is memorable. RLM

FROM TOP: Guests can expect every home comfort at Chinnock Bed and Breakfast; mine hosts Laurie and Sandy McGrath will ensure every guest enjoys their stay; Chinnock was once a private maternity hospital where many older Gilgandra residents came into the world; a hearty breakfast is part of the package.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

SPECIAL AGENTS

When new or local residents choose to buy or sell a home, many head to the tried and trusted firm of MH Thomas and Gilgandra Real Estate.

The sea-green painted shop in the main street has an inviting air, with pots of freshly sprung zinnias out front.

“Every business in our community plays an important role,” says Hayden Whiteman, an agent at the firm. “I believe our agency plays an integral part of that as we provide homes for people who are local and from away.”

This role became evident during the peak of coronavirus when a mass of city dwellers began swapping the bright lights for country nights.

“It caught us by surprise,” declares Hayden.

“For many years our main sales were to landlords investing, but during COVID, property purchases shifted to homeowners.”

The business sells residential, lifestyle and commercial properties throughout the region and manages a portfolio of investment properties. Its ties to the community also run deep, with 75 years of presence in the town.

MH Thomas, as it was originally named, first opened its doors in 1948 and was run as a stock and station agency.

The owner, Martin Hamilton Thomas, better known as Mick, was a farmer who grew up in the district and had formed strong relationships with many other farmers.

44 RLM GILGANDRA

In 1949, Mick married local woman, Gladys Hickman, who helped run the agency, and they had three sons – Geoffrey, Gregory and Wesley, who all went on to become directors of the company.

MH Thomas rented premises in various Miller Street locations until 1997 when it purchased RS Pizzey Real Estate, and acquired permanent residence at 31 Miller Street, its present site.

With the business came its sole employee, Helen Oates, who teamed up with Gregory’s wife, Alison, and Geoffrey’s wife, Jenny.

In 2016, MH Thomas merged with Gilgandra Real Estate, with Bryce Thomas the licensee in charge.

In the office nowadays are Bryce, Hayden, Alison, Thomas and Cheryl Batten.

The real estate team continues to be passionate about the Gilgandra community and its residents, often taking part in and contributing to local initiatives such as the Gilgandra Annual Show and various other committees.

“You’ll see us everywhere,” Alison laughs.

“We’re very much involved in local events and projects and want to support our community when and where we can.” RLM Words: Kate Thomas

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The hardworking team at MH Thomas and Gilgandra Real Estate – Bryce Thomas, Alison Thomas, Cheryl Batten and Hayden Whiteman; the Miller Street shopfront.

Chinnock Bed and Breakfast Quality Bed and Breakfast style accommodation in the heart of Gilgandra. True Aussie hospitality, comfy beds, air conditioning and lovely welcoming hosts.

Your home away from home.

(02) 6847 0470 12 Morris St, Gilgandra sandy.mcgrath@bigpond.com

M H Thomas has been servicing the Gilgandra and district communities for over 50 years.

Real Estate – Property Management – Residential, Commercial and Rural Sales Stock & Station Agent – Auctioneers 31 Miller St Gilgandra NSW 2827 Phone: (02) 6847 2489 Mobile 0484 332422 email: realestate@mhthomas.com.au website: www.realestate.com.au

Shahmist House Located in a quiet area of Gilgandra, Shahmist House is the perfect place to bring the whole family together.

8 guests • 3 bedrooms • 4 beds • 2.5 baths A relaxing tranquil well decorated home with an entertainers backyard and a shady green frontyard - a place for everyone to truly relax and reconnect.

Website: abnb.me/7LCDDzenuub Email. shahmisthouse@gmail.com

GILGANDRA POST OFFICE > Locally owned and operated > Quality & friendly service > Bank @ Post and Western Union transfers > Mobile phones > Gifts & books Open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Closed Saturday and Sunday Ph. 02 6847 2396 13 Warren Road Gilgandra NSW 2827

auspost.com.au GILGANDRA RLM 45

No place

LIKE HOME

A long-held desire to keep her parents’ home, Shahmist House as a sanctuary for her family has led Terese Cosgrave into an exciting new business venture.

Terese grew up in Gilgandra, and despite leaving at the age of 18 to study at university, live overseas for three years and eventually settle back in Australia, she has always called “Gil” home.

“I always dreamed of having a place to come to when the time came for mum and dad to go into care,” Terese says with a smile.

“I couldn’t get my head around the idea of staying in a hotel room when I came to visit my parents.”

Terese’s father, Noel Charters sadly passed away in 2021, and when her mother, Noelene moved to a nursing home the next year, she knew it was time to act.

With the support of her brothers, Terese and her husband decided to buy Shahmist House, as a place for the family to gather.

“When we come to Gilgandra to visit mum, we can bring her home where she loves to spend time pottering in her garden,” Terese says.

“For me that’s the greatest gift of all.”

The charming old home is also paying its way as home-stay accommodation.

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Terese listed Shahmist House on Airbnb in November 2022, and has been pleasantly surprised by how busy it has been.

Gilgandra is situated about halfway between Brisbane and Melbourne, and people use it as a base for day trips to Dubbo and the Warrumbungles.

Her clientele includes people travelling for work and special occasions such as weddings.

Terese’s dream was to create a home away from home, both for her family and paying guests.

“I updated the house with fresh paint, new flooring and curtains, and purchased beautiful bedding and linen,” Terese said.

But the essence of the circa 1950s home has remained largely untouched.

“It’s not modern, it’s not boho, it’s still very much my family’s home,” Terese explains.

Shahmist House can accommodate up to eight people.

The main bedroom has a queen bed and ensuite, while the other two bedrooms have queen and double beds and share the original bathroom.

A sofa bed in the rumpus room shares the space with beanbags, children’s toys and games, and the lounge room has a smart TV. The kitchen is stocked with essentials including herbs, spices and condiments, which guests are welcome to use.

Out the back is an undercover barbecue, firepit, bar and games area, making it the perfect country getaway for families to come together. RLM Words: Liz Tickner Images: Supplied

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: This inviting family home is pretty as a picture; one of the light, spacious bedrooms in the house; the lounge area; the kitchen and dining room.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

Time to stand and deliver ‘Opportunity only knocks once’ is an old saying with particular significance for new Gilgandra postmaster Hayden Whiteman.

It was September 29, 2022, that Hayden became possibly the youngest, at 24, to hold such a prominent position among the 4310 branches across the country.

Young, ambitious and happily employed at MH Thomas Real Estate in property management and sales, Hayden is excited about his new role, which has also brought about big changes to the family dynamic; it’s not every day a son gets to offer his parents a job!

That’s exactly what happened after his dad saw the position advertised in the local paper. A plant mechanic by trade, Nathan was ready to support his son, as was his mother Bec, who had been cooking meals at the Shell service station since his birth.

“Our purchase of the Gilgandra Post Office was very special to me as we love Gilgandra and understand the importance of the services we offer the town,” says the very capable young man.

Outgoing postmaster Stuart Border served the people of Gilgandra for 20 years after a colourful career as a farmer, supermarket owner and publican. His late wife Karen was a much-loved partner, known for her heartfelt response to kids’ letters to Santa.

Stuart proved most helpful during the transition, thrilled to see a young, local family take over the reins.

“The Whiteman family love Gilgandra and are heavily invested in the town,” he says, in his last days before a well-deserved retirement. Hayden has two younger siblings, with Connor, 22, studying vet science while Charlie, 11, is at school.

Stuart was particularly pleased to pass the baton on to a closeknit team he knows can continue the vital work from the smartlooking 1902 post office.

“I’m especially pleased to see a young bloke like Hayden from a strong local family take on the reins,” he says.

For Hayden, it’s been quite a whirlwind since completing school at Gilgandra High and starting a Business and Commerce course at university. He soon realised he’d prefer to join the workforce and four years ago teamed up with local agency, MH Thomas.

Hayden achieved his real estate licence and things were going fine until opportunity knocked.

He realised it was never going to be easy filling Stuart’s big shoes.

Hayden and his mother both undertook rigorous training with Australia Post, including five weeks in Dubbo and a week in Sydney.

Like her old job, Bec still spends most of her daily hours serving customers, only now in a cool, air-conditioned office. Nathan has taken over the delivery contract and all three have become joint shareholders in the business.

From Gilgandra, four rural contractors service the smaller communities of Collie, Mendooran, Tooraweenah and Curban.

On a big day, particularly during the Christmas rush, the post office moves up to 400 parcels daily or roughly 2000 each week.

The mail is another department on its own.

The closure of the Commonwealth Bank in late December 2022 added another layer to business.

“We have essentially taken on these new customers,” says Hayden. “It’s sad seeing people being continually forced to access online systems to conduct banking and other services.

“It’s a real privilege being able to offer our community face-toface transactions for services including banking, post and retail.

Many will agree that a post office is no longer simply a postal service – its prevalence in small communities is and will continue to be essential to their survival.”

Responsible for the lives of five others, Hayden takes it all in his big strides. He looks forward to providing a community service for many years to come while continuing his career in real estate. RLM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Outgoing postmaster Stuart Border congratulates the new man in the top job, Hayden Whiteman; Hayden and his mum, Bec; keeping it in the family, Hayden with parents Bec and Nathan outside the post office, established in 1904; in the olden days, mail was delivered by horse and sulky.

GILGANDRA RLM 47

Read all over

The role of newspapers in rural communities is more important than ever. That’s the firm belief of media proprietor Lucie Peart, who runs a string of western publications.

This is the belief of a woman speaking from experience. For six years Lucie has served as Country Press NSW president, representing 38 independent papers in regional NSW. She also sits on the board of Country Press Australia.

At state Parliament, she mixes with cabinet ministers and representatives from various advertising agencies.

“Doomsayers were predicting the demise of locally-run newspapers 30 years ago,” she says from her neat Gilgandra office, covered in awards and columns of old newspapers.

“In regional areas we are finding the local paper is as valued as ever. During COVID, some of the bigger players were feeling the pinch and some even pulled up stumps.

“The smaller regional papers increased the size of their papers, with some expanding into territory formerly held by competitors – all of this, driven by these communities.”

As well as the Gilgandra Weekly, a paper that’s been rolling off the presses every week since 1911, Lucie oversees production of her other three papers, the Nyngan Weekly, Narromine Star and Warren Star (publishing from February/March 2023).

It’s a big task for this very-well organised businesswoman, who relies on the commitment of her 10 permanent and casual staff to meet each pressing deadline.

Each year her team produces 49 editions, multiplied now by four. The deadlines are 36 hours apart, so it can get pretty hectic.

One of the most important team members is printer Phil Mackie, who has been churning out papers on his trusty Heidelberg machines for a lengthy four decades.

From her headquarters she also oversees the printing of other independent newspapers, the Walgett Spectator and Wellington & District Leader.

At the end of a long day, Lucie takes the daily half-hour trip out to “Wongalee”, Armatree. It’s home of the Peart family sheep and cropping farm where she lives with husband Stuart and young sons, Arthur and Darcy.

48 RLM GILGANDRA

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

“It’s a big commitment getting to Sydney, especially with the boys, but I’ve realised the importance of collaborating with government representatives to get our message out,” she says.

“Like most businesses, we struggled through the dark days of COVID. Most of our regular advertisers were feeling the pinch and some even closed for extended periods.

“Being an essential business, we ploughed on. Despite assistance from the government, it was still a tough slog but it was imperative to deliver the local news each week.”

The paper proved a vital connection with the locals. During COVID, the business received a grant to upgrade their machinery and establish a digital directory and news website www.gilgandraweekly.com “Our office became a place where people could drop in and say g’day – especially important when other shops and the pub were closed.”

“IN REGIONAL AREAS WE ARE FINDING THE LOCAL PAPER IS AS VALUED AS EVER.”

NO TIME FOR TOMORROW

It’s been a wild ride for Lucie, spending her first four years in the workforce with Channel 10 in Canberra, before meeting her future husband, a cabinet maker, at a roller disco during a two-year stint in London.

Her next gig found her behind the bar at the Armatree Hotel – about as far as you can get from her colourful days in one of the world’s most cosmopolitan cities. Six months later she moved to Brisbane, working as a waitress, barista and occasional freelance journalist.

In 2013 she started at the Gilgandra Weekly as a rookie journalist before buying the business three years later. The highfunctioning 35-year-old has always enjoyed delivering the news.

Since starting, there’s been no shortage of big stories affecting the lives of her readers – from the one-in-a-hundred-year drought,

a horrendous mouse plague and two very wet cropping seasons to the pandemic.

“Covering the Coo-ee Re-enactment March in 2015 was an experience I’ll never forget,” she smiles. “As the media liaison officer, I travelled and camped with the marching men. It was a poignant time for the Gilgandra community, with the town making frontpage news in the Australian media.”

Lucie admits her challenging job has presented her with some tremendous opportunities.

“I never imagined meeting such a broad range of people – from people in the street to politicians and celebrities,” she laughs, as she checks the time.

Interview over. Another deadline beckons. RLM

FACING PAGE: Editor Lucie Peart is a dynamic and progressive newspaper chief.

ABOVE: Phil Mackie, a newspaper printer with 40 years’ experience, is a vital part of the team.

Commercial printers and publishers of

Narromine

64-66 Miller Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827 Ph. 02 6847 2022

gilgandraweekly.com.au

GILGANDRA RLM 49

A happening

PLACE

With its 1600-strong membership, Gilgandra Services Club plays a significant role in the local community.

It’s an impressive number, considering the town’s population sneaks just over 3000. After council, GrainCorp and silo manufacturers Ahrens, the club is one of the biggest employers in town.

With 24 staff members, the club is well prepared to handle the crowds on ANZAC Day and Melbourne Cup, the biggest gatherings of the year. Friday nights are always a crowd favourite with locals.

“We have the raffles and members’ badge draw, with plenty of prizes including club

50 RLM GILGANDRA

vouchers and meat trays from Johnson’s and Diggs Butchery,” says general manager and man on a mission, Quentin Karaitiana.

He and his close-knit team will stop at nothing to make Gilgandra Services Club the best in the western district.

“We have big plans for this place,” he declares. “We want to make it the McDonalds of the West. With such a supportive community, we can achieve great things. The Gilgandra locals are a

generous lot – any time somebody is in need, they step up to the plate and always chip in.”

After eight years as bar manager, Quentin took over the general manager’s position in mid-2022. Everybody knows the imposing Maori as a friendly, fair and fearless leader.

Quentin and wife’s Luana’s four children are all actively involved in sport. The eldest, Araiterangi, 17 and Kapene, 15 are both enthusiastic and talented rugby league players, meaning an early rise each week for the 600km drive to Canberra.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

“THE GILGANDRA LOCALS ARE A GENEROUS LOT – ANY TIME SOMEBODY IS IN NEED, THEY STEP UP TO THE PLATE AND ALWAYS CHIP IN.” Leanne Creenaune has been with the club since 2005. After spending a decade working behind the bar, she graduated to the role of office manager seven years ago. Not much happens around the place without her knowledge.

Club president Maelyn Cooper is one of two life members along with Margaret Robins.

She works closely with her trusty team of directors, including Mick Hayes, Dave Brennan, Peter Byrne, Michael Kaltenbacher, Keel O’Bryan and Paul Morris.

Born in Gilgandra, Maelyn moved away before returning in the 1990s. It was a similar story for head chef Denise Meers, who returned home a little later in life.

For the past nine years, the club has benefited from her 45 years’ experience toiling over a hot stove. The five-star trained chef says good communication is essential in a big kitchen when the pressure is on.

With her colourful, no-nonsense language, Denise is the perfect person to direct her three cooks as they prepare up to 800 meals each week.

With a regular-changing menu, the Services Club is the perfect spot to get together for a sumptuous meal and cool drink. You might even meet the big man in person, an enlightening experience you’re not likely to forget! RLM

FACING PAGE: Services Club general manager Quentin Karaitiana with office manager, Leanne Creenaune.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The club’s front entrance; the two life members, Margaret Robins and Maelyn Cooper, out front of the club that’s honoured them for their contribution; Gilgandra Services Club directors get along fabulously: Mick Hayes, Dave Brennan, Peter Byrne, Michael Kaltenbacher, Keel O’Bryan and Paul Morris; the friendly bar staff include Daniel Organ, Samantha Smith, Rissa Bartlett, Dustin Foran and Adam Tincknell.

GILGANDRA

SERVICES CLUB

We pride ourselves on our country hospitality and welcoming staff. Stop in for a quiet drink or enjoy dinner in Diggers Bistro open 7 days a week.

Mon to Sat from 10am & Sun from 11:30am 33 Morris Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827 Ph. (02) 6847 2135 • gilgandraservicesclub.com.au

GILGANDRA RLM 51

Kate’s calling

Gilgandra’s Kate Thomas could easily rattle off a 1000-word article on any given topic yet when it comes to the subject of her own life, it’s a different story.

When she was just 18 months old, Kate was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy, type 2. It’s a genetic condition that affects the nerves in the spinal cord which control all muscle movement of the body and results in muscle weakening.

For Kate, life’s simple pleasures like swimming in the ocean and travelling have been pivotal moments. This fun-loving writer and editor gained a Bachelor of Communications and Journalism from Charles Sturt University, and has had her articles appear in Guardian Australia, ABC, Women’s Health Magazine and her local paper, The Gilgandra Weekly.

Becoming a journalist was a natural move for Kate, who likes the idea of being able to make a difference, while meeting new people every day “Growing up on a farm and in a small community teaches you things that really form your character,” declares Kate from the kitchen at “Euronga” where she lives with parents Greg and Alison Thomas who have worked the land for 40 years.

“I’ve grown up with and listened to so many people telling their stories over the years – it steered me on the path I’m taking today.”

The Thomas family has strong connections to the district, arriving in the early 1900s during a migration of farming families from Victoria and South Australia.

An avid reader, Kate draws on the words of late disability activist Stella Young, who once famously declared she was “nobody’s inspiration porn”.

“To be honest, I wasn’t going to be involved with this article,” she continues. “I was quite hesitant about being given the stereotype. Then I thought the most powerful thing I could say is what Stella once said: ‘that disability doesn’t make you remarkable – but questioning what you think you know about disability does’.

“People with disability are often told that they’re inspirational for doing everyday tasks or for meeting the milestones you’d expect of non-disabled people,” she reflects.

“As a woman with disability, I’ve often been told that I’m inspirational for doing quite unremarkable tasks.”

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Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

GROWING UP

Kate attended preschool in a modified plastic chair before getting a wheelchair upgrade, just in time for her introduction to Gilgandra Public School and later, Gilgandra High.

“Mum made sure high school was ready for me,” she recalls. “With two-storey buildings, access was always going to be a problem until the school added a lift which helped me, and other students, get around.”

Her favourite subjects were geography, maths and ancient history, combined with a love of language and a natural curiosity about others. Channelling these emotions would help shape her future.

Kate’s love of words came from listening to people’s experiences and growing up she used to fill notebooks with short stories.

After school, Kate started her gap year working at the Gilgandra Pharmacy, interacting with a large proportion of the town’s citizens. It was the perfect place for Kate to take her first steps into the workforce, with confidence increasing by the day.

“I was the meet-and-greet person, chatting away with those who came in,” she grins. “I’m very much an introvert but I do like to challenge myself.”

Six months later, the family, including Kate’s elder sister Ellie, an occupational therapist now living in Canberra, embarked on a wellorganised European vacation, taking in the ancient cities of Paris, Florence and Rome.

Kate loved the experience so much that a year into her university studies, she spent a Danish winter studying the lives of others living with disabilities.

“Their society’s mindset was very different to ours at the time,” she says. “Over there, people with disability are expected to get a job like everyone else, fall in love and contribute to society.”

By absorbing different cultures, Kate learnt to understand how being born and raised in a country community helped define her personality.

“Dad gave me the best piece of advice when he suggested I talk to anyone and everyone.

Apart from ‘stranger danger’ and safety issues, I think it’s great advice,” she says.

“To treat everyone equally, to respect others and most importantly, be interested – ask questions and get to know people. I believe we absorb a little piece of everyone we meet and because of that, a part of them will always be with us.”

Kate has achieved numerous highs in her life, from giving speeches, moving to Sydney and back to Gilgandra during the first COVID-19 outbreak, to international travel and her current role as copywriter with Hireup.

Along the way, Kate has learnt the importance of following your instincts and being true to yourself.

“People with disability can do exactly what everybody else does, we just have to be a bit more creative at times. Society’s low expectations for people with disability and the built environment is what challenges us,” she says.

“It’s important to see the whole person, disability and personality included. My plan is to help change that – the narrative and society’s perception and I believe we’re on the right track with things like the NDIS, new television shows like Latecomers and Dylan Alcott being chosen as the 2022 Australian of the Year.”

Kate emphasises that there’s still a long way to go. “When you listen to the evidence coming from the Disability Royal Commission, we are not there yet. How can we be when so many people are denied their agency, choice and fundamental human right to be safe?

“There needs to be further inclusion of people with disability in education settings, the workplace and the community. It extends to friendship and dating circles, true representation on boards, the media

and in leadership across the country.”

When I ask Alison to describe her daughter, she grins: “Kate is just Kate. Her attitude is ‘never say never’.”

Kate is equally quick with a response.

“Mum calls me stubborn but I say I’m simply independent.”

These days her great love continues to be writing, focusing on her two favourite subjects – life and people. In 2020 Kate was selected for the Walkley Mentorship Program and is excited to soon work on a project with Media Diversity Australia.

“Writing is like oxygen to me,” she smiles. “In turn, if my work can inspire and motivate people to look at the world for what it can be, to see people for who they are, I’ll keep at it.” RLM FACING PAGE: Journalist Kate Thomas with parents Greg and Alison Thomas at harvest time at ‘Euronga’, Gilgandra.

ABOVE: A determined woman, Kate has let nothing stand in the way as she ticks off her life’s goals.

GILGANDRA RLM 53

T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

For art’s sake

Just like a fine wine, Gilgandra artists Joe and Judy Shalhoub continue to get better with age.

Having become an octogenarian last October, Joe has the mindset of a man half his age, using his creative energy to make anything from masterful glass cockatoos and elephants to useful and colourful platters and bowls.

His rare gift requires a steely reserve of patience and skill – two qualities this man has in abundance.

“Age is just a number,” he laughs. “Apart from a few extra aches and pains, I don’t feel I’ve changed greatly since I first started dabbling with leadlight and mirrors 40 years ago.”

At the turn of the century, he delved into hot glass, an art form that brings endless satisfaction – not just to him but clients from all over the world who admire his skills.

He makes glass figures every day, never afraid to stick his neck out and try new things – like his recent attempts at creating a glass “Mustang” aeroplane.

“I hand-cut all the glass and it forms together in the kiln – not to be confused with a glass blower,” he explains.

Joe has staged numerous exhibitions, including many collaborations with Judy.

He has permanent displays at the Western Plains Cultural Centre in Dubbo and Gilgandra Cooee Centre.

The past 12 months, he joyfully admits, have been the biggest and best ever. Judy nods in agreement. She too, is also enjoying a great year behind the easel, working with

54 RLM GILGANDRA

her traditional watercolours, mixed media, pastels and acrylics.

Her favourite space is the cosy little studio out back of their home where she specialises in florals and landscapes. It was specially built for her by Joe, a few years after finishing the home they’ve lived in throughout their long and happy married life.

Joe has always lived with a “can-do” attitude, which he attributes to his proud Lebanese heritage. While it may have been his skills with a saxophone that initially won Judy’s heart, it’s their love of art that has kept them together for 56 years.

When Judy paints in her quiet studio, she can’t quite believe it’s been nearly a half century since she joined the local arts

society. During that time, she has created thousands of artworks, without ever losing the passion.

The Shalhoubs have certainly come a long way, with their colourful artworks featured in many private and public collections. The locals are justifiably proud of their huge contribution to art in Gilgandra. RLM For more details, email Joe and Judy at judithkeogh14@gmail.com CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Judy Shalhoub has been a prolific artist for more than 50 years; husband Joe has made quite a name for himself with his glass art; the tools of their trade; the finished product.

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

ALL IN THE FAMILY

Much more than quality cuts of beef, lamb, pork and chicken can be found within Johnson’s Gourmet Butchery, a store that’s stood both the tests of time and adversity.

Johnson’s is celebrating 40 years of supplying Gilgandra and district with choice cuts of premium beef, lamb, pork and chicken.

The business was purchased in 1983 by the late Allan and Susan Johnson. By the time he turned 53, Allan had grown tired of the long hours and early starts and began a new career in house painting.

Susan felt confident she and her only son Michael, a qualified butcher, could continue the business with Allan’s guidance.

Michael’s sister, Melinda Beveridge, is a paediatric occupational therapist living in nearby Armatree.

“When I took over from Allan, it was quite a difficult industry to be in, being traditionally male-dominated,” says Susan.

“Fortunately, this has all changed, with many women holding high-profile positions.

“I am involved in the bookwork side and making the odd home delivery. We very

much appreciate all our customers – some of whom have been with us for 40 years.”

The butchery has been placed in the NSW Finals of the Sausage King Awards for their lamb, cheese and spinach sausages. They smoke their own ham and offer in-house cooking for parties and get-togethers.

Locals are familiar with the top-grade product, friendly staff and great service they have come to expect at Johnson’s Butchery.

Over the years, the Johnsons have offered nine apprenticeships to young men wanting a start in the trade. Michael’s two boys weren’t among them, with Kenny, 23, a Dubbo electrician and Henry, 21, a plant operator in Muswellbrook.

Michael works alongside two other butchers who served their apprenticeships at Johnson’s Butchery. Lindsay Foster started as a 13-yearold washing dishes before taking on full-time work at 16. Like Lindsay, Clay Mallison also

completed his apprenticeship there.

“They are both good, loyal employees and we treat them like family,” says Michael.

Johnson’s Butchery has always supported the local community, supplied countless raffle prizes and helped at charity events and locals in need.

“In our business we have to be up-to-date and fashionable with all our products,” he explains. “Many of our customers are seeing new recipes and cooking methods on television and social media, so we have to keep up with the latest happenings.”

Allan passed in 2021 but would have been justifiably proud the business he took over 40 years ago has reached such a magical milestone. RLM ABOVE: Susan Johnson with son Michael, far right, with Clay Mallison and Lindsay Foster who both served their apprenticeships at Johnson’s Gourmet Butchery.

Johnson’s Butchery has always supported the local community, supplied countless raffle prizes and helped at charity events and locals in need.

GILGANDRA RLM 55

T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

A blooming success

It’s taken Gilgandra artist Amy Naef 15 years to fulfil her dream of owning her own art and flower shop and for this horse lover, it was well worth the wait.

Possessing that lifelong love of coloured horses in particular, and a fancy for fauna, it was only natural for Amy to come up with a unique name for her florist/art business – Pinto Posy.

“The motivation behind it is to bring other artists to town while allowing local artists to broaden their potential audience,” says the kind-hearted local identity.

“I’ve always been a horse girl and coloured horses (like Pintos) have long been my favourite,” she laughs. “Posies are flowers.

My girlfriend suggested the name and I felt it was perfect.”

Her shop, formerly a dentist, is attracting a strong following thanks to the carefully thought-out artistic space. Apart from IGA, it’s the only flower shop in town and a perfect spot to find the ultimate gift.

“Everybody has been so encouraging and supportive,” says Amy. “The flowers are popular with special occasions and because we only live once – with flowers you can brighten up anybody’s life.”

When RLM visited, Amy was enjoying her second group show, Stuff on the kitchen bench.

56 RLM GILGANDRA

“It’s all about celebrating what’s familiar in our lives,” she explains.

“I wish joy, peace and contentment on all those artists I support and all those dropping in for a squiz. Happiness is a fleeting emotion but you can cultivate joy and contentment as a state of mind.”

Amy grew up in Mendooran and finished her schooling at Gilgandra High. After five years in Longreach, she returned home believing the town offers greater opportunities for her three children, ranging in age from seven to 13.

When it comes to her own art, she admits her canvas constantly changes.

“I used to draw but these days I use acrylics and watercolours. I paint a big variety of subjects, mostly impressionism, using reallife subjects. I’ve probably painted more than 1000 dogs in the past 20 years.”

Amy clearly loves the energy in her new shop. “The art came first and then the flowers,” she tells me as she applies the magic to a floral arrangement.

“I was inspired by my best friend and her family who had a native flower farm. On a

whim I visited a real estate agency, dreaming of opening a shop that combined my two great loves. Two weeks later I started with an empty shell before opening in July 2022.”

With Amy’s brother a signwriter from Mendooran and with furniture from her mother, Amy made a bold statement painting a gold wall behind the counter – another tick from her bucket list.

“Positive thinking and community support has helped me get up and running, using social media to promote the artists in my gallery while sourcing emerging talent.

“My aim has always been to have smaller, easily transported artworks that people want to hang on their walls.

“Even though the shop keeps me flat out, I still make time for my art – that and the flowers always lift my spirits.” RLM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The bubbly owner of Pinto Posy, Amy Naef is living out her dream; the exterior view of Amy’s shop; local artworks are featured in her small but inspiring shop which also showcases her fabulous floral work.

Original art, flowers & more.

Feather your nest.

Support Australian creators.

Ph. 0428 165 059 • pintoposy.com.au

25 Miller Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827

Johnson’s Gourmet Butchery has a great range of carefully sourced and expertly prepared meats for your freezer or dinner table.

Established 1983

Quality Butchers 66 Warren Road, Gilgandra NSW 2827 • Ph. 02 6847 2046 • Monday to Friday 7am - 5pm & Saturday 7am - 12noon GILGANDRA RLM 57

T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

A game

CHANGER

The inspired makeover of a humble tin shed is changing the lives of those living in Gilgandra and district for the better.

An extraordinary transformation on the banks of the Castlereagh River has created a special space to support and nurture the regional community.

The Shed in Gilgandra is home to a range of allied health services, office space to rent and communal areas to facilitate professional development.

It has been purpose-built to ensure function and accessibility with a welcoming and inclusive aesthetic.

The story behind The Shed is one of resourcefulness, determination and drive.

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Local women, occupational therapist Bettina Spora and speech pathologist Natalie Mudford searched unsuccessfully for some time for suitable premises to deliver their services before taking matters into their own hands, literally.

They discovered an old machinery workshop behind the main street, in derelict condition but with plenty of room and a beautiful location overlooking the river.

“It was just a tin shed, but with potential,” Natalie recalls. “We love the river frontage, it’s something you don’t have in the main street.”

Having the river on the doorstep with its majestic eucalypt-lined banks is very special and enhances the sense of wellbeing.

The Shed conversion was an enormous task; the interior was completely gutted, including removing the flooring and replacing the foundations.

“We did feel like we were going backwards before forwards for a while,” Bettina adds.

The support of family and friends was instrumental, with their husbands and children pitching in with numerous jobs such as removing rotted foundations, jack-

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

hammering concrete blocks and shovelling silt build-up from the 1955 flood, all helping the project to construction stage.

After countless labour hours and numerous challenges their perseverance paid off and the doors opened in August 2021.

The internal fit-out reflects Natalie and Bettina’s extensive experience in the health industry and commitment to design and create a space that is multi-functional, accessible and inclusive.

Modern designs in bright and interactive therapy mats and equipment have been thoughtfully selected for maximum client benefit.

“Everyone who walks in comments on what a beautiful space it is,” Bettina says, “there is a real wow factor, especially looking back at the journey to get here.”

The building now houses two clinic spaces and two office spaces, as well as reception and storeroom.

Quality and up-to-date resources and technology support the various services.

The bathroom and kitchen have both been designed specifically for full access and to enable daily living assessments and mealtime groups.

A fully accessible ramp at the building entry was completed last year.

The cool blue exterior highlights the huge change from the building’s original appearance.

Natalie and Bettina are justifiably proud of the impressive and unique end result. The Shed is a wonderful resource for Gilgandra and surrounding towns.

Both women are long-term residents of the region and understand the challenges of distance and accessibility in the provision of quality health care.

“We provide holistic health care for adults and children of all ages working out of our multi-functional space at The Shed, and also through outreach,” Natalie says.

Bettina operates Growth Occupational Therapy, providing assessment and

“EVERYONE WHO WALKS IN COMMENTS ON WHAT A BEAUTIFUL SPACE IT IS,”

intervention services; Natalie leads Let’s Communicate Speech Pathology for assessment, intervention and training.

Clients are drawn from across the region including Gilgandra, Dubbo, Warren, Coonamble, Gulargambone and Coonabarabran.

Outreach services include schools, preschools, workplaces and clients’ homes.

Assistance is also available to support individuals in daily living skills, to build confidence, social interaction and communication.

Also working out of The Shed is Elephant in the Room Training and Consultancy, an NDIS provider offering disability services, therapy, training and consultation.

Visiting services include psychology and exercise physiology.

The communal areas provide an excellent space for various allied health professionals to come together and share their expertise.

The Shed also offers availability for private office hire, by the hour or day, with

NBN access. “This ‘hot desk’ is perfect for visitors needing office space, or those who live a distance from town,” Natalie says.

Natalie and Bettina are passionate about the opportunities and future for their town and region, and the vital importance of access in rural areas to quality health services.

With dedication and determination, their vision for The Shed has ensured a multi-functional resource that supports individuals and families with quality holistic health care. RLM Words: Elizabeth Grant

You can find The Shed at 24a Miller Street, Gilgandra.

FACING PAGE: Occupational therapist Bettina Sporer and speech pathologist Natalie Mudford are working towards a healthier Gilgandra.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The entrance to The Shed overlooks the Castlereagh River; one of the colourful new rooms in The Shed; wheelchair accessibility is one of the key features of The Shed.

GILGANDRA RLM 59

Care at the core For the elderly, the frail aged and those in need of specialised care, Gilgandra Lifestyles has you covered.

Gilgandra Lifestyles is run and managed by the Gilgandra Shire Council, providing a variety of services to cater for the needs of its elderly population.

Aged care and disabilities services director Donna Dobson says the town has a solution for all its elderly residents.

“The Jack Towney Hostel is designed to provide a home-like environment for our Indigenous residents with 13 selfcontained units,” explains Donna. “These are serviced and maintained by our friendly staff who also help residents with meal preparation, personal care and medication management.”

Additionally, they offer flexibly funded home care services for those clients who prefer to remain in their own home.

Cooee Lodge Hostel has 50 residential aged care beds to meet the needs of the town’s most vulnerable and frail aged residents.

It’s a beautifully appointed facility located in the gardens of Cooee Lodge Village. It boasts a central dining room, activities room and specialised nursing services that can cater to those with special needs, such as dementia and palliative care.

The Cooee Village has 63 residential homes in which residents can live independently and benefit from the security of being located in a village, without the concern of ongoing maintenance.

Home care and Commonwealth home support services include Meals on Wheels, transport and social groups. Home care packages include access to domestic services, personal care, gardening and mowing.

“If you have an aged care need, Gilgandra Lifestyles has you covered,” says Donna. “If we don’t have the service you require, we have the right team to help you find it.”

Gilgandra Lifestyles coordinator Helen Kildey is always happy and keen to help find a solution to residents’ particular requirements.

“Gilgandra Lifestyles has been operational for more than 20 years in our community and we are committed to the ongoing advocacy and care of our elderly,” concludes Donna. RLM

60 RLM GILGANDRA

Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

“Gilgandra Lifestyles has been operational for more than 20 years in our community and we are committed to the ongoing advocacy and care of our elderly.”

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The front entrance to Gilgandra Lifestyles; Cluna Gale, 93, from Gilgandra, Beryl Butler, 85, from Coonamble and born and bred Gilgandra local Barbara Garbut, with helper Rani Diggs; Anne Neal, 85, a former teacher from Mendooran, Margaret Stewart, 91, from Collie with diversional therapist Jess Rogan; Anne Neal enjoys a cup of tea from Narissa Rains; Resident Judy Stone, with care staff Sharon Knee and Rosemary Larson.

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A resident takes time to inspect the flowers; it’s quite fitting that Gilgandra’s aged care facility has a windmill within its grounds; Noelene Charters, 82, a former dental nurse, enjoying her new room.

GILGANDRA RLM 61

Reminiscing

with Rob

Gilgandra old-timer Rob Beveridge is living out his days at the Cooee Lodge Hostel, a retirement home he helped establish in the 1980s.

At 92 years young, Rob is in good health, with a memory that comes and goes. When RLM visited, he was on top of his game and ready to share some stories from the good old days.

Like his parents before him, Rob spent a lifetime on the land, first at Tooraweenah before his folks sold up in 1951 and moved to “Myall Park”, Armatree, where Rob farmed for more than half a century.

In the early days, the biggest battle was against the exploding rabbit population. “I used to ride the 14-mile boundary and dig up holes where the rabbits had got through,” he says. “After the introduction of ‘mixo’ in 1952, the carrying capacity of the land virtually trebled.”

From his well-kept room at the lodge, Rob finds it easy drifting back in time. He just has to close his eyes, lean back in his comfortable recliner and memories of growing up in the 1930s come flooding back.

He remembers hungry and tired swaggies tramping through the district during the Depression years looking for work.

“Dad would put someone on for a week and see how they fared,” he says. “One old cove said he was handy with a team of horses so dad employed him to help put the crop in. Later we heard he drank out his wages at the Tooraweenah pub before hitting the road again.”

He remembers Butler Air Transport beginning in the town in 1937 after Arthur Butler won the local air mail tender. Later he set up a passenger service – long before Dubbo laid claim to being the region’s aviation hub.

Planes were still a novelty, and although only a child, Rob had heard plenty of tales about the local legend, including his recordbreaking, nine-day flight from England to Australia in a tiny, single-engine Comper Swift aircraft.

Arthur flew straight to Tooraweenah and taxied up the main street before parking outside Garling’s store where his future

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Gilgandra T O W N F E AT U R E

HE REMEMBERS HUNGRY AND TIRED SWAGGIES TRAMPING THROUGH THE DISTRICT DURING THE DEPRESSION YEARS LOOKING FOR WORK.

wife, Doris Garling was working. He filled his plane with fuel and posed for photos – legendary stuff for the man who put Tooraweenah on the map.

Rob spent the war years at The Scots College, Bellevue Hill, and well remembers the night the Japanese fired five cannon shots into an area not far from the school.

“They were trying to hit the Rose Bay flying boat base,” he says of this little-known fact.

“It caused a lot of excitement and we all flew out of bed to get down to the air-raid shelter.

“I was 16 when the war ended and remember feeling greatly disappointed that I wasn’t old enough to do my bit for the country.”

Later Rob married Di Reynolds, who blessed him with three fine children before her passing. Their son, Scott lives in Gilgandra while daughters Debbie Carroll and Kate King are near Molong and Canberra. With five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren, Rob reckons he’s the luckiest man alive.

His children helped ensure his move into one of the villas went as smoothly as possible and were there for emotional support when he took up residence at the hostel in August 2022.

Rob’s second wife, Joyce Bell, also resides at the lodge.

“I see her every day but sadly she has dementia. It’s so cruel,” he says quietly.

Over the past few years Rob has had a few heart troubles but says it’s nothing that can’t be fixed. Having travelled throughout the world and seen how others live, he never underestimates the importance of family.

“Family is by far the best thing in the world,” he says, slowly shaking his head. “I love my family and they have supported me to the hilt.”

Rob says he can’t explain why he has lasted so long but admits he’s always looked after his health.

“If ever I had chest pain, I went straight to my doctor. I didn’t muck around, I can tell you,” he laughs.

His longevity might have something to do with his mother, born in the year of Federation. With advancing years, she had no option but to retire in Dubbo.

That’s when Rob and an enthusiastic committee managed to get Cooee Lodge built.

Thankfully, Rob was able to visit his mother there for her final 15 years of life. She passed away, aged 103, surrounded by her loving family.

As far as any advice for the younger generation, Rob says it is essential to keep your finances in order.

“One thing I’ve discovered is that it’s not a good idea to splash your money around once

you retire,” he says earnestly. “When you are old, you need to protect your savings.”

To keep himself informed of what’s happening in the world, Rob enjoys watching the evening news on TV. He doesn’t watch movies, which take too long and often finish well past his bedtime but has found great pleasure in talking books.

“These iPads are truly the most amazing things,” he grins. “I can even do my banking on it.”

Rob says the caring staff look after him very well and he looks forward to every day, especially when family members come to spend time and swap stories. RLM FACING PAGE: In his early 90s, Rob Beveridge possesses a sharp memory, recalling many incidents from his farming years in Tooraweenah and Armatree.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rob has plenty of time to reflect on a splendid innings; Rob and Doris at their 1956 nuptials; Rob was a young boy when Butler Airlines was established in Tooraweenah in 1937; dashing pilot Arthur Butler was known to land his plane in the town’s main street.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gilgandra

Prime position Matt Howard has always enjoyed raising livestock which is pretty handy when you’re chair of Tooraweenah Prime Lamb Marketing Co-operative.

In early 2017 Matt and wife Bek bought “Oakleigh”, Tooraweenah, from the Cruikshank family. Located in the foothills of the Warrumbungles, it’s long been regarded as prime fattening, Kurrajong country.

Matt is enjoying a great season but admits it hasn’t always looked this good.

“We bought our property just as the country was sliding into drought,” he says. “It was a steep learning curve, forcing us to build a stronger, more resilient enterprise.”

During the dry times, Matt began custom feedlotting lambs for between 10 and 12 weeks before trucking them to Tamworth and other centres.

“We built the feedlot in the drought to help drought-proof the farm and have been using it ever since.”

Matt’s wife is used to the dust of the sheepyards, where the family is about to preg-test the ewes just as RLM turns up. Bek is a country girl, growing up on another Cruikshank farm 20 minutes down the road from her current home.

Although her semi-retired father, Ian has moved into Gilgandra with wife Jeanette, he still ventures out to the farm whenever he gets the chance. He kept a handful of his favourite cows and ewes

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and loves nothing more than keeping an eye on the old farm that was home for most of his life.

The active 74-year-old was one of the founders of the Tooraweenah Lamb Marketing Co-op in 1996, when the group had 32 members. Over almost three decades, that figure has trebled to become a significant marketing force and supportive network.

As current chair, Matt meets with his six directors each month, to discuss markets and ways of developing and improving the co-op.

“As a group, we trade a lot of cattle, as well as the lambs and mutton. It’s about looking after each other and helping our members grow their business.”

Matt says the group has developed a statistical database containing all information on loads sent over the past 10 years. They can supply customers with exact weights, fat scores and averages of individual loads.

“We continue to work with others in the industry to ensure we are up to date with the latest developments in stock husbandry and health, which helps ensure our product is the best available,” he says.

“We don’t just hand over our livestock to anyone. We maintain control of quality and traceability right from the hills of Tooraweenah, past the farm gates and on to the customer.”

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EARLY DAYS

Raised on a sheep farm at Coolabah, west of Nyngan, Matt couldn’t wait to board at Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School, Tamworth. Here he made many lifelong friends, including his future wife. Both attended each other’s school formals and shared a love of farming and the outdoors.

Matt completed a four-year diesel mechanic apprenticeship in Dubbo before taking his school sweetheart on the adventure of a lifetime – growing corn, beans and watermelon on an irrigated station south of Broome in remote Western Australia.

They couldn’t get much further from home. Their first child Rose, now nine, was born in Broome. Later would come sisters Tess, seven, and four-year-old Sophie. During the 2012 wet season, they drove across the country to marry on Australia Day, Tooraweenah-style.

“It was dry, flat country with great underground water reserves,” says Matt, who by the age of 24 was responsible for a team of 30 workers, many of them backpackers.

With the station just 15km from the pristine coastline, it was only natural Matt developed a deep love of fishing. It was way off the beaten track – nearly 200km to the nearest town.

“While Broome isn’t a farming town, it’s one of the best tourist destinations in Australia – and was practically on our doorstep.”

Matt says their time up north taught them many life lessons, especially when it came to making big decisions and dealing with staff.

“I felt privileged to have the opportunity to acquire new skills and work alongside some great mentors,” he says. “Due to the unique climate, we could grow fresh produce that nobody else in the country could grow and fill that winter gap.”

After six years it was time to come home. Matt admits it was a

“We continue to work with others in the industry to ensure we are up to date with the latest developments in stock husbandry and health, which helps ensure our product is the best available.”

pleasant change to work at the foot of the mountains after years of looking at endless, shimmering flat plains.

While Matt enjoys his sheep, farming is the mainstay of Howard Pastoral, growing wheat, canola and barley. Matt has a road train operating fulltime delivering grain to feedlots throughout the Liverpool Plains.

The young family is committed to agriculture and the small community of Tooraweenah. While there have been plenty of challenges along the way, Matt and Bek are confident they’re on the right track, securing a bright future for their daughters while doing what they love. RLM

FACING PAGE: Tooraweenah Prime Lamb Marketing Co-operative chair Matt Howard loves working with other prime lamb producers to achieve the best results.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: There’s nothing better than moving sheep on a lucerne crop; Matt with wife Bek, daughter Sophie and father-in-law Ian Cruikshank; Matt loves his farming as much as his livestock; sheep in the yards and grazing in paddocks with the picturesque Warrumbungles in the background.

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Innovators in

Agriculture

In 1995 a group of prime lamb breeders from Tooraweenah, Gulargambone and Gilgandra decided they needed to remove some of the variables from their profession.

Bugaldie grazier Simon Ryan, along with Department Agriculture reps, talked with the group in the hope of starting to sell their stock over the hook – where producers were paid for what they produced.

The group decided to go ahead and sell their lambs this way. Rod Peart and Dave Sawley volunteered to do the day-to-day running of the group until it became a commercial reality.

Two years later they formed a co-operative at Tooraweenah, near the scenic Warrumbungle Mountains and in the heart of the Central West sheep and wheat mixed farming belt.

It benefits those involved, with all profits channelled back into the co-operative to grow the business and for further research and development.

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“Farming is an industry where the weather and markets have been out of our control, with the group deciding that action needed to be taken to bring some stability to their markets,” explains business manager Julie Sawley.

The co-op has steadily grown since then, moving about 80,000 to 100,000 lambs, sheep and cattle annually for more than 80 meatproducing members.

“The majority of members are from this area, spanning from Tullamore to Nyngan and from Wellington to Gunnedah, as well as producers in far northern NSW and southern Queensland.”

Julie operates the day-to-day running of the business, working closely with the directors, including chair Matt Howard, Will Lambell and Peter Bonham, from Tooraweenah;

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Kate Davies, Coonabarabran; Harry Kemp, Binnaway and Jenny Bradley, Armatree.

The Sawleys are well-known prime lamb producers, having spent the past 30 years on “Barragan”, Gilgandra. With 5km of Castlereagh River frontage, the property was once a dairy before becoming one of the last to close in the 1950s.

They had been on their new farm only a few years before deciding to commit fully to their new guidelines. Now all their secondcross lambs are weighed and fat-scored, enabling producers like themselves to better fit their product to the market.

David says lambs across the board are getting heavier. In the past, dressed lambs were typically 22kg. Today, 6- to 12-month-old lambs are weighing anything from 28kg to 38kg.

Being a member, he says, comes with many advantages, like pooling resources and sharing collective knowledge.

“Being a co-operative, we are able to put larger lines together, with each producer receiving important feedback,” David explains.

“In the early days the co-op could contract the lambs before they were even born. At our peak the co-op was responsible for the marketing of about 70,000 lambs.”

David suggests it’s simply about being better educated.

“We’ve had field days discussing the best ways to finish off our lambs, grazing and health courses and visited abattoirs to see them hanging up,” he says.

“We also have a social scene. We are always looking for new members to join the club – that’s if we can get them off the tractor!”

There have been many notable changes since the co-op started 27 years ago.

“Back then producers were getting about $50 per lamb, including skin, which was an excellent return – we thought we’d won the

lottery. Now we are getting five times that, with many producers receiving $250 for their bigger lambs.”

Initially the co-op specialised in prime lamb production but in recent times have branched out to include cattle.

“We still bring in lambs from southern Queensland and western NSW and finish them off here. We buy and sell through AuctionsPlus as well as direct marketing.”

David and Julie are proud of doing their bit for all the millions of Aussies who love nothing better than throwing a lamb chop on the barbie, cooking up a roast or settling down to grapple with a shank or two. RLM

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: David and Julie Sawley with some of the 400 lucerne round bales cut from 65 acres on their river flats; prime lambs near the dam.

Family grown, Australian produced lamb and beef.

From our paddock to your plate.

Buy and sell lambs, sheep, cattle, and stud stock including over the hook, saleyards, paddock sales and on auctions plus Feedback on all sales as well as market trends, animal health and current industry information.

Reduced selling costs through our friendly co-operative.

8 Bridge Street, Gilgandra NSW 2827 P: 0427 470 205 E: tplmc@bigpond.net.au

tplmc.com.au

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

COONABARABRAN TOWN FE ATUR E WORDS & IMAGES: JAKE LINDSAY

So much to see and do From the Mayor of Warrumbungle Shire Council The Warrumbungle region is unique in being a large geographical area with a vast array of different landscapes.

Each town and every village has a special history and strong character, creating a vivid sense of places to explore. The Warrumbungle region is positioned midway between Brisbane and Melbourne, taking in the towns of Baradine, Binnaway, Coolah, Coonabarabran, Dunedoo and Mendooran and several villages.

The landscape includes national parks and a state forest and is home to Australia’s first Dark Sky Park. This makes it an ideal base for adventuring by day and stargazing at night.

The options to explore the outdoors

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in our region are diverse. The national parks are renowned for bushwalking, with more than 42km of walking tracks in the Warrumbungles park alone catering to all fitness levels and ages.

Meanwhile, Coolah Tops also offers up spectacular bushwalking as well as being a beacon for mountain bike riders.

Warrumbungle is a Gamilaroi/Gamilaraay word meaning “crooked mountain”, and for thousands of years it has been a spiritual place for the custodians of this land – the Gamilaroi, Wiradjuri and Wailwan/Weilwan people. Indigenous history, traditions and culture are proudly recognised and showcased throughout the region.

The area is well known for its rich agricultural history, which continues strongly today with farming its dominant industry.

Visitors will find various opportunities to explore the industry through agritourism ventures, or by driving through the region where rural properties are numerous. In recent years, examples of silo art have appeared, notably in the centre of town at Dunedoo.

The Warrumbungle region is home to a thriving cultural community. Artisans have added another layer of richness to the area, from cheese making and a whisky distillery at Mendooran to the German-inspired

Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Pilliga Pottery, from art galleries displaying local works and photography to public art installations and the iconic Sculptures in the Scrub, there is plenty to see and do. Live music and theatre are also to be found yearround at a range of venues and events.

Coonabarabran is widely regarded as the Astronomy Capital of Australia owing to its crystal-clear, dark night skies and, of course, famously home to Siding Spring Observatory and the AngloAustralian Telescope.

The town is the gateway to Warrumbungle National Park and home to beautiful shopfronts, numerous accommodation options and eateries. The town of Coolah is the gateway to Coolah Tops National Park.

Coolah firmly stakes its claim as home of the original Black Stump. It was here that the colloquial saying “beyond the black stump”, meaning “beyond the limits of settlement or civilisation”, is said to have originated.

A replica Black Stump and rest area has been established north of Coolah to mark its historic location.

Warrumbungle is a Gamilaroi/ Gamilaraay word meaning ‘crooked mountain’, and for thousands of years it has been a spiritual place for the custodians of this land – the Gamilaroi, Wiradjuri and Wailwan/Weilwan people.

These days, Coolah is also home to a thriving arts scene with Pandora Gallery set in the heart of the town and several pieces of public art to be found, particularly on the spectacular River Walk along the Coolaburragundy River.

We are very proud of all that is on offer here in the Warrumbungle region and look forward to welcoming visitors to share in our beautiful surrounds.

Cr Ambrose Doolan, Mayor, Warrumbungle Shire Council

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Days gone by COONABARABRAN

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Images supplied by Coonabarabran History Group.

Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Timeless temptations Whether you’re gazing skyward or simply soaking in the beauty around you – your Warrumbungle experience is guaranteed to be unforgettable.

A visit to the Warrumbungle region may best be described as “diverse”. With distinct national parks and state forest providing the setting for spectacular bush walking and mountain bike riding, world-class astronomy, a thriving arts and food scene, Indigenous culture, and rural history on display, there really is something for everyone.

The area is probably best known for its natural landscapes, with the region bookended by the Warrumbungles to the north and Coolah Tops to the south, also taking in part of the famous Pilliga Forest.

The Warrumbungle National Park is home to craggy peaks and spires, remnants of an extinct volcano, that can be seen from the extensive walking trails throughout the park.

Visitors can make use of the Geotrails app to learn more about the 15-millionyear-old volcano that makes up the iconic Warrumbungles.

The park is also home to Australia’s first Dark Sky Park. Low humidity and high elevation make perfect conditions to view the Milky Way in all its glory.

Visitors might get a little closer to the skies with a night star viewing at a private observatory, try out their astro-photography skills, or escape city lights and camp under

the stars, with the Milky Way and Emu overhead from March to September.

Coolah Tops National Park is known for its towering, ancient grass trees. This scenic wonderland features tumbling waterfalls, massive snow gums, and stunning vistas. As one of only two subalpine parks in NSW, bushwalkers and mountain bike riders are well catered for.

In earlier years, the Coolah Tops was a forestry resource. Now, remnants from the timber industry scattered around the park provide unique photo opportunities.

While in the park, keep an eye out for the plentiful wildlife. Easy to spot during the day are wombats, Eastern grey kangaroos and red-necked wallabies. It’s after dark that magic happens with large numbers of greater gliders soaring between the trees.

Wedge-tailed eagles can occasionally be spotted soaring high above the valley.

The Pilliga Forest offers visitors an iconic landscape of rugged beauty on a grand scale. Close to the town of Baradine, Pilliga is a vast forest spanning more than 500,000ha and containing 2000km of public access trails.

The Sculptures in the Scrub walk is not to be missed, and visitors should also be sure to take a guided Discovery Tour of

the Sandstone Caves to learn more about this important Aboriginal site and the Gamilaroi people’s connections to the ancient landscape. Visitors are well-looked after in the towns and villages of the Warrumbungle region.

Each of the six towns has its own distinct history and character. Visitors will find charming country shopfronts, beautiful parks, art galleries and displays, and an array of food from bakeries and cafes to delicious pub meals and the quintessential country Chinese restaurants.

Accommodation options are as diverse as the landscape, from bush camping to caravan parks, country pubs and motels to B&Bs. The Visitor Information Centre is a great place to start for a guide to local accommodation, as well as other businesses and information on all the local attractions.

Come and join us soon! RLM www.warrumbungle.nsw.gov.au

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The majestic Warrumbungle Mountains, fields of canola; Coona’s famous ducks; the Siding Spring Observatory..

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Coonabarabran charm

From stargazing to sightseeing, you’re in for a treat exploring Australia’s Astronomy Capital

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Starstruck

Outdoors girl Alex Bain has landed her dream job, living every night under a chandelier of stars and getting paid for the privilege.

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Working in Warrumbungle National Park has proved a life-changing experience for visitor centre supervisor Alex.

The bubbly team player was drawn to the area, having always been a great outdoors fan – from camping, hiking and mountain biking to snowboarding and ocean swims.

“I’ve always enjoyed being outside in the fresh air, with the sun on my skin. Likewise, I’m drawn to smaller towns and village life, enjoying the sense of community and familiarity,” Alex says.

After moving to Coonabarabran in 2022 Alex was fortunate to land a job with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS).

“As an outdoors girl with a passion for sustainable environmental awareness, it’s a dream come true. In my role, I’m able to educate people about the need for sustainable practices and help them experience all the natural wonders in our national parks.”

Her job has provided a unique opportunity to explore the district parks, especially the rugged peaks of the Warrumbungles.

Alex has hiked every trail and loves taking visiting family and friends on the park’s signature hike, the Grand High Tops.

“The view is something else,” she enthuses. “You can see all the way out over the Great Western Plains, up to Mount Kaputar in the north and the Great Dividing Range to the south and east.”

The Warrumbungle National Park contains a vast array of native flora and fauna, including many endangered species, such as the turquoise parrot, Regent honeyeater, koala, and brush-tailed rock-wallaby.

If you are lucky enough to visit in spring, you will witness a magical array of Australian native wildflowers that last for months. >

FACING PAGE: The drive into the Warrumbungle National Park from Tooraweenah is always spectacular, especially at sunset.

FROM TOP: The rugged mountain range from a chopper; visitor centre supervisor Alex Bain loves the mountains and starry nights; the magnificent visitors’ centre was rebuilt after the disastrous 2013 fires that destroyed 56,000 hectares and 51 homes.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

“As someone with a fascination for the glorious night sky, it’s extra special. The park is Australia’s only Dark Sky Park, meaning I get to experience the Southern Hemisphere’s best night sky every night,” Alex laughs with delight.

Strict regulation on light pollution means that every clear night you can expect uninterrupted views of the Milky Way, Southern Cross, Orion’s Belt and every southern sky constellation imaginable.

During the past few years, Warrumbungle National Park has witnessed a massive influx of tourists – many visiting for the first time but many more returning for a second or third holiday.

In light of the huge growth in numbers, there have been massive park improvements.

These include building a modern camping amenities block, upgrades on the walking trails and new and improved information exhibits at the Warrumbungle Visitor Centre.

“We have concentrated our efforts in the Save Our Species programs, which target many endangered endemic flora and fauna species within the park, helping them recover from human and environmental damage,” says Alex.

“Warrumbungle National Park is truly a hidden gem within the Central West. I feel so lucky, living and working in this wonderland.” RLM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Visitor centre information and retail assistant Kellie Harris with an emu egg; the centre is the perfect place to discuss how to get the most out of your Warrumbungle National Park experience; the mountains look good from any angle; sunset on the twisted peaks.

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Nature’s majesty Just out of Coonabarabran lie two vastly different tourist attractions – the Sandstone Caves and Sculptures in the Scrub.

The caves were formed in the immense Pilliga Forest after tens of thousands of years of weathering. Situated around a large sandstone outcrop, the series of spectacular cathedral-type caves and overhangs have become a popular spot with photographers.

Sculptures in the Scrub is an entirely different, man-made attraction in this ancient landscape. Each of the five sculptures was created as a collaboration between artists and the Gamilaraay elders – the Indigenous custodians of the land.

The sculptures have been strategically placed at the top of Dandry Gorge, overlooking the gorge and the half-millionhectare Pilliga Forest that explorer John Oxley failed to cross during his 1818 travels.

They perfectly blend in with the surrounding landscape, enhancing the natural beauty of the gorge while providing a record of the site’s significance to its early Aboriginal occupants.

One of the most interesting pieces is “First Lesson”, a bronze statue of a man holding his son on his shoulders looking into the gorge.

It depicts the passing of knowledge about

the country to the next generation.

Further along, is the “Connections” sculpture featuring a comet, Milky Way and the Rainbow Serpent – science and myth intertwined.

The last piece on the walk features a series of mosaic sculptures that depict how past and present Pilliga women have utilised natural resources.

Alongside each is a detailed description explaining what the statues represent and what the artist wished to convey.

Get off the beaten track and into the orange sand and bright blue skies of a landscape built by time. It’s more than an hour’s walk but the Sculptures in the Scrub provide a meaningful representation of human creativity mixed with natural beauty and should not be missed on your next visit. RLM FROM TOP: The magnificent Sandstone Caves are a masterpiece of creation; the extensive wooded landscape is just the south-eastern corner of the vast Pilliga Forest, the largest remaining stand of native forest in inland NSW; a visit to the caves is an absolute must.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Ultimate

stargazing

For half-a-century, Australia has led the world with its eyes in the sky – Coonabarabran’s Anglo Australian Telescope (AAT) – which next year celebrates its 50th anniversary.

Operated by the Australian National University and located at Siding Spring Observatory, it’s Australia’s largest optical telescope. When first built in the 1970s, it was one of the biggest in the world, featuring a huge 37-metre dome and weighing a mammoth 560 tonnes.

“In my mind, it’s truly one of the country’s greatest engineering marvels,” says observatory manager Robert Brookfield.

“It was the first large, optical telescope using computer control, resulting in unprecedented accuracy. This had huge benefits in operating efficiency, as no time is lost searching for and acquiring astronomical objects for observation with

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appropriate instrumentation. The telescope is also one of the most scientifically productive in the world.”

Robert started working at the AAT in 2013, after spending his youth in Dubbo, where he enjoyed swimming, experimenting with fireworks and riding pushbikes and motorbikes. Along the way he developed an interest in electronics.

“I had pocket money, which allowed some tinkering with audio equipment, including making my own floor-standing set of speakers to annoy my parents with loud rock music.”

Robert applied to the Royal Australian Air Force as a ground radio technician, and after

Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

completing recruit training at Adelaide, graduated from radio school at Laverton (Melbourne) in 1984. His first posting was Williamtown at Newcastle, where he worked on some “boring radio gear” before moving into complex airfield systems, including navaids, high-power transmitters, and the air traffic control tower voice switch.

One interesting workplace was the Salt Ash bombing range, which had a system to measure the position of the projectiles on a vertical mesh target. With a series of sensors to measure the shockwaves as the projectile passed through the target, the accuracy of the pilot’s shooting could be determined.

“It was scary on the range when Mirage or F18 fighters were diving and shooting at the target,” grins Robert. “Not all the pilots hit the target, and you wondered how strong the buildings were.”

After moving to Melbourne to work at the Telecommunications Engineering Division, his last posting was to Wagga Wagga to provide technical training.

For a change of pace, Robert moved to Leeton to work with Ricegrowers Co-operative (SunRice), to maintain rice colour sorters and other industrial equipment. It was an Australian success story, processing over one million tonnes of rice each year. While there, he learned automation which has assisted with some of his work at the AAT. In 2008 he joined the Research School of Astronomy and Astrophysics at Siding Spring Observatory, working on the 2.3m telescope, SkyMapper, and the last run of the 40-inch telescope before moving back

with Defence at the Over the Horizon radar transmitter at Harts Range, Alice Springs.

Five years later he joined the Australian Astronomical Observatory to manage some of the larger projects at the AAT, including the dome bogie refurbishment, shutter chain replacement and introduction of supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) – a computer system for gathering and analysing real-time data.

SCADA is used to monitor various sub-systems in the telescope, such as the telescope hydraulic plant, primary mirror support system, and the generator and power system. Robert was appointed observatory manager in May 2020, after a period as telescopes and instruments manager.

“City life has never appealed to me,” he says. “I’ve always tried to live in country areas, particularly on small acreage.”

Coonabarabran offers great opportunity for this, with Robert and wife Paula living on the outskirts of town.

“It’s a peaceful environment with exceptionally dark skies, where you can look back into history as the light produced millions of years finally arrives on Earth.

With three acres to play with, there is ample room to get creative. We’ve designed our own gardens and veggie patch to create a slice of paradise.”

Robert says the observatory is a great place to work “For a technical person, there’s a wide variety of equipment and systems. The telescope has to collect, capture and process photons which, in some cases, have travelled over millions

of years using, high-sensitivity sensors.

All the individual systems must function harmoniously in order to capture the data.”

Most of the equipment is specialised and unique to the observatory, ranging from tiny precision components of a spectrograph, high-accuracy robotic systems to a 20-tonne shutter, opened and closed each night.

All these systems require regular maintenance. The observatory has a small team of highly skilled staff to ensure the facility is available for use each evening.

Siding Spring Observatory is a great place to visit, with a visitors’ centre to learn about astronomy and research. There are behindthe-scenes tours where you can learn about the telescope, and a cafe to relax and enjoy the views of the Warrumbungle Mountains.

After visiting the observatory, the Warrumbungle National Park is next door to explore. It’s Australia’s first dark sky park, where at night visitors can explore some of the 70 septillion stars in our universe.

“It’s estimated there are 10,000 stars for each grain of sand on earth,” smiles Robert.

“It does make you think, with that many stars, what’s the chance of extra-terrestrial life in the universe outside of our planet?” RLM

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: Siding Spring Observatory sits high upon an ancient volcano on the edge of the Warrumbungle National Park. The remote location was chosen to provide astronomers with the best conditions to probe deep into space. The Anglo-Australian Telescope is the largest optical telescope in the country.

ABOVE: Observatory manager Robert Brookfield explains the wonders of the universe, the Visitors’ Centre.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

the potter’s

wheel turns It’s a case of life repeating itself at Pilliga Pottery. Nearly four decades after starting her ambitious project with a husband and two young blond boys by her side, Maria Rickert is now doing the same with the next generation.

It’s been an amazing journey for Maria, who with a lot of help, turned a blank canvas into a small, vibrant community, frequented by fellow life travellers from all points of the compass.

Pilliga Pottery is a great family place to stay and relax, with a variety of accommodation options – from the opulent School House and Poets’ Cottage to the Studio and Farmhouse, with five rooms including small apartment.

Camping is always a popular option.

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The oasis in the middle of the Pilliga Forest, now boasts eight family members and six permanent workers. With regular visitors, guests and artists, it has a permanent buzz, especially in the cool of a sunset when job quotas have been met and it’s time to enjoy the company of strangers from all over the world.

Former governess and artist Julie Squire has been working with the family for three decades. In the early years she was

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teaching the children Johannes, Bernhard and Eva in the stunning school house.

Now, with the next generation coming through, it’s history repeating itself, only this time Julie has handed the reins to new governess, Elke Baden, who arrived three years ago with a remarkable resume.

The former actress and flight attendant has taught English in China and Brazil and, like the majority of farm residents, has a German connection – in this case her father.

Elke has the skills and temperament to help raise the next generation in their formative years. Ironically, she is studying French as part of her university course, on her way to becoming a teacher.

All the staff come with similar amazing stories, including much-loved, long-term chef, Kimi Liu from Taiwan. Her infectious smile and skills in the kitchen have endeared her to everyone she meets. > CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Pottery of all description; admin girl and glazer Marany Chan with Bella (standing) teaching children Lily, Matilda, Jai and Leon the joys of pottery from a young age; the team: Maria Rickert, daughter Eva, daughter-in-law Regina and Bella Sowerby assemble in front of the old school house; Richard and Maria Rickert established the pottery from scratch nearly four decades ago.

FACING PAGE, FROM TOP: Pilliga Pottery from the air; Johannes Rickert behind the potter’s wheel.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Likewise, Marany Chan, from Coonabarabran, who tends to the administration and paperwork. Over the past six years she continues to impress with her glazing skills, which she commenced on her arrival.

Since we last featured Pilliga Pottery in our 2017 edition, the third generation has grown from two to five boys. While there have been no girls, the family was thrilled to see the recent arrival of their father and grandfather.

Maria’s former husband and good friend Richard has come “home” following his retirement from decades-long business interests in Germany.

It really is a case of the wheel turning full circle. During their Australian backpacking adventure nearly 40 years ago, the two German newlyweds spent a glorious night under the stars at the Warrumbungle Mountains.

So enraptured by the experience, they visited a local real estate the following day. By the end of negotiations, they emptied their wallets and came up with the $500 deposit.

They couldn’t believe what they had just done – buying a dusty, unimproved property on the edge of the Pilliga Forest, an area the size of Belgium. It was a big gamble that through a lifetime of love, devotion and decades of hard work is finally paying off.

Despite the marriage floundering, Richard made regular visits back to the farm to visit his three children and check on the latest developments.

These days he is happy catching up on some long overdue family time, while planning to travel and become an author. His own story would be a good start.

“This place was built by resourcefulness, passion and love of family,” says Maria, a woman who has never stepped down from a challenge. “It’s nice to have Richard back.”

The Rickert children have never been busier. The working sheep and cattle farm is run by Johannes, also known for his exquisite hands behind the potter’s wheel.

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With his German wife Regina, they have two beautiful blond sons, eight-year-old Johann and Leonhard, six.

“Like Maria, I was born in a small village in Bavaria on a dairy farm,” says Regina.

When she was 21, after her studies, she travelled for three months in Australia, finding her future husband at the Pilliga farm.

Second son Bernhard and Bella Sowerby have an 18-month-old son Archie and live at “Eagle Valley” on the farm. A New Zealand girl born in Germany, Bella learnt German at school but is taking some refresher courses from her partner. The two met on the farm when Bella was on a paid working stay.

Eva, the part-time lawyer in the family, and partner Grant Waterson, an electrician, are the only ones not living on “Barkala Farm”. They’re only 30 minutes’ away on a Dandy Road property with sons Jack, two, and baby Henry. RLM Find out more about this fascinating place at their Facebook page www.facebook.com/ PilligaPotteryandBarkalaFarmstay or phone (02) 6842 2239.

FROM LEFT: The Blue Wren Bush Cafe is well-known for its meals; Taiwanese chef Kimi Liu shows how to deliver service with a smile.

THE HOTEL TAKES SHAPE Each family member is directly involved and committed to the restoration of Coonabarabran’s Royal Hotel. Led by Bernhard, the team’s visionary leader, they admit it’s been a long, drawn-out, eight-year exercise, not helped by extraneous circumstances.

“We went through years of drought, a pandemic and a baby boom,” explains Maria, a fighter to the end. “During the drought, we were surviving on 10 inches of annual rain, forcing us to cart water nearly every day.

“All our energies were on keeping the business alive. In contrast, the past two years have been the wettest on record, each with a 40-inch annual rainfall.”

The family can, however, see the light at the end of the tunnel, with stage one of the hotel due for completion later this year.

The new-look hotel will include a wine bar and cafe as well as a gelato bar, a guest room and a laundromat on the ground floor. The next stage involves the addition of a restaurant and pub accommodation upstairs.

The woman who started it all has never lost her zest for adventure. Maria’s latest adrenalin rush is snow skiing at Jindabyne but it comes nowhere near the love she feels for the community on the edge of the Pilliga Forest that she created from nothing.

With a steady stream of talented artists sharing their skills, it’s little wonder the art and ceramic workshops are in such high demand.

For some peace and quiet and a truly unique country experience, a visit to Pilliga Pottery is a must for every traveller – especially enjoyable for those with German blood in their veins.

While Maria’s children are all partnered up, you never know who you might meet over a traditional meal of Bratwurst sausage or pizza RLM

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Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday 8am - 2pm

(02) 6842 1897 90 John Street, Coonabarabran, NSW 2357

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Living the dream

Coonabarabran’s Cardian’s Coffee Lounge is celebrating its 40th birthday and owner Jacinta Lowrie couldn’t be happier.

This bubbly mother-of-three is living the dream, having started at Cardian’s as a 12-year-old washing dishes. With her eyes firmly on the prize, she spent three years at TAFE, becoming a qualified chef before buying the business in 2014.

Located in the Strand Arcade, between the bridge and clock tower, Cardian’s is the go-to place for a great meal and catch-up in air-conditioned comfort. The daily specials are constantly changing with seating for 50, both indoors and out in the arcade’s quadrangle.

“It’s the perfect setup for any family gathering, function or after-hours party,” says a beaming Jacinta.

One of the longest running cafes in town it’s well frequented by regular travellers who have come to know the friendly team in their smart, black-top uniforms.

“Interacting with my customers is always a thrill,” she smiles. “I ask travellers why they are here and where they are going. The locals keep me up to date with what’s going on in town.”

Jacinta puts the success of Cardian’s down to her 10 staff, including two apprentices, who open the doors at 8am every day of the week.

The most popular dishes are the Cardian’s Brekky, made from ham, avocado, tomato and fetta, and the mouth-watering Schnitzel Whopper for lunch. Takeaway meals are available, with new specials every day.

Two of Jacinta’s regular lunch customers are proud parents Jason and Vicki Hayes, who have been running Hayes’ Homemaker Heaven across the road since 2000.

With two brothers in town, it’s as good as a Hayes daily get-together. Chris “Chip” Hayes works at Subway, also across the street, while Cooper is an auto electrician with a towing business, one block away.

After working with her team all day, Jacinta drives back to her small farm on Timor Road to deal with the “boys” in her life – husband Chris and three sons, Braxton, five, Lincoln, three, and baby Hendrix, named after one of the world’s greatest guitarists.

Chris, a former shearer, works with

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Warrumbungle National Park and helps Jacinta in child-raising duties.

They are exhausting times, but Jacinta is enjoying juggling motherhood and a career that’s been in the making since her early teenage days washing dishes. RLM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Jacinta Lowrie with one of her delicious cakes at Cardian’s Coffee Lounge; Thai beef salad; Cardian’s brekky; carrot cake; home-made biscuits; the famous Cardian’s Whopper.

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FINDING

From their stunning vantage point, Coonabarabran graziers James and Sue Forbes can spot visitors arriving from a mile away.

It’s all thanks to their elevated, freshly completed country manor, carefully designed to show off not only the long, dirt road winding up to the homestead but Timor Rock and the rugged Warrumbungle Mountains in the background.

It’s a view to die for and one of the reasons they bought the picturesque “Nullabong” property seven years ago, just three years after the disastrous Wambelong fires almost wiped the place off the map.

“Unlike some of our neighbours, this place was thankfully spared but it was a close call,” explains James, as we soak in the glorious space.

Calling it minimal would be an understatement – nothing is out of place in this carefully thought-out, ultra-modern design conceived by Mudgee architect Cameron Anderson.

The open-plan home could easily be mistaken for a small gallery, with large, statement artworks adorning the walls – or a very chic B and B.

paradise

It’s the last place you’d expect to see James, aka “Forbsey”, a down-to-earth stockman known far and wide for his natural affinity with horses.

After a lifetime of mustering and sheep work on the family property “Sunny Brae”, about 10km from Coonabarabran, he was keen to acquire more land for his burgeoning livestock enterprises.

In 2005, with wife Sue by his side, they found the perfect farm at “Mount Nombi”, Mullaley. After a decade they felt it was time to start thinking about retirement options and put the place on the market, selling it within 10 days of listing. >

ABOVE: Coonabarabran graziers Sue and James Forbes are thrilled to be finally in their new home.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

“WE WERE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT SOURCING AS MUCH OF OUR BUILDING MATERIALS LOCALLY AS POSSIBLE.”

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They inspected a few 100- to 300-acre lifestyle blocks in Mudgee but found them too small. They always had a soft spot for Coonabarabran and jumped at the opportunity to buy into good country at the foot of the mountains, barely 10 minutes’ drive from town.

For the first few years they lived in the historic wattle-and-daub cottage at the front of the property. The former vineyard and orchard was owned by the late Laurie Connell for almost 50 years.

While undertaking cottage renovations, James and Sue fastidiously planned the biggest project of their lives. Nothing was left to chance, even down to choosing kitchen cupboards without handles.

The first job was erecting the shed and workshop. By installing solar panels on top, they could provide power for the build of their home – a more viable option than erecting 1.5km of power lines, which would have destroyed their uninterrupted view.

While some owner-builders often have painful stories to tell, the job ran smoothly – apart from the back-breaking job of picking up and carefully placing thousands of boulders for the magnificent rock walls.

The build was finished within 12 months, on time and on budget, thanks to the expertise of local builders Shaun Jenner and Doug Parks.

Mark Hawkins handled all the electrical work while the team from Resch’s Kitchens installed the amazing cooking space as well as all the other joinery throughout the home.

“We were very passionate about sourcing as much of our building materials locally as possible,” says Sue. “Coonabarabran businesses were very competitive with their pricing and more than helpful, which made for a satisfying build.”

To keep the home warm in winter and cool in summer, James and Sue used rammed-earth walls with thick insulation. Blackbutt timber features on the walls while stunning travertine stone tiles imported from Turkey make cleaning the floor a breeze.

As the dream home progressed, Sue started an extensive garden out back. Having started six from scratch, she knew exactly which Australian native plants would enhance the landscape.

With assistance from Binnaway wholesale nursery, Bilby Blooms, and a huge grass tree from Queensland, the garden has been transformed into an easily managed and colourful space, only equalled by the infinity front lawn.

In October 2022, the pair hosted an open garden day, creating a great opportunity to invite the neighbours and fellow gardening enthusiasts to see and enjoy the fruits of their labours.

Only a few years shy of his 70th birthday, Forbesy still loves his horses but doesn’t saddle up as much as he’d like. Apart from his stint in Mullaley, he’s been helping at the Coona Horse Expo since the beginning, for decades delivering results on horseback in the cross-country competition.

These days the sheep have been replaced by Rangeland and Boercross goats, while the couple continues to trade in cattle.

Sue, a former director of the Tooraweenah Prime Lamb Association, an original expo committee member and project manager for the build, has never backed down from a challenge.

Both believe all the hard work is worth it when Sue’s daughters Diana and Fiona Cormie, and grandchildren Lauren, Hunter and Zara, come to visit. In summer, their favourite spot to sit and relax is in the gauzed outdoor living room with views you can watch all day and never tire of … not that there’s a lot of time for that. RLM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT:The new home fits beautifully in with the landscape; all the rooms offer a rural outlook; the uncluttered bedroom; the stone wall was a back-breaking chore; the open-floor plan works well; the gardens have been planted with Australian natives; the spacious, open, main room features large artworks.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

The pipes are calling There’s nothing quite like the sound of bagpipes on a still night to stir the blood of any living, breathing music lover and in Coonabarabran there’s now more than a few pipers about town.

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

These days, it’s not uncommon for the lilting strains of Scotland The Brave (the unofficial anthem of all Celts) to be heard drifting through the night air courtesy of the recently formed Coonabarabran Celtic Club.

A snippet from the Coonabarabran Times suggests there was Celtic dancing and piping in the town in 1933, when WT Neilson, from Neilson’s General Store, was chieftain of the Coonabarabran Highland Day Sports.

Those days are long gone and for many years NSW Ambulance paramedic Dave Hunter had been one of the very few active pipers in the region. That was until Robert Noakes returned to Coona following his retirement five years ago.

Robert first moved to Coonabarabran in 1966 as a young farm lad from Walcha. He attended Coonabarabran High before beginning a career with the Commonwealth Public Service, which entailed four years in Taiwan as a diplomat followed by a further three in Thailand.

After playing with the Canberra City Pipes and Drums and the Australian Federal Police Pipes and Drums from the 1990s, he achieved every piper’s dream and appeared on the 2009 Edinburgh Military Tattoo program.

Robert was thrilled to join Dave as the town’s second active piper.

“We soon realised there was little opportunity in Coonabarabran for anyone to learn a new instrument, so we offered free tuition to anybody who showed an interest,” he says.

Today the Coonabarabran Celtic Club has three drummers and four pipers, two of whom were trained at the club. Another handful has expressed an interest in learning.

“There’s an old saying with playing the bagpipes: It takes seven months to learn, seven years to be proficient and seven generations to be any good,” laughs Robert.

He sees the club as much more than a band.

“It’s a celebration of Celtic culture,” he says. “We are honing our skills and seeking to forge relationships with other bands.

“Once we reach a certain standard of proficiency, we should be able to take our place at other Celtic gatherings throughout the land.”

Club president and colourful local identity, Doug King says the club has been well supported by the Coonabarabran RSL Sub-Branch, which has offered rooms at the sporting complex for them to practise.

“It’s perfect for us and out of the way. We also use the basketball courts for marching practice,” he says.

The Dubbo and District Pipe Band has also been very helpful, supplying much-needed equipment – and even some of their musicians for particular events.

With a few lengthy breaks, Heather Martin has been playing the bagpipes for nearly 50 years. Married to a Mullaley farmer, she has played at Edinburgh Castle and the Scottish Highland Games with Dubbo piper, David Walker.

Ken Windsor, from Dubbo, is among the new recruits to the clan. In the 1960s, he was a leading drummer in the Royal Navy Pipe Band and on three occasions played at the Edinburgh Tattoo.

On the day RLM visited, the club was hosting a benefit concert at Neilson Park. Putting in a guest appearance was local music legend Terry Tighe, an ageless gentleman who’s been playing the saxophone for 65 years. “We had lots of bands in Coonabarabran in the 1960s and 70s, when live music was at its peak,” Terry says. “It’s great seeing another band in town after all this time.”

There are a lot of theories about the origins of bagpipes.

“Nobody really knows for sure,” says Robert. “We do know they didn’t originate in Scotland. The common belief is they emerged thousands of years ago in the Middle East, made originally from the skin of goats and sheep.

“While the Scots may not have invented them, they are known to have perfected the instrument.”

Pipe major Dave Hunter says he and the team break out the bagpipes on ANZAC Day and at other events such as weddings and funerals.

“Hopefully you will see us in upcoming street parades and at Celtic celebrations,” he grins. RLM

“THERE’S AN OLD SAYING WITH PLAYING THE BAGPIPES: IT TAKES SEVEN MONTHS TO LEARN, SEVEN YEARS TO BE PROFICIENT AND SEVEN GENERATIONS TO BE ANY GOOD.”

FACING PAGE: Pipers Kyle Doran, Heather Martin, David Walker, Doug King, David Hunter, Robert Noakes and Gerard Cahill; pipe major David Hunter loves sharing music with the community.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Ken and Audrey Windsor, Dubbo; Robert Noakes; Heather Martin; drummers David Lusby, Brendan Graham, Merilyn Nevell and Ken Windsor; drummer Merilyn Nevell; Doug King on the flute; drummer Brendan Graham; piper David Walker.

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MAP MAESTRO

Coonabarabran’s John Whitehead is fascinated by cartography – the mild-mannered writer and historian has devoted his life to mapping out and walking in the footsteps of our earliest, and often unrecognised explorers.

The sprightly 87-year-old reflects on his life’s work in the study of the home he’s shared with wife Janet for half a century.

The light, airy space is filled wall-to-wall with neatly-organised history books and autobiographies telling tales of men who traversed the country by horseback, camel and on foot. On his table are scattered dozens of historic district maps.

“I’ve always enjoyed reading biographic works, and with a set of maps beside you, it’s easy to follow and visualise where the action is taking place,” he says with a broad smile.

One of his favourite subjects is local history, starting with explorer John Oxley’s 1818 expedition through the district.

“Not many people know that Oxley was a ship’s navigator. To him, the exploration of the western plains was like another sea – unknown and uncharted,” he says. “He was a rather aloof man and never mentioned his men – or himself, for that matter – in any of his journals.

“Nobody on that expedition knew anything about farming or the land they passed through. If they had any idea, it was based on the lush green environment found in England.”

The Pilliga Scrub, for instance, was described by Oxley as “quicksand and desert, desolate and forbidding”. A lot of the good country was missed.

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Oxley had little contact with the local Aboriginal population, which John estimates numbered from 1000 to 2000 in the Coona, Gunnedah and Narrabri areas.

“That’s not to say they weren’t there,” he says carefully. “They must have been gobsmacked to see men with white skin, clothes and 19 horses for the first time.”

Until he came to Coonabarabran as shire engineer, John knew little of how his new town came into being. That all changed in 1968, two years later, when the local high school headmaster invited him to help investigate Oxley’s route through the Warrumbungle, Coonabarabran and Pilliga Scrub areas.

Afterwards he wrote a lengthy detailed report. Oxley’s expedition passed through the northern edge of the Warrumbungles to Bugaldie, before heading to the coast via “Garrawilla”, Mullaley – one of the original runs in the district.

John meticulously followed the original route from the comfort of his car, leading to a lifelong obsession with maps and reading about other Australian explorers.

“My trip was vastly different to Oxley’s, who travelled on horseback – unlike the rest of his party who were forced to follow on foot, pulling pack horses laden with supplies, guns and equipment.

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“Twelve of the 16 men on the expedition were convicts,” he says.

“They were given a ticket of leave when they survived the trip – which they all did.”

John says recent stories on explorers concentrate on the more glamorous and adventurous expeditions in the remote regions of Australia, many with original journals, a short introduction and brief commentary.

“To me, this does not provide enough information for an adequate understanding of the expedition route and the camp location.”

He admits that failures in the history of Australian exploration seem to garnish more attention, particularly when lives were lost or Aborigines became a problem – rather than showing successful outcomes.

“Less-noticed explorers, such as Oxley, Evans, Cunningham, Hume, King, Roe, Stirling and many others were very successful in locating extensive fertile lands and expanding the horizons of our nation,” he says.

“They rarely receive public attention, mainly because they did not fail in their goals or lose any lives.”

It was much the same when he attended primary school in Orange during the lean war years, when his father was a professional rabbit trapper.

“When I was little, I used to help him,” he says. “I hated it but at least we always had something to eat – even if it was baked rabbit or rabbit stew.”

Like most people his vintage, John learnt the British Empire version of Australian history.

“I remember school history books with drawings and descriptions of Sturt in a boat on the Murray River shooting at ‘natives’ on the shore; Kennedy being speared by the blacks; Burke and Wills courageously perishing from starvation while the poor ‘natives’ looked at them in wonderment; the near-to-death Eyre being supported by his faithful black servant.

“We were told our heroic British explorers conquered the continent to make it safe and civilised for us to live in. This enabled our erstwhile pioneers and settlers to take advantage of all the wonderful natural resources being discovered in an uninhabited country.

“School history books presented Captain Cook as the discoverer of Australia – and many still consider this to be the truth, despite Aborigines having occupied the continent for at least 60,000 years.”

John is on a roll, touching on visits by Asian and Indonesian voyagers and the discovery of the north and east coast by the Portuguese, circa 1521.During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Dutch, Spanish and French all made brief visits.

“I cannot remember if I disagreed with or even queried those early history lessons and documents,” he says. “It must have sparked some curiosity because in later years I continued to be interested in early Australian history.”

It started with explorers’ journals and, eventually, many of the books written by other authors on explorers’ expeditions – most of them lacking in maps and location descriptions.

“I used to get rather agitated, wanting to know the exact location of the explorer at any particular time on his journey. For me, the maps and illustrations included in the books were not up to scratch.”

John believes the explorers themselves prepared and published better maps than their eventual historical commentators. Oxley made sure his mapping quality was as good as the publication methods allowed at that time.

“Leichhardt, Sturt, Mitchell, the Gregory brothers and Giles all ensured their publications contained good, clear maps. It is also interesting to note that navigators, surveyors and engineers are the people who prepared the more recent books on explorers.”

In the past two decades, John has written14 books, including several on Oxley and other early explorers, one on the history of the Warrumbungle National Park and another on geology of the

Warrumbungle Range. He also writes a regular historical column in the Coonabarabran Times.

“I’m sure my character is similar to the Aborigines, in that I too have some kind of connection with the landscape,” he admits with a grin. “I like to feel the sense of discovery that both explorers and Aborigines had when traversing the land.

“It might seem strange that a civil engineer could also be some kind of historian, but it is what you feel about history and geology and not what your vocation happens to be.”

John believes his passion keeps his brain active and functioning, but admits it takes a curious nature and a ton of patience – especially when you are the only one tackling the subject.

Married for 63 years, John and Janet have three daughters, six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren; their visits are about the only thing that can distract him from his meticulous research.

Jane McWhirter is the manager at Davidson Cameron, Coonabarabran and her sister Carolyn Dowling is a receptionist next door at Forsyth’s Accounting, while Kim Moran works in the Prime Minister’s Department, Canberra.

There’s plenty to reflect on his long and stellar career as Coonabarabran shire engineer, where his biggest projects included the building of the Binnaway bridge in 1968 – before that it was a low-level crossing and prone to becoming isolated after big rains – and the road to Siding Spring Observatory.

John is proud to see Coonabarabran develop from 1860 when the first house blocks were selling for £4 with a 10 per cent deposit. As one of the team at the Coonabarabran History Group, he will never stop keeping the town’s past alive and well. RLM FACING PAGE: Writer and historian John Whitehead has studied the history of Coonabarabran and the Warrumbungle Mountains ever since moving to the town in the late 1960s.

ABOVE: Having written 14 books on the area, John is considered a local treasure.

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Marie had a little lamb

A Coonabarabran lamb lover and an army of granny knitters have donated 360,000 colourful woollen lamb jumpers to grateful Aussie farmers.

The heartwarming concept was the brainchild of Marie Knight OAM, who runs a Merino wool flock on “Barrumbuckle” at the foot of the Warrumbungle Mountains with husband Tony.

Over the past five years she has met and spoken to a cast of thousands, dropping off jumpers and attending rural events to speak about orphaned lambs and communities working together.

The Knight family has been farming in the Warkton Valley since 1854 and like most, experienced a run of bad seasons they would sooner forget. The 2013 Wambelong fire decimated half their farm, while recent wet seasons saw more lambs lost than during the worst drought in a century.

“It’s hard on the stock going from one extreme to another,” admits Marie, a former roving bank manager and now a casual at the town library.

“At the height of the drought we didn’t even join our ewes – without feed, it would have been a disaster. It was easier keeping them alive without the extra burden of carrying a lamb.”

During the second year of drought, Marie began reading heartbreaking stories on social media about farmers trying to save their poddy lambs.

“In cold weather, ewes simply walk away from their newborn lambs,” she explains.

“The cold can kill them, especially in the first two weeks of life.”

With more poddies than normal, Marie sought help from her mother, Doreen Norris, who knitted the organisation’s first jumper before getting her local knitting group involved.

By mid-2018, Marie was offering spare jumpers to any farmers needing them – receiving 100 requests on the first day. To increase her audience, she spoke with Sally Bryant on ABC Rural, causing a snowball effect.

“I set up a Facebook page and within a week had given 700 new jumpers to farmers,” she says.

After appearing on TV and in countless magazines, all with a knitting pattern

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

for the growing army of volunteers, her organisation has gone global. On the verandah are thousands of American, British, New Zealand and Aussie-made jumpers ready for postage or delivery by Marie or one of her team.

“Our knitters are so generous,” she says.

“Apart from the jumpers, they donate thousands of beanies, food, baby goods and money to help our farmers. Many great friendships have been made along the way.”

At the end of the day, it’s not just about the welfare of lambs, but about community, support and a good cup of motherly love.

“We love our farm animals and have so many pets it’s ridiculous,” laughs Marie, a farm girl who grew up on the other side of the mountains before meeting Tony 20 years ago at the Imperial Hotel.

Her current crop of 16 orphans is fed on the bottle six times a day before joining hundreds of others in a carefree and hopefully long life.

“Of course, we both love a good lamb roast but if it’s got a name, it’s not on the menu – we treat our orphan lambs like our babies,” she grins.

“Each lamb has its own personality, which you can determine within a few days. People think they are stupid but it’s not true – poddy lambs make affectionate pets and are fun to work with.”

All are named on the day of their arrival, with the latest orphans enjoying a royal connection.

After the passing of the Queen, they bear names like Liz, Beth, Lilibet, Phil and Will.

“Many jumpers come with gifts, money and the most wonderful letters,” she says. “Even today these letters make a hardworking farmer feel less isolated.

“We’ve had jumpers sent from all over the world. Some farmers have been lucky enough to get chocolates with their jumpers from Belgium.

In 2019 the group produced a calendar, raising funds for the CWA and Rotary drought funds.

A delightful children’s book, Poddy’s Jumper was released two years later, featuring the work of Marie and her husband. Written by Patricia Bernard and illustrated by Krista Brennan, the book has become a children’s hit.

“I am so proud of the story and wonderful pictures,” says Marie. Patricia has since written a play for school children from the story.

“On our Facebook page, supporters ask to see what we were doing in our daily lives on the farm. It became our way of showing others what it was like living through a drought. In the process, I think we helped bring city and country a little closer.

Marie says it’s about helping others.

“I love our sheep and life on the land, especially rescuing poddy lambs. Our knitters

love to help, and the famers appreciate the jumpers. It was a simple idea that took off because it works and unites people.”

The ever-so-cute jumpers are also proving popular with orphaned goats.

“Most goat breeders have smaller numbers, making it relatively easy to put jumpers on the kids. Like lambs, it increases their survival rate,” she says.

Marie has heard plenty of uplifting stories from farmers after receiving a parcel of jumpers created with love.

“A farmer told me her husband hadn’t smiled in months, then one day came in chuckling to himself,” she says. “She had been worried about him and wanted me to know that a paddock of lambs sporting colorful jumpers had given so much support and joy to her family.

“Our knitters tell me that by giving them a way to help, we are helping them. During COVID, many said it was giving them

something positive in their lives.”

Marie’s selfless dedication to others earned her an OAM from NSW Governor, the Honorable Margaret Beazley in 2020 for services to rural and isolated Australians.

“We make a decent living from wool and have a responsibility to ensure every lamb born goes on to have a good and productive life,” she says. RLM The best way to become involved is through the Facebook page, www.facebook.com/ lambjumpershelpingourfarmers ABOVE: Wool producer Marie Knight OAM feeding ‘Button’ on the verandah of her home, while ‘Morgan’ laps up the sun.

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: Marie with a painting of her and husband Tony from the children’s book, Poddy’s Jumper; Marie receives her OAM from Governor Margaret Beazley in 2021, with Tony and mother, Doreen Norris.

COONABARABRAN RLM 93

T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Coonabarabran CALLING

Farm living has brought out the creativity in former city-based musician, producer, songwriter, poet and artist Paul Iannuzzelli.

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

When musicians visit Paul’s MusicPro Farmhouse Studio, they are greeted with fresh country air, the scent of horses and stunning vistas of the Warrumbungle ranges.

It’s a long way from the recording studios created with his late father on the Central Coast and even further from London, Nashville and Milan, where Paul played and produced music for 20 years.

With an Italian surname, he was always keen to connect with his father’s heritage.

Paul started painting landscapes during an art course in Tuscany and lived for many years on the shores of Lake Como, at the foot of the Alps.

His international connections in the music world would later help build a handy network for his many ongoing projects.

Having seen where his father’s family came from, it was time to learn more about his mother’s past, who’d spent her first 18 years in Gilgandra. Keen to visit the country where she was raised, Paul was surprised to feel a deep connection with the area.

In 2020 he arrived to teach music at Coonabarabran High School – a massive transformation from his former life as a London music producer. The radical treechange was helped by a new appreciation for the wide, open land.

“I’ve visited and lived in cities all over the world, but when I came here, it felt like I was seeing the real Australia,” he says.

“I felt immediately at peace in the openness, the night skies and the expanse. It was like an explosion to my creativity.”

Although offered a house in town, Paul wanted the full-blown country experience. His dream of a nice house on acres was answered after a chance encounter via the canteen supervisor, who connected him with local grazier Tric Knight.

“We laugh that Peter (Tric’s husband) is a farmer who wants to be a musician while I’m a musician who wants to be a farmer,” he grins.

Embracing farm life to the full, Paul has skinned a few rabbits and dined on wild boar caught on the property. When he is not busy working in his studio, he loves riding, mustering and will even lend a hand pregtesting the cattle.

The farmhouse was the natural setting to create a sound recording studio of the highest level. Over a lifetime, Paul has learnt to treat sound in a variety of environments while knowing the best way to get the most out of any artist.

“Artists have learnt to trust the sounds I can produce,” he says. “If they are a bit stressed, I’ll saddle up the horses and take them for a ride through the hills. For me, it’s all about unlocking the creativity.”

With Air Supply guitarist David Moyse as his long-term mentor, Paul has learnt the finer skills of production and tricks of the trade. Since his return to Australia, he has

already produced recordings that have topped the Triple J charts and secured an ARIA nomination.

With two music degrees from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he was always going to make his life from teaching, producing and making music.

Although an acclaimed vocalist, saxophone and keyboard player, he can easily turn his hand to drums, bass and rhythm guitar.

Over his career, Paul has performed in front of massive concerts and worked alongside music industry heavyweights, but these days is equally content watching a country sunset.

After returning to Australia, he managed a large commercial studio (where INXS recorded) before building a series of studios on the Central Coast.

It’s out near the mountains, however, that Paul’s discovered a new energy, penning dozens of new poems and is working on a book about creativity.

As well, he’s about to release two apps, one featuring music education and the other a collection of his creative works, including meditational piano music.

Never far from his side is rescue dog Bobby, given to him as a companion after the loss of his father a few years ago. The two are inseparable.

His mother and three brothers have all visited his new and inspiring country abode.

“There are only two places in the world make me feel at home, he says. “One was when I kissed the tarmac as I first arrived in Italy at the age of 27.

“The other time was out here when I scooped up a handful of dirt and let it fall through my hands at the age of 50. It was an emotional connection – I can feel it and almost taste it.”

Paul suggests one of the best things about Coonabarabran is the absence of traffic lights.

“The 2022 ANZAC ceremony around the clock tower was a very moving experience. I wrote a poem about if for the local paper,” he says.

“Yes, I love the place. It ticks all the boxes.

The only other place that even comes close is Lake Como.”

In the meantime, Paul continues to work as a producer, musician and songwriter, while devoting time to charity and other philanthropic and educational community initiatives.

After our meeting, Paul penned a few words about his special connection to the town on the Castlereagh. RLM Out here, I love the romance between the land and those that live upon it. It’s a dance full of love and danger.

When it rains, there is no insipid drizzle from light-grey skies like in London, here it is a tempestuous outburst of passion – furious, fullbodied, voluptuous, thunderously loud, heaving, unrelenting… yet glorious, and gone before you can get used to it, leaving you exhausted and bathed in a lingering, sweet, cooling sweat that makes you hunger for more.

Europe to me is a place where humans have somehow built civilisations that tame nature, but out here, she is wild and free – and she will thrash about with no regard for those cowering away from her floods and fires.

It is we who are tamed, fortifying our homes and then rebuilding when we lose them, surviving the whimsical return of another torturous drought, kicking our boots into the red dusty dirt full of frustration, begging for the storms to come and replenish dormant but once fertile soil.

And you love her for it – as crazy as she gets.

Her beauty is unparalleled, and the songs felt in her dazzling wonders are incessantly lavished upon you. She is a siren who brings your days to life with limitless treasure.

Out here, you can feel the personality and emotions of the land like no other place in the world… you can run with her open freedom like wild horses … and to me, it is paradise.

ABOVE: Musician, producer, songwriter, poet and artist Paul Iannuzzelli with rescue dog Bobby in his new recording studio at the foot of the Warrumbungles.

FACING PAGE: Since moving to the bush, Paul has developed a strong connection with horses.

COONABARABRAN RLM 95

T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

giving comes

naturally

Warrumbungle Shire Citizen of the Year 2023 Rhonda Jewiss is the epitome of the perfect community member, devoting a lifetime to helping others and making Coonabarabran a better place to live.

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Apart from running Prezzies, the gift shop that keeps on giving, Rhonda serves her community in countless other ways.

Since buying the shop with her sister, Leonie Jenkins in 1989, she has spent 34 years as the longest-serving member of the Chamber of Commerce, helping organise special town functions like the Bunny Bazaar and Christmas events.

As a valued member of the Town Beautification Committee, Rhonda was part of the beautification team that recently transformed a little-used laneway into the Little Timor Street Plaza.

“The space gets used every day and the visitors love it as much as the locals,” smiles Rhonda. “Families stop for a rest while soaking in the ambience of the main street. They can grab a pie from the bakery, a paper from the newsagents and a special gift from Prezzies – the perfect combination!”

The plaza is one of Rhonda’s favourite places and you will find her there most mornings, watering the trees and ensuring everything is clean and tidy. For this quiet achiever, it’s second nature to help the community she has grown up in and loves.

The plaza is located in the middle of John Street and adjacent to her gift shop, formerly McDonagh Stores, one of a chain of merchant stores across northern NSW. Built in 1911, the building features an ornate glass leadlight sign stretching over two shopfronts and a sky well, with windows on all four sides.

The building was divided in the 1960s, with Prezzies sharing the space with neighbour Melissa Wright, from Charli and Evie.

grandmother. Her award takes pride of place next to the 2006 plaque for Best Gift Shop in NSW and the ACT. Rhonda has always played a major role in local activities, serving as president of the Coonabarabran Arts Council, vice-president of the VIEW Club, a member of the Garden Club and volunteer for Driver Reviver.

In her younger days she held senior positions within both the Scouts and Girl Guide movements (your humble scribe remembers her being his Akela 50 years ago!). With her late husband Gordon, the pair hosted many overseas students through the Rotary Exchange organisation.

Although there is some speculation about her retirement, Rhonda admits she’s in no rush to wind up a successful business she has managed for almost half her life.

“I’ve been thinking about when I might retire,” she admits with a grin, “but as long as I continue to love my job and make a difference, I will stay put.”

Rhonda has provided the town and passing travellers with more than a refreshing shop to stop and browse. For decades she’s been an enthusiastic community member, committed to the town’s appearance and well-being. RLM

Gifts for all occasions

Prezzies is a shop with something for everyone. Some of her regular items include French country nighties, beautiful leather handbags, bags by Didgeridoonas, wall hangings, hand creams, cards, candles and a host of other goodies.

“We place a large emphasis on catering for special occasions, with a diverse and unique array of gifts – from a 90th birthday right through to decorator items for a christening,” says Rhonda.

Long known as “the little gift shop of the two sisters”, Leonie has been out of the business for 26 years but still calls Coonabarabran home. For many years Prezzies has been a handy drop-off and collection point for the various organisations with which she is involved.

“The main street hasn’t really changed much in the past 40 years,” she reflects from her counter, which offers a good view of daily happenings.

“I have seen many businesses change hands over the years.

At the moment I’m seeing a lot of people born-and-bred in Coonabarabran, coming home to enjoy their retirement years.

Other young people are moving here for a lifestyle change.”

Winning Citizen of the Year has made Rhonda a proud but forever humble Coonabarabran businesswoman, mother and

• • •

36 John Street, Coonabarabran NSW 2357

Handcreams & body lotions Handbags by Ju Ju & Rugged Hide French Country nighties

P. (02) 6842 2660

ABOVE: 2023 Warrumbungle Shire Citizen of the Year Rhonda Jewiss continues to play a huge role in the Coonabarabran business community.

FACING PAGE: Rhonda in the Little Timor Street Plaza, a gem found on the main street; for 34 years Prezzies has been the place to go for a special gift.

• • •

Goondiwindi Cotton ladies wear Fashion jewellery Gifts with a difference

Open Monday to Friday 9am-5pm & Saturday 9am - 1pm

COONABARABRAN RLM 97

In Rachel’s FOOTSTEPS It took the discovery of a lonely bush grave – and four decades of research – to put the life of perhaps Australia’s greatest pioneering woman into perspective.

Finding the simple stone slab on the edge of the Warrumbungle Mountains proved a pivotal moment in Jeff McGill’s journey into his family’s past.

By then, he’d spent the best part of a decade writing the biography of his great-great grandmother, Rachel Kennedy. Next, he’s staring at the final resting place of Rachel’s mother.

None of the countless legal documents or newspaper reports could have prepared him for the rollercoaster of eamotions he would experience on that day.

Rachel was barely 11 years old in 1857 when she dug that grave. With father away droving, her mother, tuberculosis rotting her lungs, had given birth in their dirt-floored, bark hut.

When the baby boy arrived, Rachel carefully cut the umbilical cord with a knife while attempting to stem the blood flow. Sadly, the young girl was left nursing her mother’s lifeless body, soon joined in death by her newborn brother.

The trauma experienced by Rachel and her young brothers as they dug the grave is almost unfathomable.

“It became a turning point in her life, the seed of her eventual fame as a bush midwife,” explains Jeff. “Until that day of discovery I had no idea exactly where this event took place.”

Historical records indicate the Kennedy home was burnt to the ground in 1861 after a bitter legal battle with a wealthy grazier. The grave, at least, showed where they lived.

There was no public map detailing its location. The rugged bush valley is on private property, just outside the boundary of today’s Warrumbungle National Park.

Informed by local historians that nobody had seen the headstone for decades and many bushfires and floods had swept through the area, Jeff, his eldest son, Rob, and cousin Ray Kennedy, set out in earnest.

“After getting permission to pass through locked gates, we trekked for kilometres up a creek trickling out of Mount Bullaway before finding it,” he says.

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Although the headstone had fallen over, and was covered in mud, it was easily read.

“We were shocked by the wave of emotions we felt. Here was the exact spot where the girl I’d been researching, had dragged her mother’s body into a hole.”

Their feelings were only compounded visiting ruins of other farms where Rachel had lived from the 1840s through to the 1930s.

“It was amazing to find an old iron stove rusting in a paddock,” says Jeff. “It was the only remnant of the hut she lived in as a teenage girl, cooking meals on this contraption with her lifelong Aboriginal friend, Mary Jane Cain.”

Walking the ground added so much depth to his document-led journey, exploring relics in the hope of catching a glimpse of the story that lay beyond.

The result of all Jeff’s research is his mustread book, Rachel: Brumby hunter, medicine woman, bushrangers’ ally and troublemaker for good ... the remarkable pioneering life of Rachel Kennedy, published by Allen & Unwin.

It was always going to be a great read. Rachel Kennedy was a colonial folk hero who caught brumbies, hid bushrangers, and went to war with squatter kings.

She fed starving families during the shearing strikes, worked as a bush nurse and midwife, and fought for the underdog after observing bitter experiences of Chinese life on the goldfields.

Rachel was a woman who stood out in a landscape dominated by men and created beacons of hope in the bush: a school, library, even a makeshift hospital.

Jeff admits he was lucky to have had years of oral history passed on by his grandfather, the late Arnold McGill OAM, who knew his grandmother well and heard all her stories.

It all started in 1982, half a century after Rachel’s death, while Jeff was exploring his grandfather’s study – one of those wonderful rooms full of maps, books, photos, framed bird paintings and a well-used typewriter.

His grandfather opened a small tin box,

revealing a faded newspaper article from 1930 – it was Rachel’s obituary.

“I started reading it, out of politeness at first, but was intrigued by the words ‘a noted horsewoman in her younger days who took part in many daring exploits’.

“It fired my imagination. The soundtrack to The Man From Snowy River began running through my head as I conjured up scenes of Rachel galloping through the Warrumbungles – a landscape protected today as one of Australia’s best-loved national parks.

“I wanted to know more and more about this wild colonial girl, but the questions I asked him only generated new questions. What was she like? How did she learn to ride? Why did she help bushrangers? Who was her Aboriginal friend?

“Over the next six years, Rachel became the subject of countless conversations between us, a shared bond of interest, until my grandfather’s passing in 1988.”

Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Rachel’s earliest photograph. An anxious bush girl in a handmade dress poses awkwardly with husband, Robert McGill, in the Maitland studio of JC Wiepel in the 1870s; author Jeff McGill at Rachel’s grave at the Gulargambone cemetery, west of the Warrumbungles, in 2022; Rachel and her family in 1880, standing in front of their Box Ridge homestead on the edge of the Warrumbungle Mountains.

The historic images are from a family collection, courtesy of Michele Sowden.

RACHEL WAS A WOMAN WHO STOOD OUT IN A LANDSCAPE DOMINATED

BY MEN AND CREATED BEACONS OF HOPE IN THE BUSH. The young Sydney newspaper reporter felt the need to somehow preserve this history with perhaps a book or series of articles. The big problem he faced was it was largely based on oral history stories.

“My grandfather was a man of science, renowned for his painstaking and meticulous research. He was a Fellow of the Royal Zoological Society, an expert in avian classification – and not the sort of bloke prone to making stuff up,” he says.

“Was it possible the stories told to my grandfather by others, even Rachel herself, were exaggerations? Or lies? That simple question gave me a hobby for the next three decades.”

With the patient support of wife Trish, Jeff began collecting hard evidence in his spare time: legal and land records, births, deaths and marriages, parish maps, police documents and endless history books.

The family also made many treks to the Warrumbungles to “walk the ground”, exploring old ruins, meeting relatives, and locating bush graves.

“During this time, I had access to thousands of old newspaper articles via Trove – the priceless website of the Australian National Library which helped glue the jigsaw puzzle together.

“Unfortunately, Rachel didn’t leave any diaries or journals to reveal her innermost thoughts, but I still believed her story worth telling. It was very common for women from the rural under-class to disappear into the shadows of history without any acknowledgement of their existence.”

By then a newspaper editor, Jeff had slowly built a documented framework of facts around his grandfather’s tales.

“I’ve been lucky in developing many dear friendships along the way, including

Coonabarabran Gamilaraay elder Aunty Maureen Sulter – a greatgranddaughter of Rachel’s friend, Mary Jane Cain. Other descendants also helped – getting the Indigenous perspective correct was equally important.

“In the end, I’ve come up with a rollicking yarn that still sounds like a campfire tale while based on the truth. I hope the story rings a bell of familiarity across Australia. Rachel might be the story of one person, but it’s really the story of a people.”

Meticulously researched and written with compelling energy, this is a vivid and at times heartbreaking story of a pioneering woman who left a legacy that has endured well beyond her lifetime. RLM

COONABARABRAN RLM 99

T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

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Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

Best buds Two mad-keen home renovators have transformed a sadly neglected, century-old cottage into a true work of art. Framing it is a garden that has raised the bar in Coonabarabran.

Andrew Ewin’s childhood was spent in Coonabarabran. At the age of 20, the son of a former Presbyterian minister set off to see what the world had to offer, well beyond the boundaries of the small country town he called home.

As he motored out along the Purlewaugh Road, he knew he was not leaving town forever and promised himself to one day return. By 2016 Andrew and partner Richard Thornton had retired from their retail and Importing business and were looking for a quieter pace of life.

During a visit to an old Coona friend, the lads were taking a lap down the town’s two main streets, with Andrew pointing out old homes and businesses he remembered from his youth.

Halfway down Dalgarno Street, they noticed a “for sale” sign out front of the cottage.

“I knew the cottage from my childhood as Miss Ison’s house and had visited a few times during my younger years,” says a cheerful Andrew. This very independent spinster lived alone in that house right up until her 99th birthday.

“It was looking very sad and unloved, but we could see great potential in the tired old bones. We were excited by the challenge on offer, stirred by our love of heritage buildings. We knew we could restore it to its former glory.”

On the Monday morning, they rang the agent and made an offer, based on website photos and a quick wander around the outside.

The offer was accepted, and the cottage became theirs.

It was a big move for them, especial after living on the shores of Lake Macquarie. Their new life in a small country town would be very different to anything they were used to.

Richard operated his own travel agency for more than 30 years, escorting group tours throughout Australia and overseas. With a corporate background in operations management, Andrew was the owner of a furniture and home décor business.

“We both have considerable reno experience and this time decided the best option was to move into the cottage as it was and restore each room, one by one,” explains Andrew.

They drew heavily on their decorating and gardening experience, combined with ideas picked up over many years of overseas and interstate travelling with their respective businesses.

Skilled in building and renovating, Richard was able to do most of the work himself, utilising local tradesmen for the electrical and plumbing jobs.

The garden was a blank canvas, full of weeds and privet. Now, seven years later, it is one of the finest and most colourful gardens in town.

Achieving these results entailed careful planning from the start.

Given the shire’s extreme weather patterns, Andrew planted deciduous trees and shrubs around the boundary, along with ornamental grapes on the verandahs and arbors attached to the cottage.

The sea of green provides coolness for the cottage in the hotter months and warmth in the cooler months. It also creates a better climate for roses, iris, agapanthus, hellebores and groundcover plants.

We were excited by the challenge on offer, stirred by our love of heritage buildings. We knew we could restore it to its former glory.”

“Adding pittosporum, lavender and Japanese box for hedges to soften the inner border lines helped create some formality to our garden,” says Andrew, who has developed a reputation around town as ‘the gardening guru’.

“We use large pots, urns, water baths and statues to give our garden a quirky sense of character. We are extremely pleased with the results of our efforts.”

As far as any gardening advice for local green thumbs, Andrew suggests lots of mulch, manure and compost, especially given the town’s predominantly sandy soil.

It may have taken 45 years to fulfill his promise, but Andrew has never regretted returning to the delights of Coonabarabran.

“Returning to your hometown where things used to make sense, you gift yourself time to reassess your life and figure out your priorities,” says Andrew.

“For me it has given me an insight into how I’ve changed and how I see the world around me. The fun part is exploring the town and surrounding districts, comparing what I remember with what I see right now – including a few unexpected culture shocks.

“It’s all about bringing back past memories and matching them with the reality of the present.” RLM

ABOVE: Keen renovator Richard Thornton and gardening guru Andrew Ewin are thrilled with what they’ve achieved with the old cottage; the front and back of the home before restorations started six years ago. It had changed little for almost a century.

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The garden is a sea of colour all year round, thanks to the dedication of green-thumbed Andrew.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Once a railway man …

It’s quite fitting that 33 years after his enforced retirement as Coonabarabran station master, octogenarian Russell Bright is still surrounded by pieces of his past.

The century-old desk and chair Russell spends so much time sitting at, writing about his beloved railways, are remnants from the Coonabarabran train station where he finished up as the town’s last station master in 1990.

When the Binnaway to Coonabarabran line was finished in 1917, there was great fanfare at the town’s new railway station – one of the last timber-built structures in the country. For a few years it was the end of the line before the extension to Gwabegar.

The line left the NSW Railways Main Western line at Wallerawang, west of Lithgow, winding its ways through Kandos, Mudgee and Gulgong before reaching Coonabarabran.

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When Russell took over as station master in 1970, railways still played a vital role in the transportation of goods and passengers.

With an assistant station master and four station assistants, life couldn’t be better. The good times, however, couldn’t last forever.

Becoming a railway man was in Russell’s DNA, with his father one of the last steam engine drivers before switching to the diesels. Bedtime stories of railway life enchanted the young lad, a view cemented by his maternal grandparents, who were gatekeepers and railway guards.

The day he turned 15 in 1950, the plucky teenager joined the Goulburn railway, after his father was posted there at the start of the war.

Russell’s first job was a junior porter, collecting tickets at the barrier, cleaning and doing odd jobs. At the time, it was exciting to be finally employed – even if it was at the bottom rung of the ladder.

The best thing was being part of a team that included several hundred railway employees. Before long he was relieving at a dozen smaller stations, seeing lots of new country while staying in boarding houses.

When he turned 18, Russell entered National Service during a questionable and largely forgotten time, while two brothers were discovering the horrors of the Korean war.

Despite these regular commitments, he continued climbing the ladder, becoming a guard, like his grandfather, by the time he was

Coonabarabran T O W N F E AT U R E

21. By 1955 he took on the job of shunter in Binnaway – a responsible and often dangerous job, involving coupling moving rolling stock.

It was where he met wife Maxine, a local girl from a strong railway family, whom he married in 1958. In its heyday in the 1950s and 60s, the Binnaway railway was a hive of activity, with more than 150 men on the books.

By 1963, just as the more efficient diesel engines were being introduced, the family, including two young daughters, moved to Narrabri, where Russell served as assistant station manager before a stint in Temora.

Finally, in 1970, he was appointed to the top job at Coonabarabran. They were great times, moving into the spacious station master’s home with its two towering London Plane trees (that still stand), a stone’s throw from his workplace.

“In those days, a station master was expected to be fully conversant with all the accounts,” he says. “They needed to be capable of time-keeping duties, rostering of staff and qualified in all systems of safe-working, shunting, programming and controlling trains on branch lines.”

The Mudgee Mail would terminate in Coonabarabran three times a week, bringing parcels and passengers from Sydney. Each Monday and Wednesday it went on to Gwabegar.

Back then, Coonabarabran had eight fuel depots, all supplied by rail. There was

no other town like it, with fuel delivered to Ampol, Caltex, Shell, BP, Amoco, Esso, Golden Fleece and Mobil.

By 1974 there were still plenty of freight trains, carting wheat and gen-eral goods out of Baradine, Gwabegar, Kenebri and Bugaldie. Within six years the passenger service was gone, replaced by coaches.

During his first four years as station master, Russell attended no less than four level-crossing accidents, three of them fatal.

“It was one a year and I was starting to get a bit of a complex about it,” he says, reflecting on the memories.

One of the worst accidents occurred after a 48-class locomotive carrying a local fettling gang, collided with a fuel tanker at a level crossing on the Baradine Road. The truck driver was killed, as was a postman in another accident when he unwittingly skidded his bike into the path of an oncoming train.

Despite these setbacks, it was a job Russell loved, working for 20 years before the Coonabarabran station closed for good in 1990.

Although only 55 and not quite ready for retirement, he took his redundancy and purchased a block on the Timor Road, where he lived with Maxine until moving into town last year.

Although his railway days are long gone, Russell still dreams of the mighty days of rail, devoting the past three decades to

collecting and restoring stationery motors and railway memorabilia.

“It was a sad day when they closed the station,” he remembers. “By then we had grown to love the town and decided to stay put.”

Less than a year after his retirement, the wooden station was burned to the ground in an unsolved arson attack that still leaves Russell bitter. He had only recently obtained a grant to do it up for posterity.

Russell and Maxine’s two daughters, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren are all regular visitors to their delightful home. Leanne Redfern manages Cooinda Nursing Home while Tracy Bright lives near Maitland. A grandchild, Lucy Evans, is the local primary school principal.

“I enjoyed my days on the railway,” he says smiling. “It had its ups and downs but I’m glad it was the path I took through my working life.

“It’s probably fair to say I became a railway man at age five and am still one aged 88. I don’t see that ever changing.” RLM FACING PAGE: It was the end of the line for Coonabarabran station master Russell Bright after the railway’s closure in 1990. Russell’s old headwear still fits after 33 years!

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Russell in his younger days; the old railway station looked like this after his arrival to the town in 1970; the keen collector of railway memorabilia and stationary motors is as busy as ever in retirement.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

Brilliant Baradine On its foundation principles of respect, quality, participation and safety, it’s little wonder Baradine Central School is turning wonderful young people into responsible citizens of the future.

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Even the school’s motto – non scholae sed vitae – which translates into “not in learning but in life” – places emphasis and value on lifelong learning.

With a public education career spanning 47 years, principal Christine Clarke came to BCS in 2010.

She and husband Ross Clarke live on their Baradine family farm.

Being part of a community for such a long tenure, Chris firmly believes if you live locally, you should invest yourself in the school, which she has done in spades.

“In my experience young people tend to mess up. I believe they need a second, third and fourth chance at school to get on the right path for themselves and forge a positive and rewarding future,” Chris says.

Her passion for providing opportunities and actively promoting the agriculture and primary industry as career options for senior students has set the 130-student school apart from others.

The humble, one-acre ag plot is now a thing of the past, with the school signing a lease agreement for 93 acres of the town’s former racecourse, enabling a combination of cattle husbandry activities and small-scale farming using the school’s tractor.

The lease paddock is adjacent to the Camp Cypress holiday facility, which provides accommodation for visiting schools engaging with BCS’s farm.

Chris saw the need for additional training in the rural sector some years ago when district forestry industries shut up shop and employment in primary industry went into decline.

While she concedes the majority of Baradine Central School students are not from farms, many enjoy the opportunities provided to learn the practical aspects of primary production associated with the local area.

Chris is convinced of the school’s vital role in being a place for family. Back in 2015, country music singer-songwriter Josh Arnold visited and worked with students to come up with a song, Baradine, We Are Family. Within three days they’d made a YouTube clip capturing the essence of the school and its geographical locality.

In the clip, then Year 12 student Sophie Horder spoke of her career aspirations and six years later, has achieved those goals and more. After attending Newcastle Uni, she gained conditional early entry into pharmacy and has never left the Steel City. Sophie finished her degree three years ago and recently bought her own pharmacy at Morpeth, near East Maitland.

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“The school provided me with every opportunity I could have asked for – accelerated learning in maths and English in early high school and one-on-one learning in my senior year was a gift.

Baradine Central gave me everything I needed and more.”

When interviewed by Josh Arnold, Billy Carey was a fairly confident young fella with dreams of kicking the footy around.

These days he plays halfback with Baradine Magpies and Castlereagh rep side and is a qualified butcher with Krystie’s Quality Meats, Coonabarabran.

Billy did work experience in Year 10 and began his apprenticeship after Christmas. He’s doing just what he set out to achieve.

Secondary students have participated in life-changing major excursions to Uluru, the Great Barrier Reef and to Winnipeg in Canada.

In the primary department, students from Kindergarten to Year 6 are nurtured in their academic growth and wellbeing by a team of experienced and dedicated staff.

Head teacher Dr Joshua Amiel offers students a suite of science courses to enhance the school’s curriculum. An active researcher of neuroscience, in 2022, Joshua led a yearlong learning study with BCS teachers on the implementation of neuroscience principles.

Sport and physical activity are embraced by the school with students achieving positive experiences. There is a long history of many team and individual successes in rugby, rugby league, league tag, netball, swimming, athletics, and cross-country.

The school has a strong wellbeing focus where every student is known, valued, and cared for. Baradine Central School is located on Gamilaraay country and 55 per cent of students identify as Aboriginal. The community of Baradine is central to a wealth of local Indigenous heritage and cultural sites. In 2026, BCS will celebrate its sesquicentenary. RLM Words: Anna Rose Images: Jake Lindsay

FACING PAGE: Baradine Central School staff and students, K-12, 2023.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: School chaplain Henry Halder (Happy Chappy) with his breakfast club assistants; primary students enjoying their playground; agriculture teacher Stephen Boyd and principal Chris Clarke with enthusiastic cattle handlers at the school farm; relieving principal Matthew Edwards with school leader , Year 12 student Poppy Evans-Prouse; BCS success story Sophie Horder now owns a pharmacy at Morpeth; the beautifully kept school grounds; kinder teacher Emma Kerezsy with students enjoying breakfast pancakes; students Paula Evans and Reahna Dunn and one of the school’s prized fowls; the Coonabarabran Show.

Baradine We Are Family The gateway to the Pilliga, the mills of cypress pine The wildflowers blooming, it all changes with time In Baradine, we are family since 1865 We share a bond, the young and old.

Under one banner we fly From Gwabegar to Kenebri, together we can dream The green and gold, at our Central School We are family, in Baradine From starry nights to sunlight, from mountains to scrublands The spirit of Gamilaroi, on sacred ground we stand In Baradine, we are family since 1865 We share a bond, the young and old Repeat chorus

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

DEVON

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After almost 50 years of cattle breeding, Coonabarabran grazier Peter Knight has never strayed from his beloved Devons.

It started with his father, Noel Knight, a committed Devon man and stud breeder from “Tannabah” at the foot of the Warrumbungles, before the war.

His forebears, John and Louisa Knight arrived in the district from Southampton, England, in 1854, before giving birth to John Jnr, the first of a dozen children.

One century later Peter entered the world, the first of five children to Noel and wife, Sally. Two younger brothers, Tony and Stephen and their wives Marie and Louise, are still on original blocks that have been in the family for 170 years.

Although Devons are now in the minority – at least as far as numbers are concerned – the cows are well-known for their foraging and mothering abilities. Red Devons have long been valued for their top-notch beef and particularly rich milk, hence the name Devonshire cream.

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The breed is one of the oldest in England. In 1623 they were among the first cattle to arrive in North America, on board the early pilgrim ships. Red Devon oxen were the preferred beasts for pulling wagons west on the Oregon Trail.

During the drought Peter and Tric managed to keep intact the core breeding herd, a gamble that could easily have backfired and set them back years.

“The drought was extremely tough and one of the worst times in my life,” admits Peter. “Keeping the nucleus of the herd was both expensive and emotionally taxing. We often questioned if we’d made the right decision but in hindsight, we’re very glad we did.”

The big dry was followed by three excellent seasons, enabling them to quickly get back to their normal production levels.

Although Peter loves the freedom of his mountain country, his cattle and country music, it’s his wife and family that count the most.

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RED DEVONS HAVE LONG BEEN VALUED FOR THEIR TOP-NOTCH BEEF AND PARTICULARLY RICH MILK, HENCE THE NAME DEVONSHIRE CREAM. DARK DAYS OVER BERLIN

FAMILY LIFE

The sparks flew after Peter and Tric met over a few rums at the famous Cattleman’s Bar at the Royal Easter Show, in one of the last events staged at Moore Park. They knew instantly they’d found their soul mate and were married within six months.

Before the wedding, Tric worked for the Dalgety stud stock department in Dubbo, while Peter was finally admitting it was time to settle down after years travelling the world and tending to his 450-strong cow herd in the Warkton Valley.

For the past 32 years they have made their home at “Coonamon”, raising four children, the fifth generation of Knights to emerge from the rugged mountain terrain.

They have all left home, along with their two foster girls, to make their own way in life. The girls Gillian, 29, and Antonia, 27, work in Sydney and Dubbo while the boys are at university. Richard, 25, is in his fifth year of Vet Science at CSU, Wagga Wagga, while Charlie, 22, is in his fourth year of Mechatronic (robotic) Engineering at UNSW. The youngest and tallest (at six foot 10) turned family life upsidedown on December 8, 2017. Charlie was studying for his HSC final exams when a ruptured AVM resulted in a bleed on the brain.

“It’s a miracle he survived, spending three weeks in intensive care at Sydney Children’s Hospital,” says Tric, “This was followed by seven months of rehab, where he learned to breathe, swallow, walk and talk again. Now he’s at uni next to the hospital that saved his life.”

It was the middle of the drought, and their lives were put on hold for 12 months. It was the mountains, insists Tric, that helped with his recovery.

“The mountains were very empowering when Charlie first got home after his long hospital stint,” says the committed horse lover.

All the children rode competitively but now that they’ve gone, Tric has bought an Australian Stock Horse and enjoys quiet strolls through the paddocks. It’s a rare time to get back with nature and reflect on the extraordinary connection between the Knights and her own family from the other side of the world 80 years ago.

During precious time off from his navigational duties with Bomber Command, Noel Knight, a decorated war hero, visited as many English Devon studs as possible, notably the herd of the Duke of Cornwall.

As the war intensified, he and his crew began dropping bombs over Germany, in an effort to bring the conflict to an end. The loss of life on both sides was horrendous, with half the bomber crews never making it home.

The odds on the ground weren’t much better. In Berlin, as the Lancasters rained down terror, Tric’s mother Esther and her family were doing whatever they could to survive as the city was slowly reduced to rubble.

Her family were under some of the raids that Noel flew on – if he only knew that somewhere down in the darkness and terror lay the future grandmother of his grandchildren!

They had fled their homeland in Estonia after the Russian invasion and were now caught in the middle of a nightmare seemingly without end.

Esther’s father, Georg Zinoffsky, was an architect working for Albert Speer, before his promotion to Minister of Armaments and War Production. Speer was tasked with rebuilding the country after the Third Reich secured victory, which of course, never happened.

In 1943 they were able to move from Berlin to Carlsbad, a designated Red Cross town spared from bombing. As the war was drawing to a close, Georg realised the family was in dire peril as the Russian army advanced into Germany.

The family fled west, walking hundreds of kilometres over the next few months, always aiming to keep one step ahead of the Russians. By then, most of the family had been wiped out, some ending up in Siberian gulags, never to be heard of again.

The family’s miraculous escape from war-torn Europe is all recorded in a beautifully written book Foresight and Perseverance, penned by Esther’s sister, Sylvia McNeall, who lived through the ordeal.

They were traumatic times. Tric’s grandfather, Georg, was the only male member of the extended family to survive. He and his young family finally arrived in Australia in 1949, living in the refugee camp at Albury before settling in Kings Cross and later Neutral Bay. Esther married Heikki Jarvisto, also from Estonia, with Tric the youngest of four from that union. Both parents remarried in the 1980s, with Tric enjoying a close relationship with her 89-year-old mother and stepdad Brian Benson, who until recently ran a Murray Grey stud near Dubbo.

Farm life has never been boring and Peter and Tric wouldn’t have it any other way.

“I always said if Peter could arrange a few less droughts, I’d do it all again,” laughs Tric as she speeds off in the Gator with her dogs to help Peter with the muster. RLM

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: A 2017 pic of Tric and Peter Knight, ‘Coonamon’, Warkton, with their pet steer Stuey, who weighed about 1000kg at seven years; a Devon cow and calf unit.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A mob of Devon cows and calves brought in for weaning; the cows are known for their quiet temperament; Tric and Peter after a muster.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonabarabran

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Jolly good show There was something for everyone at the 2023 Coonabarabran Show, hailed a resounding success by organisers.

From the horse, cattle, sheep and yard dog events down to hundreds of local exhibits, it was an excellent turnout from both exhibitors and crowds.

Sheds were packed with everything from wool, poultry, garden and farm produce to jams, sauces, pickles and cakes. Then there was the handicraft, needlework, knitting and crochet, visual arts, 3

photography, horticulture and scarecrow displays.

Special attractions included the night rodeo, animal nursery, sheaf tossing and vintage car and truck display. There was plenty for the kids, with Dinkum Dinosaurs and a live reptile display, ag bike and motocross challenge, Dachshund races and music by feature band Ballz N All. RLM 5

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23 24 1. Ag students from St Young Woman, Madisen McGill.

Lawrence’s, Coonabarabran.

14. Vic Edwards with his prize 2. Qualifying for Sydney was Devon bull from Vix stud, Dubbo parader, Nicola Miller.

Coonabarabran.

3, 4, 5. Thrills and spills at the 15. Pagan Hockley, Gilgandra, rodeo. with fowl judge Luke Turner, 6. Neville Luttrell, Binnaway, Rylstone. with his HZ Holden Kingswood. 16. Ross Lee, Forbes, with his 7, 8, 9. Sideshow alley was Poll Hereford exhibit. busy as ever.

17. Mahari Mitchell and Demi 10. Peter Bowen, Aberdeen, Parnell, Coonabarabran. with Jazz, prepare for the 18. Hannah Ryan, Dubbo, in Sheepdog Trials. the parading class.

11. Parader Max Taylor, Dubbo. 19, 20. Champion exhibits.

12. Rachel Johnston exhibited 21. Xander French-Hughes, the grand champion ram fleece. Coco and grandfather, Brett 13. Coonabarabran Show’s French, Tooraweenah.

22. Art steward Sue Brookhouse with her champion watercolour, and Maureen Lindsay.

23. Champion parader Faith Green, Spring Ridge, with Young Woman, Madisen McGill.

24. There were many exhibits on display.

25. Champion adult rider Sara Wheaton riding Ocean Preview, Narrabri, with judge Lynne Searle, Dubbo.

26. Dave Canham, Bugaldie and Graham Bowden, Coonabarabran.

27. Coonabarabran’s Harvey Jaeger at the sheep judging.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

COONAMBLE TOWN FE ATUR E WORDS & IMAGES: JAKE LINDSAY

The Real Connection from the Mayor of Coonamble Shire Council You’re invited to join us in Real Country – and we’d all love to welcome you here personally in Coonamble Shire – in Wailwan and Gamilaraay Country – as part of your exploration of our region.

Connecting – with nature and with genuine people – is at the heart of the real country experience you’ll encounter.

Coonamble Shire extends from the Warrumbungle Mountains in the east to the Macquarie Marshes in the west, with the Castlereagh River running from the south of the shire to its north.

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Ours is an area of significant natural beauty.

Whether you look down to the soil beneath your feet, across to the possibilities on the far horizon or above your head to appreciate the canopy of stars, our region is where you’ll reconnect with your genuine and authentic self.

A visit to the Warrumbungle National Park Visitor Centre in the south-east of Coonamble Shire is a must. Ask about the various walking trails and RV camping spots to immerse yourself in the wilderness.

On the western side of Coonamble Shire you’ll discover our mini-Kakadu: the Macquarie

Marshes. The recent series of La Niña events over the past spring and summer have replenished the marshes and attracted significant birdlife.

A bird-viewing platform west of the village of Quambone provides an opportunity to see the many species that are in abundance.

You’ll get a sense of what to see and do in our area by flicking through the articles and photos in this magazine, but you’ll miss out on a genuine experience if you don’t come to visit and chat with us.

You won’t appreciate that the lines etched on our faces are from being patient through years

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of drought and from the threat of recent floods.

You won’t see the memory hidden behind the eyes of our Wailwan community of their being rounded-up and taken off-Country from Sandy Camp.

You won’t see the hidden pain in the hearts of others who put their children on a train at Coonamble Railway Station to go on a state-sponsored holiday but never saw those children again – whose stories have now joined those others of the Stolen Generation.

We have stories to tell, and you won’t hear them unless you come for a chat.

On a brighter note, Gulargambone must be one of the most colourful villages in NSW, with a significant inventory of street art and sculptures. Whether you’re here for the Pave the Way to Gular Festival in September or passing through at another time of year, there is plenty to see in this township.

Coonamble is the largest town in our

Connecting – with nature and with genuine people – is at the heart of the real country experience you’ll encounter. shire. It is a place of opportunity for the keen investor, with inexpensive blocks of residential and industrial land. The real investment, though, will be in yourself and your quality of life.

Come to visit all that Coonamble and our sister shires have to offer. Please browse the pages of this edition of Regional Lifestyle Magazine but especially come and visit us to experience Real Country living, hospitality and community.

Cr Tim Horan, Mayor, Coonamble Shire Council Aerial image: David Murray.

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days gone by COONAMBLE

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Images supplied by Coonamble Historical Society.

Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

Real Country Central Coonamble Shire comprises the towns and villages of Coonamble, Gulargambone and Quambone and extensive rural properties producing grains, pulses and livestock.

It overlays both Wailwan and Gamilaraay country.

Located on the fertile Western Plains of NSW, Coonamble Shire is renowned for its welcoming communities, boundless horizons, thriving art scene and classic, country pubs. The area offers a distinctive blend of rural charm and natural wonders.

Coonamble is home to one of Australia’s biggest combined rodeo and campdraft events, and Gulargambone is a national finalist in the Street Art Awards for its array of artworks and sculptures.

Coonamble is an Aboriginal word for “lot of dirt”, and this rich dirt has made the area one of the most productive regions in Western NSW. Dryland, broadacre cropping, along with cattle and sheep grazing, continue to be the sources of greatest economic activity in the area.

Full of history, Coonamble and the villages of Gulargambone and Quambone were established to service farmers, their families and the workers of the growing agricultural industry. In doing so, they displaced the millennia-old relationships and understanding the Wailwan and Gamilaraay people had of their landscape and country.

Today, descendants of these peoples form a single community that draws on their past experience to share with visitors, whether it be the tangible relics of pioneering agriculturalists in The Museum Under the Bridge or the intangible stories and symbols embodied in Wailwan and Gamilaraay art and stories throughout the region and highlighted at Outback Arts.

The Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft during the June long weekend is one of the highlights of the local calendar, along with the Quambone Polocrosse Carnival and the Material Girls’ Quilt Show. In July, the Coonamble Challenge and Campdraft fills the showground with excitement.

Fascinators, suits and bow ties are the requirements for August, September and October, with the Gulargambone Gold Cup horse races in August, the Come By Chance Picnic Races in September and the Coonamble Gold Cup in October. The Pave the Way to Gular Festival is another must-attend event, along with the Coonamble Greyhound Carnival over the October long weekend and the Macquarie Marshes discovery weekend.

Watch out for road trains at all times of the year, but especially from mid-November to mid-December when the annual wheat harvest is under way.

A Christmas Street Party in December, Australia Day gatherings in January, Welcome to Coonamble Dinner in February and the Coonamble and Gulargambone shows and Marthaguy Picnic Races in May round out the social calendar.

Coonamble is an ideal central point for visitors to base themselves and from which to venture out on day trips to the Macquarie Marshes, Lightning Ridge and Sculptures in the Scrub.

This is Real Country. Come and see for yourself! RLM Images: Coonamble Shire Council

www.coonambleshire.nsw.gov.au CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A visit to Macquarie Marshes is a must; Coonamble is famous for its annual rodeo and campdraft each year in June; designated walking trails make exploring a breeze; street murals make a great backdrop for a holiday snap.

Coonamble is an Aboriginal word for ‘lot of dirt’, and this rich dirt has made the area one of the most productive regions in Western NSW. COONAMBLE RLM 113

T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

Coonamble streetscape

With its rich farming and equine connections, stopping here offers endless opportunities

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

WORTH

a wander

One of Coonamble’s oldest buildings, a virtual time capsule of the town’s history, comes with a truly macabre background story.

The police station, built in 1886, is now The Museum Under the Bridge, with artefacts, photographs, implements and household utensils on display from the earliest days of European settlement.

The “trooper” brick horse stables have been retained complete with stalls, feed boxes and saddlery. These stables are among the few remaining in NSW in original condition.

The museum contains the rich history of Coonamble, from the early days when it was inhabited by the Kamilaroi, Kawambarai and Wailwan Aboriginal tribes. In 1818, their way of life changed forever with the arrival of John Oxley and his party to the south of the town.

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From his journals, the explorer noted: “Aboriginal bark huts were to be seen in every direction along the river and with mussel shells in the fireplaces”.

When George Evans, a member of the party, reached the river he named it the Castlereagh after Secretary of State for the Colonies, Lord Castlereagh.

By 1840, James Walker had established the first run in the area on “Koonamble”, a popular campsite for passing stockmen.

Land was reserved in 1855 for a townsite, with a post office among the first permanent buildings to be erected. The town was officially gazetted in 1861, with the courthouse and lock-up built a year later.

Life was tough and bushrangers were causing havoc among the settlers. The only surviving member of Ben Hall’s bushranger gang, John Dunn, was cornered at his camp near Quambone. He was shot in the foot but managed to escape until a bullet in the back sealed his fate.

As a result of his injuries, the escape artist was placed under light guard but managed to crawl away during the night to enjoy his final few hours of freedom.

The next morning, he was found several kilometres away and hanged for murder in 1866.

Coonamble’s first public school was built in 1869, soon followed by a police station and stables. With a population of barely 200 souls, the police station became the scene of a brutal crime on 12 March,1885.

On that fateful morning, two desperate prisoners were preparing to break out of the lock-up. The first step of their devious plan was overpowering the warder and stealing his revolver.

Hearing the scuffle, acting gaoler, Constable John Mitchell leapt from his bed and ran to the cells to help. Despite repeated warnings not to enter, the young married Scotsman lunged forward, only to take a bullet in the chest and die the next day. Both fugitives escaped before being shot dead by police.

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COONAMBLE’S FIRST PUBLIC SCHOOL WAS BUILT IN 1869, SOON FOLLOWED BY A POLICE STATION AND STABLES.

The murder took place at a time when Coonamble was experiencing rapid change.

By1880, the emerging town was declared a municipality. In 1883 a bridge was constructed across the Castlereagh and the first bore drilled in 1894.

The railway arrived a decade later and Coonamble cemented itself as a service town for the growing number of local graziers. RLM

FACING PAGE: The Museum Under the Bridge is located in one of Coonamble’s oldest buildings.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Council staff member David Levick tinkers with an old switchboard; the stables are still in original condition; an old cash register; a tribute to our country’s fallen; saddle bags were a mandatory part of travel; the stables were built 150 years ago; convict handcuffs.

For those interested in seeing part of Coonamble’s history, phone council on 6822 1923 or drop in to the Visitor Information Centre.

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OUTBACK culture

When Outback Arts executive director Jamie-Lea Trindall casts her well-trained eye over the amazing gallery she helped create, she can’t believe how far Coonamble culture has evolved in the past decade.

When Jamie-Lea started as a projects officer in 2009, she worked from a small, basic office in a rural transaction centre. With no windows, it hardly inspired creativity. Then in 2012, the not-forprofit Regional Art Development Organisation moved into the Monterey, an art deco cafe which had been empty for several years.

“Our time at the old cafe proved we had enough creatives in the district to sustain our own gallery,” she explains. “With two fulltime employees, we were on a mission to find our own site.”

In early 2018, with the success of a Clubs NSW grant, Outback Arts found its new home, buying a large, main-street building that formerly housed eight businesses.

Outback Arts has been based in Coonamble from its inception in 1999, one of the 15 non-profit Regional Arts and Development Organisations in the state. The organisation’s footprint, although based in Coonamble, provides services to the seven local government areas of Bourke, Brewarrina, Bogan, Coonamble, Cobar, Walgett and Warren.

Today it continues to develop and promote arts and culture in the Far West through a broad range of community arts development

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programs and initiatives that support regional and remote disadvantaged communities.

Getting the new building to this stage proved a memorable time for Jamie-Lea, who was pregnant with her second child as the gallery fell into place.

These days she’s kept busy juggling gallery work, creating her own art and raising two girls with husband Gamilaroi man Brett “Tricky” Trindall, originally from Walgett.

Jamie-Lea’s father, Pat Hodges is a retired shearer while her mother, Darla, the only woman featured in the town’s Nickname Hall of Fame, continues her long nursing career.

The former Coonamble High School captain graduated from the College of Fine Arts, University of NSW with a Bachelor of Art Education and a major in Sculpture and Photography. Her study was devoted to art education, Aboriginal history and the research roles of arts workers.

Her own works are inspired by her country upbringing, nature and her Wiradjuri and Gamilaroi families, where she continues to explore the ancient traditions of carving and string making.

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“As a kid who grew up here, having a gallery like this is priceless,” she says, referring to the large shopfront, two galleries, meeting spaces and rooms for workshops. The grand transformation was the result of tenacity, tremendous vision and unbridled community support.

“We have regular busloads of school kids visiting from other towns and senior residents from Koonambil (the old spelling of Coonamble) retirement village, as well as a steady stream of travellers.”

Jamie-Lea works with a committed team, including Maddi Ward, who took on the role of communications and touring coordinator in 2019. With a keen interest in arts and qualifications in graphic design, marketing and communication, she’s become a valuable team member and an active artist sharing her weaving skills with the community.

Admin officer Polly Cohen is a local through and through. She loves working with her fellow artists through the gallery shop.

Polly uses her keen eye for detail to take care of the organisation’s administrative needs and artwork presentation.

Aboriginal arts officer Rainy King, a proud Wailwan woman, grew up in Coonamble with her large, extended family. Rainy moved away to further her studies and for more than 20 years built a career teaching special education. After moving home 10 years ago, Rainy followed her heart and immersed herself in ceramics and photography.

Outback Arts Gallery Shop proudly supports 45 artists representing all artistic endeavours. The exhibitions change every six weeks with local and touring artists, monthly opening events with live music and food. The gallery also has active workshops scheduled and various kids’ activities throughout the year.

“We have seen so many emerging artists flourish in professional careers,” says Jamie-Lea. “Now we have somewhere to exhibit and sell their works while supporting them in their artistic journey.” RLM

The Outback Arts Gallery Shop exclusively represents artists and makers from Regional New South Wales.

Available in store and online, the shop hosts a vast range of ceramic pieces for heart and home, graphic illustrations, paintings, original screen prints, Aboriginal Art, plus unique clothing and earring designs.

As a non-profit organisation our focus is on social impact, always.

FACING PAGE: Outback Arts executive director Jamie-Lea Trindall with communications and touring officer Maddi Ward; admin officer Polly Cohen and Aboriginal arts officer Rainy King in the spacious gallery.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Regular exhibitions feature in the gallery; beautifully-crafted ceramic pieces; part of the millinery project; the gallery; the distinctive building in Coonamble’s main street.

26 Castlereagh Street, Coonamble NSW 2829

Ph. 02 6822 2484 admin@outbackarts.com.au Mon to Fri 9am - 4pm

@outbackarts

outbackarts.com.au

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Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

friendships

forged in clay A close-knit group of Coonamble ceramic artists is utilising the town’s former Scout Hall to create masterpieces.

The Coonamble Ceramics Collective attracts dozens of members to weekly classes. With seven full-time potters, the atmosphere is always fun, uplifting and encouraging.

“It’s rather special having such a unique facility in a small community town,” admits Outback Arts executive director and Wiradjuri woman Jamie-Lea Trindall.

“We feel fortunate to have so much talent under the one roof. Most of our professional potters have had solo exhibitions and are represented in other galleries.”

Jamie-Lea has been an artist since her days in the school art room. She’s been making and selling art ever since, being one of the original group founders in 2011, along with Catherine Goldsmith, Anna Kennedy, Kookie Atkins, Sue Webb, Annie Rindfleish, Sal Stratton and the late Liz Markey.

Her major themes are ceramics and painting, but Jamie-Lea also studied sculpture and photography at university. An all-rounder, she has taken to traditional weaving and string making, having curated a work made by 25 artists at the Venice Biennale, Italy, in 2015.

“Making art is good for the soul,” she says.

“I can’t imagine life without making things.

Being an artist, however, is hard work and requires commitment. While we all love it, we still must be mindful of keeping this place going as a space to offer support, share our skills and critique the work of others.”

Each of the artists has their own story of how they came to call Coonamble home. When she is not behind the potter’s wheel, Prue Cullen breeds Dorpers at “Wangoola”, having returned home after 12 years as a florist in America.

“I came here to no flowers in the middle of a drought and was looking for a new creative outlet,” she says with a grin. Since then, she’s enjoyed solo exhibitions in Sydney, Inverell and Coonamble.

Well-known and respected Aboriginal artist Sooty Welsh “came home” 10 years ago for family reasons.

“I was part of the Stolen Generation and had lived in Sydney since the age of four,” he says. “I never really felt comfortable living here until joining the ceramics workshop, which helped me reconnect to my country and culture. My work is inspired by bottle trees, the Wailwan tree carvings and local ceremonies.”

After a lifetime of teaching, born-andbred Wailwan woman, Rainy King has recently taken up her new role as Aboriginal arts officer for Outback Arts.

“I’ve been a closet artist all my life,” she laughs. “I’ve always loved art and creating things.”

Rainy has her own studio in a tin shed out back of her house. It’s across the road from the collective and an easy walk to conduct her beginner classes, meet new people and find inspiration.

In 2022 she became a full-time artist, combining her love of photography with ceramics.

“Working with clay has helped me work through some mental health issues. It’s part of my healing and all tied up with reconnecting with my culture,” she says.

One of the group founders, Anna Kennedy, hit town in 2011 to spread her ceramic cheer. She arrived as a teacher on temporary placement but is still there 12 years later after falling for a local cowboy.

“I started with clay at Brookvale TAFE and wasn’t prepared to let it go,” she says. “After moving to Coonamble, we found 10 interested people within a day and were soon in business.

“Coming from Manly, everything seemed impossible. Here in Coonamble, it’s the exact opposite. The community helped create this place and we’ve evolved into something we are all very proud of.”

Anna remembers the early days when the group held a collective exhibition, sale and three-course meal featuring local produce at the Outback Arts Gallery.

Hailing from the UK, Julia Borowski and former Maroubra art teacher Catherine Goldsmith both married local farmers and now reside on the edge of Pilliga State Forest. Both active ceramicists and painters were not present during the RLM visit.

If you love the idea of being surrounded by true creatives, getting your hands dirty and creating something unique, then this is the place for you. You can find their works at shop.outbackarts.com.au or instore at the local gallery. RLM

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sooty Welsh pictured with a modern take on traditional carvings; Jamie-Lea Trindall is a natural creative; Prue Cullen hard at work; Anna Kennedy arrived in 2011 to spread her ceramic cheer; Rainy King is working hard to become a full-time artist; every fine piece starts as a lump of clay.

ABOVE: Ceramic artist Anna Kennedy helped establish the group and still loves making things from clay.

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Pioneering spirit The Fisher family has a long and proud association with the Coonamble district.

As the third generation on ‘Coorawong’, between Baradine and Coonamble, Bill Fisher has earned the right to call himself a true local.

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The first Fisher to set foot in Australia was John Fisher, arriving in Hobart in 1825 after a long and exhausting trip from Edinburgh.

After the death of his father, 14-year-old John Jnr moved with his mother from Hobart to Ballarat, where he acquired two bullock teams and established a sawmill.

After marrying Elizabeth Pincott in 1854 and becoming father to eight children, John felt it was time to spread his wings. After selling his assets he moved onto various properties in Victoria and southern NSW before selling up for a second time and heading north to Queensland.

By then the family had grown to 13 children. The parents travelled in a double buggy with their daughters while the two eldest sons took charge of two covered American wagons. The remaining boys rode their ponies.

During their long trek north, the family continued to grow, with one son born on the track near Forbes and another near Condobolin.

The family stopped near Coonamble when John became infected with anthrax, which was burnt off with a branding iron. Impressed with the country, John acquired “Emby” Station, Quambone, in 1873, building a slab hut and clearing land before introducing sheep.

After complying with certain conditions under the terms of the 1861 Land Act, anybody aged 16 years could select land from the large runs. As each child turned 16, John applied for another 2560 acres.

A further four children were born on the station, making a grand total of 16 children (two infants died), including 11 sons and five daughters. All the boys went on the land in the Coonamble, Warren and Nyngan districts.

John’s great run ended at Adams Tattersall’s Hotel in Sydney (now home of the Hilton Hotel) in 1901, after succumbing to a poor heart. At least he survived long enough to see his country united through Federation.

His remarkable wife lived a further three decades, dying in her 94th year without ever having visited a hospital. “Emby” remained in the Fisher family for more than a century before finally changing hands.

Most descendants of the “original 16” have left the district but the family of William Wallace Fisher stayed put. Will bought “Coorawong” in 1910, becoming the only son to buy land east of Coonamble.

He is regarded as the first to grow wheat on a commercial basis, sowing his first crop of 52 acres with primitive gear in 1911. Four years later he had 2000 acres under crop. After dividing the property into 14 paddocks and sinking five wells, he was harvesting 1500 bags and producing 10 tonnes of hay.

In 1926 a terrible tragedy rocked the family, a story seldom talked about. Will’s nine-year-old son Dick was building a raft in the dam with a mate when they ran into trouble. Will, then 64, ran from the homestead to help but sadly all three perished in the murky water.

His 16-year-old son, Alan, was forced to return home from his schooling at Scots College, Bellevue Hill, to help run the farm with his mother and two sisters. With probate duty, the estate took 40 agonising years to finalise.

It was hard going. The best thing to happen was joining the RAAF during the war, working on the flying Catalina boats. He visited Darwin, days after the city was bombed by the Japanese.

Alan met Sydney-born wife Marion on the tennis court and marched her down the aisle when he was 45 years of age. They had one son, Bill, born in 1955, who has spent his life on “Coorawong”.

While Bill’s father passed three decades ago, his 99-year-old mother continues living in her own home in Coonamble. >

FROM TOP: A highly-prized 1918 photograph of the original family of 16 Fisher men and women. Back row: Bertie, George, Viola, Hercules, Lil, Colin, Albert and Arthur. Front row: Jack, Emma, James, mother Elizabeth, Hugh, Jane and Bill’s grandfather, William Wallace Fisher; the remarkable Elizabeth Fisher, had 18 children, 16 of whom survived; John Fisher had 11 sons, who went on to become farmers in the Coonamble, Warren and Nyngan districts; Eric Fisher OAM is grandson of Colin and Hercules Fisher, two of the ‘original16’ Fishers in the district. Eric and wife Carollyn spent 50 years on ‘Wilgara’, Quambone, on the edge of the Macquarie Marshes, before retiring to Coonamble several years ago.

FACING PAGE: Bill and Vicki Fisher have spent a lifetime on the farm.

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APART FROM LIVESTOCK, THEY GROW WINTER CEREALS AND PULSE CROPS LIKE LUPINS AND FABA BEANS, ALONG WITH CONTRACTING RUNS WITH THEIR TWO PRIME MOVERS, HARVESTING AND SPRAYING EQUIPMENT.

Unlike his father, Bill spent seven years at Scots, coming home in 1972 to spend the next 50 years on the farm. He married schoolteacher Vicki Fletcher from Quirindi in 1986 after a chance meeting at Ag-Quip.

In their early years of marriage, they lived in the small workers’ cottage before moving into the old homestead, which started life as a simple slab hut in the 1860s before some major extensions in ensuing years.

The pair has been blessed with two children. Annabelle works with the Department of Finance in Canberra and is about to wed IT architect Jeta Vedi, while Andrew recently married Coonamble veterinarian Emily Warner and lives on “Gadgerie”, a neighbouring family property.

Andrew enjoys working alongside his knowledgeable father, having completed a farm management course at Marcus Oldham, including an enjoyable prac year in Western Australia. He is extending the family history into the 21st century, proud to follow in the footsteps of the long line of Fisher men before him.

Both father and son enjoy breeding Poll Herefords, with 60 years of breeding behind their 340-cow herd. Over the years, bulls have been sourced from various studs including Bowen and Merawah in Barraba and Boggabilla.

They also run sheep, using the old timber woolshed for shearing.

It has stood the test of time for countless decades.

Apart from livestock, they grow winter cereals and pulse crops like lupins and faba beans, along with contracting runs with their two prime movers, harvesting and spraying equipment.

A self-taught mechanic, Bill spends endless hours in the workshop fixing and maintaining his fleet of wide-ranging machinery. He also serves on the Coonamble Shire Council while Vicki continues her important role as a casual teacher in either Baradine or Coonamble.

Like their forebears, these two humble and hardworking farmers are leaving a strong legacy for Andrew and Emily to continue and develop.

After 113 years of Fisher history at “Coorawong”, the farm has never been in safer hands. RLM FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Farming was hard physical work a century ago; the Fishers have stuck by their Poll Herefords since the early days; the homestead is full of history; Andrew Fisher stands next to an old wool press in the woolshed; Bill Fisher behind the wheel; Vicki and Bill inside their very old home.

ABOVE: Bill, Vicki and Andrew stand proudly in front of the ‘Coorawong’ sign.

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Bucking

THE TREND

For 25 years Nakadoo was a name associated with rodeo rough stock. These days it has acquired an equally solid reputation for its hospitality and camping.

Located only five minutes from Coonamble on the road to Walgett, the 30-acre lifestyle block is the headquarters for Peter and Karren Kennedy, who supplied rough stock for the rodeo scene from 1995 until the drought of 2019.

With about 120 bulls and nearly as many bucking horses, the respected rodeo contractors supplied bucking stock for a circuit stretching thousands of miles.

Some of their bulls, like Freaky and Russian Roulette, became household names. For a time, Twisted Sister was the best bucking horse in the country.

For the past six years they’ve been greeting happy campers to their free camping ground, complete with a shower and toilet block under big, blue skies.

“It’s halfway between Dubbo and Lightning Ridge and is a good, safe spot to

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camp,” says Karren. “We like to think it’s a good thing for the town, keeping travellers in the district a bit longer.”

One of the big attractions is the quintessentially Aussie Nakadoo Museum, full of bush memorabilia collected over a lifetime by these true bushies. Visitors feel like they are in some outback stock camp, with plenty of interesting items from days gone by.

Farm animals have right of way on the property. Visitors can mix with anything from guinea pigs, ducks, goats, rabbits, dogs and cats to poddy lambs and calves.

The pair take many of their farmyard friends to a farm nursery at Tooraweenah, Baradine and Gulargambone shows.

Despite some serious lung issues, Peter still runs a small Nakadoo Livestock Transport Business, an Angus cattle herd and breeds some handy dogs.

Peter and Karren have two sons living in town. Matt is a builder who divides his time between construction and working at a local school, while Lindsay works with vulnerable children at Mission Australia.

If you enjoy meeting salt-of-the-earth people and can handle a genuine taste of rural Australia, a visit to Nakadoo is highly recommended. Check them out on WikiCamps. RLM CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Nakadoo Museum houses bush memorabilia collected over a lifetime by Peter and Karren Kennedy. There’s plenty to see and your convivial hosts are always up for a yarn.

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Leave it to George With five generations of his family grazing in the Coonamble district, George Skuthorp is perfectly placed to advise others in the business of selling livestock.

George established GPS Rural, the selling arm of Tooraweenah Prime Lamb Marketing Co-operative (TPLMC) in 2017. With throughput of about 75,000 sheep each year, GPS Rural has also expanded to include cattle sales, which accounts for almost 50 per cent of livestock sales.

With business continuing to grow, an additional agent has been recruited to continue to service TPLMC members and clients.

Large consignments of both lamb and mutton are sold either privately or through AuctionsPlus. There are plenty of benefits for members, including the chance to receive direct feedback from processors in Tamworth, Gundagai and Dubbo.

Producers also benefit by being able to group smaller consignments together with other members.

“It’s a great network with the potential for us to put big lamb consignments together from multiple producers by load-building, offering greater economies and reduced selling and transportation costs per head,” he says.

The job connects George with more than 80 members from Dirranbandi in Queensland down to Condobolin – and everywhere else in between. Often clocking up over 80,000km per year, he’s accustomed to running his office from the front seat of his 4WD. After finishing school George jackerooed in the heart of outback Queensland and developed a strong connection with the Longreach district. After becoming an agent in 2010, an

opportunity arose with a private agency in Longreach where George spent seven enjoyable years mastering his trade.

He returned home to start a family with wife Kate, eventually ending up on “Matourie”, their lifestyle block 10 minutes from Coonamble. His family has been farming in Coonamble and Gulargambone districts since 1868, having come there from Richmond, NSW. Their beautifully designed new home is a great place to return after a long day behind the wheel. Even better is catching up with his wife and children – Elsie, five, Franny, three, and baby John.

George divides his time equally between the sheep and cattle arms of the business, constantly looking for opportunities to value add for clients. With a wide network spanning the eastern states of Australia, he is able to utilise his contacts to greater service his clientele.

“During the dry times of 2020 and 2021 in Western Queensland we placed a lot of Longreach, Winton, Richmond and Hughenden breeder cattle on agistment in the Coonamble/Walgett areas,” he says.

“It’s been a challenging season with all the rain in 2022. The sheep and cattle have done as well as expected in the wet and cold conditions.”

George predicts a great 2023 for producers and is looking forward to many more years servicing new and existing members. RLM ABOVE: Agent George Skuthorp has his finger firmly on the pulse when it comes to livestock matters.

‘It’s been a challenging season with all the rain in 2022. The sheep and cattle have done as well as expected in the wet and cold conditions.’

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Horsepower drives Ken If ever there was a man who lives for his horses, it’s Coonamble Jockey Club president Ken Waterford.

The well-known Come By Chance farmer and grazier has been involved with horses since he could walk, starting with pony camp before progressing to campdraft, rodeo and thoroughbred racing.

Forever the team player, the down-toearth country legend is initially reluctant to discuss his personal life after our meeting in Coonamble cafe, mink & me. With some gentle persuasion he thankfully relents, despite losing his voice in a recent dust storm.

Ken’s connection to the town is a strong one. His grandfather, a solicitor from Quirindi, arrived after WWII to establish his practice. His father, Hugh, drew a soldier settlement block near Quambone with wife Aileen, boosting the tiny local population by a further nine.

One of those siblings has passed while the remainder have left the district, leaving Ken the last man standing. After school he went wool-classing and purchased his own

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small block at Quambone, before buying “Grandoon Park”, Come By Chance, where he lives with wife Lynne.

The pair met 40 years ago at a polocrosse carnival, playing in opposing teams. “She dropped her racquet and I picked it up,” he laughs. “We’ve been happily together ever since.”

Later they bought Ken’s family farm at “Carawatha” along with other landholdings, all of which have been kept through good times and bad.

The Waterfords run a large herd of Angus cattle and grow wheat, chickpeas and fodder crops – a huge job managed by Ken, Lynne, son Wylie and one offsider. A second son, Kurt works in a Bathurst real estate agency.

After a lifetime on the land, Ken admits farming is not for everyone.

“In recent times it seems like we are in either drought or flood,” he sighs. Half of the 2022 crop was lost due to prolonged rain but

this born-and-bred country legend takes it – and life itself – with a grain of salt.

“I really can’t remember a single year when some issue or another hasn’t cropped up. You have to be a 110 per cent optimist to be a farmer.”

Our conversation inevitably swings to his horses, one of his great loves after family.

For more than 25 years, Ken was a wellknown and highly respected rodeo pick-up man with partner, Bill Green. Twice the pair won the Australian Championships.

Remembered for his trademark red-andwhite chaps, cool head under pressure and great horsemanship, he gave up riding about 15 years ago. Even today he still misses the camaraderie found among competitors and the buzz of the Coonamble rodeo and campdraft, long regarded as the biggest event in the land.

“I thought those days would never end and then you wake up and suddenly it’s all gone,” he says, shaking his head. He has a swag of

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great memories, including the day the late horse trainer, buckjumper and former rodeo president, Johnny Lundholm OAM, bucked out for his last Coonamble ride, aged 55.

“I love the close-knit family you find at the races and rodeos – you can always go to the pub and meet someone to share a yarn and a beer,” he says.

It was only a matter of time before Ken was elected foundation president of the Come By Chance Campdraft at its current site. Later he spent six years at the helm of the Come By Chance Picnics, gaining the experience to land him his next big gig as Coonamble Jockey Club president. After a further six years at the helm, he has proved a great ambassador for the Sport of Kings.

“After a lot of hard work, we now have one of the best tracks this side of the Blue Mountains,” he proudly declares. The recent new fencing and manicured lawns make it the perfect place to stage four big meetings a year, including the pinnacle of bush racing, the Country Championships held in Coonamble every March.

At the 2022 event, Ken welcomed two of the state’s high-profile jockeys, Hugh Bowman and James McDonald, to the course. His relationship with the Bowman family can be traced back to the convict days – but that’s a story for another day.

“Racing has become big business,” says Ken. “Whenever the races are on, the motels, hotels, clubs and eating places all do well,” he says. “The races are a good thing for the local economy. Over the past five years we’ve raised $120,000 for various charities through an auction and Calcutta the night before the races.”

Now in his late 60s, Ken is glad to be reaching the end of his term and is ready for new adventures, including some outback exploration. He and Lynne have crossed the length and breadth of the country, always preferring to take the road less travelled.

Ken says he feels more connected to Coonamble than any other place on earth, despite living in a nearby smaller rural community.

“I’ve only been living at Come By Chance for 40 years,” he concedes with a grin.

“You need to have three generations in the cemetery before one is considered a local.”

It’s never been an easy road but Ken Waterford is the type of bloke who lives by the glass-half-full philosophy. Farming may well be in his veins but it’s horses that really get his blood pumping. RLM FROM TOP: Horse lover, colourful character and Coonamble Jockey Club president Ken Waterford; Ken and Lynne dressed up for a Coonamble race meeting.

FACING PAGE: Ken and his hardworking committee have made the grounds the best in the west.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

The Max factor Dynamic pocket rocket Max Jackson was match fit when she landed in musical heaven at the 2023 Tamworth Country Music Festival.

After 12 months of touring, performing in Nashville, getting hitched and releasing her debut album, there was only one thing left for Max to do – hand over her Toyota Star Maker crown to the next lucky winner.

In what was her biggest festival ever, Max played to a full house at her first ticketed show, as well as winning over fans at her two big shows in Toyota Park, the Opening Concert and the Toyota Star Maker Grand Final. Here she performed to the capacity crowd as the new winner, Tamworth singer-songwriter Loren Ryan, was being determined by the judges.

“It was such a full-circle moment to be back on that stage after a year of big-show experience,” she says with her gorgeous trademark smile. “I felt so confident up there on stage with my full band, playing my songs and seeing fans singing along to every word.”

The Max Jackson story may have been very different if it wasn’t for the COVID lockdowns that decimated the music industry. Max was determined to enter the Star Maker competition she’d been carefully watching as a star-struck fan for years, usually from the front row.

In late 2021, she was chosen in the final 10 and forced to wait an anxious few months after the festival was postponed until April 2022. Max utilised the extra time to write a song called Runnin’ specifically for the grand final.

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Performing her songs on the big Toyota Park stage was a dream come true. After being announced the winner, Max suddenly joined the ranks of previous title holders like Keith Urban, Lee Kernaghan, Beccy Cole, Gina Jeffreys, Kaylee Bell and Brad Cox – all entertainers she looked up to and admired greatly.

The prize package, worth a staggering $150,000, opened doors most emerging stars would die for. The next morning, Max picked up the keys to her new Toyota RAV 4, complete with fuel card, using both to perform at some of the country’s biggest country music festivals.

“It was life-changing, allowing us to turn up to shows in style and comfort,” she says. “It gave us the opportunity to play further afield than ever before.

“I soon realised a car is so much more than a car when it drives you to new opportunities. I can never thank Toyota Australia enough for their involvement in Star Maker and helping dreams like mine – and 41 others before me – come true.”

Her festival ended with a cherry on top, as Max walked the red carpet at the Golden Guitar Awards, one of five finalists in New Talent of the Year.

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Coonamble connections

The country girl with an engaging smile and unbridled confidence has never forgotten her rural roots. She readily admits her success stems from a “happy and safe” Coonamble upbringing, surrounded by cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

“Nan lives in town and is famous for her killer ginger fluff sponge cakes,” she grins. “Grandma and Pop lived on a property that backed onto the Castlereagh River. We spent our days eating mulberries from the trees, riding horses and making bike jumps on the riverbank, which was pretty much dry for most of my childhood.”

Max always made time for competitive swimming and singing, both activities encouraged by her mother to combat the asthma she battled as a child.

At early performances in the family loungeroom with her sister, Jordan, Max was always thinking of ways to fund her dreams.

“I’d invite my parents (Brent and Kim Foodey) or whoever was around for dinner and slap a $2 cover charge on the door,” she laughs. “I guess I’ve always loved putting on a show.

“What I really love about Coonamble is the role everyone plays in making one day roll into the next. I love how you rely on your neighbour. People stop and say hello or help out. You don’t get that sense of community and co-existing in the city.”

Max recently wrote Someone In A Small Town, inspired by her Coonamble ties. One of her favourite lines is: “Out here you’ll never be a no-one in a crowd – ’cause everyone is someone in a small town”.

The only one in her family blessed with musical ability, they all keenly shared Max’s dream as dedicated music lovers. Her dad, Brent works in the concrete industry and is a huge Eagles fan, while Kim, a hairdresser, loves Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire.

When she was about four, Max started elocution lessons and was soon singing the poems she was meant to read, sparking an obsession with music that’s never left her.

In 2000, after the family moved to the Hunter Valley, Max attended local country music nights, honing her craft, writing songs and testing them on new crowds.

Nine years later she met her mentor, country music star Gina Jeffreys, kicking off years of learning, collaboration and touring together.

“I’ve been working with Gina and her husband, Rod McCormack, my producer, for 14 years,” she says. “It’s given me an education and insight into what it takes to be a successful country music artist.”

For Max, there was no other career option – especially having seen her favourite artists up there in the spotlight, many with similar small-town backgrounds.

“Since I was a young fan myself, my favourite artists were the ones who shared their personal stories, were vulnerable and injected fun into each performance,” she says.

“They always stayed around to meet every person after the show and were genuinely grateful for their fans who had spent their hard-earned cash on a ticket. I’ve never forgotten that.”

After 14 years together, Max married her high school sweetheart, Jeremy Minett, a talented guitarist with the Viper Creek Band.

“I quickly converted him from rock to country music, having convinced him that country is cool. It’s been incredible working together,” she says.

“When we went into lockdown and so much of our work was taken online, Jeremy purchased his first camera to make better online content. He created a music video for a song I was releasing that quickly led to calls from other artists.

“Jeremy’s a creative person who splits his time playing guitar, being my musical director and also making music videos. He is the only person who can dream as big, if not bigger, than me.”

Max’s 2020 debut album, Life Of The Party was a collection of the best 13 songs written over the past decade and recorded in Nashville.

She hopes to soon return for the sixth time to write and cut new music.

In the meantime, she’s showcasing her newly released EP, Out Here, part of her Star Maker prize.

“Country music for me is all about connection so my aim is to get out there and connect with as many people as possible,” she says.

“Something that is really important to me is taking my music to regional areas and country towns as much as we can.”

From humble beginnings to being named in the top five Australian emerging artists of 2022, taking out the Toyota Star Maker competition and singing on the world stage in Nashville, Max is on a roll.

“Hard work pays off and there is nothing I love more than a challenge. I constantly feel inspired to aim higher and go bigger. If my song Runnin’ is anything to go by, I’m not afraid of the chase.”

The lyrics say it all: “I need the wind in my hair, and I always will – that’s why you won’t find me anywhere standing still. There’s enough fire in this heart to keep going and going and going.”

Max plans to continue with her new lifestyle but on an even grander scale.

“I aim to inspire others to chase after their dreams – after all, if I can do this, anyone can!” RLM ABOVE: 2022 Toyota Star Maker Max Jackson enjoys the last weeks of her reign.

FACING PAGE: The proud Coonamble girl, photographed against the Castlereagh River, has just released a catchy song called Someone in a Small Town.

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Eight-second THRILL

For most of us, climbing onboard a onetonne, mean-as-hell, bucking Brahman bull would be akin to signing a death wish.

For professional bull rider Nathan Burtenshaw, no feeling in the world beats making time – especially when representing his country.

One of the toughest cowboys in the business, Nathan calls Coonamble home. When he’s not bucking out bulls, the 28-year-old works in his new horse-breaking business, recently established with American wife, Kaily on their 250-acre lifestyle block.

Apart from working unbroken horses, he has become a father to daughter Quanah. Family life is very different to his previous seven years of chasing points and buckles on the lucrative American PBR rodeo circuit.

Nathan earned plenty of frequent flyer points as he flew or drove across the country every weekend. He’s had plenty of memorable moments at some of the world’s biggest stadiums – from Madison Square Garden to the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, home to the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and capable of holding 105,000 spectators.

Twice he has competed in the PBR World Finals in Las Vegas as well as four PBR Global Cups – a battle of national pride against the best bull riders from Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the United States.

At one point Nathan was one of the top 15 bull riders in the world – but competing at that elite level comes with a hefty price.

Nathan rips off his shirt to reveal a patchwork of stitches and scar tissue covering one side of his chest.

“I’ve had a horn in my shoulder and got it fixed – and then it happened again,” he says matter-of-factly. “I’ve broken my leg, had knee reconstruction and numerous multiple fractures – bull riding is not a very forgiving sport.”

Expenses are high, especially in Australia where cowboys are required to pay entry fees.

“Things are very different on the American PBR circuit, where you can pocket $1000 just to turn up,” he says.

“Eight seconds can either feel like a lifetime or it can go very quick, depending on how you’re faring. There were plenty of times I came home with empty pockets.”

Like every pro bull rider, Nathan always puts it on the line, hoping to come home with the cash, while relying on his skills in the arena to save him from serious or life-threatening injury.

It doesn’t matter how good you are, things can go horribly wrong in a split second.

“You need to be mentally tough and have a lot of gravel in your guts,” he grins.

“It’s all about balance and upper core strength. These days you need to be a professional athlete, which requires a few hours in the gym every day – not something I particularly enjoy.”

Nathan was born into the sport, starting with calves at age eight, before progressing to steers and finally the “big boys” by age 17.

Rodeo runs in the family. His father, David Burtenshaw was a top bull rider in his day while his wife’s dad was a former bareback rider.

The Coonamble Rodeo on the June long weekend is one of Nathan’s favourites.

“I’ve been competing there for about 20 years. For a lot of us, it’s where it all started. It’s great being at home with not far to travel.” RLM

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“Eight seconds can either feel like a lifetime or it can go very quick, depending on how you’re faring.

FROM TOP: Coonamble professional bullrider Nathan Burtenshaw is one of the toughest cowboys on the circuit, having represented his country on numerous occasions.

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Goin’ rodeoin’ All roads lead to Coonamble every June long weekend for one of the largest rodeo and campdraft events in the Southern Hemisphere.

The rodeo has come a long way since 1934, when the first steer ride, won by Doug Fisher, was run as part of the annual P&A Show.

The Coonamble Rodeo Association was formed in 1946, when the event was staged in the middle of a hard, dirt paddock.

Escaped stock often became lost for days.

After timber yards were built, the first official rodeo was held in 1955. Three years later the association was registered as a charitable organisation, with all proceeds distributed to worthwhile organisations and community causes.

In 1964 Coonamble Shire Council replaced and upgraded the timber yards. The giant rodeo sign, still standing today, was built in 1984 and features paintings of rodeo legends Peter Burtenshaw, Johnny Lundholm and Glenn Peacock.

The first Australian National Championships was held in 1971.

Carlton United Breweries became a major sponsor in the 1980s, with local business supporting the event throughout the years.

Volunteers and committee members built the current steel yards in 1985 for the inaugural Australian Rodeo Championships.

In 2010 the campdrafting arena and yards were moved to the southern end of the showground to improve access and overcrowding at the northern end of the grounds.

Today the Coonamble Rodeo & Campdraft attracts more than 1000 competitors from throughout Australia, with thousands of visitors pouring through the gates to catch all the action. Gate duties are handled by the local primary school P&F, the local childcare centre and netball group.

Major long-term sponsors are Qube-Agri, XXXX and sister city, Campbelltown City Council, along with many valued local and statewide sponsors. Coonamble Council has always been a steadfast supporter.

The four-day event injects more than $1 million into the local economy. With 12 volunteers on the rodeo committee, the association donates more than $10,000 each year to local charity groups.

“Our event has been the big weekend on the Coonamble calendar since 1955,” says Coonamble Rodeo Association secretary Steve Butler. “We only missed one year, due to COVID in 2020.”

Volunteers from Rotary and senior rugby league clubs provide meals during the long weekend. It’s their major annual fundraiser, with about 50 Rotarians travelling from across the state to lend a hand.

No rodeo can happen without top-quality bucking stock, sourced from rodeo contractors throughout NSW. Local graziers generously donate about 1200 cattle, valued at more than $2 million, for the campdraft.

The same goes for the pick-up men who help saddle bronc and bareback riders get off their charges in one piece. Life member Bill Green was a Coonamble pick-up man for a record 38 years, retiring only a few years ago.

At the first Australian championships in 1985, Bill won the national title with his offsider and fellow grazier, Ken Waterford – two men who have left a huge legacy.

Today the Coonamble Rodeo & Campdraft attracts more than 1000 competitors from throughout Australia, with thousands of visitors pouring through the gates to catch all the action.

Now aged 68, Bill is still a keen campdrafter and one of the oldest on the circuit. Having recently sold his property, he is looking forward to retirement in Coonamble. Each year he looks forward to June, when he can compete on his home turf.

“Campdraft is a family sport that is growing rapidly,” he says.

“The best part about Coonamble is that the profits are ploughed back into the town.”

There have been many great pick-up teams over the years, including Bill and Pip Kelly, and later, Bill’s sons – former saddle bronc rider David Kelly and his brother Peter.

Now Peter’s sons, Brendan and Tyler, are the third generation of Kelly horsemen from the Upper Horton to take up the challenge.

Future plans include covering the existing arena to allow all-weather usage and prevent poor attendances due to inclement weather.

Preparations are now under way for the 67th Annual Rodeo and Campdraft from June 9 to 12. Pack your bags and prepare for some explosive action. RLM ABOVE. One of the most important jobs in rodeo is left to the protection clowns and pickup riders. In this shot, legendary Upper Horton horseman Peter Kelly carries on a fine tradition started by his father and now being carried on by his sons.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

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Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

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It takes two Summers were hot and dry in Coonamble when Felicity Hardwick was a kid – but nothing a dip in the town pool couldn’t fix.

Her childhood was typical of most country kids: sport, family and community, and fun with friends. Life was carefree.

In the winter of 2018, when Felicity was 15, severe chest pain during a netball game took her by surprise. Pressure, and an increasing pinching pain while breathing in worried Felicity. Her mother drove her straight to casualty. Possibly asthma, came the diagnosis. However, when Ventolin seemed to make symptoms worse, they sought a second opinion.

At Dubbo, hospital scans revealed fluid surrounding the teenager’s heart. Drowsy from pain medication, Felicity had limited understanding of her situation. “I just accepted that I was in the right place to get help,” she recalls. “If they had to drain fluid around my heart to help me, that’s what had to happen.”

The insertion of drains around Felicity’s heart went well and it meant she would now be stable enough to fly to Sydney to sort out her health issues.

In the air, and surrounded by medics and her mum, the reality of the situation began to rock the Coonamble teen. Staring down at her chest, the presence of numerous drains protruding from her skin proved overwhelming.

In Sydney, further testing revealed a second health issue even more concerning.

Unrelated to Felicity’s now diagnosed pericardial effusion, four malignant lesions were discovered in her brain.

An operation to remove the lesions was scheduled for the following week. Felicity’s then 16-year-old boyfriend of just one week, arrived to support her. “I told him at the time it was a new relationship and there must be some kind of clause for him to get out of it.”

Five years on, J’Rhett Becker is a fixture.

He’s Felicity’s husband and says the thought of leaving her never once crossed his mind.

“She was worried I was missing out on my youth, but I’ve always told her I’m fine just being with her,” he lovingly says.

The operation wasn’t a success with only one of the four lesions removed. Doctors warned it would be too dangerous to operate on the other three as it may affect her sight and other functions.

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She was placed on anti-nausea medication during chemotherapy, which wasn’t didn’t stop it completely. Felicity was eventually able to venture beyond the hospital ward.

Not knowing what her future held, and with her mum in tow, Felicity decided there was only one option: to start living.

“During the treatment, I did things I would never normally do – days at the beach, concerts, random things, really,” she recalls with a smile.

The local community rallied behind Felicity and her family throughout the whole ordeal. Friends in the Rural Fire Service, of which Felicity is a member, drove a minibus to Sydney and had their heads shaved to raise money for the cause.

“The community has been very supportive. When someone is having a hard time, the Coonamble community will rally to get behind their own.”

With her chemo course complete, Felicity realised she was stabilising and it was time to start planning a more structured future.

Having grown up overnight, school no longer suited Felicity so she left those days behind her to move forward.

Still, living with three inoperable brain lesions is no mean feat. Felicity admits thoughts of her tumours come daily and can get her down – if she lets them. But, like he has right from the start, her husband has that special way of turning Felicity’s thoughts from a negative to a positive.

Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

Felicity is only too aware she may need chemotherapy again at any time. With this in mind, the young couple ]had to move ahead in life quicker than most their age.

Last November, Felicity and J’Rhett were married. Her husband believes the past five years were proof positive of their commitment and lasting power as a couple.

“Going through this together has created an inseparable bond,” he says.

Today, living in Bathurst, NSW, Felicity is training through Charles Sturt University to become a nurse, while also working some hours at a local café. J’Rhett is completing an apprenticeship in metal fabrication.

They’re expecting their first child in May this year – a son which delights them both.

With Felicity’s future medical challenges unknown, J’Rhett says they will face them as they have before, together.

Felicity adds: “We just take one day at a time and look for the positives in every day.”

RLM

Words: Catherine Player Images: Robert Bruce

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A joyous day: Felicity and J’Rhett’s wedding day at ‘Riverview’ Coonamble, November 2022; Felicity and her beloved dog Whisky; last days of treatment at Randwick Children’s Hospital; mum Tracey and Felicity share a special bond; sisters Emily, left,and Tiffany with Felicity and her dad Nigel.

FACING PAGE: Felicity and J’Rhett’s Becker have walked this journey as a united couple.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

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Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

Energy and vision Multi-tasking mum, world traveller and entrepreneur Lucy Moss’s brain rarely switches off. She’s always considering her next move to help make Coonamble a better place to live, love, work and play.

There are never enough hours in the day for super-talented business dynamo Lucy, who loves pouring her endless energy into Mink & Me, the place where locals and visitors congregate.

The one-stop shop named in honour of her late, beloved sausage dog is a place to indulge in a coffee, haircut or beauty treatment after shopping for a gift.

Located inside a repurposed shed off the Castlereagh Highway, it’s all about having a friendly experience in a happening environment.

Lucy enjoys travelling to exotic destinations such as Morocco or Bali to source a mixture of old and new wares.

“I’m always striving to find unique and special pieces from near and far,” she smiles.

Mink & Me is part of the Buy from the Bush campaign and has a strong following among both locals and travellers.

“People come here from Dubbo and across the region to visit for the day, which is rather special,” she says proudly.

Growing up in Sydney, Lucy met her future husband, Will Moss in Orange during his time there as a plumber. Now he’s farming on the family property, “Windora”, between Coonamble and Baradine.

Lucy moved to Coonamble in 2015 after spending a year with Will working on a solar farm near Nyngan.

While juggling two jobs between the solicitor’s office and high school, Lucy saw an opportunity to open a small gift store within a local beauty salon.

She outgrew the space after nine months and moved into her second premises, bringing along beauty services while adding hairdressing and a coffee bar.

Two years later, Lucy moved for the third time to a huge space that, among other things, was once a garage and car dealership.

She continued collaborating with other local businesses, now growing to include beauticians, hairdressers, a yoga studio as well as Two Birds Cafe, which she runs with her friend, Row Macrae.

There are even small offices available for hot-deskers – and all conveniently located under the one roof.

If that’s not enough, she runs an air BnB in the 110-year-old, fully renovated “Peppertree House”, is president of the Chamber of Commerce and mother to two young sons, Digby and baby Monty.

Towards the end of 2022, Lucy and Will expanded their portfolio, along with friend Eliza Walters, buying the minister’s house and decommissioned church, five doors down from the shop.

“We are still working out what we can do with it,” she says. “It’s rare to find two old buildings in such good shape on a triple block.”

Few could handle the many challenges she faces on a daily basis, but for Lucy it’s simply part of life.

“I never switch off, which can be both good and bad,” she grins, as she shows me around the vast expanse of her premises, holding newborn Monty in her arms.

“I think outside the box and may just be a little crazy,” she laughs. “I’ll have a crack at anything and then work it out along the way.”

Running her businesses with two little ones is made easier with help from day care, an understanding husband, staff and a nanny several days a week.

Lucy admits she has never been happier or more fulfilled despite her mammoth workload. The effort, she says, is worth it, especially if it helps her town develop into a more attractive place to live and work. RLM

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Lucy in her colourful shop, Mink & Me; busy baristas in Two Birds Cafe; out front of the buildling; inside it’s a browser’s paradise; the 110-year-old ‘Peppertree House’, now has new life as a stylish BnB. ABOVE: Will and Lucy Moss with sons Digby and Monty.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

Bowlo’s the best With a membership of 1500, Coonamble Bowling Club is the biggest in town, offering members and guests plenty to do.

Established in 1937 on the banks of the Castlereagh River, it has always been a popular meeting place for members and visitors passing through to enjoy a meal from the bistro or a refreshing drink at the bar – all in spacious, air-conditioned comfort.

With a new synthetic bowling green, plans are afoot to resurrect the ancient art of bowling – something that’s proved difficult in the past.

Coonamble born-and-bred general manager Natalie Thurston is back in the top job after six-and-a-half years managing Walgett Sporting Club.

She brings a wealth of experience to the role, having managed the bowling club from 2008 to 2013. Married to Brian, a field officer for the local Lands Service, Natalie is responsible for 20 staff on the payroll.

“It’s great to be back,” she says. “The opportunity to come home was too good to pass up.”

Friday nights is traditionally the biggest night of the week, with the members’ draw and raffles. Live entertainment is also making a comeback after years of COVID disruptions. Saturday and Monday nights are reserved for bingo and raffles and member promotions.

The bowlo is always giving back to the local community, donating upwards of $50,000 each year to local charities, including Meals on Wheels, various sporting events, and is a big supporter of school presentation nights.

A major sponsor of the annual Greyhound Carnival run over three days in October, the club is well known throughout the wider community.

Other major events include thoroughbred meetings, the June long weekend annual rodeo and sponsoring a local rugby league team, nearly all of which hold regular meetings at the club.

The nine directors are headed by chairman Steve Butler, now into his third year. Having been on the committee for six years, Steve is well-versed with club activities and happenings in Coonamble.

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Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

THE BOWLO IS ALWAYS GIVING BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY, DONATING UPWARDS OF $50,000 EACH YEAR TO LOCAL CHARITIES,

Apart from being secretary of the rodeo committee, he’s also treasurer of the rugby league club – all the while managing local hardware store, Cant Brothers Home, Timber and Homeware.

Steve and his team have exciting renovations planned this year, including a new outdoor space and children’s play area.

The club runs a courtesy bus six nights a week throughout town, with the bistro open seven nights a week and every day except Sunday lunch.

Since 1943, the club has honoured 23 with life membership.

The latest, Annette McMullen started in 1976 as a clerical assistant before retiring as secretary-manager in 2008. Other life members include Brian Colwell and David Hickey.

Next time you are in Coonamble, a visit to the friendly bowling club will cool you down on a hot summer’s day and warm you up during the cooler winter months. RLM

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: Coonamble Bowling Club sits on the banks of the Castlereagh River and is home to many town organisations; the club has been part of the social fabric of the town since 1937.

FROM TOP: Coonamble Bowling Club general manager Natalie Thurston with chairman Steve Butler; patron David Hickey with barman Aiden Lee.

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Bistro open 7 nights/ 6 days (closed Sun lunch)

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Raffle every Monday and Friday evening

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Courtesy bus Monday-Saturday

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Bingo every Monday

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Functions big or small

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Weekly social bowls

coonamblebowlingclub.com.au

Ph. (02) 6822 1144 Aberford Street Coonamble NSW 2829

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King of the

JUNGLE

John ‘Coop’ Cooper had never set foot in Coonamble before buying a 94-year-old bank in the main street two years ago.

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Coop’s love of history and travel had taken him a world away, spending the past 17 years running specialised tours in southern parts of Africa, staying at World Heritage-listed sites and living life to the full.

Guests can fly over the spectacular Victoria Falls, meet and greet the locals and enjoy the stunning scenery and wildlife, including Africa’s big- five game animals – lions, rhinos, buffalo, leopards and elephants.

Woy Woy on the Central Coast was where Coop, a fun-loving bachelor, lived in the family home. For many years he cared for his elderly mother, before she moved to a nursing home in Orange to be close to her daughter.

Coop took on the big job of packing away 70 years of Cooper ownership into a storage unit, all the while dreaming of his next safari.

“I was on my way to the airport on March 17, 2020 – a date I will never forget – when the government banned international travel, putting me out of work for the next two years,” he says shaking his head.

“I thought the government was overreacting to what many describe as a nasty cold. And I know a bit about these things, having had COVID twice. Being asthmatic as a kid and being unvaccinated, I theoretically should be dead.”

During his forced sabbatical, Coop started looking for a new home. For a time, he considered returning to Wentworth, an historic town south of Broken Hill and on the junction of the country’s most significant rivers, the Murray and Darling.

He had spent 15 years teaching in the town where his brother is now a shire councillor.

“Nothing came up, so I started looking further afield,” says Coop from his upstairs office, complete with large-framed prints of the Zulu wars.

“I’ve always liked old buildings and history and found this property on a search engine,” he grins. It took a few months for him to stir, finally ringing local agents Halcroft & Bennett to discover it was still on the market.

“I was stunned to find such an imposing building on a 1000-square-metre, quarteracre block in the middle of the main street.

The price was too good to be true – I actually thought a zero was missing,” he laughs.

Driving from the coast to Coonamble for the first time proved an exhilarating experience. His dear mother had passed at the ripe old age of 93 and Coop was heading bush again, a dream that had burnt brightly since spending his fourth birthday on a Goondiwindi sheep station.

“My first impression was very positive – the town looked good and there was no rubbish – everything was green and clean. I loved the big, wide streets and painted water tower, and fell in love with the building the moment I saw it. I could see endless possibilities.”

Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

Being a history buff, Coop is well aware of the catastrophic 1929 fire that started in the School of Arts building before decimating half the main street. It was a bleak moment in Coonamble’s history.

Three hours later, 40 buildings in the main street were reduced to rubble, including the Bank of NSW, Hotel Coonamble, Tattersalls Hotel and the Wingadee Shire Council chambers.

The new bank was built in late Federation style, and not the new art deco featured in some of the other new buildings. Today it is well known as the home of Castlereagh Electrical.

Sitting in his upstairs office, Coop tells me he has been travelling through southern Africa for 33 years, combining his passions of travel, African history and her people.

His love affair with the “dark continent” goes back to school, where English and history were his favourite subjects. In his 25-year teaching career, he taught the same subjects.

The turning point happened in 1990 when he took a year off to explore southern parts of Africa, making lifelong friends and sharing unbelievable experiences.

Every second year he returned to Zimbabwe to run a friend’s ostrich farm for 12 months. Disillusioned with the education system, Coop decided to follow his heart and try something totally different.

For years he had been taking friends and family on small safaris, with many wondering why he wasn’t doing it for a living.

“At first I just laughed it off but in 2006 I set up African Adventures Safari Company and took my first tour,” he says. “With no previous experience in the tourism industry, I made it up as I went along. I just knew I could improve on the US$1000 a night some operators were charging.”

Having led hundreds of safaris, Australia’s only safari operator and guide is now back on deck, ready to share his African

experiences with new clients, no doubt including new acquaintances in Coonamble.

Work on his renovations is progressing slowly. It can be a long, drawn-out job when you are on your own.

“The place was a mess,” admits Coop. “A mouse plague was at its height during my first inspection, with no one having lived there for some time.”

Since moving out west, Coop has joined the Chamber of Commerce and kick-started his safari business from the Gateway to the Outback.

“There are no endings to this story,” he laughs. “I can only see a bright future.” RLM

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: John ‘Coop’ Cooper loves everything about southern Africa, especially the unique wildlife; the building that Coop is slowly renovating.

FACING PAGE: Coop prepares for his next African adventure.

Experience the magic of Africa African Adventures Safari Company offers small group tours designed specifically to experience the real Africa.

Whether it be wildlife excursions, game drives, elephant safaris, canoeing, a beer with locals, visiting a remote school or interacting with a local community group, we offer a total safari service that provides a life changing adventure – at a price and level of comfort that cannot be matched.

africanadventures.com.au

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for the love of FAMILY

Life has never been a bowl of cherries for Vietnamese refugees Minh and Deanne Do, who overcame heartache and endless obstacles to create a brighter future for their family in a land far from home.

On Friday, January 13, they closed the doors of Coonamble’s Tong Fong Chinese Restaurant after 36 years of feeding visitors and grateful locals.

During that time, they worked long hours and scrimped and saved every penny to give their three children a life they could only dream of.

The farewell proved a wonderful, if not emotionally charged celebration, with the couple’s children, partners and five grandsons all in attendance. To symbolise the succession of restaurant life, the grandchildren donned black-tie, complete with bow ties to serve guests their canapés.

Despite repeated attempts at selling the business, buyers were thin on the ground.

The family, as always, took it in their stride, determined to put on one final show for the locals, who had welcomed them on their arrival and supported them for decades.

Among the many guests who helped them survive and eventually prosper in a remote country town, none was more welcome than Bede Waterford, a solicitor who ran the St Vincent de Paul Society.

When the family tried borrowing $40,000 from the bank to purchase their restaurant, they met stiff opposition until Bede stepped in as guarantor. The loan was repaid within three years.

With hard work, long hours and a frugal existence, the Tong Fong proved a great success, ensuring a solid education for sons Tu and Chau, who boarded at St Gregory’s, Campbelltown, and Lindy at St Vincent’s, Potts Point. Later they would all attend university and carve out their own successful careers.

Tu works in banking as head of portfolio management and lives in East Ryde, Chau is an IT consultant residing in Castle Hill, while Lindy is manager of Radiology Training in Concord.

Having the family present during their swansong meant the world to Minh and Deanne. There was scarcely a dry eye

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There was scarcely a dry eye in the room as they recounted their life from penniless, uneducated refugees into successful and happy new Australians. in the room as they recounted their life from penniless, uneducated refugees into successful and happy new Australians.

In 1980 they arrived in Coonamble to meet a fellow refugee and one of the few people they knew in Australia. He promised work and before long Minh was working in a piggery. Struggling with the new language and without any experience, the pig enterprise was doomed from the start.

Later the pair rented a house (ironically, next door to their current home) and established a vegetable garden on a 10-acre block – 10km from town on the banks of the Castlereagh River.

Minh was working by hand, like he had in Vietnam, but without a tractor it all seemed futile. It was almost a relief when a 1984 hail storm decimated the crops.

For the next three years he packed his wife and kids into the car every weekend to cook meals in the Trangie and Baradine bowling clubs and Peak Hill Golf Club, often returning home in the wee hours of Monday morning.

Life was never easy but finally there was light at the end of the tunnel. >

FACING PAGE: Now that Coonamble locals Minh and Deanne Do have closed their Chinese restaurant, there will be more time for family and friends; the final farewell was a chance for the extended Do family to thank the locals for 43 years of friendship, love and support.

ABOVE: The first few years in Coonamble were particularly hard as the family grappled with a new language and country.

Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

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TROUBLED WATERS

Over a cup of tea in their modern home near the Coonamble CBD, Deanne is busy fussing over a cup of tea as her devoted husband, struggling with diabetic-induced high blood pressure, sits quietly in a chair at the kitchen table.

Minh, now 74, is fluent in three dialects of Chinese and Vietnamese but, unlike his wife, still struggles with English. Deanne has no qualms travelling back in time to the harrowing days of the Vietnam war and remembers events like they were yesterday.

Their trials and tribulations, she feels, must be recorded for future generations, even if it means going back in time to the two-decade-long conflict that destroyed their beautiful country.

Minh, a hard-working pineapple and coconut farmer, recalls a bomb exploding in his backyard, with rockets soaring overhead at night. He moved with his family into town, returning each day to work the fields by hand.

By 1975 the new Communist regime was flexing its muscle. About 80 per cent of the population were desperate to leave but few had the resources to do so. Countless thousands fled in ill-equipped fishing trawlers, never to be heard of again.

“Three million left Vietnam but only two million made it out,” reveals Deanne, who, by then, was married to Minh and juggling motherhood with a teaching career. It was only a matter of time before their situation became untenable.

In 1980, with her father in jail and life increasingly unbearable, they handed over their meagre life savings to people smugglers. It was their last roll of the dice, leaving under the cover of darkness in a 14 x 6 metre fishing boat crammed with 62 desperate refugees.

On the first day, the trawler nearly capsized during a violent storm on the open seas. Minh managed to stay onboard by tying himself to a pole.

The following day they were attacked by gun-wielding, Thai pirates in the Timor Sea. The women were dragged on board the bigger boat and searched for jewellery and valuables hidden in their clothes and bodies, while the men were relieved of their watches and wallets.

Despite the thorough search, the looters failed to detect two small gold bars hidden in a bag of rice, to be swapped, if necessary, for their lives.

After three days at sea, they were down to their last drop of water when a glimpse of the mountains of Malaysia lifted their sagging spirits. They were robbed for a second time, losing their precious photo albums and last connection to their homeland.

When they finally reached the refugee camp on the island of Palau Bidong, their hearts sunk after learning the Malaysian

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After working six days a week for the past half-century, Minh and Deanne are looking forward to spending more time with those they love. government was closing its doors to refugees.

Instead of welcoming faces they were met with a volley of bullets from local police.

Bedlam ensued as they searched desperately for another landing site.

“We could hear the people on the island screaming at us to smash the engine and swim to shore,” says Deanne.

The only problem was Deanne couldn’t swim. With help from Minh, the exhausted family struggled to shore, where the adults were strip-searched. By then, the precious bars had been stashed in the pockets of their three-year-old.

While relieved to finally hit land, their harrowing journey was far from over. For weeks they slept on the ground with little to eat or drink, fighting for space with 42,000 others crammed into a one-square-mile enclosure.

“People they knew threw food over the wire fence for them, which they were forced to hide when the guards weren’t watching,” explains son Tu, over the phone. “It made them feel like caged animals.”

In desperation, they swapped one gold bar for a crude shelter to live in with rice bags for walls, surviving a further six months in the hell hole.

Despite limited help from an overwhelmed Red Cross, life was hard, with any food and fresh water imported by barges from the mainland. If that wasn’t enough, Minh suffered a bout of tuberculosis that kept him incapacitated for years.

Deanne wondered if she would ever see her 10 siblings and parents again. Now there

was nothing but life itself to cling to. Their very survival hung in the balance.

By the time they were relocated to a medical transit camp in Kuala Lumpur, Deanne was nine months’ pregnant. Six hours after giving birth to Lindy in a local hospital she was unceremoniously “shipped” back to the transit camp without medication or further assistance.

Finally, in 1980, they were accepted by Australian Immigration authorities to start a new life Down Under – the only ones from their original boat to do so.

“We had a very hard life in Vietnam,” says Deanne. “We were so scared and had no idea of what our future looked like.”

After working six days a week for the past half-century, Minh and Deanne are looking forward to spending more time with those they love.

Soon they are taking the entire family back to Vietnam to celebrate Deanne’s 70th birthday. They first returned in 1992 and have regularly flown home to visit family.

After 43 years in Coonamble without any Vietnamese or Chinese community, Minh and Deanne have gone full circle. They are loved and respected locals and take great pride in calling the country town home. RLM ABOVE: Minh and Deanne Do are justifiably proud of their achievements, starting with nothing but determination to get ahead. They now own their own home near the Coonamble CBD and sent their children to boarding school and university.

Coonamble T O W N F E AT U R E

Passion and

COMMITMENT

Coonamble grazier Lynne Waterford has proved that age is no barrier when it comes to chasing your dreams.

Despite devoting four decades of her life to the nursing profession, Lynne fulfilled a lifelong ambition to open her own beauty salon.

“I have thrown myself into my little beauty business, Earth n Beauty to try to assist and guide women and men in our harsh environment, to help them feel and look their best,” she says.

“It’s about increasing their confidence and letting them know beauty comes from within. You don’t have to be stunningly beautiful to have beautiful skin.”

She promotes the concept that ageing is a privilege. At Earth n Beauty, the word beauty spelt out stands for Beauty and Elegance is about the Uniqueness and Tastefulness of You. It’s taken a lifetime of learning to get there. After completing her school education in Narromine, Lynne commenced nursing training at Dubbo Base Hospital,

qualifying as a registered nurse in 1979.

After marrying Ken, she moved to Quambone, working in shearing sheds, rouseabouting, penning and cooking, while Ken wool-classed in the area. In 1982 they bought their own property in Come By Chance, an hour north of Coonamble, where they raised their sons, Wylie and Kurt.

Marriage and different locations never prevented Lynne from pursuing her chosen career. For 40 years she was a practising nurse at Coonamble Hospital and Koonambil Aged Care.

She also started her own first aid training business in Coonamble, which she ran for a decade while teaching first aid and nursing at the local TAFE. After 17 years as an aged care RN and care manager at Koonambil, Lynne decided it was time for a career change. With a lifelong interest in anatomy and physiology, surgical nursing, wound care and the skin, she

gradually found herself being pulled in these directions.

In 2015 on an annual holiday, she made casual enquiries about doing her beauty training, and signed up on the spot!

The course carried a heavy theory component, due to be completed within three years, along with 120 hours of practical training in a salon situation. At this stage of her life, Lynne felt three years was too long and completed her theory in 12 months.

“It took great commitment,” she laughs. “I had to open my books, take out my computer and put my head down.”

Theory accomplished; Lynne had to find a placement for her practical training.

Gathering her courage, she walked into leading Dubbo beauty clinic, Beautiful Image salon. To her amazement and relief, owner Beth Hern and the team took her on.

She was given great practical training, an introduction to the beauty industry and fabulous support by Beth and her senior therapist, Sally Fardell.

“I am forever grateful to them for investing their professional time, education, support and friendship in me,” says Lynne.

There was no stopping this country girl. In 2016 at the age of 59, she opened the doors to Earth n Beauty in Coonamble.

“I was very excited and a little shocked at what I had actually done,” she admits with a grin.

While it’s been a huge learning curve, Lynne has become an avid believer in online and face-to-face learning. She continues to attend Industry Leaders at conferences and workshops.

Since gaining her qualification in beauty, she has completed further study to improve her point of difference and skills. This enables her to offer clients up-to-date knowledge, services and proven cosmaceuticals in a professional and friendly environment, right in the heart of Coonamble.

Some of the latest training completed is collagen induction therapy, plasma fibroblast skin tightening, dermaplaning, product and nutritional courses.

“I love what I do and the people I meet,” beams Lynne. “Equally important, is improving our skin by commitment, continuity and perseverance.” RLM

Earth n Beauty is open two days a week, usually Wednesdays and Thursdays.

ABOVE: Beautician Lynne Waterford in her Earth n Beauty shop.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

Back on track

One hundred and sixty-one years ago, the Coonamble district held their first race meeting on Patrick McMahon’s Geanmoney run on the western side of the Castlereagh River.

These early meetings were informal affairs organised among friends who had travelled to town on horseback.

Later the group started a jockey club and raced at a track which encircled the old cemetery. Within 10 years there were 40 horses stabled in Coonamble for local race meetings conducted on surrounding properties. In 1878 the site of the present racecourse was approved, and a grandstand built.

The very first recorded Gold Cup was held in 1910 followed by a second the following year. There are no records of further Gold Cup meetings until 1959, with the subsequent cups being run as an important event of the Coonamble Wool Festival.

The 1969 Coonamble Gold Cup race meeting was abandoned due to wet weather however after much banter about whose horse would have won the race, the then Coonamble Jockey Club president, Edward Kennedy, “Kensington” and Warwick Farm trainer John Poletti had a foot race down the main street to settle the score!

These days you can enjoy a traditional country race meeting set next to the rolling greens of the golf course on the edge of town.

With four meetings a year, you can view the spectacle from the historic grandstand or gardens while enjoying the bar and catering facilities.

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The atmosphere is lively and welcoming and there is also live music, kids’ activities and food and drink stalls on race days adding to the entertainment.

With a dedicated committee of 25, there have been major improvements over the past few years, reinvigorating the racing scene in Coonamble.

“Five years ago, the racetrack was as hard as a bull’s forehead – and now it’s the best track this side of the mountains,” says club president Ken Waterford.

“We have installed an automatic watering system on both sides of the track, invested $250,000 building overnight stables to house travelling horses, as well as improved the gardens and grounds facilities.”

Through these improvements the club was able to attract the prestigious Country Championships which they have hosted for the past four years. This event showcases the very best of country racing and attracts top horses, trainers and jockeys from across the region.

The efforts of the committee have put the local races back on the map. It’s not just a place for racing enthusiasts, it’s an important part of the local community and a great opportunity for visitors and locals to come together and celebrate. RLM

WITH A DEDICATED COMMITTEE OF 25, THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR IMPROVEMENTS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, REINVIGORATING THE RACING SCENE IN COONAMBLE.

FROM TOP: They’re off and racing at Coonamble!

The track is among the finest in regional NSW; the air-conditioned function room comes with a great view of the races below; a sumptuous banquet is the order of the day at the Coonamble Jockey Club function centre.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Coonamble

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Off and racing There’s nothing quite like a day at the track when you combine fashion, fun, fine horse flesh and the company of good friends.

It was a gutsy win from impressive eight-year-old Listen To The Band which took out the Newhaven Park WRA Country Championships at Coonamble Jockey Club in March.

Trained by Dubbo’s Clint Lundholm, the big-hearted thoroughbred won the right to qualify for his next major outing at Royal Randwick.

It was a fitting end to what proved to be a tremendous day of racing in the Central West horse town.

The night before, the Terminus Hotel staged a successful

calcutta, raising about $20,000. The big day drew a large crowd from throughout the district, with several dignitaries in attendance including Scott Kennedy and Bob Pavitt from Racing NSW Country and Racing Minister Kevin Anderson.

Coonamble Jockey Club president Ken Waterford declared the day a resounding success, both on and off the track. He was particularly pleased the new stables were on time and on budget, ready for an inspection by the distinguished guests.

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1. Local and visiting dignitaries cut the ribbon to the new stables at Coonamble Jockey Club.

2. Susan Wilson, Gilgandra; daughter Amy Wilson, Scone and friend Ashlee Petch, Bathurst.

3. Rachael Swansborough, Coonamble, mingles with one of the stars of the show.

4. Jess Skinner, Binnaway, with Abby Baker, Coonabarabran.

5. All eyes trackside.

6. Tessa Horan, Jess Solomon, Emma Horan and Tarah Naden, Coonamble.

7. The Nationals member for Barwon, Annette Turner, Racing Minister Kevin Anderson, Shania

17 Thomas and her father ‘Octo’ Thomas, Coonamble.

8. Coonamble locals Peter Whitehead and Kylie Fletcher.

9. Sam Ward and Jeremy Brown, Narromine.

10. Country Racing NSW chairman, Bob Pavitt with wife Cheryl.

11. Matthew and Melanie Sheppard, Coonamble.

12. Lynne Waterford, Come By Chance; sponsor Claire Kelly, Newhaven stud, Boorowa and Cheryl Pavitt, Grafton.

13. Doing a great job behind the bar were Xander Deans, Baradine; Joey Goldsmith, Pilliga and Josh Borowski, Come By Chance.

14. Coonamble Shire Council general

manager Paul Gallagher with Mayor Tim Horan.

15. Zac Buckley, Baradine with Rachael Swansborough, Coonamble.

16. Coonamble Jockey Club president Ken Waterford, centre, with Racing Minister Kevin Anderson and Scott Kennedy from Racing NSW Country at the opening of the new stables.

17. Geoff and Bridget Mann with Mick Kennedy, Come By Chance.

18. Leon Schwagger, Coonamble with Jodi and Peter Bullen, Gunnedah.

19. Harry Mooring, Britt Willetts, Marni and Drew McCallum, Dubbo.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gulargambone

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Gulargambone T O W N F E AT U R E

Village

reinvigorated

Gulargambone may be famous for its corrugated galahs and colourful street art but it’s the strong community that defines the small service town on the Castlereagh River.

Located between Gilgandra and Coonamble, Gulargambone is named after the Wiradjuri word for “watering place of many birds” or “place of galahs”.

Known as Gular among the locals, it’s a tight-knit community that’s never backed down when faced with a challenge.

Once a bustling town in the 1980s, it relied heavily on agriculture but as farms were sold and swallowed up by neighbours, more residents left the district.

With the banks pulling out of rural remote communities and Australia Post planning the same for the town in 1999, a small group of concerned locals rallied to pursue the Rural Transaction Centre option to return banking and postal services.

This allowed the post office to become the first community-owned post office in Australia.

From these developments, the Flying Ahead Committee was formed in 2001 – essentially a progress association addressing issues like town branding, starting with the iconic corrugated galahs.

Recognising the need to diversify their economic base, the community purchased a dilapidated hall with the aim of turning it into a tourist information centre.

After some major repairs, the former Majestic Picture Theatre was transformed into Two Eight Two Eight, named after the postcode. It boasts a multifaceted facility incorporating a cafe, art gallery, craft shop, function centre and catering service.

A landscaped courtyard, movie nights, second-hand bookshop, children’s sensory play space, annual black-tie event, Dinner under the Stars, and an accredited VIC all enhance the visitor experience.

The facility became a training venue for hospitality and tourism school students and integrates well with other regional tourism products.

In 2007 the service station closed along with the town’s only source of fuel, prompting the birth of the Gulargambone

Community Enterprises Co-operative.

Volunteers operated the town bowsers for three years until a Dubbo-based fuel merchant built an automated fuel depot.

With a tired-looking main street, the locals united once more in 2017 to create the Pave the Way Art Festival, aimed at revitalising the town with a street beautification project.

In consultation with local artist Alison Dent, they felt street art would entice grey nomads to view the works and stay a night or two. Visitors can now view 20 street murals and five sculptural window installations within closed-down shops along Bourbah Street.

Other works include the 3D mural of the Sacred Kingfisher (subject of an Australian stamp) on the water tower and the Ghosts of Bullocks wire netting sculpture – depicting six life-sized bullocks and a genuine dray loaded with wool bales.

In 2021 the festival focus moved down to the Riverwalk, with the installation of six sculptures along with minor works, creating a trail following the Gulargambone Creek, a tributary running into the Castlereagh River.

Faced with the prospect of no more large walls, the committee built their own. Last year three newly installed billboards were used as canvasses for six artists to paint provocative concepts, including climate change, mental health, animal extinction and biodiversity – to add intrigue and stimulate conversation.

Each mural has a small metal sculpture attached to the framework, helping to blend the structures into the environment.

As well as billboards, the old service station at the corner of Bourbah Street and the highway have been painted by visiting stencil artists.

“Our festival is a vitally important social occasion for our remote community and surrounding districts,” says events coordinator and local farmer Annie Haling.

“Hardships endured by agricultural communities and remote living mean trying times with limited or no access to cultural events and fewer social opportunities.”

Lock September 10, 2023, into your diary.

It’s when the Pave the Way to Gular Music Festival will showcase performing artists for the first time in its five-year history.

It will represent different genres of live music, with the headline performance by First Nations artist Mitch Tambo.

“Focusing on Indigenous cultural music and performance, the festival aims to provide a unique opportunity for celebrating Aboriginal culture in our region.” RLM For more information head to: www.gulargambone.com.au ABOVE: Events co-ordinator and local farmer Annie Haling in front of one of the new artworks. Image courtesy Jenet Stewart.

FACING PAGE: The streets of Gulargambone have been brought to life through a number of revitalisation projects; the famous metal sculptures of galahs have put the town on the map; two eight two eight and the main street buildings have all been painted and decorated; colourful new billboards; the town’s water tower is now part of the Australian Silo Art Trail thanks to its fabulous mural.

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gulargambone

Fraziers fall

FOR GULAR

Anybody living in a small, rural community knows nothing gets done without the volunteer brigade. Gulargambone, with a population of about 450, is no exception.

Having run the Gulargambone Caravan Park for almost a decade, Dave and Bernadette Frazier understand the importance of chipping in to keep their beautiful town alive.

Before arriving in the town well-known for its galahs, the pair had spent their lives working in many different fields. David served in the Dubbo, Canberra and Griffith branches of National Australia Bank before moving back to Dubbo with Bernadette to raise their three children.

For three years they ran the Talbragar Newsagency (now Snares) before hitting the road in 1983 for a three-month trip out west. It was the prelude to a life of travel and adventure. In 2002 David resigned from Shell, after years of ordering fuel deliveries to the local farmers.

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It was time to spread their wings and again hit the road. After finding jobs in various Northern Territory and Queensland roadhouses, including Katherine and Camooweal, they developed a taste for outback living – the more remote the better.

A turning point was accepting a six-month contract to run a community store in the small Indigenous community of Yalata, population 300, at the head of the Great Australian Bight.

“We went travelling with the attitude that we were happy to take any sort of job,” explains David. “It’s no different than today. If you want to get off your bum and have a go, you can always find work.

We chose to live and work in tiny Aboriginal communities and it was a game-changer.”

Gulargambone T O W N F E AT U R E

Five years later they were still there, loving the personal interactions with people from the oldest culture on earth. Every day was both a delight and a challenge, dealing with traditional full-bloods used to station work before government intervention changed the rules.

They enjoyed the lifestyle so much they spent a further 12 months at a similar remote community store at Ngukurr, 200km from Mataranka. It was another unique experience they will never forget.

“We were on the road for 10 years and got to live in parts of Australia that few ever get to experience,” says Bernadette.

After a further year in Dubbo their next big adventure was in 2013 when they bought Gulargambone Caravan Park, thinking it would be a logical step towards their semi-retirement plans.

Their plan was to stay perhaps four or five years, never expecting to fall in love with the place and the Gular pace of life. One of the things they appreciate about the town is the willingness of the locals to roll up their sleeves and have a go.

“Our town is small but very progressive,” explains David, a wellknown local identity prepared to do just about anything to help the town grow. Three years ago, the buildings in the main street were mostly closed before he and other like-minded citizens formed the Pave the Way to Gulargambone committee.

David and Bernadette watched with pride as the bullock art installation came to life, followed by fabulous artworks on the water tower and, more recently, painting the main street buildings.

In 2021 additional artworks and Sculptures on the River were added, complementing the galah artworks and the establishment of famous eatery, Two Eight Two Eight, 20 years ago.

David and Bernadette are still the best of mates after tying the knot as 20-year-olds nearly four decades ago. It’s been a good life,

“WE WERE ON THE ROAD FOR 10 YEARS AND GOT TO LIVE IN PARTS OF AUSTRALIA THAT FEW EVER GET TO EXPERIENCE.” often working two or three jobs at once and never seeing a day of unemployment.

Their children are all leading active lives while contributing nine grandchildren to the family tree. Tina Nissen works for Dairy Farmers in Dubbo; Scott is the principal of a Wollongong school while Dallas is an environmentalist on the Sunshine Coast.

These days life is a little quieter as David gears up for his 70th birthday. Recently he took up bowling, which keeps him occupied and out of his wife’s hair.

The caravan park is up for sale but the Fraziers have already decided they will never leave the community that’s won their hearts. Having earned the gong for 2018 Gulargambone Citizen of the Year, David has no desire to start again elsewhere.

“Gulargambone is a wonderful, tight-knit community that always chips in at working bees,” he says. “Without strong community support, nothing much happens around here.” RLM FACING PAGE: Dave and Bernadette Frazier have won several major community awards during their tenure at the Gulargambone Caravan Park, including winner of the Most Outstanding Business.

ABOVE: After nearly four decades together, the Fraziers have developed into a formidable team. One of their favourites spots is the big camp kitchen, where they meet fellow travellers from all corners of the globe.

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Gulargambone T O W N F E AT U R E

Picture-perfect PARK

Located on the banks of the Castlereagh River, Gulargambone has long been known as the small town with a big heart.

It’s a popular spot to spend a day or two to take in all the local attractions, from the nearby Warrumbungle Mountains to the lively artworks decorating the town.

One of the more popular places to stay is the award-winning Gulargambone Caravan Park.

The well-presented park offers tourists a wide range of accommodation options including large drive-through caravan and RV sites serviced with power and water, lawn-covered, unpowered tent sites, a selection of self-contained cabins and comfortable rooms with ensuites.

Well-seasoned travellers themselves, operators David and Bernadette Frazier are kept on their toes running the 40 powered sites and six non-powered tent sites.

The park comes with a large block for showers and laundry, along with a huge, undercover area equipped with a big-screen TV, fire pit and barbecue.

It’s been the scene for many a great night for visiting campers, especially in winter, when the fire is roaring and the twang of a guitar helps sets the mood.

The busy season is from Easter through to the October long weekend. Among the big weekends are the Gulargambone Gold Cup, the annual Coonamble Rodeo and Campdraft on the June long weekend and the local show.

When RLM visits, the lawns are lush and green, thanks to the wet conditions of the past two years.

“It has meant a lot more time sitting on the lawnmower but it’s worth it to see the place looking so good,” says David, who shares the gardening, cleaning and office duties with his wife.

For an affordable night there’s a super container with four basic rooms and an ensuite. There are also three one-bedroom cabins belonging to the aged care community.

The Fraziers are strong believers in giving back to their community. In the past decade, the pair has raised more than $90,000 for the Royal Flying Doctor Service through campfire dinners, donations, raffles and auctions.

Most of this has been collected in the busier winter months when grey nomads are migrating north.

The Gulargambone Caravan Park has won numerous awards with the Coonamble Chamber of Commerce. They took home the 2014/15 award for Tourism and Hospitality along with Most Outstanding Business.

In 2018 the business was inducted into the Coonamble Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame.

David and Bernadette look forward to welcoming you to

their quiet, pet-friendly haven, surrounded by jacaranda trees and manicured gardens. You will find a variety of flowers and plants, with something in bloom all year round.

If you are lucky, you might just get to hear some of the Fraziers’ own travel adventures into some of Australia’s most remote regions. RLM

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: The Gulargambone Caravan Park has plenty of shady spots to sit back and relax; owners Bernadette and Dave Frazier love their small community; the park’s entrance sign features the galah!

Located near the Castlereagh River, Gulargambone Caravan Park is situated in a quiet street off the highway and offers tourists a wide range of accommodation options including: • Large drive through caravan sites (serviced with power and water) • Lawn-covered unpowered tent sites • A selection of self contained cabins and comfortable rooms with ensuites.

Come & meet fellow travellers and make new friends.

We're pet friendly!

www.gulargambonecaravanpark.com.au

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T O W N F E AT U R E Gulargambone

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Gulargambone T O W N F E AT U R E

Dedication

reaps rewards Gulargambone Central School principal Michael Spora feels his time there has been the most rewarding of his teaching career.

In a town with few services and even fewer opportunities for its students, the staff has had to reinvent the school to create a place where all students can thrive. That dedication has paid off in spades as Gular Central now has the atmosphere of a large family where everyone supports one another.

“A number of home-grown initiatives have given Gular Central its amazing, homely atmosphere,” enthuses Michael. “While the school always had an incredible breakfast program, which all students attend, five years ago this was extended to provide a home-cooked meal for lunch every day with our healthy lunch program.

“Another innovation is bringing in a private psychologist each week to support students and their families. With 85 per cent Indigenous students, in addition to in-class support personnel, we have an additional staff member trained as an allied health support worker.

“This person implements speech and occupational therapy programs as well as coordinating all health screenings and follows up with all students needing specialist doctors.”

Many Gular Central students are naturally gifted in sporting activities and this healthy pastime is encouraged by the school which gives the students a sense of achievement and nurtures school camaraderie.

“With our small numbers, our sporting teams often find themselves in the finals or semi-finals of state-wide knock-out competitions against schools five and sometimes 10 times the size of Gular,” he says. “Students often play opponents several years older than them.”

The students’ talents also extend to music and dance, which is showcased in local performances, with many selected to be part of the NSW Schools Spectacular.

Although size matters, Michael believes the smaller number of students allows staff to focus on their post-school aspirations.

This is evidenced by more than 90 per cent of senior pupils in the past six years having completed a school-based traineeship or apprenticeship. In addition, all students aspiring to attend university have been successful in their field of choice.

ABOVE: Principal Michael Spora with 2023 primary and secondary school captains.

FACING PAGE: 1: Ella Wykes, Caitlyn Gadsby with baby Bill and Tully Andrews in English class.

2: Michael Spora presents Ella Wykes and Tully Andrews with their captain’s badges.

3: Peter-May Millgate, Bobbi Day, Daysjon Millgate, Raigen Carter and Sam Churchill.

4: Students waiting for breakfast: Emily Brook, Alyssa Lincoln, Claire Fisher, Darcey Lincoln,

Stevie Faye Welsh, Lachlan Fisher, Janaya Ryan.

Far right: Xanthe Hill and teacher Liz Ede. 5: Porscha Peters and Janaya Ryan on NAIDOC Day. 6: Miss Ede and Leah Hammond with the K/1/2 class.

7: Students enjoying some breakfast.

8: Lachlan Fisher and Dee-jay Ryan.

9: Standing, Deejay, Janaya, Tiger, Edgar, Lucas, Darcey and William. Front: Honey-Rose, Porscha, Slater and Jeremy.

10: Playing on the equipment.

The school’s agricultural program is key to this, offering students a range of options.

Last year, with the support of a local farmer and Australian Wool Innovation supplying shearing instructors, the school ran a shearing school. From this, one of the students has decided to pursue shearing as a career so the school arranged a shearing traineeship one day a week with a local shearing contractor.

Another senior student currently works a day a week at the local garage starting his motor mechanic apprenticeship, while a third is completing a Certificate III in Health Services Assistance at the local Multi-Purpose Health Centre.

“The old saying that it takes a village to raise a child is true here; the Gulargambone community certainly does come to the party to support the school,” Michael says proudly.

“We know by the feel and atmosphere around here that we are succeeding, however, the department is always chasing data.

“With all of the surveys completed, it shows our students have a stronger sense of belonging and engagement with their education than the majority in the state, and particularly of a similar demographic to Gulargambone.”

Gular Central has become somewhere students really want to be – as shown by attendance levels, which are constantly improving and are better than department expectations. These days suspensions are a rarity, when you consider they once counted more than 270 days in a year.

The most important ingredient in making Gular Central a great place to learn is the positive interactions between staff and students, with a deliberate friendly and conversational tone to the school.

“Whilst we have exceptionally high expectations of our students, I believe we have a lot better success at producing positive, responsible, and well-rounded citizens by modelling positive behaviour and teaching students to do the right thing rather than rigidly enforcing the rules with an air of authority,” Michael says.

“I have worked in a number of department schools as well as in the Catholic and independent sectors and I have never worked with such a compliant cohort of students nor a more cohesive staff who are so invested in the wellbeing and personal growth of all their students.” RLM Words: Anna Rose

11: Muddy’s Shearing Services trainee Jaylem Peters.

12: Allirah Baxter enjoys NAIDOC Day celebrations.

13: Mrs Mills with her 4/5/6 class.

14: Janaya and Porscha.

15, 16: Inglis Peters and Jakailah Ryan on NAIDOC Day. 17: Rachel Drury with her 7/8 English class.

18: Jayden Fardell on the tools with boss Sam Wykes.

19: Renee Ryan teaching her 7/8 history class.

20: Xanthe, Tahleka, Honey-Rose and Jalirah.

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long lost family W I N T E R

Family found Five words spoken by a classmate changed one woman’s life forever, setting her on a journey of self-discovery.

It all began in one pivotal moment nearly 60 years ago at a small school in the Riverina. It was a life-changing incident that would put a question in Jane’s heart, one that would remain unanswered for many years.

“You’re not a real Smith”: five careless words uttered by a fellow classmate to five-year-old Jane. This blunt statement revealed a secret that perhaps she was never supposed to know – that she was adopted.

This prompted a conversation between mother and daughter.

“Jane, you are special. We chose you,” were the words her mother used at the time to reassure the confused youngster.

Having already lost two babies there was no doubt her mother meant what she said with all her heart, that Jane was a precious gift to her family. However, as Jane grew up, that sweet but simple answer only succeeded in creating a lot more questions she longed to have answered.

In 1982 Jane married Max Lieschke. They settled on their Riverina farm at Bidgeemia and had three children – Matthew, Alyce and Tristan. In 2008, with her children grown, she felt the time was right to finally start filling in the blank pages of her story.

Taking the first step is always the hardest, but with a quiet resilience and the support of her husband she contacted the Department of Community Services (DOCS). She required a supply authority which would allow her access to a copy of her original birth certificate.

The document revealed information about Jane’s earliest days. Her mother, Jill gave birth to Jane in 1961 at Calvary Hospital, Wagga Wagga. She was placed under the care of the nuns, who called her Bernadette.

This is where she spent her first six weeks of life before her adoption.

At last, Jane knew who her birth mother was.

A simple search on the NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages revealed Jill was still alive, married, and living only two hours away.

Jane decided to utilise the expertise and support of Post Adoption Resource Centre, Sydney (PARCS) to reach out by mail.

Eventually she received word that Jill had acknowledged Jane as her daughter but declined to have any further contact.

“It felt like a second rejection,” remembers Jane.

Then, out of the blue, she received a phone call. At first, she thought it was a telemarketer, but something told her to stay on the line. It was PARCS with totally unexpected and unbelievable news: Jane had siblings.

“I felt numb. I thought I was the only one,” recalls Jane.

Incredibly, both her older brother Robert, born 1960, and younger sister Cathy, born 1964, were also adopted. All three children had gone through the same experience but never knew of each other’s existence.

She recalls the first time she ever heard Robert’s voice. She couldn’t help but replay his message over and over, wondering what kind of person he was. Jane had always wanted a big brother and thought he would fit the bill perfectly.

In Jane’s first conversation with her sister, Cathy she learned she had received a vague letter in the mail claiming: “There is a relative trying to contact you. Please phone PARCS for more information.”

You can imagine the shock of her daughter, who opened the letter for her.

After having a look for herself Cathy humorously quipped: “Well, if they are after my kidney, they’re not having it!”

Jane was looking for more than a kidney; she was seeking kinship. Now all in their 40s, the long-lost siblings began getting to know each other. There were family celebrations to attend, and nieces and nephews to be introduced to. It was time to become the presence in each other’s lives that could have been theirs, had circumstances been different.

In 2009, Jane was surprised to receive a letter from her birth mother in which she enclosed the name and a photo of her father.

Another blank had been filled in which opened their lines of communication.

Later that year, they met for the first time on Mother’s Day. Jane describes it as a natural connection. “As a child I’d always called her ‘my other mother’, and it was very clear that despite all the time spent apart, we’d always been connected.” >

IT WAS TIME TO BECOME THE PRESENCE IN EACH OTHER’S LIVES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THEIRS, HAD CIRCUMSTANCES BEEN DIFFERENT.

FACING PAGE: Jane Lieschke at her home outside of Wagga Wagga.

FROM TOP: Jane with her siblings Robert and Cathy at her daughter’s wedding in October 2011; three of Jane’s siblings, Megan, Tim and Cathy during a catchup in 2022.

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W I N T E R long lost family

In 2012, Jane, Robert and Cathy were shocked to discover they had another sister.

Born in 1962 and named Elizabeth by Jill, her adoptive parents chose to call her Megan. Megan’s early days mirror Jane’s almost exactly.

Like her eldest sister, Megan was born at Calvary and placed under the nuns’ care.

As they had with Jane, the nuns called her Bernadette. Due to an oversight, Megan was not mentioned when Jane initially learned about her siblings.

Raised as an only child, Megan sought out her family and found much more than she’d ever bargained for. As a child, Megan had grown up with a beloved doll called Jane.

She could not believe her luck to have a real sister with the same name – just waiting to be found.

Before her natural mother’s passing in October 2021, Jane had the chance to spend time with the woman who changed the course of her life.

Jill revealed she had married again in 1966 and bore another two children – Tim in 1967, and Megan (number two) in 1971.

Sadly, her youngest died in a motorcycle accident in 2006.

Jane learned of Jill’s own absent mother, this hole in her own childhood which led her down path she chose – giving up her babies.

It’s an unbelievably tough truth for any mother or child to accept. Incredibly, Jane possessed an empathy for her mother few could muster. She entered the conversations with an open heart and mind.

Often Jill would apologise to her eldest daughter, but Jane attempted to absolve her of guilt by insisting it wasn’t necessary.

Jane realised her mother’s choice may have been more of an expectation of the time. As it was, Jane experienced a better childhood than she might otherwise have had. Jill’s hard choice made four other families very happy, for which they are all grateful.

Shame from her complicated past, coupled with wanting to protect her current family, Jill kept Jane’s identity a secret, referring to her as “my friend Jane”.

It wasn’t until her mother’s passing that Jane reached out to Tim to explain how she fitted into his life. When asking Tim if he knew who she was, his response was immediate: “You’re my sister, aren’t you?”

He had an inkling there were one or two others, but to learn there were four siblings he never knew about blew him away. He made it his business to personally meet up with each of them.

Looking back, Jane’s only regret is not having the chance to grow up as one of four siblings. All that unrealised history is the hardest to take. Knowing that Robert, Cathy,

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Megan and Tim will always be part of her story has changed her life for the better.

When setting out on her journey of discovery she never could have guessed the one blank page she wanted to fill would turn into so many. RLM Words and images: Jennifer Harden

FOOTNOTE: At press time, we learned of the passing of Jane’s brother, Robert Young. As the end drew near, Robert expressed his thanks to Jane for bringing them all together. He believed the joy of knowing his siblings finally helped everything make sense. Our heart goes out to family. May his memory bring comfort to you all.

JANE REALISED HER MOTHER’S CHOICE MAY HAVE BEEN MORE OF AN EXPECTATION OF THE TIME.

ABOVE: Jane with her husband Max and two of their grandchildren Ava and Noah.

portobello A R M I DA L E

Enjoy the best of both worlds with a prime central location teamed with a comfortable and beautifully styled home.

Portobello is located across from and overlooks the lovely parks of Armidale, the shopping centre, cinema, pubs, cafes and playgrounds, all of which are a short easy stroll away.

Large full kitchen with modern appliances including dishwasher, Nespresso machine and pods.

Four bedrooms, two of which have ensuites.

Sleep in luxury on top of the range mattresses and quality bed linen.

We look forward to welcoming you to Portobello soon.

Ph. 0413 318 752 emulrick@hotmail.com 129 Kirkwood Street, Armidale NSW

Petersons Guesthouse is an unforgettable experience of luxury and relaxation.

Located at the award winning Peterson’s Armidale Winery, the guesthouse defines New England’s finest boutique getaway, offering seven elegant rooms with king sized beds and antique furniture to ensure your stay is perfect.

From the moment you arrive, our staff will offer a friendly but unobtrusive service, ensuring that you can relax and fully enjoy your experience.

Peterson’s Guesthouse has a beautiful restaurant which is open 7 nights for dinner.

We also have multiple function spaces for your perfect private event.

We look forward to welcoming you as our guests.

(02) 6772 0422 stay@petersonsguesthouse.com.au 345 Dangarsleigh Road, Armidale, NSW 2350

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The Waterfall Way Where wonder runs deep

www.mywaterfallway.com.au

MSA Eating Quality

Profitability

Carcase performance

Grass Finishing

Feedlot Performance

To view catalogues visit

www.angusaustralia.com.au

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BINGARA RETURNED SERVICEMANS CLUB

bingararsl.com.au Open 7 days a week from 11am till late

• •

Large function room & beer garden

Our regular weekly activities are a treat for all ages and include bingo and raffles •

Asian and Western style menu Open Tuesday to Sunday

• Live and free entertainment every Sunday from midday to 3pm

02 6724 1404 46-50 Finch Street, Bingara NSW

A DOCTOR DRIVEN

A gifted physician instilled with the desire to help others has continued to follow his dream despite a freak accident that could easily have ended his life.

Dr Steve Peterson is a driven man: he works for a variety of employers in telehealth, drug and alcohol and detox services, trains and mentors general practitioners, is on the board of a disability organisation, and is also a councillor on Orange City Council. As well, he is a husband and the father of two young boys.

It would be a heavy workload for anyone, but Steve is a quadriplegic, confined to a wheelchair. He has no feeling in his body from the neck down and has only very limited use of his hands.

A freak accident in March 2018, when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle to work at Orange Hospital, could have ended what was a promising career. Ironically, he was on his way to start an early morning shift in the Accident and Emergency (A&E) department, so instead of helping seriously ill patients, he was the one who needed assistance.

He remembers nothing of the accident, waking up a week or so later at the Royal North Shore Hospital in Sydney. His injuries were horrendous: every bone in his neck was broken and one of those fractures damaged the spinal cord. There were also other fractures, in an arm and a leg, and a significant brain injury.

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His wife Deb travelled to and from the Sydney hospital for months while their boys were looked after by her parents back in Orange.

“It was a difficult diagnosis to come to terms with,” he says with characteristic understatement, “but I tried to focus on the family.

Deb’s parents said, ‘We’ll get through this’.”

He knows exactly how long he spent in the ICU at Royal North Shore – 63 days – and in hospital overall – 269 days. There were low points during this period, of course, but he learnt just how important it is for doctors and nurses to show empathy. Once when he was feeling particularly upset, a friendly hug from a nurse boosted his morale significantly.

Steve was born into an army family in Hong Kong and much of his childhood was spent at different military bases. He attended the International School in Beijing and enjoyed sport, especially AFL and cycling. He joined the scouts and became a Queen’s Scout.

He was still at high school when he decided to pursue medicine. “It was a mix of intellectual challenge and I guess I felt it would be useful,” he says. “There is something quite satisfactory in helping people on a personal level. Medicine is such a direct way to help people.”

inspiration W I N T E R

Steve met Deb at the ANU Medical School. He describes her as an intelligent, sporty, vivacious and interesting person.

When they finished their studies they opted to work in remote parts of Australia – Darwin, Far North Queensland, and Derby in the Kimberley. These postings could be seen as difficult places to begin a medical career, but the young couple embraced the opportunity to learn about the challenges of working in isolated places.

“Professionally I was exposed to a variety of conditions and more was expected there of a junior doctor,” he remembers. “I did cardiology, I came across rheumatic heart disease in Indigenous Australians, valve problems and heart failure, heart attacks – a whole plethora. There was so much to learn, as much as in all of medical school.”

Steve continued his sporting interests, especially bushwalking in Kakadu, and once hiked up Queensland’s highest peak, Mount Bartle Frere.

The period practising in remote places came to an end for family reasons. Deb came from Orange and wanted to be closer to her parents, especially when their sons Luke and Tim were born in 2013 and 2016 respectively.

Steve and Deb continued working in Orange, taking on additional training which led them to gain fellowships, allowing them to practise unsupervised. The day after Deb passed her final written exams was when the accident happened.

Nine months after the accident, one thing was clear: Steve was determined to find a way to return to medicine, armed with the experience of having been a patient as well as a doctor. Then aged 33, he realised he could no longer work in A&E, but there were other roles he could manage, with a bit of innovation and a lot of determination.

He has worked for a number of employers: as a GP for the Aboriginal Medical Service, doing telehealth to support doctors throughout NSW, drug and alcohol and detox work. He also has a GP training role, mentoring and lecturing and writing exam questions for the Royal College of General Practitioners. He is on the board of Live Better, a disability service provider aimed at regional areas in NSW and Queensland and is now on its Clinical Governance Committee.

Steve has always had a strength of purpose, which he attributes to his religious faith (he grew up in a Catholic family and is now a member of Orange Evangelical Church) and his desire to repay the country which put him through medical school.

As if his medical career was not enough, last year Steve stood as an independent candidate for Orange City Council in December 2021 and was duly elected. It was a time of change in local government as well as in state and federal politics. Orange City Council’s current line-up of councillors now includes one Indigenous and three female councillors with widely divergent experience. Steve himself brings an unusual combination of attributes as a councillor – being a younger man, a doctor and having a serious disability.

“The hope was that it would allow me to contribute in a way which others could not,” he explains. “Diversity is a means to an end, and you can play a useful part. I am the chairperson of the Ageing and Access, Health Liaison and Cycling committees. In those areas I can be a leader and have an active role; in other areas it’s more a team effort.”

While Steve says much has been done in Orange to improve the lives of those with disabilities such as accessibility and transport support, he feels more could be achieved, citing the impossibility for people using wheelchairs to access areas of lawn in local parks – what is merely a small step for the fit and healthy to access the lawns from pathways is impossible for those in wheelchairs. He has proposed a simple solution – a series of sloping access boards placed around the pathways.

There are, of course, “big picture” issues, such as water security and road improvements which Steve is keen to address, along with his fellow councillors.

Not a second is wasted as Steve goes about his daily business in medicine and as a councillor. While he is being transported around the city he catches up on emails via an iPad attached to a tray on his electronic wheelchair, and answers messages on his phone through voicemail. He acknowledges the support he gets, especially from his family and Orange City Council staff.

Steve and his family now live in a purpose-built house on his parents-in-law’s property. Carers assist with getting Steve in and out of bed and driving him around town. He feels sad he is not able to join in games with his children, but with characteristic positivity, he says “there is little to be gained by dwelling on what I can’t do,” while admitting it takes more creativity for a disabled person to be an effective father.

There is a glimmer of hope that Steve and other quadriplegics may one day be able to walk again. He is currently participating in the BioSpine research program at Griffith University on the Gold Coast. The program aims to combine thought control, technological aids, electrical stimulation and drug therapy with the goal of amplifying the area below the spinal injury.

Every fortnight he travels to the university for a four-day session where experts in virtual reality put him on a bicycle, where he wears 3D glasses and has electrical pads on his head attached to chargers to stimulate his nervous system. While the research program has a long way to run, Steve is grateful for the opportunity to participate.

Meanwhile, he is concentrating on what he can do: “I hope I can be as good a husband, father, doctor and councillor as I can,” he says. “There will always be a challenge. As long as I am alive I’ll keep working and be as useful as I can.” RLM Words: Elisabeth Edwards Images: Robert Bruce

FACING PAGE: Dr Steve Peterson leads a busy life, combining his medical and civic roles while enjoying being at home with his family.

FROM TOP: Steve at his home near Orange with his wife Deb and sons Luke and Tim; Steve interviews a patient, continuing his work as a medical practitioner despite his quadriplegia.

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WINNER OF SUPREME MERINO EWE & SUPREME JUNIOR EXHIBIT Plus five other Grand Champion & Champion Ribbons from 2022 Sydney Royal Easter Show ANNUAL ON PROPERTY RAM SALE 4TH WEDNESDAY IN JANUARY Commercial sheep available from February each year Des/Jane/Jack Carlon 0427 787 339

Alison van Eyk 02 6778 7339

shalimarparkmerinostud@gmail.com

shalimarpark-merinostud.com.au

HEREFORDS Consistent, Competitive

&

Commercially focused

These two quality Tummel bulls available for sale at the Dubbo National Poll Hereford Bull Sale Tuesday 6 June 2023 CHRIS LISLE 0459 772 810 clisle@activ8.net.au

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ALLAN LAURIE 0455 821 394

ACADEMY WAGYU FOR RED & BLACK WAGYU

The Academy Wagyu Stud in the Northern Tablelands of NSW has been a producer of the finest quality Fullblood and Purebred Cattle for 25 years.

Academy International P107

Dam Kalanca Kajimiko B647

“Trevanion”, 80 Roseneath Lane, Armidale NSW 2350 Barbara 0447 777 122 Email b.robertsthomson@bigpond.com ABN 37 388 652 166 SEMEN FOR SALE www.academyredwagyu.com

At Lucknow Skin Shop and Boot Barn we stock all of your favourite brands – Thomas Cook, Wrangler, Pure Western, Ringers Western, Ariat and more.

We have a wide range of boots and clothing in all the latest styles and colours to keep you looking great.

Lucknow Skin Shop and Boot Barn, exceptional products and exceptional service, every day.

4601 Mitchell Highway, Lucknow 2800 OPEN 7 days Weekdays 9–5 | Weekends 9–4 Phone orders welcome 02 6365 5330 Visit lucknowskinshop.com.au if you just can’t make it in-store.

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Can sing, can cook With a love of quarter horses, good food and a fine country song, Rob Breese is the total package.

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lifestyle W I N T E R

Country music crooner Rob lobbed into the Country Music Capital 20 years ago in a clapped-out LandCruiser packed with a guitar, small PA system and a horse float with his favourite quarter horse stallion and mare.

It was another chapter of an almighty journey that started in the 1980s when the fresh-faced school leaver became an apprentice chef at The Summit, on top of Sydney Tower.

During his apprenticeship, he met country music star Ray Griffiths, employed as an entertainer at the restaurant. The two become the best of friends, with Ray urging Rob to travel up to the 1983 Tamworth festival.

That’s where Rob fell in love with country music. The buzz and hype in that atmosphere was like nothing he’d ever witnessed.

“It was like the Sydney Royal Easter Show, only everyone was there for the same reason – the music, camaraderie and good times," he says.

The next 12 months saw an expansion of Rob’s knowledge of Australian country music after a childhood of playing fluent piano and guitar.

"It was only natural to take the next step and record an album of a dozen or so songs that I could take to the streets of Tamworth during the following year as a Peel Street busker," he says. It proved a fruitful choice.

His success on the “Boulevarde of Dreams” changed his career path the moment his apprenticeship finished. Rob became an entertainer on the Sydney club circuit, while holding down different chef positions throughout the region.

Over the next 20 years, he travelled to Tamworth for the annual festival, playing on the footpath of the main street during the day and performing a song or two at various clubs and pubs in the evening.

In 1991 Rob enjoyed the opportunity to perform at the Sydney Opera House alongside his country music peers to a packed concert hall. Tamworth on Parade became an annual event for the next five years, with Rob as musical director. The show culminated in a whirlwind tour of all capital cities in 1992.

After a marriage breakdown in the late 1990s, Rob was performing fortnightly gigs at the Longyard Hotel. By 2002 it made sense to make Tamworth home. Rob had been breeding quarter horses for the past decade, leading to the purchase of “Matilda Park" on 100 acres about 15 minutes from the CBD.

NEW BEGINNINGS

The farm was the foundation of new beginnings. The property had a comfortable house, shearing shed and the old Gidley Post Office on site. Renovations over time included building a stable complex, cutting arena, round yard and doing the old post office up to transform it into Beaten Track Recording Studio.

The day the deal was done, the phone rang from his booking agent. Rob was unceremoniously informed that people no longer wanted to hear country music and there was no more work.

Over the next few months Rob met his now wife, Kristy. To make ends meet, he shod horses, did some horse breaking, offered some horse-riding lessons, mowed lawns, and performed the odd gig to keep the wolf from the door.

“This lifestyle became just too hard, unreliable and unsustainable to maintain any continuity, so the return of Rob Breese, the chef came back into action,” he laughs.

“At a time where food was becoming a big trend in this wonderful city, I upped the ante at a few of Tamworth’s main street hotels and was head-hunted by the owner of the famous Longyard Hotel to resurrect his food outlet and dining room.”

After nearly 12 months, Rob and Kristy were offered the lease on the kitchen and function room within the hotel, which they embraced with open arms.

Running their own successful business became second nature until three years later when Rob turned up to work shortly after the 2011 festival to be met at the door by representatives from a Sydney receiver company. The hotel’s owner had gone into forced receivership without any information being forwarded to Rob’s business. Their family investment was stolen overnight.

Months passed and a new venture began with the birth of Tamworth’s favourite restaurant, The Square Man Inn. Setting up a fine dining restaurant in a former derelict building was a move that tantalised the tastebuds of its customers for years to come.

The place had 150 seats offering personally cooked meals, served to the table, inside dining with al fresco during the warmer months, and great country music entertainment during Tamworth’s winter and summer festivals.

Sadly, the Square Man Inn has closed its doors after honouring its lease commitments for a decade. Rob says it was a combination of things, including a steady decline in trade after an intersection reconstruction out the front of the building.

The worst drought in Australian history, bushfires and COVID-19 didn’t help.

Undeterred, Rob and Kristy with their three boys, Ty, Riley and Darcy, plan to operate the recording studio on their farm, where Rob has recorded more than 50 albums for various country music artists.

He also stands two Australian quarter horse stallions and a band of broodmares.

Family holidays with his daughter Ashtyn, her husband Jack and grandson Jett up in sunny Queensland are high on his priorities for the future.

“IT WAS LIKE THE SYDNEY ROYAL EASTER SHOW, ONLY EVERYONE WAS THERE FOR THE SAME REASON – THE MUSIC, CAMARADERIE AND GOOD TIMES” Look out for this humble, unassuming, seasoned country performer with 13 albums to his name and a great story to tell. He’ll be proudly flying the Tamworth flag at a festival or venue near you. RLM Words and Images: Jake Lindsay

FACING PAGE: Singing chef Rob Breese has left the kitchen to concentrate on his musical career.

ABOVE: Rob hard at work in Beaten Track Recording Studio on his Tamworth property; Rob with one of his favourite quarter horses.

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Bingara Wattle Arts & Crafts Do you love quality, handmade gifts?

We specialise in one of a kind creations, with a personal touch

Show your support of our beautiful town and take home your own piece of Bingara

Cards • Jewellery • Wooden toys • Paintings • Quilts • Leather goods • Jams, pickles and relish 66 Maitland Street, Bingara 2404 (Opposite Regional Australia Bank)

0418 650 413 bingarawattle@outlook.com

Mon to Fri 9am - 3pm Sat 9am - 12noon

BINGARA NEWSAGENCY

Bake Fresh Eat Fresh Everyday

The old papershop continues to delight with unexpected surprises.

(02) 6724 1901 bingarabakehouse@gmail.com 84 Maitland St, Bingara NSW 2404 @BingaraBakery Weekdays 6am–5:30pm Saturday 6:30am–12:30pm

NRL football shirts, Australiana books, local history books, candles, diffusers, toys and lots of other goodies.

We dare you to explore!

60 Maitland Street Bingara NSW 2404 Phone: 02 6724 1500

Come and try out award winning pies!

Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm Saturday 7.30am - 12pm Sunday 7.30am - 11am

bingaranewsagency.com

sselah se elah yo yoga a

Yoga Classes and Retreat Experiences Bali • Mission Beach • Daylesford • Fiji • Uki • Norfolk Island Ph. 0429 647928 www.selahyoga.com.au

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Buying ∙ Selling ∙ Residential ∙ Commercial Property Management Specialists ∙ Free Market Appraisals 297 Grey Street, Glen Innes NSW 2370 ∙ 02 6732 2799 ∙ 0427 360 517 deb@highlandsre.com.au ∙ www.highlandsre.com.au

Enjoy a quality lifestyle in the heart of the magnificent New England area in Northern NSW

GAWURA GALLERY Aboriginal and Fine Arts Centre

Internationally Acclaimed Artist

Boutique Guesthouse in an historic bank building in the cafe precinct of Glen Innes.

Featuring free Wifi throughout the property, The 3 Queen bedrooms are complemented with spacious and elegant guest lounge-rooms & dining rooms.

The property offers a library, study, kitchen and provides complimentary breakfast.

Ph. 0404 312 441 320 Grey Street, Glen Innes, NSW 2370

LLOYD GAWURA HORNSBY 9979 New England Hwy, Glen Innes Open Wed to Sat 10am to 4pm or by appointment

04033 830 80 info@gawuragallery.com www.gawuragallery.com

APARTMENTS

ON GREY

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accommodation W I N T E R

Highland

hospitality

Discovering Glenmore, a luxury B&B in the heart of Glen Innes, will be a delightful experience for travellers along the New England Highway.

For more than 14 years, Michele Sherrot and her husband Farley have criss-crossed NSW, providing a variety of accommodation in the competitive hospitality market.

The couple’s latest venture is Glenmore, a luxury bed and breakfast in Glen Innes in the New England region of NSW, which opened its doors in late 2022, and is already receiving five-star ratings from guests.

Michele and Farley moved from Inverell in 2020, and before that owned a fishing and skiing lodge at Providence Portal in the heart of the Snowy Mountains.

They have also owned a motel at Port Macquarie and another ski lodge in Jindabyne, all of which they renovated.

“It was always our intention to own a luxury bed and breakfast,” Michele says.

“We love meeting people, and have met some wonderful people over the years, many from overseas and interstate.”

Michele and Farley purchased the home, and named it Glenmore, after being struck by its potential for luxury accommodation.

The footprint of the 120-year-old home suited a B&B, and the changes they undertook were largely cosmetic.

They turned their hand to renovating, gutting the house’s attached flat, creating ensuites, and remodelling it in keeping with the original Federation style.

The gracious home was built in about 1902 and for many years was occupied by the town’s doctors.

Dr Arthur Joseph MacKenzie bought the property in 1919 and remained there until 1937 when he sold the practice to Dr RS Irwin, who was the first doctor in the north to have an ECG. Glenmore Bed and Breakfast is surrounded by half an acre of tranquil gardens and pitches itself at the luxury end of the accommodation market. >

ABOVE: The entrance to Glenmore, a luxury B&B in the New England region of NSW; Glenmore hosts Michele and Farley Sherrot on the front verandah, leading to the garden, an inviting place for guests to relax.

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The lounge in the MacKenzie suite; the elegant guest dining room; Glenmore is furnished with exquisite antiques; the lounge in the Irwin suite; desk in the MacKenzie suite; continental breakfast; (centre pic) bedroom in the MacKenzie suite; bedroom in the Irwin suite.

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W I N T E R accommodation

While the B&B offers a peaceful getaway, there is also plenty to do and see in and around Glen Innes.

A circa 1800s sideboard takes pride of place in the dining room and other antique pieces furnish the home which is decorated with crystal chandeliers and Laura Ashley wallpaper.

The two guest suites – named MacKenzie and Irwin – each have their own private entrance, lounge room and king-sized bed with goose-down doonas, pillows and luxury linen.

Each guest room so has a French provincial-inspired full-size bathroom with bathtub; gowns and slippers are provided.

Guests meet in the elegant formal dining room for a continental breakfast with fresh fruit, nuts and yoghurt, or a full cooked breakfast with French toast or bacon and eggs.

The B&B is airconditioned, has free Wi-Fi, is situated across the road from King Edward Park, and is a pleasant walk to the town’s boutique shops, pubs and cafes.

Glenmore is tailored for couples. Couples who have stayed at Glenmore since it opened less than a year ago have all awarded the B&B a five-star rating.

“Three couples wanted somewhere special to stay for their anniversaries,” Michele says. Other couples have stayed over Christmas or to attend weddings in the town.

While the B&B offers a peaceful getaway, there is also plenty to do and see in and around Glen Innes.

The historic town prides itself on its Celtic heritage, and every May hosts the Australian Celtic Festival, a celebration of music, dance and culture.

In 2022, the festival celebrated its 30th anniversary, and the program included a street parade, pipe bands, medieval long-table dinner, Highland games, Ceilidh dancing and Kirkin’ o’ the Tartan service.

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The Standing Stones, created in the early 1990s, is a national monument that acknowledges the contribution to Australian culture made by Celtic people from places such as Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. The Land of the Beardies History House Museum and Research Centre opened in 1970 and houses more than 10,000 items and about 63,000 photographs, almost exclusively from Glen Innes and the surrounding district.

Glen Innes is on the doorstep of the Gibraltar Range National Park in World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest where people can hike, spot wildlife or take a dip in the cool waters of Boundary Falls.

Glen Gowrie gin distillery is only minutes away from the B&B. “Another drawcard is that there are more than 60 Heritagelisted buildings to view,” Michele says.

Glen Innes is at the crossroads of the New England and Gwydir highways, and is an easy drive from Armidale, Tamworth and the coast.

Glenmore Bed and Breakfast is listed on Airbnb and Stayz and has its own website. RLM Words: Liz Tickner Images: Lara Flanagan

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Guests' verandah; bathroom in the Irwin suite; a comfortable chair to while away the hours; a warm welcome awaits you at Glenmore B&B; bathroom in the MacKenzie suite.

E N J O Y T H E F I N E S T S T AY A T

Glenmore Bed and Breakfast is nestled in the historic picturesque Celtic town Glen Innes, on the edge of the world heritage listed national parks NSW, you’ll experience the peace and tranquility of our luxury bed and breakfast.

Especially tailored to couples, and just one hour from Armidale Airport, two hours from Tamworth, come and

enjoy the four distinct seasons, spectacular hiking trails and our amazing heritage architecture.

Looking forward to helping you explore our amazing surroundings, where our warm welcome awaits you.

glenmorebedandbreakfast.com.au

8 8 W E S T AV E N U E , G L E N I N N E S N S W 2 3 7 0

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Gunnedah business W I N T E R

Spoilt for choice

An abundance of beautiful choices draws appreciative customers from near and far to the delightful Goodness & Gracious.

For owner Susie Martin, providing an uplifting and joyous shopping experience is at the heart of her three Goodness & Gracious stores – lifestyle in Gunnedah and Quirindi, and florist Outdoor in Gunnedah.

“We want people to leave happier than when they came in,” she says.

To ensure this customer satisfaction Susie and her team are focussed on providing quality products with exceptional service.

The lifestyle stores are vibrant and welcoming, and radiate a relaxed and warm country ambience.

In Susie’s original Gunnedah location, the huge space is expertly and tastefully arranged with enticing finds at every turn. The same fresh and happy vibe can be found in Quirindi, established eight years ago.

Explore the latest in seasonal on-trend women’s fashions, gorgeous accessories, jewellery, a wide range of must-have handbags, children’s clothing and an incredible range of more than 300 styles of footwear.

There is an enormous selection of items to enhance any home including cushions, throws, rugs, kitchenware, wall décor and frames, together with perennial favourite, Glasshouse candles and fragrances.

Find the perfect gift or treat yourself from shelves and displays brimming with fabulous ideas from traditional to quirky and unique. Customers delight in finding items both lovely and distinctive.

“We love to offer a point of difference, even between our stores,” Susie adds.

Style, quality and affordability underline women’s fashion from leading labels such as Goondiwindi Cotton, eb&ive, Humidity, and Adrift; and the wide shoe selection includes Mollini, Django & Juliette, and Frankie4.

“Our women’s shoe range has really grown, and we cater for stylish designs in orthopaedic needs, too,” she says. > FACING PAGE: There's something to delight every shopper and enhance any home in the enormous range of beautiful homewares, quality clothing, shoes, accessories and gifts for any occasion to be found at Goodness & Gracious.

ABOVE: Owner Susie Martin, centre, and her team which includes Melissa Bishop, left, and Maryellen Scanlon are passionate about their customers having a truly wonderful shopping experience.

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“These are beautiful communities to be part of, and we appreciate all the support our business receives.”

Children’s needs are met with a range of clothing, shoes and accessories including swimwear, infants and Australian made organic skincare.

Collections of clothing, shoes, gifts and homewares are also available online via their website with service to all parts of the country.

Just a few doors up from the Gunnedah lifestyle store in Conadilly Street is sister store, florist Goodness and Gracious Outdoors, of which Susie took ownership last year.

Fresh blooms arrive several times a week from Sydney for the talented florists to work their magic creating stunning arrangements for any occasion.

Hampers are also an option, while chocolates, gourmet foods and candles from in-store can be partnered with flowers and tailored to individual requests.

Susie credits the eight team members across her shops as crucial to all that happens with Goodness & Gracious. “I’m proud of my staff, and very fortunate to have them,” she says with a smile.

With determination and enthusiasm, this country entrepreneur has built her regional business from the ground up over the past 16 years, after retiring from nursing while raising her young family.

A lifelong resident of the Gunnedah district, Susie and her family are immersed in all the region has to offer.

“These are beautiful communities to be part of, and we appreciate all the support our business receives.”

Susie believes it is vital in sustaining rural living that everyone helps each other, and is proud to support local community, sporting and charity groups.

A desire to support community was also the impetus for a Christmas shop and festive display that has become a lovely tradition at Goodness & Gracious.

“During the drought we wanted to boost morale,” she explains, “so we converted an entire room (in the centre of the Gunnedah lifestyle shop) into a large space dedicated to Christmas.”

The response exceeded expectations, and the popularity continues to grow; open from October to January, the display’s impressive features include a huge Bethlehem Star and life-size reindeer.

Goodness & Gracious is a divine emporium of many elements, and to fully appreciate all that is available, an in-store visit is highly recommended.

“You can’t beat coming into our shops to see the great variety we have, to try things on, really just to enjoy it all,” Susie says proudly.

“And people often tell us when they need something they know they can get it here. We do pretty much have everything covered.”

Goodness & Gracious is a special experience to savour – you will leave with a smile, having most likely given in to more than a few temptations. RLM Words: Elizabeth Grant Images: Taylah Hudson

Goodness & Gracious is on Facebook and Instagram or visit www.goodnessandgracious.online FROM TOP: The smiling faces of Olivia Byrnes and Kate Bishop greet customers at florist Goodness & Gracious Outdoors, where gorgeous flowers and made-toorder hampers are complemented by exceptional service; there is so much to discover and delight; over 300 styles of quality women’s and children’s footwear are available; the Goodness & Gracious philosophy of warm and genuine customer service with quality goods in abundance can be found in store in Gunnedah and Quirindi, and online.

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We are a homewares, giftwares and fashion boutique where many elements combine to shape you and your home.

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The Temora Ex-Services Memorial Club boasts newly completed renovations that truly welcome everyone.

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We offer four star accommodation at three and a half star prices.

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W I N T E R story name

Late bloomer

Self-taught watercolour artist June Beckett was a latecomer to painting, picking up a brush for the first time after retiring but she’s now turned her talents to capturing flora, fauna and historic houses.

June has always led an interesting life, starting out as a nurse in London and marrying one of her patients, and later working in the territory of Papua New Guinea prior to independence, and other exotic locations.

On returning to Sydney, June was appointed associate to the Chief Judge of the Supreme Court, followed by 17 years as a court reporter within the Attorney-General’s Department.

“After I retired, I was working out what to do next when I had one of those lightbulb moments. Why not try painting?” June recalls.

“I was staying in a hotel in Noumea and copied a picture on the wall, and that was the start.”

Being a passionate gardener and nature lover, June began painting flowers and birds.

“I put together a collection of paintings and it just so happened there was an art expo being held in Sydney,” June says.

“I booked a small space and, although it was quite nerve-wracking, I made my first-ever sale. It was only $20 but it felt like a million.”

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art W I N T E R

“I booked a small space and, although it was quite nerve-wracking, I made my first-ever sale.

It was only $20 but it felt like a million.”

June fulfilled a dream in 2001, moving to her charming home on 2.5 acres of sprawling gardens in Clarence Town, which she shares with her border collie, Billie.

She works on her exquisitely detailed watercolours, painted in a style known as pseudo-realism, on an easel in her dining room.

In 2019, acclaimed botanist and writer Dr Shirley Sherwood OBE included June’s watercolour of a strelitzia in a collection of 1000 contemporary botanical artists.

“This was a tremendous honour and I feel very humble that my little painting was included,” she admits.

A member of the Maitland Region Society of Artists June also exhibits across the Hunter and Central Coast, but many of her artworks are sold by word of mouth.

June began to paint historic houses three years ago at the suggestion of a friend who appreciated her detailed style.

“My initial reaction was ‘don’t be ridiculous, they’re far too difficult’,” June laughs.

“But I’m not very interested in landscapes or portraits, so I took some photographs of the John Pender house in Dungog and started work.”

The stately mansion had recently changed hands when June popped a note and a photo of her painting in the letterbox, asking the new owners if they would be interested in purchasing it.

“They bought my painting which was very encouraging, and I’ve been painting historic houses ever since, receiving some commissions,” she says.

“There’s a constant demand for flowers and birds. The magnificent historic homesteads are more challenging and, even though they are a niche market, they are exciting.” RLM Words: Liz Tickner

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Jesmond House, Newcastle, 2021; Cintra House, Maitland 2021; Sunflowers 2021; Red Hibiscus 2019; Rainbow Lorikeets 2021; Blue-faced Honeyeaters 2018; Possums 2018; The Village Choir 2021.

FACING PAGE FROM TOP: June Beckett with her painting of Langford Homestead, Walcha 2022; Kookaburras 2019.

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Email:

junebeckett@bigpond.com Ph. 0418 455 644

AWA R D - W I N N I N G WAT E R C O LO U R A R T I ST

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junebeckett@bigpond.com

SPECIALISING IN FLORA , FAUNA AND HISTORIC HOUSES.

Ph. 0418 455 644

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Orders can also be made by contacting us P: 0429 441 086 E: info@lifestylemagazine.net.au Pictured: The Autumn 2023 edition featuring Armidale and Guyra

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W I N T E R story name

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wedding venue & garden W I N T E R

Tailored to

A son’s wedding held at ‘The Glen’ provided the owner with inspiration to create an even more beautiful space for others to share for weddings, wakes and significant-age birthday parties.

perfection

The Glen is a 402-acre property located at Clear Creek, 18km north of Bathurst.

Purchased in 2014, the house and gardens have been extensively renovated and developed into an oasis of calm beauty.

In 2019 the first wedding was held there.

“It was a very relaxed wedding for our son,” owner Jayne Beverly recalls. “There were about 60 people.” The wedding was a great success and soon, other wedding requests started flowing in. Another son married there and then further friends and various tradesmen who had been working on the property, were all wanting this to be their special place for their important day.

Each event held here has been tailored to suit the needs exactly of the celebration – birthday, wake or wedding.

The multi-level, flowing gardens sit atop a ridgeline with an expansive view of undulating natural pastures and bushland.

“Becoming a wedding/function venue was a very organic idea – it happened very informally,” Jayne says. “It brings everyone together in one place for a bespoke and joyful celebration.”

Guests appreciate the serene setting where they can see hills and valleys without another house in sight.

Jayne had no experience of establishing a function/’wed shed’ but many years’ experience in running her successful real estate business helped, as well as the conviction that The Glen was the sort of place people really wanted for their special events. >

RIGHT: Jayne Beverly with companions Flynstone and Whisky, in the gardens she created at The Glen.

FACING PAGE, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The Glen is a peaceful haven nestled in the hills; one of the spacious guest bedrooms; the inground pool is a favourite spot for guests in warmer weather; a striking sculpture in the gardens; expansive views and comfort in the living area; seating outdoors; the spacious dining area.

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“It’s a very special place – it’s a place where you feel happy, relaxed and comfortable, a feeling of belonging that people who come here tell me they love and appreciate,” Jayne says.

Gatherings of up to 80 people have been catered for in the function/’wed shed’, using wonderful local caterers coming from Bathurst or Orange preparing menus to suit the day and the event.

There are also two Airbnb cottages, The Dale and The Dempsey, on the property, which offer accommodation, and have guests booked from around the world. Jayne also offers the use of her large five-bedroom, five-bathroom house to guests for family and corporate gatherings. During the Bathurst motor races various corporate executives and team members, including those of both Shell and Mitsubishi, have stayed there.

The four-plus acres of gardens include an inground swimming pool, three spas and a cabana, touches of luxury appreciated by guests, as well as a large, outdoor chess game and a variety of garden seating areas to enjoy.

The Glen’s gardens have been planted with the wide temperature range of the Bathurst region in mind. With no horticultural experience, some losses of plants were inevitable along the way. The garden was entirely planted by both Jayne and her late husband Simon. Designed to be interesting and fun, survive the extremes of heat and

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cold, they created several “rooms” within the garden and worked out how to plant for protection against sun and wind.

Much of their inspiration came from others in the district, including the magnificent Mayfield Garden near Oberon, which is a testament to what can be achieved in a cool-climate setting.

They did mass plantings of lavender, roses, rosemary, grasses and native species.

They also learnt a lot about companion planting. Their change of focus paid off: the garden has matured and become a haven of beauty and peace. Seven dams, a bore and large rainwater tanks provide ample water for the plants and guests.

In recent years The Glen has been the largest of the gardens featured in the Bathurst Spring Spectacular, an annual event held on the last weekend in October and attended by people from throughout the region and beyond.

Jayne has been overwhelmed by the interest shown in The Glen. “It’s just so nice when people come up and say, ‘It’s lovely to see what can be done in this area and climate’.”

Simon and Jayne couldn’t resist purchasing some magnificent sculptures to feature in the garden, many purchased at the annual Mudgee event, Sculptures in the Garden, from a wide variety of artisans.

These serve to add beauty and interest.

Sadly, although remaining at The Glen since Simon’s sudden death early in 2020, Jayne has now made the difficult decision to sell. “I think this is a place best run by a couple,” she says. “Everything is set up for somebody to take on.”

Unsure of which rural postcode will be home in the future, she looks forward to new challenges, knowing that whoever takes over The Glen will inherit a very special place that will give them and their guests pleasure long into the future. It is a legacy she dedicates to her late husband, Simon. RLM Words: Elisabeth Edwards Images: Robert Bruce, supplied

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: The entrance is flanked by impressive flowers, trees and shrubs; The Dale is one of the two Airbnb cottages on the property; the gardens overlook bushland at Clear Creek; one of the many ‘rooms’ in the gardens, carefully planted by Jayne; the ultra-modern kitchen; a bedroom overlooking the gardens.

The Glen

Ph. 0435 008 268 theglen1826@gmail.com

A PERFECT LOCATION FOR C O U N T R Y W E D D I N G S + F A M I LY C E L E B R A T I O N S WITH ACCOMMODATION FOR 18 GUESTS

Bespoke events with total privacy, expansive gardens and rural views.

Magnificent main home, 2 cottages (with over 350 - 5 star Airbnb reviews) plus the Venue Shed for your special occasion.

This property is currently being offered for sale

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Tenterfield’s Premier Guesthouse, Cottage and Bed and Breakfast Retreat Accommodation

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Indulge yourself at the Guesthouse with home style cooked breakfasts, scones and baked breads, manicured gardens, and 4 beautifully appointed bedrooms each with their own ensuite or choose the self contained Cottage ideal for families and leave with a lifetime of memories.

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C A R O O C O T TA G E A tranquil, well appointed, relaxing cottage on the banks of the Macquarie River in Dubbo.

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5 guest s | 2 bedrooms | 1.5 bath Sepa rat e lounge Open plan kitchen

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Outside access to bathroom

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ADULTS Relax and unwind.

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CHILDREN Explore and learn about the farm.

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CARAVANERS Enjoy being off the road.

Socialise around the fire pit. Self-contained travellers welcome.

ANIMAL LOVERS Native wildlife, farm animals and pets too!

Kangaroos, horses, alpacas, goats, cattle, sheep, geese, guinea fowl and chooks.

HORSE ENTHUSIASTS State of the art facilities.

Stables, spelling paddocks and a sand arena.

Available Spring 2023 Subscribe to experience the magazine in print or online: www.lifestylemagazine.net.au Orders can also be made by contacting us p: 0429 441 086 e: info@lifestylemagazine.net.au RLM 193

W I N T E R garden

Windswept

wonderland

Mindfully, slowly and surely Colleen and Jason Southwell have created the home of their dreams and its ever-evolving garden that brings so much pleasure, not to mention inspiration, to their lives.

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story name W I N T E R

Relocating their young family from Canowindra to Orange was a considered move for artist Colleen and husband Jason Southwell. “Lang’s Crossing” is a manageable sized property, located conveniently for Jason’s agricultural management advisor business and boys’ Charles and Edward’s schooling needs.

Over the past 12 years, building their home on a windswept hilltop, creating and nurturing a serene country garden from bare paddocks has been a source of immense pleasure and enjoyment for the whole family.

Situated 20km north of Orange, “Lang’s Crossing” covers 40ha (100 acres) of undulating pasture. With views across an open valley and surrounding rolling hills, the house site was selected on the crest of a hill, nearby an existing farm shed.

The timber farmhouse with wide front and rear verandahs, took about two years to build. A garden studio followed, as workplace for both Colleen and Jason. The garden surrounding the house has evolved over 10 years, gradually expanding to more than one hectare. >

FACING PAGE: Beautiful combinations of textures and colours in layered perennials, roses and evergreen hedging.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Colleen with beloved canine companions Arlo, Hugo, Lolli and Otto; rhythmic rounded forms of Lonicera line this pathway; a sunshiny pallete of late summer perennials and grasses; sculptural artichoke; pops of purples and blues add contrast in late spring; the front terrace garden displays a subdued pallete with rounded forms.

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storygarden name W I N T E R

A professional paper sculpture artist, Colleen works in the little tin studio most days, usually accompanied by several canine companions. Jason’s office is right next door unless he’s travelling throughout NSW. Working closely with nature, her garden is a source of both subject matter and inspiration for Colleen’s beautiful artworks.

Created with conservators’ paper, fine wire, entomology pins and pigment pen, her intricate botanical and natural works are in high demand in Australia and overseas.

Formerly as a landscape designer and trained horticulturist, Colleen drew all her garden plans by hand. Coloured with watercolour paint, her designs became works of art. Examples of her garden plans hang on display in the studio. “There are many parallels between gardening with paint and painting with plants,” says Colleen.

Years spent living on the Hay plains, in the Monaro landscape with its challenging climate, and in nearby Canowindra provided firsthand experience of planting for heat and cold.

Including sub-zero winters, snow and scorching hot summers, Orange experiences a climate with four distinct seasons. Planning and planting for optimum garden impact in each season are embraced in Colleen’s landscape design at “Lang’s Crossing”.

An advocate of “slow gardening”, Colleen acknowledges the process, rhythm, and enjoyment of creating a garden. A garden is living, changing, and evolving and not simply an outcome.

Working within the natural landscape, earthworks for house construction were kept to a minimum. The house site was levelled and excavated basalt soil used to form wide terraces flanking the northern and southern sides. Excavation uncovered plenty of boulders which were manoeuvred into place and reused as steps and landscape features.

For protection, windbreaks and shelter trees were first to go in. Grouped eucalypts, wattles and kurrajongs perform well and encouraged the return of small birdlife.

Ornamental trees selected for height, shade and autumn colour within the garden include Chinese elms, Chinese pistachio, Golden elm, Pin oaks, flowering pears (Pyrus ‘Aristocrat’) and groves of Silver Birch (Betula ‘Jacquemontii’).

Next were the bones of the garden, hedges, both for windbreak and to divide separate garden areas. All started from small tube stock, evergreen hedges weave like spines throughout the garden.

Tall Pittosporum ‘Silver Sheen’ forms an important windbreak, sheltering the productive veggie patch, chook shed and clothesline from howling westerlies. Old-

fashioned evergreen shrubs such as cherry laurel, Eleagnus and winter-flowering honeysuckle are used to divide spaces.

Lower, rounded hedges of box or fine leaf Lonicera accentuate curves.

The garden has gradually expanded, as time, the seasons and finances have allowed.

Layering the plantings between early foundations of trees and hedges, beds have filled gradually, and new beds are added every few years. Sweeping curves blur the line between the garden and open paddocks beyond the fencing.

Most plants and shrubs are started either from seed, propagated from cuttings, tiny tube stock, divisions off single bought, shared or gifted treasures. “There’s a lot to be said for having patience,” says Colleen, “there’s a deep sense of satisfaction watching tiny 10cm twigs grow and develop over time.” Shared plants bring fond memories of friends and family into the garden.

Colleen uses a practical no-dig method of starting new garden beds. Several sheets of newspaper and cardboard are covered with sandwich-like layers of farm manure, compost, and lucerne mulch.

The worms enjoy this mix and incorporate the layers down into the basalt soils forming ideal growing conditions for young plants.

Drip irrigation is used, though earlier plantings were all hand watered.

The diversity of flowering plants and range of flowering times creates year-round colour and interest in the garden. Every moment spent in the garden is a source of inspiration for Colleen.

Whether it is early spring bulbs poking through the soil, the first roses of the season, papery poppy petals unfurling, colours changing from spring pastels to summery bold hues or frost crisped seed heads – every day offers new opportunities to appreciate and connect with nature.

Smaller trees such as flowering crab apples, pink and green flowering ‘Ukon’ cherries and crimson foliaged smoke bush (Cotinus coggygria) are combined with layered lower plantings. >

FACING PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Vibrant spires of Saliva ‘Caradonna’ and coppery Carex among the plantings; gravel path leads to the studio; wisteria draped tin studio overlooks the colourful garden; ornamental grasses provide a backdrop of texture and movement; densely planted garden areas divided by evergreen hedges; bleached textures and bronzes of late autumn; abundant summer colours and textures; rounded forms and elegant restraint in the front garden with pops of deep blue Iris.

FROM TOP: Apricot ‘Crepuscule’ rose adorns the shed veranda; spires of self-seeded spring foxgloves; garden art on old fence posts.

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Creating structure among the mixed perennial plantings, ornamental shrubs such as Viburnum, May bush (Spiraea), Abelia, Raphiolepis and silvery foliaged Teucrium are trimmed into soft rounded shapes, Sloping gently away from the rear of the house there is one cultivated lawn area.

Here, evergreen hedges of Cherry laurel (Prunus lauroceracus) and Silver berry (Eleganus ebbingii) section garden areas into different rooms.

Set against this green backdrop, four corner garden beds are each filled with different colour tones created by mingling seasonal perennials, ornamental grasses, roses, old-fashioned shrubs and accentuated by blossom trees.

Early in the flowering season the tones are soft, muted pastels with pops of bright cerise pink. Silvery foliage groundcovers and rounded forms add contrast. Royal blues and purples join the colour parade in late summer as the ornamental grasses bring feathery seed heads and golden hues.

Colleen is adding stronger tones of orange and yellow which withstand the summer heat.

The variety of shapes and flower forms among the array of different perennials include spires reaching skyward, rounded globes and umbrella-like clusters of blooms.

Ornamental grasses provide contrast between the rounded shrubs and perennials.

Some are upright and tufty like Lomandra ‘Tanika’, others including arching and rounded Miscanthus waves softly in the breeze.

Out on the front terrace, the plant palette is constrained and very elegant. Rounded forms of balled Buxus soften the symmetry and formality of the front entrance, verandah and steps.

Creamy, white gravelled surface sets off the adjacent garden beds where sinuous emerald hedges (Lonicera nitida) are flanked by Silver Ghost roses and rounded Buxus. In early spring there are pops of brilliant blue Iris siberica. Low borders of Mondo grass are softened with white seaside daisy.

Beneath the pendulous boughs of Ulmus ‘Todd’, feathery flower heads of Heuchera americana and white Solomon’s seal combine with dense green covers of vinca and Chinese star jasmine. In summer clouds of creamy ‘Annabel’ Hydrangeas and spires of Lysimachia clethroides bloom in time for Christmas.

All the garden perennials are left to age naturally complete with seed heads, fully embracing the winter structure and shapes these provide as the days grow cold and frosty.

Colleen used to prune and cart ute-loads of debris away. Instead, in late winter, she now employs the “chop-and-drop” method for natural breakdown of twigs and foliage into healthy mulch. Self-seeded flowers gradually add perpetuity, popping up annually, though not always in the ideal spots!

During good seasons there’s access to water from the big dam at the bottom of the hill. Colleen deliberately minimises water usage, maintaining a minimum watering regime within the garden. Conditioning plants to cope with minimal watering, using available grey water, informed plant selection and mulching are sustainable longterm practices.

Sharing this family garden is a pack of canine companions including dachshund Arlo, golden retriever Hugo, and Otto the kelpie. (Sadly, Lolli the whippet x foxie has passed away).

Donkeys Olive and Pearl bray in the next paddock awaiting their sunset treat of over-ripe bananas. Although they would savour the delights of the garden, Colleen prefers their small flock of heritage English Leicester and Southdown sheep only graze their paddock.

The bountiful garden creates ideal habitat for living creatures. Birdlife abounds in the garden, feeding on abundant insects, floral nectar and nesting among thickets of branches or in large grasses.

Birdsong adds another dimension of enjoyment within the landscape. Creating this habitat for fauna and flora is a constant source of pleasure. Colleen gains immense satisfaction watching birds not only visit but return, making her garden home year after year. RLM Words: Elizabeth Swane Images: Robert Bruce/ Colleen Southwell/Supplied

Follow Colleen on Instagram @thegardencurator or visit her website, www.thegardencurator.com.au

FACING PAGE CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Colleen embraces every gardening season including crunchy winter frosts; a cheerful combination of lemon Anthemis ‘Susanna Mitchell’ and blue Salvia ‘Anthony Parker’; blurred lines between the garden and paddocks beyond; wintery scene of birch tree tracery, rounded evergreens and frost crisped paddocks; mounded grasses, rounded shrubs and hedges delineate garden areas; sun soaked gravel firepit area with site boulders as seating; winter textures; spring greens merge the front terrace gardens the paddocks beyond.

FROM TOP: Happy resident artist Colleen in her garden studio; example of Colleen’s intricate paper sculpture; fiery foliaged smoke bush Cotinus, scented white Philadelphus and mounded perennials soften the welltrodden pathway between the house and studio.

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W I N T E R inspiration

Inner strength A Fragile Hold: Living with multiple sclerosis and other uncertainties

by Ruth Cotton, Lightleaf Press, 2023.

Once I was strong. A young woman, who rode horses, mustered sheep, and competed in show jumping. Carried her toddlers with ease, helped set up the tent on camping holidays.

That’s physical strength. I’ve always had the mental kind – an inner confidence and sureness that seemed convincing, from the outside. It is with me today, softened by life.

Now, in my seventh decade, salute to the sun in my yoga practice is as far beyond me as springing into the saddle. And hauling myself up from the floor is mortifying.

I was in my early 50s in 1997 when the diagnosis was confirmed: multiple sclerosis.

Leaving the neurologist’s rooms, I found my way back to my car along a suburban street. In one hour, my world had changed, forever. As I passed each front garden, bright and still in the autumn sunshine, I remember seeing the edges of each flower and leaf limned with light.

As the years passed, the disease stayed close. I called it my watchdog. Step out of line, and it barks. Stress, overdoing it, and heat were the main offenders.

I continued to work for 15 years until my retirement, enjoying a full life. Having my own business gave me control over timelines and commitments, but I still drove myself relentlessly. Periods of high-intensity work and travel often ended in collapse from exhaustion. Stress exacts its price.

Eight years ago, I could walk a kilometre to the Hamilton railway station and back again, with a couple of brief rests. I could stand unsupported in front of a crowd at the launch of one of my books and speak for 10 minutes.

Now, I walk nowhere without an aid; 1000 paces with a walker represents my personal best. When I relinquished my driver’s licence, I became dependent on my husband and others for transport. I’ve changed my dentist because I could no longer get up the stairs to his surgery.

Fortitude is part of my heritage. My grandfather was one of Australia’s pioneer settlers. I remember the clasp of his workman’s hands, so large and muscular, formed by a lifetime wresting productive

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Once, I was a strong young woman, with a confident stride. My losses mount. Yet they connect me to a world of losses. land for sheep and crops from the grasp of forest and scrub. When a hurtling sheep knocked him over in the yards, he broke his hip and never walked independently again.

My grandfather, whom we called Dar, was in his early 80s then. Each morning after breakfast, my father would help him down the back steps of our homestead and settle him in a cane chair. I was about seven and, sliding past my father’s legs, I’d quickly take up my position at Dar’s side. As the hours passed, we’d tell each other stories, or simply sit, bound in stillness.

It was of no consequence that he was old, or immobile – he was there for me. Dar continued to be my anchor, and when I left home to attend boarding school, he was a faithful correspondent. How I seized upon those letters, addressed to me in his trembling hand.

Now, I have grandchildren of my own.

I love how unselfconscious they are, chattering as we cross the street, me walking funny. They don’t care how we look.

Once, I was a strong young woman, with a confident stride. My losses mount. Yet they connect me to a world of losses. I know how it feels, to be one of those who have lost something, or someone. And I see that youth is no protection.

It doesn’t matter, my walking – or not walking. I hold on to my grandfather, to what he left me. The knowing that staying still, being present for someone, is a gift.

This is my life. RLM This is an extract from A Fragile Hold: Living with multiple sclerosis and other uncertainties.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Cover image of A Fragile Hold; Ruth Cotton, 2023; Ruth (centre) with her sister Jan and beloved grandfather, James Tufrey, 1950s.

A Fragile Hold: Living with multiple sclerosis and other uncertainties:

Paperback ($29.95) and epub ($6.99), 326 pp, available at all good bookstores. It can also be ordered from Amazon, Apple Books and other online shops.

Ruth Cotton grew up on a sheep and cattle property in the north-west of NSW. She was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1997, at the peak of her career and with three children still at home. A Fragile Hold is the first time she has written about living with chronic disease and its impact on her life. Ruth is the author of five books, including the popular local history series Hidden Hamilton: Uncovering stories of Hamilton, NSW (2014) and More Hidden Hamilton: Further stories of people, place and community (2016).

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walchansw.com.au RLM 205

W I N T E R health & wellbeing

it’s just a NUMBER Which ever way you look at it, we are all ageing at the same rate ... one day at a time

Ageing is inevitable If you cringed when reading that, you're in the right place. And trust us – we get it.

We live in an anti-ageing society, after all.

Ever wonder why some people live to 90 or 100 with grace and joy? Good genes help, but an optimistic spirit and a sense of purpose may matter even more.

Whether in your early 20s, or a decade (or two) past that, consider these reasons to be excited about getting older. You’re:

• More comfortable in your own skin and less self-conscious.

• Valuing “old friends” and connections over many years.

• Able to relate to and navigate conversations with more age groups.

• More experienced (sometimes even the expert!).

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO EMBRACE AGING AS AN EMPOWERING, INVIGORATING, AND EXCITING SEASON OF LIFE: 1. Live in the Moment

You cannot predict life’s every turn, so make the most of each moment. Practise living in the “present”, cultivating mindful awareness.

2. Forgive Yourself (and Others)

8. Connect with Nature

3. Laugh

Meditation can include prayer, gardening, journalling and sketching.

Engage in any activity where time flies because you’re having fun.

Watch funny movies, read humorous stories, enjoy jokes. Even when life throws you difficulties, take joy seriously – and yourself lightly. Start right now.

• Having “small world” experiences: meeting friends of friends, and knowing someone (who knows someone) in almost every imaginable field.

• Better resourced with greater opportunities for giving, serving and enjoying life.

5. Be Flexible in Body and Mind

• Making fewer foolish mistakes.

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Explore your passions, be part of a community, give back, spend time with people who inspire you. Move your focus outside of your own orbit.

Forgiveness doesn’t mean you condone what occurred; it means you relinquish the event’s toxic hold on your mind and body.

If you’re having trouble letting go, chat to a professional counsellor or spiritual advisor.

4. Stay Curious

• Better at “adulting”: managing your home, budgeting and taking care of yourself.

7. Find Your Purpose and Give Back

You’re never too old to learn something new. Actively socialise with different groups or younger people and enjoy learning new things.

Exercise can help both. Not only will movement maintain your strength and flexibility it will also improve your mood.

6. Get regular check-ups

Speak with a doctor if you have any health concerns. Make time for self-care activities, like joyful movement and eating in a way that makes you feel your best.

There are countless benefits to spending time outdoors, the stress relief alone can be incredibly beneficial.

9. Meditate

10. Be Grateful

Learn to appreciate the good things around you. Cultivate gratitude, taking 15 minutes each night to write down things you’re thankful for. Believe that things happen for a reason. Yes, even that flat tyre!

There's a reason why later years are called "golden" – a time to treasure!

As David Bowie once quipped “Ageing is an extraordinary process where you become the person you always should have been.”

Ageing gratefully translates to ageing gracefully. Guaranteed. RLM Words: Sue Curley Images: Image: Esther Ann

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Experience Register for a NEGS Experience Day and discover

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W I N T E R country recipes

Fireside favourites

As is often the case with home cooking, these simple dishes are truly scrumptious.

RHUBARB AND CUSTARD CAKE This moist cake is bursting with the freshness of rhubarb and has a surprise texture.

Enjoy with a cup of tea in a sunny part of the winter garden.

Ingredients 2 cups fresh rhubarb 250g pure butter, soft 150g ready-made custard 250g self-raising flour ½ tsp baking powder 4 eggs 1 tsp vanilla essence 250g caster sugar Icing sugar for dusting

CAULIFLOWER & THYME SOUP This soup has been one of my surprise flavours from the past. The cauliflower is soft and sweet when cooked this way. Just the soup to enjoy near a cosy, open fire.

Ingredients 1 large (1.5kg) cauliflower, cut into florets 2 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for drizzling 4 thyme sprigs, 1 fresh bay leaf 1 onion, finely chopped 1 celery stick, finely chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed 750ml vegetable or chicken stock 100ml cream ½ small bunch parsley, finely chopped Method 1. Heat the oven to 200 degrees (fan-forced). Toss cauliflower florets in a roasting tray with 1 tbsp olive oil. Add thyme sprigs and bay leaf, then a sprinkle of paprika on cauliflower, thyme, and bay leaf in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes or until golden and tender.

Discard thyme and bay leaf. | 2. Heat remaining oil in saucepan with onion and celery, fry over low heat for 10 minutes or until soft.

3. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring, add most of cauliflower reserving some for later.

4. Add stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes.

5. Blitz the ingredients until smooth using a hand blender or food processor.

6. Stir the cream and through and season to taste.

7. Ladle into bowls and top with parsley, reserved cauliflower, and an extra drizzle of olive oil.

This is a very popular soup that has been made for the family over many years. To make it even more yummy, add a toasted, buttered bread roll.

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Method 1. Take 2 cups of rhubarb, cut about an inch long. Roast for 10 minutes with a little caster sugar, drain fluid off and cool.

2. Put aside 4 tbsp of custard.

3. Beat remainder of custard together with the butter, flour, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and sugar until creamy and smooth.

4. Spoon 1/3 of mixture and some of the rhubarb into a buttered, lined springform cake tin. Dot with 1/3 more cake mix and spread it out as well as you can.

5. Top with some more rhubarb, then spoon over the remaining cake mix, leaving it in rough mounds and dips rather than being too neat.

Scatter remainder of rhubarb over the mixture then dot the remaining custard on top.

6. Bake for 40 minutes at 160 degrees in a preheated fan forced oven until risen and golden, then cover with foil and bake for a further 15 to 20 minutes.

7. It is cooked when a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean. Cool in the tin then sprinkle with icing sugar when cool.

Recipes and images: Lorraine Hills

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RLM 211

Cootamundra Picnic Races Cootamundra

The Cootamundra Picnic Race Club was delighted with the level of community support shown towards the event held on Saturday, April 22, 2023.

In the club’s 106-year history, this event has been held every year except for the Second World War and during COVID. Racing regrettably was abandoned in 2023 due to track conditions.

Despite the lack of horses at the meeting, country hospitality was once again at its best on the day, along with many features such as the much-anticipated Fashions on the Field, a special display by the Riverina Light Horse Troop, children’s activities, and well-supported marquees, all resulting in a hugely successful event. RLM Words: Sue Kingwill, Secretary, Cootamundra Picnic Race Club Images: Jennifer Harden

Gail Platz, West Wyalong.

Arlie Daly and Alison Jones, Yass.

Sydneysiders Polly Meckiff, Molly McPherson, Charlotte Storrier, Nicola Barber, and Jemima Grimmond.

Cootamundra Picnic Race Club Committee member Penny Hall and Cootamundra Picnic Race Club secretary Sue Kingwill with Trish Denisenko, Albury.

Lachlan Lawson, Cootamundra, with Sydneysiders Roby Treasure, Adrien Murphy, James Arnold, Tom Brayshaw and Ned Fryai.

Will and Angus Campbell, Sydney.

Bonnie, Malee, Andrew and Cass Holihan, Cootamundra.

Prue and John Francis, Wagga Wagga, with Richard and Prue Post, Guyra.

Rhychelle Pilon, Wollongong, with Cootamundra locals Jaime Hall, Tracey Ewings and Kerry Murphy.

Sydney visitors Marni Finkelstein, Willow Maison and Sienna Gerstl with Ruby Brown, Armidale.

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Andree and Andrew Rowntree, Young, with Cathy, Ella and Scarlett Cowdroy, Sydney.

events W I N T E R

Dimity McLean, Booligal, Laura Atkinson, Canowindra, Sandy Robb, Coolac, and George Waken, Carcoar.

Elke Sweetapple, Orange, Lolli-Rose Pasquale, Hattie O’Dea and Zoe Bird, Cootamundra, and Laura Atkinson, Canowindra.

Mick Doolan, Wombat, Ryan McDonald, Wagga Wagga, Ben Dover, Cootamundra, Tristan Lane, Tasmania, and Harry Hail, Bendigo.

Kerrian and Eileen Rothwell, Cootamundra.

Members of the Cootamundra Picnic Race Club committee.

Diane Williams with husband Jeff Bristow and daughter Hannah Pigram.

Sophie and Eliza Graham, Gundagai with Primrose Corbett, Adelong.

Will Campbell, Junee, Archie Taylor, Bellevue Hill, Isabella O’Brien, Walgett, Ned Hufton, Harden, and Tom Bullock, Braidwood.

Raelene and Matthew Santas with Nathan and Ruby Douglas, Cootamundra.

Young visitors Emma Shipp, Addy Nuthall and Ali Lane.

David and Ariella Arico, Camden.

Finn Corkhill and Ed McGuiness, Boorowa.

Logan and Shayne Willoughby, Cootamundra.

Scott and Lara Brayshaw, Sydney, Lisa Hines, Bethanga and Merren and Sam Lawson, Cootamundra.

Cootamundra Times journalist Lynn Spain.

Grace and Claudia DiTrapani, Wagga Wagga and Caroline Howse, Cootamundra.

Cootamundra Picnic Race Club president Diane Williams and treasurer Amanda Rosengreen were presented with lifetime membership.

Archy and Liz Nable, Northern Beaches.

RLM 213

W I N T E R events

Cherry Ride for Resilience Young

The Cherry Ride for Resilience at Young, a one-day charity bike ride set in the Hilltops region, drew some high-profile sporting personalities to entertain and inform those in attendance.

Current Wallabies coach Eddie Jones was guest of honour at the drinks and canapes event, sponsored by Kalyx, on Friday, April 21, at Grove Estate.

Winter Olympian skier Jacqui Cooper and NRL legend Wayne Pearce spoke at the Cherry Ride Dinner on Saturday, April 22 at Young Services Club, after completion of the one-day, 137km charity

Yass Cycling Club members Michael Coggan, Troy Constance, Sally and James Walker and Tim McColl.

Corteva Agriscience representatives Karen Deane and Amelia Dennis, Sydney.

The Wallabies’ head coach, Eddie Jones drew an enthusiastic crowd.

Larry Lemmen, Harden, Pete Maher, Young, and Dean and Ash Kinlyside, Young.

Young locals Sam Hanna, Caroline Davidson and Scott Nuthall.

Dimity Houston, Wombat, Jane Wormer, Young, Douglas Houston, Wombat, James Goldring, Sydney, and Tim Findlay, Young.

Janine Hobson, Young, Colin and Megan Medway, Yass, with Young locals Justine Back, Simon Hobson and David Hall.

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Words: Justin Sampson Images: Jennifer Harden

Nicole McKelvy, Sydney, Paula and John Hickey, Young, and Kim Rigney, Sydney.

Delta Agribusiness Group director Gerard Hines proposes a toast to the Wallabies.

Grove Estate owners Brian Mullany, left, and wife Suellen, far right, greet guest speaker Eddie Jones with Grove Estate team member Sophie.

bike ride that began at Young and passed through Boorowa, Harden and surrounding areas.

Based in Young, Active Farmers CEO Justin Sampson paid tribute to those who made the weekend’s activities possible.

“We have some great sponsors supporting all three events, including our foundation partners, Delta Ag Group and Westpac Agribusiness, UPL, Corteva, Syngenta, Bayer, Incitec Pivot, icare, Zoetis, Grove Estate Winery and Young Services Club,” he said. RLM

The leader of the charity Ride for Resilience, Kent Williams.

UPL’s Ian Cass, Ginny Stevens, MP Stephanie Cooke, guest speaker Eddie Jones and Active Farmers’ CEO Justin Sampson.

Alison Skinner from Active Farmers, Big Springs, with Active Farmers founder Ginny Stevens, Mangoplah, and Member for Cootamundra Stephanie Cooke.

Active Farmers’ CEO Justin Sampson closed the night out drumming up bids during the live auction.

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RLM 215

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RLM 217

W I N T E R socials

Cause for celebration Dubbo

Country Women’s Association (CWA) is the largest women’s organisation in Australia and exists in all states, with each organisation being autonomous.

A high tea at Dubbo’s Oak Tree Retirement Village was a multiple celebration for Macquarie Group of CWA, which marked the state anniversary as well as Dubbo branch’s formation in 1922 – the sixth in NSW at that time.

Dubbo branch’s inaugural president was Mrs Kennedy (“Kennie”) Macintosh Fletcher, a daughter of Thomas Baird of “Dundullimal” Station.

About 90 people attended the enjoyable event including Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders, Dubbo Regional Council mayor Mathew

Dickerson, NSW CWA state president Joy Beames from Dunedoo, and representatives from neighbouring groups.

Both gentlemen addressed the gathering and commended women, past and present. They saluted the organisation’s commitment to community which has resulted in the creation of hospitals, baby health centres, libraries, student hostels and rest rooms, among many other facilities. RLM Words: Ruth Shanks AM Images: Elizabeth Tickle

FOOTNOTE: Regional Lifestyle generously gifted each one of the 90 high tea guests a complimentary edition of the magazine.

Margaret Moon, Dubbo Day Branch, Joan Yeo, Gollan Branch, Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Cr Mathew Dickerson, Joy Beams, State President, Dunedoo, Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders, Marj Blatch, Wongarbon Branch president; Ruth Shanks AM, past State President.

The CWA High tea was enjoyed by all in attendance.

Back: Helen Walsh, Dubbo Evening Branch, Hilda Newstead, publicity officer Macquarie Group, Rebekah Makila, Macquarie Group secretary. At front, Karen Marshall, Gilgandra Group branch cultural officer, Faye Morton, Gilgandra Evening Branch.

Back: Margaret Moon, Jenny Buddle, Min Boyne, Sadie Shibble, Dubbo Branch, Jeanette Miller, Marian Anderson. At front, Vivienne Nicholls, Marian Morris.

Oak Tree Village Manager Joanne Wodson, Helen Doran, Marj Bltch, Wendy Morris, Shane Kilby and Merrill O'Sullivan.

Wongarbon Branch members Yvonne Dodd, Liz Johanson and Audrey Tremain with the Member for Dubbo Dugald Saunders.

Wongarbon Branch members Marj Blatch, Pam Roberts, Trish Gosper, Clare Alley and Judy Hollow.

Back: Beryl Cosier, Front: Lyndal Shanks and Ruth Cargill, Macquarie Group treasurer.

Vera Wilton, Marj Blatch, Bev Worrall Central Western Group president, Helen Oates, Gilgandra.

Janice Stanford and Barbara O'Brien both from Terramungamime Branch with Dubbo Regional Council Mayor Cr Mathew Dickerson.

Margaret Moon and Jenny Buddle, Dubbo Branch.

From the Wongarbon Branch, Judy Hollow and Vicki Hummel.

Joan Frecklington and Julie O'Sullivan, both from the Dubbo Branch.

Wellington Branch members Marion Trounce and Bev Hutchinson.

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Sherelle Fashions will sort that out!

Fashion, accessories and personalised service guaranteed Open weekdays 9.30am – 6pm and Saturday 9am – 1pm

220 RLM

278 Rouse Street, Tenterfield (02) 6736 2453 | 0459 362 453 sherellefashions@outlook.com

Open 7 days for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea Coffee by Artisti Coffee Roasters, Toormina NSW Large groups welcome ∙ Pet friendly

Cnr Rouse St & Manners St Tenterfield

Located inside the historic Sir Henry Parkes School of Arts Building

(02) 6736 4741 courtyardcafensw@gmail.com Facebook & Instagram @courtyardcafetenterfield

(02) 6332 1738 sales@pressedtinpanels.com 2 6 B R A DWA R D I N E ROA D RO B I N H I L L , BAT H U R S T N S W 27 9 5

Our range includes Quality clothing Footwear Saddlery Jewellery Gifts Sunglasses Knives Hats

Brands we stock Akubra Sunbody Ariat Wrangler Twisted X Roper Levi Cowgirl Tuff Bullzeye Bébé Fox & Finch Arthur Avenue

Open

Weekdays 9am–5pm Weekends 9am–2pm

272 ROUSE STREET, TEN TERFIELD

(02) 6736 1072

CMCOUN TRYOUTFI T TERS @ YAHOO.COM.AU

@CMCOUN TRYOUTFI T TERS RLM 221

W I N T E R weddings

Above: James McMaster, Roman Jurd, Roy Jones, Tahlia Newton-Jurd, Tanya Seale, Claire Wylie, Daniel Umbers, Bronwyn Avard, Peter and Sarah Jurd, Archie McMaster, Darcy McMaster, Emma McMaster and Lee Witchard. At front, Indi Schofield and Harriet McMaster.

ROBSON + JURD Sarah Robson and Peter Jurd were married at Tamworth on June 11, 2022.

Following the tradition set by her parents and sister, Sarah chose the Uniting Church to exchange her vows.

Their reception followed in the Woolstore at spectacular Goonoo Goonoo Station, Timbumburi.

The day was made especially memorable with Sarah’s bridesmaids, Bronwyn Avard and Claire Wylie creating the bridal party bouquets and centrepieces for both reception and church.

Family friend Michael Riley drove his Mercedes from Sydney to transport the bride. It was a comfortable and familiar ride for Sarah, as Michael had driven his daughter, Fiona and Sarah to school in it more than 25 years ago.

The newlyweds enjoyed a honeymoon in the Hunter Valley, before settling back into their home in Tamworth.

Photographer: Sophie Day Photography

222 RLM

KINGS HALL JEWELLERS

180 MACQUARIE STREET, DUBBO

PH: (02) 6885 3500

WWW.KINGSHALL.COM.AU

We will make your dream event come to life Specialising in marquees of all sizes, tables, chairs, cocktail furniture, catering equipment and much more you will need for your Wedding, Corporate Event or Party!

18 Swanbrook Road, Inverell info@goldeventhire.com.au Ph. 02 6721 4495 M. 0459 455 179 Monday to Friday 9.30am - 3.30pm

Contact us today for a free personalised quote

goldeventhire.com.au

Gimardi Guesthouse is a stand alone, two bedroom cottage in the beautiful rural New England countryside.

The ultimate oasis to recharge your batteries, unplug from the day to day grind and enjoy exceptional views over the valley and town.

W W W. G I M A R D I . C O M

103 WEST FURRACABAD ROAD, GLEN INNES, NSW

P H . A D I R I TC H I E 0 4 2 8 4 5 1 3 6 0

RLM 223

W I N T E R weddings

DUGGAN + MCGUINESS Evangeline Duggan and Lachlan McGuiness were married at Woodstock, near Cowra, on April 23, 2022.

The venue for the joyous occasion was St Brigid’s Church, where the happy couple was surrounded by family and friends.

One hundred-and-thirty guests enjoyed a long lunch at the homestead on the Duggan family property, with beautiful local food and wines by Jo Robson Catering and Angullong Wines.

A marquee was set on the front lawn, with guests invited to explore the established garden and enjoy live music throughout the afternoon. Dancing continued into the evening.

The newlyweds enjoyed a two-part honeymoon – a week on the South Coast and then a week in Port Douglas. The McGuiness’s have made their new home at Hovells Creek, near Cowra.

Photographer: Feather & Birch Wedding Co.

Above: Sally Gavin, William Duggan, Alice Boland, Evie and Lachlan McGuiness, Lance Shepard, Henry Gay and Dougal Kelly.

224 RLM

W I N T E R weddings

CROAKE + WARREN Jenna Croake and Matthew Warren were married at Ilford near Rylstone on March 5, 2022.

The Ilford Valley Cherry Farm was an ideal venue for the couple to live out their dream wedding ceremony and reception. Portraits were taken at the parents of the bride’s property, where Jenna grew up.

The bride’s dress was by Australian designer Cristina from Couture Love Madness, whilst Matthew and his groomsmen wore Country Road and RB Sellars. An extra unique touch was the bride Jenna, of Cakes by Jenna Croake, making the wedding cakes and desserts.

The couple enjoyed a honeymoon at the charming Simpson Cottage in Bundeena and have since settled back into their home in Rylstone.

Photographer: Hannah Kate Photography

Above: Beau Mundy, Emily Gale, Allan Leonard, Brooke Chudleigh, Ryan Walsh, Emily Walsh, Matthew and Jenna Warren, Stephanie Crowe, Sam Miskle, Ashley Grimshaw, Jake Kent, Lucy Lane and Jamie Kent.

226 RLM

Waterloo Station

Luxury accommodation in the heart of the New England district Northern NSW

“From the moment we drove up the driveway, we knew we had found the perfect spot to spend a couple of days”

Waterloo Station is a delightful place to relax and enjoy the pristine surrounds of a unique historical property.

67 Waterloo Road Matheson NSW 2370

Ph. 02 6733 6702 M. 0439 791923

DAVID S

@waterloostationnsw

E. enquiries@waterloo-station.com.au waterloostationnsw.com.au

TEMOR A

BENS FALLS RETREAT Bens Falls Retreat is a family buil t and run business, created to share our amazing proper ty and river.

We have two cabins on the river with the best cod fishing in the area.

Our func tion centre has great tasting meals, an inviting atmosphere with beautiful scener y.

COLLABORATION • CREATION • CONNECTION

266 Hoskins St, Temora NSW (02) 6977 4122 info@debsjewellery.com

Ph. 0428 774 101 Morgans Road Emmaville, NSW, 237 1

bensfallsretreat .com RLM 227

W I N T E R weddings

HOPKINS + KIRBY Courtney Hopkins and Grant Kirby were married at Timbumburi near Tamworth on April 30, 2022.

Goonoo Goonoo Station provided the perfect setting, with the ceremony held in the Chapel and the reception in the Woolstore.

The picturesque venue also included accommodation for many of the 120 guests.

The couple’s regional suppliers on the day included flowers by their long-time friends, Jan and Eliza Fagan of Designer Bunches

and wedding cake from Sweet Things by Sarah, both of Tamworth, with their lighting by Mr and Mrs Hill of Glen Innes.

The newlyweds honeymooned in luxury at the Fiji Marriott Resort, Momi Bay and have now settled into their new home at Moore Creek Gardens in Tamworth.

Photographer: Feather & Birch Wedding Co.

Above left: Alana Kirby, Ben Coombes, Sarah Lockrey, Andrew Finlay, Michelle Higgerson, Alex Jenkins, Courtney and Grant Kirby, Maddison Cutmore, Toby Plowman, Jordon Pitman and Mathew Crowe.

228 RLM

ACCOMMODATION

RESTAURANT

FUNCTIONS

Dubbo Rhino Lodge is like no other venue in the Central West, it is country with an edge. It’s rustic, sophisticated, charming and relaxing.

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 6pm, with a new menu available.

Breakfast Saturday and Sunday 8am–11am.

The perfect venue for Weddings, Conferences, Corporate Events & Special Occasions with in house catering and resort style glamping accommodation.

14L CAMP ROAD, DUBBO NSW 2830

|

02 6884 1760

|

WWW.RHINOLODGE.COM.AU

|

The Bungalow & Ivy Leaf Chapel BED & BREAKFAST, WEDDINGS & EVENTS

Based in Gundagai, Embellish Catering delivers excellent quality food, outstanding service and value for money.

We go the extra mile to ensure that our clients are completely satisfied with their events.

Embellish caters for functions of all sizes across the Riverina, Hilltops Region, Snowy Valley and Canberra.

WEDDINGS • CELEBRATIONS CORPORATE FUNCTIONS Embellish Catering

56 West Street Gundagai, NSW 2722

Beautiful in every season 141 MILES STREET TENTERFIELD NSW 2372 PH. 0428 669 121

0419 478 508 Regional Riverina, NSW

events@embellishcatering.com.au

ivyleafchapel.com www.agfg.com.au

RLM 229

W I N T E R weddings

MCLEISH + TINDALL Anna McLeish and Ross Tindall were married near Hughenden, Queensland on September 23, 2022.

Ross and Anna’s wedding was held at the station they manage together, with the ceremony taking place out front of the 1882-built stone house.

The reception that followed was in a large machinery shed, decked out with festoon lights and hanging pendant lights created by the bride from rusted fencing wire.

The couple danced the night away to band Karizma, which performed from the back of a truck.

Following the wedding, Anna, originally from Quambone, New South Wales, and Ross, from Longreach, Queensland, returned straight back to station life.

The newlyweds hope to have a honeymoon to Palm Cove, Queensland in mid-2023.

Photographer: Sally Batt Photography

Top right: Charmaine Batt, Paul Tindall, Kirsty Schwager, Scott Morton, Alice Mitchell, Bill Choyce, Kitty McConville, Scott Tindall, Meg Morton, Matt Nunn and Toby Langdon. Front: Anna and Ross Tindall.

Right: Kitty McConville, Charmaine Batt, Alice Mitchell, Kirsty Schwager and Meg Morton. At front, Anna Tindall.

230 RLM

“Angullong has perhaps Orange’s best value range...” Huon Hooke Visit our cellar door in the historic bluestone stables in Millthorpe for tasting and sales.

Cnr. Park & Victoria Streets, Millthorpe. Ph: 02 6366 3444 OPEN 7 DAYS 11am to 5pm

RLM 231

W I N T E R weddings

HELYAR + SHEENS Lynne Helyar and Greg Sheens were married at Orange on March 5, 2022.

The ceremony and reception were both held in the Dalton Room of historic Duntryleague, with 65 guests in attendance.

Orange was a central location for the West Wyalong couple’s wedding, with family and friends travelling from as far south as Mollymook, as far east as Mosman and the Blue Mountains, and as far north as the Gold Coast.

The bride and groom enjoyed their honeymoon at the coastal areas of both Batemans Bay and Byron Bay. They continue to reside in their home in West Wyalong.

Photographer: Kirsten Cunningham Photography

Above: Anna Hart, Lynne and Greg Sheens and Benjamin Sheens.

232 RLM

Our eight luxurious guest rooms offer the perfect base for a weekend getaway, or the ideal location for your bridal party to stay in style.

The hotel lounge is a unique and intimate space for your sumptuous boutique country wedding reception.

Take in the restored original Art Deco features of our restaurant and bar whilst you enjoy a lavish food experience, accompanied by world class local wines or craft beers by the open fire.

The warmer months offer a great opportunity to take in the sunset on our back deck, or in our newly expanded green garden space.

We look forward to seeing you soon.

288 Rouse Street, Tenterfield Ph: (02) 6736 4870 bookings@thecommercialboutiquehotel.com

thecommercialboutiquehotel.com

Photography by Amy Louise Photography & Design & Copper.Co Photography

RLM 233

PROUDLY CELEBRATING 90 YEARS IN THE TENTERFIELD COMMUNITY • 1932–2022

Two Bowling Greens Greenview Restaurant & Bar • Gaming Accommodation • Conference Facilities

77 Molesworth St, Tenterfield CLUB 6736 1023 RESTAURANT 6736 1848

www.tenterfieldbowlingclub.com.au

TENTERFIELD...

AUCTIONEERS LIVESTOCK CLEARING SALES REAL ESTATE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT We know that each client is unique as we take time to understand what it is you need and then work with you to provide a tailored service that caters to your unique circumstances.

We combine specialist skill sets with great local market knowledge to ensure you get the best result at the best price.

◆

Traditional retail butcher ◆

Personal service Out of hours pick up (by arrangement) Exclusive smallgoods and smoked meats

Mon–Fri 8.30am–5pm

(02) 6736 3377 Steve Alford 0428 100 328 277 Rouse Street, Tenterfield info@alfordduff.com.au Alford & Duff 234 RLM

www.alfordduff.com.au

118 High Street , Tenterfield Opposite the famous Tenterfield Saddler

(02) 6736 1178 pmeats@ozemail.com.au

Celebrating 50 years

KENO & TAB facilities, raffles, club bingo, spin ‘n’ win members promotion and members badge draw.

Ph. (02) 6732 1355 120 Grey Street, Glen Innes New South Wales 2370

Restaurant open 7 days for lunch and dinner service.

giservices.com.au

Opening hours

Sun - Wed 10:30am to 10:30pm Thurs - Sat 10am to 12am

FULL STEAM AHEAD AT

Smithston

white suffolks, poll dorsets & composite shedders Dugald & Bec McIndoe Glen Innes, NSW Ph: (02) 6732 3860 E: smithstonmcindoe@gmail.com www.facebook.com/SmithstonFarms

www.smithstonfarms.com.au WHITE SUFFOLK, POLL DORSET & COMPOSITE SHEDDER RAMS AVAILABLE FOR PRIVATE SALE RLM 235

W I N T E R story name

Our Advertisers WINTER 2023 We encourage our readers to support our advertisers.

The magazine could not exist without them, and their loyalty shows their commitment to the rural communities of NSW.

2 FAT LADIES AND BABY 2 BOUTIQUE

Lucknow, 0435 432 977 2fatladies.com.au

ACADEMY WAGYU

Armidale, 0447 777 122 academyredwagyu.com

AFRICAN ADVENTURES SAFARI COMPANY

Coonamble, 0429 403 872 africanadventures.com.au

ALFORD AND DUFF

Tenterfield, 6736 3377 alfordduff.com.au

ALOOMBA LAVENDER

Stanthorpe, 4686 1191 aloombalavender.com.au

ANGULLONG WINES

Millthorpe, 6366 4300 angullong.com.au

ANGUS AUSTRALIA

Armidale, 6773 4600 angusaustralia.com.au

APARTMENTS ON GREY

Glenn Innes, 0427 736 437 apartmentsongrey.com.au

ARMIDALE MOWER AND CHAINSAW CENTRE Armidale, 6772 5405

ARMIDALE REGIONAL COUNCIL Armidale, 1300 136 833 armidaleregional.nsw.gov.au

ARMIDALE TOURIST PARK

Armidale, 6772 6470 armidaletouristpark.com.au

BALMORAL AIRBNB

Inverell, 0429 441 086 balmoralinverell.com.au

BARADINE CENTRAL SCHOOL Baradine, 6843 1805 baradine-c.schools.nsw.gov.au

BAXTER AND CO

Goulburn, 1800 026 382 baxterfootwear.com.au

BENDIGO COMMUNITY BANK Gilgandra, 6847 1502 bendigobank.com.au

BENS FALLS RETREAT

Emmaville, 0428 774 101 bensfallsretreat.com

BEST EMPLOYMENT

Armidale, 6771 8100 best.com.au

BETTA FRAME & TRUSS Dubbo, 6881 8544 bettaframe.com.au

BETTS TRANSPORT

Walcha, 6778 0477 bettstransport.com.au

BINGARA BAKEHOUSE Bingara, 6724 1901

BINGARA NEWSAGENCY Bingara, 6724 1500 bingaranewsagency.com

BINGARA RSL

Bingara, 6724 1404

BINGARA WATTLE ARTS AND CRAFTS

Bingara, 0418 650 413 bingara-wattle-arts-crafts. business.site

BIZCLEAN MATS AND HYGIENE SERVICES Warialda, 6729 1800 bizcleanmats.com.au

236 RLM

BLACK GOLD MOTEL

Wallerawang, 6355 7305 blackgoldmotel.com.au

BOB BERRY REAL ESTATE Dubbo, 6882 6822 bobberry.com.au

BOORAMOOKA ANGUS Keera, 6723 6622 booroomooka.com.au

CAFE DOLCETTO

Yass, 6226 1277 cafedolcetto.com.au

CAFE GRAZE

Walcha, 6777 2409

CARDIAN’S COFFEE LOUNGE Coonabarabran 6842 1897

CAROO COTTAGE

DUBBO RHINO LODGE Dubbo, 6884 1760 rhinolodge.com.au

DUNK INSURANCE

Young, 1800 219 496 dunkinsurance.com.au

EARTH N BEAUTY

Coonamble, 0400 684 358 earthnbeauty.com.au

EMBELLISH CATERING

Gundagai, 0419 478 508 embellishcatering.com.au

FISH RIVER ROASTERS

Bathurst, 6331 7171 www.fishriverroasters.com.au

FRANK SMITH WORK CLOTHING & SHOE REPAIRS

Dubbo, 0429 820 985 abnb.me/T2voTYf372

Bathurst, 6331 7544 franksmithworkclothing.com.au

CARPE DIEM GUESTHOUSE

FULL PACKAGE MARKETING

Tenterfield, 0492 871 747

CATHOLIC EDUCATION Bathurst, 6338 3000 bth.catholic.edu.au

CHEMINEE PHILLIPE

Stanmore, 9564 2694 cheminee.com.au

CHINNOCK B&B

Gilgandra, 6847 0470 chinnock.traveleto.com

CHOICES FLOORING

BY BRIGHTS Bathurst, 6331 4866

CSC CHURCH STREET CAFE & BAR Dubbo, 0408 730 399 cscdubbo.com.au

CM COUNTRY OUTFITTERS Tenterfield, 6736 1072

COMMERCIAL BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Tenterfield, 6736 4870 thecommercialboutiquehotel.com

COMMERCIAL HOTEL WALCHA Walcha 6777 2667

COONAMBLE BOWLING CLUB

Coonamble, 6822 1144 coonamblebowlingclub.com.au

COONAMBLE JOCKEY CLUB

Coonamble, 6822 2071 coonamblejockeyclub.com.au

COONAMBLE SHIRE COUNCIL Coonamble, 6827 1900 coonambleshire.nsw.gov.au

COUNTRY FRESH SUPERMARKETS

Bingara 6724 1303 iga.com.au

CRAMPTON’S CARPETS

Dubbo, 6882 8911 cramptonscarpets.com.au

CREATIVE FUSION ART GALLERY Dubbo, 0408 618 325 creativefusiongallery.com.au

CRUMP STOCK AND STATION AGENCY

Bingara, 0400 757 888 crumpagency.com.au

DEANO’S SMOKED TROUT

Black Mountain, 0427 750 182 deanossmokedtrout.com.au

DEWBERRY LANE

Bingara, 60428 977 923 dewberrylanebingara.com

DIAMONDS & DUST Temora, 6977 4122

Warialda, 0427 295 760 thefullpackagemarketing.com

GAWURA GALLERY,

Glen Innes, 0403 383 080 gawuragallery.com

GWYDIR MEATS

Warialda, 6729 1507

HIGHLANDS REAL ESTATE Glen Innes, 6732 2799 highlandsre.com.au

JEMALONG WOOL

Cooma, 6452 3130 Forbes, 6851 4000 Tamworth, 6760 7577 jemalongwool.com.au

JOHNSON’S GOURMET BUTCHERY

GILGANDRA SERVICES CLUB

Gilgandra, 6847 2135 gilgandraservicesclub.com.au

GILGANDRA SHIRE COUNCIL Gilgandra, 6817 8800 gilgandra.nsw.gov.au

GIMARDI GATEHOUSE

Glen Innes, 0428 451 360 gimardi.com

GLEN INNES SERVICES CLUB Glen Innes, 6732 1355 giservices.com.au

GLENMORE BED & BREAKFAST

Glen Innes 0429 062 252 glenmorebedandbreakfast.com.au

GLENROCK GARDENS

Tenterfield, 6736 1831 glenrockgardens.com.au

GOLD EVENT HIRE

Inverell, 66721 4495 goldeventhire.com.au

GOODNESS AND GRACIOUS Gunnedah, 6742 2895 goodnessandgracious.online

GOOD OLD DAYS FESTIVAL

Barellan 0447 736 856 barellanclydesdales.com.au/

GRAPEVINE CAFE

Dubbo, 6884 7354 grapevinecafe.com.au

GRUNT PORK SMOKEHOUSE Narrandera, 0427 004 442 gruntporksmokehouse.com

GULARGAMBONE CARAVAN PARK.

Gulargambone, 6825 1666 gulargambonecaravanpark.com.au

GULARGAMBONE CENTRAL SCHOOL

Gulargambone, 6825 1205 gulargambo-c.schools.nsw.gov.au

PINTO POSY

Gilgandra, 0428 165 059 pintoposy.com.au

POOLWERX

JUNE BECKETT

PORTOBELLO

Clarence Town, 0418 455 644

Armidale, 0413 318 752

KENSINGTON BNB

PREMIER MEATS

Tenterfield, 6736 2055 jumbuckmotorinn.com.au

Dubbo lifestylestays.net.au

KINGS HALL JEWELLERS Dubbo, 6885 3500 kingshall.com.au

MAGNOLIA HOME AND GIFT

Gilgandra, 6847 2022 gilgandraweekly.com.au

Armidale, 6772 0422 petersonsguesthouse.com.au

JUMBUCK MOTOR INN

GILGANDRA POST OFFICE

GILGANDRA NEWSPAPERS

PETERSONS GUESTHOUSE AND WINERY

PLC ARMIDALE

LUCKNOW SKIN SHOP & BOOT BARN

Gilgandra, 6847 2396 auspost.com.au

Canowindra, 0427 077 798 perennialle.com.au

Gilgandra, 68472046 gilgandrabusiness.com.au/ johnsons-gourmet-butchery

GILGANDRA LIFESTYLES

Gilgandra, 6817 8800 gilgandralifestyles.com.au

PERENNIALLE PLANTS NURSERY

Lucknow, 6365 5330 lucknowskinshop.com.au Inverell, 6721 4666 magnoliahomeandgiftinverell.com

Armidale, 6770 1700 plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au Dubbo, 6885 5381 poolwerx.com.au

Tenterfield, 6736 117

PRESSED TIN PANELS Bathurst, 6332 1738 pressedtinpanels.com

PREZZIES

Coonabarabran, 6842 2660

RENRUT HAIR

Warialda, 6729 1500

ROBERTS AND MORROW Armidale, 6774 8400 rm.net.au

ROSIE’S HONEY MUSTARD

TENTERFIELD CORNER CAFE Tenterfield, 6736 4400 tenterfieldcornercafe.com.au

TENTERFIELD COTTAGE

Tenterfield, 0408 247 965 tenterfieldcottage.com.au

THE AISLING DISTILLERY

Griffith, 0428 438 336 theaislingdistillery.com.au

THE ARMIDALE SCHOOL (TAS) Armidale, 6776 5800 as.edu.au

THE BANK GUESTHOUSE Glen Innes, 0404 312 441

THE BINGARA SPORTING CLUB

Bingara, 6724 1206

THE BUNGALOW & IVY LEAF CHAPEL

Tenterfield, 0428 669 121 ivyleafchapel.com

THE BYNG STREET BOUTIQUE HOTEL

Orange, 5317 8200 byngstreethotel.com.au

THE COURTYARD CAFE Tenterfield, 6736 4741

THE GLEN, CLEAR CREEK

Clear Creek, 0435 008 268

THE RIVER HOUSE

Bingara, 0428 834 281 theriverhousebingara.com.au

Tenterfield, 6736 1213

Warren, 6824 2055 rosies.net.au

MATILDA MADE LEATHER

RUBY MAINE

MAWHOOD’S SUPA IGA OBERON

SELAH YOGA

Oberon, 6336 1101

Bingara, 0429 647928 selahyoga.com.au

MCPHAILS FURNITURE

SEW MUCH MORE

West Wyalong, 6972 0393 tdhww.com.au

SHAHMIST HOUSE

TOORAWEENAH PRIME LAMB MARKETING COOPERATIVE

SHALIMAR PARK MERINO STUD

TOYOTA CENTRAL WEST GROUP

SHERELLE FASHIONS

TUMMEL HEREFORDS

SMEATON’S BAKERY

WADE HORSES

MARGOT REES ANTIQUES

Tenterfield, 0488 123 490 matildamadeleather.com

Wangaratta, 5721 6058 mcphails.com.au

MEAT ON MAITLAND

Narrabri, 6792 1618 Bingara, 6724 1618 meatonmaitland.com

MH THOMAS & GILGANDRA REAL ESTATE Gilgandra, 6847 2489 0484 332422 www.realestate.com.au

MINK & ME

Coonamble, 0477 802 767 minkandme.com.au

MUDGEE SMALL FARM FIELD DAYS

Mudgee, 6372 3899 mudgeefielddays.com.au

NEGS (NEW ENGLAND GIRLS SCHOOL) Armidale, 6774 8700 negs.nsw.edu.au

NORTHAVEN

Dubbo, 6882 5362 rubymaine.com.au

Bingara, 0427 682 811 Gilgandra abnb.me/7LCDDzenuub Walcha, 6778 7339, 0427 787 339 shalimarpark-merinostud.com.au Tenterfield, 6736 2453 Glen Innes, 6732 1108 smeatons-bakery.com.au

SMITHSTON FARMS

Glencoe, 6732 3860 smithstonfarms.com.au

SPOILT

Warialda, 0429 648 111 spoiltwarialda.com.au

ST JOSEPH'S CATHOLIC PRIMARY SCHOOL

Gilgandra, 6847 2828 stjosephsgilgandra.catholic.edu.au

Inverell, 02 6722 2280. northavenltd.com.au

SUNNYPOINT BEEF

NUTRIEN BOULTON’S

TEMORA EX-SERVICES CLUB, GOLDTERA MOTOR INN & KOREELA PARK MOTOR INN

Walcha, 6777 2044 nutrien.com.au

OAK TREE GROUP

1300 367 155 oaktreegroup.com.au

OUTBACK ARTS

Coonamble, 6822 2484 outbackarts.com.au

PACS

Tamworth, 1300 826 219 premiumacs.com.au

Oberon, 6336 1101

Temora, 6977 2433 temoraexservices.com.au

TENTERFIELD BOWLING CLUB & MOTOR INN Tenterfield, 6736 1848 tenterfieldbowlingclub.com.au

TENTERFIELD CHAMBER OF COMMERCE Tenterfield, tenterfieldchamber.com.au

THE SHED

Gilgandra theshedgilgandra.com.au

THE VICARAGE CAFE

North Star, 0477 661 076

THOM, DICK AND HARRY’S

Gilgandra, 0427 470 205 tplmc.com.au Central West, 6882 1511 toyota.com.au Walcha 0459 772 810

Bingara, 0488 380 641

WALCHA GALLERY OF ART Walcha, 0488 775 891 walchagallery.com.au

WALCHA GUEST HOUSE

walcha, 0488 775 891 walchaguesthouse.com.au

WALCHA ROASTED COFFEE Walcha, 0488 990 777 walchacoffee.com.au

WALCHA TOURISM Walcha, 6774 2460 walchansw.com.au

WARIALDA NEWSAGENCY Warialda 6729 1049

WARRUMBUNGLE SHIRE COUNCIL Coonabarabran, 6849 2000 warrumbungle.nsw.gov.au

WATERLOO STATION

Glen Innes, 0439 791 923 waterloostationnsw.com.au

WESTERN PLAINS WINDOWS AND GLASS Dubbo, 6884 8818 wpwg.com.au

Wade Horses caters for both absolute beginners and experienced riders.

Keera Street, Bingara 0488 380 641 wadehorsesbingara@gmail.com

Wade Horses

Maitland Street Bingara Ph: 6724 1303 Bingara IGA & Hardware OPEN 7 DAYS

Bingara

Experience a one-of-a-kind trail ride along the beautiful Gwydir River.

2 hour rides $75pp (ages 6+)

Try us first  We deliver White Goods • Groceries • Hardware • Tyre Fitting Nursery • Furniture • Homewares.

RLM 237

Northaven is a wellrespected service for people living with a disability.

Our mission is to improve the quality of life for people living with a disability by offering employment opportunities wherein individuals are trained in a work environment while building confidence and dignity, developing personal skills and earning respect in the wider community.

EST. 1969

 Employment  Plan management  Coordination of Supports  Early childhood Early Intervention

SUPPORTING INDEPENDENCE THROUGH

 Supported Independent Living Accommodation

EMPLOYMENT, LIFE SKILLS & ADVENTURE

 Community and Social Support

Northaven is committed to providing a safe, caring and non-discriminative environment that allows for the delivery of a person-centered service to each individual.

Have a chat to our friendly team on 02 6722 2280.

65 Oliver St, Inverell NSW 2360

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VOLUME TWO

An iconic publication featuring a collection of the best of editions 19-34 Available now from all stockists of Regional Lifestyle Magazine, and on our website: www.lifestylemagazine.net.au Orders can also be made by contacting Elizabeth: P. 0429 441 086 E. editor@lifestylemagazine.net.au RRP: $20

A great gift for Christmas RLM 239

W I N T E R the last word

A long-held dream

Like countless others who have driven along the highway from Coonabarabran to Gilgandra, I've often wondered about what I assumed was an abandoned homestead at the tiny settlement of Biddon.

Very few homesteads can be viewed from the highway. For years I've wondered about its history and what became of it – and the people who once called it home.

Well, the other day I was driving past and noticed a ute in the driveway. Never one to let a golden opportunity go by, I was met by a sprightly 85-year-old sporting bright red braces and a flowing white beard.

I soon discover Don Himsley is a creature of habit. His father lived during the Great Depression, driving an ambulance and taxi, and working in the sawmills. Growing up during the war years, Don mastered the art of survival.

"I was good at pinching golf balls and selling bottles, scrap metal and horse manure! I ran messages, anything to make a quid," he laughs.

Being a "rowdy child", he left after primary school at Manly West Public School to work on a Narrandera family farm before jackarooing in "Till Till", Balranald. With a taste for the bush, Don worked on "Wingadee", Coonamble, then 174,000 acres, and "Weilmoringle",

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Brewarrina, before joining the CSIRO McMaster Lab at Sydney University as an animal attendant.

"I finished 40 years later as a senior technical officer – all on a sixth-class education – helping with IVF and heart and lung machines on sheep, brought in by the hospitals before work on humans."

A long-held dream of owning a farm was finally achieved in his late 60s when Don bought "Biddon", including the historic homestead and outbuildings, many of them in a state of disrepair.

He now divides his time between the farm and western Sydney, where he shares an Orchard Hills home with wife Sandra.

He admits it was a good investment after paying £4800 for the block in the early 1960s. It's now worth millions – not that it really matters to this unassuming farmer.

Don is familiar with the homestead’s history. Friedrich Mackenzie and wife Anna lived there from 1910 to 1944 with their dozen children. Anna ran the telephone exchange and post office from the homestead.

"Much of the sandstone for the homestead came from Biddon Creek, while all the timber was cut on the place," explains Don. "A church was later moved here before finding a new home on a property near Tooraweenah. The old school across the road is long gone."

Despite a few health scares, including losing a kidney and battling prostate cancer, Don is determined to bring the century-old homestead back to life before time runs out.

It's a big call but Don is nothing if not determined. Watch this space. RLM Words and images: Jake Lindsay

ABOVE: Don Himsley is finally fulfilling a longcherished dream of renovating his historic homestead and outbuildings.

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