Coast Magazine Winter 2025

Over 45 years building new homes across: Melbourne Bayside & South East | Mornington Peninsula Bass Coast/Phillip Island

CONTENTS

SECRETS OF THE CAVE

SURFER PROFILE

We loved and loathed her as the super bitch Pat the Rat on Sons & Daughters. Find out how TV’s grand dame of soapies Rowena Wallace ended up in Wonthaggi, and why she regrets selling her Gold Logie.

Take the deep, dark journey into how palaeontologist Tim Ziegler unearthed a 50,000-year-old fossil in the Buchan caves. It’s a treasure hunt that was 10 years in the making with Gippsland locals guiding the Indiana Jones of ancient bones.

A surfing life seemed an impossible dream, but now Nala Taylor just loves dancing across the waves on her longboard. She is part of the revolution of women taking to the surfing style often thought of just for older blokes.

ROWENA WALLACE

jon and celia the invy baker

natalie cootes evan enbom

caitlyn and scott paula wasiak thalia baker

98 WAVERIDERS

Surfers slice through the waves with practised ease, while firsttimers wobble and slide with grins stretched wide across their faces. It’s a scene of pure, unfiltered joy - laughter ringing out over the roar of the surf, a community bound together by the simple thrill of riding a wave. Thanks to the incredible work of the Disabled Surfing Association, more and more people are catching their first thrilling rides every year, proving that the ocean’s call is for everyone.

51

BARRY FOSTER

Barry Foster isn’t just a pilot - he’s a legend in the world of Agricultural aviation. From daredevil low-flying feats to training the next generation, his life has been spent in the sky, pushing limits and dodging danger. We follow his high-octane, action-packed adventures from Australia to China, Malaysia and beyond.

SHIPS OF MERCY

From Sandy Point to Senegal, nurse Gabrielle Stefani embarked on a lifechanging voyage with Mercy Ships to support their big-hearted vision of providing life-saving surgeries along the African coastline. And the dedicated volunteer says she got much more than she gave.

Fall in love with the Coast for your wedding - stunning indoor and outdoor spaces, creative types to add magic to the day, bespoke jewellers and fashion designers, breathtaking blooms, some of the world’s best local produce and wines.

PHOTOGRAPHY

warren reed ted grambeau andrew harrison donna lee 176

Zoe Fitzpatrick is the heart behind Glow Girls, a movement inspiring a new wave of connection and community among young women across Gippsland. Through powerful wellness and social events, Zoe is helping women rediscover their confidence - and reignite their inner glow.

MARIA BRATES

Maria Brates grew up in a world where creativity wasn’t just encouraged - it was a way of life. With two artistic parents shaping her journey, art was always destined to be part of her story. We walk among the coastal banksias at Powlett River and step into her world, witnessing the magic as she brings her visions to life.

A letter from the Editor

Welcome back to Coast, and thank you all for embracing our return with such warmth and enthusiasm.  We’re super-excited to share our Winter/Spring edition with you.

This issue is filled with stories that reflect our wonderful local communities, take us on new adventures, make incredible connections, and promote love and health.  And we’ve added even more pages of breathtaking photography for you to enjoy.

You’ll be captivated by Tim Ziegler, the modern-day Indiana Jones who unearthed a 50,000-year-old fossil in a Buchan cave, and Gabrielle Stefani’s journey of mercy to support life-saving surgeries along the African coast.  I was enthralled by the story of local aviator Barry Foster, and deeply moved by the raw honesty of TV soapies queen Rowena Wallace.

‘Waveriders’ showcases humanity at its best as we meet the volunteers helping surfers with disabilities experience the exhilaration of catching a wave, and we cheer on longboarder Nala Taylor, who is bucking tradition and truly living her dream surfing life.

We hope you love our Wedding Feature. Its captivating photography, stories and contacts  are there to help you create a celebration as individual and special as you are.

One story that resonates personally with me is ‘The Big Chill’.  My own freezing early-morning ocean dips have been life-changing. It’s amazing to catch up with friends, feel the physical and emotional benefits of cold-water swimming, and I know I’m not alone, with so many groups bobbing up all over the coast.

I’ll leave you with a shout-out to the wonderful, passionate Coast team, and to you for being part of our special community of readers, advertisers and supporters.  Stay warm, make a cuppa and enjoy some fabulous stories.

PUBLISHING EDITOR Annette Spinks

SUB EDITOR Anne Roussac-Hoyne

WORDS Aissa Reed, Katie Cincotta, Sally O’Neill, Christina Aitken, Bonny Redman

PHOTOGRAPHY Warren Reed, Andrew Harrison

DESIGN & SOCIAL MEDIA Amélie Pritchard

Onagi Design Studio

PRINT MANAGER Nigel Quirk

ADVERTISING MANAGER Trudy Mantell0491 337 188 | ads@coastmedia.com.au

SUBMISSIONS ARE WELCOME

Writers, photographers & content creators, send your ideas to hello@coastmedia.com.au

Due to rising publication costs, the retail price of our Summer/Autumn 2026 issue will increase to $14.95.

Coast magazine is printed using vegetable based inks on an elemental, chlorine free paper. The stock is FSC certified and is manufactured using the ISO 14001 environmental management systems. Printed in Australia under ISO 14001 Environmental Certifications.

We respectfully acknowledge and pay our respects to the original story tellers, the Traditional Owners of the country where Coast is produced and distributed - the Gunaikurnai, Bunurong, Boonwurrung and Wurundjeri peoples - and pay respects to Elders past, present and emerging and all First Nations community members.

photo kiarra spinks

COAST LIFE

by Jade Miles

Right across the coast groups are gathering to swim or simply dip into the cold ocean waters. Communing with the ocean is deeply satisfying, so reach out to your local group, or create your own and challenge yourself to immerse in the coast’s pure ocean goodness. Read our story The Big Chill on page 80.

HUDDLE

Jade Miles examines the importance of community – that invisible, magical glue that binds us all together. Including conversations with prominent community leaders and Jade's own experiences, this book is a practical, inspirational and evocative guide to the art of creating and fostering community ties. From the author of Futuresteading.

Available from Nice Stack of Books

TAKE THE PLUNGE JACQUELYN STEPHENS

jacquelynstephensart.com.au

3. Aqueous Pulse IV Acrylic Polymer & Oil Paint on Canvas 137cm x 183cm

TED GRAMBEAU

“SEALEVEL is my tribute to the ocean’s quiet elegance. It’s for those who see magic in subtlety and who find meaning in the fleeting.”

By Ted Grambeau

CHRIS FERGUSON

Did I Tell You ‘Bout My Years in the Wilderness? is the long-awaited solo album from Fergs (aka Chris Ferguson), formerly of Melbourne indie-blues-rock greats Mississippi Barry and The Fergs. Painstakingly recorded over 25 years in his beachside studio— whilst battling the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease—the songs tackle the universal and the very personal. The album is a wild, rolling triumph of the spirit through song.

Available through Summer Storm Records

ISLAND WHALE FESTIVAL

At different locations around Phillip Island. As whales begin their annual migration north along the Victorian coastline, Phillip Island invites you to marvel at these majestic giants as they meander through the coastal waters of this region. From May to September our island plays host to humpback whales, southern right whales and occasionally killer whales. In July, the local community joins in celebrating the spectacular natural attractions right here in our backyard. Enjoy whale-watching cruises, whale spotting, kids activities, art installations, wildlife experiences and more. islandwhales.com.au | 11th-13th July 2025

TWO COAST PEOPLE

Jon von Goes & Celia Church

Love in a small town was not part of the plan for Jon von Goes and Celia Church, who form the duo Jonnie Goes To Church. But an iconic football game, a Wiggle and a community radio show led them to love, and they’ve found themselves creating a life together in Archies Creek growing vegies, making music and untangling their complicated lives ...

Jon: I’m a 3RRR broadcaster presenting JVG Radio Method, a civil celebrant for weddings and funerals, a musician and a gardener.

I was MC at the Community Cup at Victoria Park in 2017. This annual footy game is an institution with the Megahertz (public broadcasters) versus The Rockdogs(musos). Celia was playing in a kids’ band called Bubblegum Machine with a Wiggle – Murray, the red one.

I thought Celia was gorgeous, talented and very funny (and still do). I lured her onto my show and she sang John Lennon’s “Mother”: it was Mother’s Day and she was great. We went out for a beer afterwards. I’d lost my keys that day and was locked out of my flat. I had no car, no money and was wearing someone else’s clothes – she came to my rescue.

Not long after we met I bought a house in Archies Creek, and she’s turned it into a home. We grow vegetables there, play music together and have new and old friends come by. Celia cooks – she’s amazing in the kitchen.

Celia’s fiftieth birthday was one to remember. The owners of Archies Creek Hotel, who were away, invited us to “feel free to have a party at the pub”. We wondered if they were really sure … but it was the best party ever, with her friends, my friends – all now our friends. It went off! Music, carry-on and so much love in the room for Celia.

Living down here, we’re very reliant on each other. We’ve got kids in Melbourne and Celia’s got family in New Zealand. Dealing with family from afar is tricky, but we muddle through it. We do ok – we’ve got each other’s backs.

We do a lot together and it can get intense: it’d all fall in a heap if we didn’t love each other.

Celia sings like an angel; I sing like a broadcaster. We’ve got a gig in July at the Mullum Roots Festival in Mullumbimby. I always look forward to playing music with her.

Celia: I’ve lived in Australia for nearly 30 years - time has flown. I have two distinct hats. First and foremost I’m a musician - both in NZ and Australia. It has taken different forms - I’ve been lucky to play and perform with some fabulous musicians.

My other hat is Education Support worker at Bass Coast College. It’s a great job with fabulous colleagues and a source of some amazing new friendships.

I first heard about Jon on Triple R radio. I remember thinking ‘What’s up with this dude and his long pauses?’ It’s the worst thing for radio, but it works and it’s hilarious. I dropped a copy of my solo album into his pigeonhole and he completely ignored it, so I didn’t think he was that great.

Then, I met him at the Community Cup and he was very funny. That’s attractive.

It wasn’t until he harassed me to be on his show that we started to properly kick around together.

Our first summer was really good - I’d broken my toe on Xmas Eve because I was drunk and attempting to do an impression of Tony Hawk. I got an entire month off work! There are only a couple of small bones in our bodies that can warrant a month-long medical certificate whilst not impinging on one’s ability to enjoy summer activities. The small toe is one of them.

Jon and I drove to the coast a lot and he taught me to surf. He was a super inappropriate teacher. Very hands on. We wrote one of our first songs, The Balcony, that summer.

I’m most proud of our album and the way we’ve made being down in Archies Creek work. We miss our Melb life, mostly the immediacy of friends and gigs, but Bass Coast is a stunning area to live. It’s difficult juggling a relationship and songwriting together. You can’t fake a good song.

My fiftieth was a stand-out. Jon put together this incredible band with all his regular radio contributors plus the fabulous Suzannah Espie, the amazing Fonzie, my bestest friend Julia Deans, who flew out from NZ, and my gorgeous son Charlie! This insane band played an hour of covers of my favourite songs… I thought I was going to explode. An amazing night - I remember most of it.

Jon is a very charismatic and caring person. He has a big presence and a small ego. I’m looking forward to upcoming gigs in Melbourne and Archies Creek - hosting Wednesday night Trivia be heaps of fun. Warm fires, cocktails, prizes, questions, music, special guests, and of course, the brilliant MC, JVG. It’s a good life.

words sally o’neill photos warren reed

WONTHAGGI’S ART HEART

It’s vibrant, creative, warm and welcoming. Step into Wonthaggi’s own art gallery and feel the artistic heartbeat of the area as local artists and volunteers smile hello. The light-filled gallery has changing exhibitions that speak of the region and showcase the exceptional talent and passion of the local arts community. With a fab gift shop featuring the local work, ArtSpace Wonthaggi is sure to become your regular art fix. artspacewonthaggi.com.au

COAST LOVES HIPPO

A leather hippopotamus from the 1960s in the style of the Liberty of London footstools from the 1920s.

Available from Deco Heaven

$1,195

BRING HOME THE BAKERY

Learn the secrets of a top-selling bakery from sourdough extraordinaires Grego Montalbán Sánchez and Hanna Löfgren, owners of The Invy Baker. Inspired by the baking traditions of his home country of Spain and his time spent living in Sweden, Grego’s incredible bakes range from tried-and-true artisan loaves to creative pastries and authentic Swedish buns.

CHAIR

Three-legged walnut chair available in a range of colours and wood finishes.

Available from SB Interiors, Inverloch.

MONICA SZWAJA

This handmade pendant features an aquamarine, a South Sea Pearl, and a diamond set in 24ct pure gold and Sterling silver. $1,818.

OCEAN PRINT

Ocean canvas print 150cm x 120cm. Available from SB Interiors, Inverloch $599

Bring a splash of colour and cattitude to your home with this whimsical Orange Cat Vase. Standing proud at 23cm tall, this ceramic cutie is perfect for showing off fresh blooms, dried florals, or just your fabulously offbeat style.

Available from Ruperts, Mirboo North

HELLO BLOSSOM

There is nothing more hopeful than buds bursting through as we leave winter behind and the first sunshine sparkles of spring shine through. In the hilltop town of Mirboo North, flowering crab-apple trees line the main street – Ridgway – putting on a breathtaking display. Plan a trip to Mirboo North for some shopping and dining, and say hello spring!

Photo Nicky Cawood

THE LONG WAVE HOME

Nala Taylor

When a young Nala Taylor first visited Phillip Island she couldn’t even swim, yet she was mesmerised by the surf and decided that she would be a surfer in her “next life”. But it seems she didn’t have to wait – she has found her surfing paradise in this one.

Nala loves to dive right in and face her fears head-on, learning to swim at the age of 25 despite four near-drowning experiences in her short life. “I was literally thrown in the deep end, going from not knowing how to swim to getting a bronze medallion! It was so hard!” said Nala. Born in Thailand, her life turned upside down at age twelve. “Eventually Mum wanted to be as far away from Dad as possible, so she moved my sister and me with just five days’ notice. We packed a suitcase and next thing I was on a payphone saying goodbye to Dad, and then landing in Western Australia – it was such a shock.”

words sally o’neill photos warren reed, lachy moore, graeme burgan & andrew lidsey

“Once you’re up, you walk like a ballerina to get to the nose and have your ten toes over the top of the board. People say it’s the equivalent of getting a barrel – it feels like you’re levitating.”

Yet she smashed it, learning English intensively for a year before entering “normal” high school. Training as a chef allowed her to travel and experience the world, finally settling for a period on Australia’s east coast, where she met a bunch of “thriving surfers” and wanted to be just like them, adopting the same holistic lifestyle and exercise discipline.

Working as a guide on a whale-shark boat in Exmouth was another deep dive into the unknown. It was here she fatefully met her partner from Phillip Island, and she moved to the Island for love in 2019. “We got married and it lasted one year. We now co-parent and get along better as friends.”

She learnt to surf aged 29. “My first surf was at Crazy Birds. It felt like gliding on a cloud of blueness.” Nala was hooked.

“I surf longboards – cross-stepping and nose-riding is all I want to do. Once you’re up, you walk like a ballerina to get to the nose and have your ten toes over the top of the board. People say it’s the equivalent of getting a barrel – it feels like you’re levitating. It’s something you can’t explain: you have to feel it.”

“The old mindset says long boards are for older people, but many young guns are longboarders these days. Pushing nine to ten foot of board through the waves is not easier: it’s completely different, like dancing on a board compared to radically whipping a wave.”

Joining Phillip Island Boardriders Club allowed Nala to compete and push herself. For the past year she’s captained the Longboard Team, proving the traditional boards are not just for “older crew and men.” She loves sharing her passion for the style and hopes to inspire others to give it a try.

“I like healthy competition because it moves you out of your comfort zone. The conditions when you surf a comp are usually very challenging, but you must push through. In more than fifty per cent of the comps I’m paddling out thinking ‘What am I doing? This is not fun!’ But then you come out the other side, the experience leading you to be more resilient. You can’t always just have fun – sometimes you have to do what’s hard, and expand your threshold a little more.”

Nala is now fully addicted, surfing every chance she gets in between working at Island Surfboards and as a teacher’s aide at Newhaven College. So far, she’s travelled to state titles, last year receiving a wild card to a World Surf League event at Torquay and making it through to the semifinal.

“My favourite breaks are Shelleys and Left Point – I love the shape of those waves, and they’re easy to read. You don’t need to duck-dive as you can just paddle around again. Being in the water with orcas at Cowries was amazing too. Its huge number of surf-breaks makes the Island unique.”

‘Never say never’ is one of her mantras. “It sounds so clichéd, but ten years ago I never thought I’d be a surfer. I thought it was for the next life, and now I’m here doing it, living it and loving it.”

And her next dream also seems pretty sure to come true. “I dream of a quiet, happy life by the water with my daughter, with the ocean as our playground – that’s all I want.”

“My first surf was at Crazy Birds. It felt like gliding on a cloud of blueness.”

The earth carries secrets in its deep, dark crevices. Palaeontologists like Tim Ziegler are the detectives bringing those mysteries to light. The Indiana Jones of ancient bones, who cares for the vertebrate fossil collection at Melbourne Museum, his is a profession that requires a commitment to playing the long game. Tim’s last treasure hunt was 10 years in the making – the retrieval of the skeleton of a 50,000-year-old giant kangaroo from one of Buchan’s caves.

SECRETS OF THE CAVES

Tim Ziegler

Local caver Joshua Van Dyk was the adventurer who first spotted the bones in 2011. With permission from Parks Victoria, he and a small group dug into the Nightshade Cave on Potholes Cave Reserve and descended into a complex wonderland of twinkling calcite formations and labyrinthine galleries hidden more than 20 metres underground.

“To be the first person ever to enter a place like that is a massive privilege. And for Josh, it involved the extraordinary experience of being confronted by a skull, pinned between boulders in a vertical shaft, peering back at him” says Tim.

Josh photographed the find and alerted the museum, but it was feared the specimen was unreachable. The project lay dormant for a decade, until Tim Ziegler went searching through the archives during Covid lockdowns, piecing together the clues that would lead him back to Buchan.

Guided by members of the Victorian Speleological Association and park ranger Phil McGuinn, Tim began what would be a two-year process of excavating the fossil. He had to learn the art of caving, negotiating tight crevices in pitch-black darkness illuminated only by torchlight. “Crawling through narrow passages, climbing up ropes, squeezing in and out of a tiny entrance – it was painstaking work, very challenging in that extremely restricted space.”

Until they began the dig, it wasn’t known if they could salvage the fragile fossil from amongst the boulders that had protected it from the cascading water and sediment inside the cave. “But never underestimate the persistence and will of a palaeontologist to curl themselves into a very difficult spot, at arm’s length with a tiny steel trowel, to just leaf away sediment until we could free the fossil.”

The pressure was immense – physically and mentally – as Tim grappled with the first 8-hour stint of what would become a 60-hour exploration. Some of the conditions weren’t glamorous. Having to pee in a bottle. Worrying if he’d brought enough batteries for his lithium-ion headlamp. Running out of packing material and having to use his muddy thermal undershirt to wrap remains in.

But the impediments were quickly forgotten once the holy grail was revealed – a ‘one in a million’ virtually-complete skeleton, the 150 bones of Simosthenurus occidentalis, one of the giant marsupials that roamed Gunaikurnai Country during the Pleistocene Age. “When it was in my hands, the relief and the excitement were palpable. There’s a bigness to that feeling, the knowing that what you are holding is so significant. It’s a feeling of awe.”

Given that the animal probably died trapped in a hole, its release almost feels sacred to Tim, who spent long days up close with it, gathering it bone by bone, from the cavernous den of its grave. “I don’t think this animal would be very happy with its remains in that cave. It probably went down to the edges of the sinkhole and slipped, tumbled down, and was trapped.”

The skeleton is the most complete fossil ever collected from a Victorian cave. Its journey to the surface was the work of people from many disciplines – scientists, cavers, and park rangers – each contributing their unique expertise. Carbon-dating experiments were done by scientists at Australia’s only nuclear reactor, Lucas Heights in NSW, to reveal its age at 49,000 years. In palaeontology, as in parenting, it ‘takes a village’.

Collecting the bones from the cave was the hardest – but not the longest – part of the process. Piecing the animal back together demanded hundreds of hours of meticulous work in collaboration with palaeontologists across Australia. “The reconstruction of the fossil is like a 3D jigsaw puzzle without the picture on the box. While no person has seen this species of kangaroo since its extinction 45,000 years ago, we can construct our vision of it from the skeleton. It’s all written in the bones,” says Tim.

words katie cincotta photos nadine muresan, liz cameron & tim carrafa

Unlike a current Eastern Grey, this kangaroo was heavy-set, and adapted to walking upright rather than hopping. Its snub nose resembled that of a koala or a wombat. “Where a modern kangaroo has that familiar long slender face, this species had a short face, consuming herbs and shrubs in big quantities and grinding them with huge bulky teeth. Their shoulders have a similar anatomy to that of a human or a chimpanzee.”

In 2024, the public was invited to view the beast up close. Buchan’s giant roo went on permanent display in the Research Institute Gallery at Melbourne Museum, among other megafauna fossils from the state’s south-east. It joined the ranks of Gippsland’s other fossil heroes including the croc-sized amphibian Koolasuchus cleelandi – an imposing specimen discovered between San Remo and Inverloch, which now stands as Victoria’s fossil emblem.

While the honeycomb of limestone rock laid down 380 million years ago has put Buchan on the map for tourism, Tim says the Nightshade kangaroo opens new doors for interest in the region. “People in the community, such as the landowners who welcome us, or the people investigating the caves, have all helped put Buchan on the map in another way. The landscape, with its higher elevation providing a temperate forest refuge, and the cave system that preserves the fossils, come together to give us a perfect time capsule. Without Buchan, we would really be snookered in our ability to understand this age of megafauna.”

Palaeontologists like Tim feel tethered to places like Buchan by their ongoing relationships with the community, knowing that the next discovery could result from another fortuitous

stumble in the district’s extensive cave system. “We’re quietly confident that next time someone comes eye to eye with a beast underground, they’ll give us a call so we can work together to protect it.”

It’s a connection that dates all the way back to 1906, when unfamiliar fossil bones were found in Buchan and photographed by outback explorer John Flynn, who went on to establish the Royal Flying Doctor Service. Tim shows me those very bones, opening a giant steel cabinet in a temperature-controlled room where relics of the past are carefully catalogued and stored at 18° to 21°. Archived by location, the preserved geological treasures include new projects in Buchan, a notable example being the remains of a thylacine from the perilous Jam Pot cave.

Tim says the danger of this location lies in a potentially fatal drop that requires careful planning and rigging before cavers enter the shaft. Despite these dangers in the field, as a former Scout who grew up on the Mornington Peninsula, Tim regards the work as a privilege.

“When you’re in the honoured position of being the person at the pointy end, the one who leads the retrieval, you’re fulfilling a commitment to the team, and to the animal itself.”

That respect for nature was instilled in Tim by his schoolteacher parents throughout a childhood spent hiking through Buchan, Wilson’s Prom and the Bogong High Plains. Now, in his profession as the earth’s translator, he acknowledges that touching and interpreting rock is like plugging into the world’s time machine – and that history is palpable.

“In palaeontology, when you discover a fossil, when rays of light are hitting it for the first time in thousands of years, it’s very powerful. I’m not a spiritual person, but this is how I experience the idea of the sublime.”

Nature pulls us out of our single-mindedness. Tim cites research showing that visiting natural places makes people more generous, more collaborative and more likely to connect. “There’s something about the psychology of those moments in nature that’s very deep in our identity as humans, that keeps us in touch with our planet and ourselves.”

The coast affords Tim new meaning through the lens of his scientific endeavours. “Knowing that there are fossil localities within walking distance of my house, I can connect my childhood and my adult life. I guess that’s one of the advantages of being in a gateway science: you never lose your inner child.”

The kudos isn’t lost on his nephew Alby, who proudly tells his friends that his Uncle Tim is the ‘Boss of the Dinosaurs’. South Gippsland’s ancient sandstone coastline is where the trail heats up again, with a new dinosaur find: a killing machine from the Megaraptorid family. How big was it? When did it live? What did it look like? How did it die? The answers, of course, will be written in the bones.

The only way to see whales this winter

Whale Watching Cruises with Wanderer Adventures

SCOUTING FOR GIANTS OF THE DEEP

Some people cry when they see a whale for the first time. It’s a visceral reaction to the sheer beauty, scale and rarity of seeing one of the giants of the deep with your very own eyes. Sightings require you to be in precisely the right place at the right time to bear witness to the 6000km whale migration from Antarctica to Australia.

In Victoria, the viewing window peaks in June and July, with Humpback and Southern Right whales making their epic journey towards the warmer waters along the Bass Coast during these months. The Island Whale Festival turns its focus to the gentle giants of the sea from 11 to 13 July … excellent timing for school holidays, you must admit …

Where to spot them? What makes them swim south? What ocean secrets do they hold? Could you be lucky enough to spot one if you head out on a boat cruise?

Wanderer Adventures operations manager Dave Johnson knows the answers to many of these questions, and says he never tires of spotting Humpbacks and Southern Rights on whale-watching tours around Wilson’s Promontory. “There’s definitely a corridor they follow down past the lighthouse, but they can pop up anywhere. We’ve even had whales in Norman Bay and Oberon Bay,” he says.

Permits allow boats to approach within 100 metres, but sometimes curious whales choose to come up close to the boats. “One year we had an interaction with a pod of about six Humpback whales in Oberon Bay. They were so playful,

swimming between boats and checking us out. One of them breached right in front of the boat. Very cool. Lit the whole boat up.”

As a former boilermaker who was made redundant after the closure of the Hazelwood power station, Dave’s career change from underground coal mines to whale-spotting has been an inspiring shift.

“We’ve had people in tears at the sight of the whales; some people break out in applause. When they breach, it’s just jaws on the ground. Gobsmacked at the sight of it.”

Some of the whales are uninhibited and keen to interact.

“They’re very intelligent. When they’re looking at you, it’s like they’re communicating. It’s a surreal feeling. The calves are very inquisitive, like little kids when they come up against the boat and Mum is nudging them away.”

Once a Humpback came up with kelp on its head. “It was wearing it like a wig, and it cracked everybody up: it was like a comedy act. The whale was playing with the seaweed on purpose.”

photo wildlife coast cruises

Marine biologist Dr Sue Mason says citizen science, whale tours and AI are helping to unlock knowledge about these giants of the deep, including their migration patterns. “It’s hard to study whales and dolphins, because they’re what we call ‘cryptic’ species: groups that are virtually identical but genetically distinct.

The whale researcher, who works with Deakin University and Wildlife Coast Cruises, says peer-reviewed research is the only surefire way to confirm population numbers. “We were down to about 150 Humpback whales on the east coast when we were commercially whaling, and they now number up to 40,000. For Southern Right Whales, the last population study – conducted about five years ago – showed there were less than 300 left.”

Citizen scientists’ photos of the flukes (tails) unique to each Southern Right whale are helping to identify migration patterns. “Southern Right Whales have callosities – rough patches of skin around the head and face – that whale-lice turn to an orangey-yellowy colour. Those patterns can identify individuals, which is how we know how many of them are along the Victorian coastline,” she says.

words katie cincotta

photo craig anderson

Local volunteer photographers on board the cruise-boat upload their pics to a portal called Happywhale, where AI algorithms match them on their journey across the ocean. Wildlife Coast Cruises’ Benjamin Dickie says they’ve recently matched 143 individual whales through the portal, including the first re-sight.

“This Humpback, first spotted off Seal Rocks on 5 July 2024 during its northern migration, has now been re-sighted thousands of kilometres away off the Belleny Islands in Antarctica, on 11 February 2025.”

Another Humpback first recorded in Western Australia was tracked 31 years later at The Prom – the oldest re-sighting on record.

It’s proof that new technologies are opening collaboration between avid whale-spotters and scientists, ushering in a new era of understanding of these mystical ocean giants.

Events Guide 2025

Read on to find out about all the exciting events happening around us throughout 2025.

DOBET GNAHORÉ

African superstar and GRAMMY winner Dobet Gnahoré takes listeners on a powerful musical journey celebrating her highly-anticipated new album Zouzou at Meeniyan Town Hall. This captivating performer is a celebration of Ivoirian rhythms, cultures, and modern sounds that will leave you inspired and uplifted. With special guest Charles Maimarosia from the Solomon Islands.

6th June 2025, Meeniyan Town Hall For tickets and more info: lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/dobet-gnahore

EAT DRINK PLAY GIPPSLAND

Eat Drink Play Gippsland celebrates Gippsland’s incredible food and drink offerings with a day-long festival in Leongatha on Saturday 18 October. Boutique experiences will continue throughout South Gippsland across three days. Complemented by live music, the event showcases the region’s producers, growers and creatives.

18th October 2025

Leongatha

SOUTHERN LIGHTS FESTIVAL

Come and celebrate winter at Coal Creek. Catch up with family and friends as you enjoy the bonfires and fire drums. Dance the night away to live music from two stages. Fire twirlers, roving entertainers and magicians will dazzle you. Be enchanted by the lights and lasers projected on the historic Coal Creek buildings. Enjoy the grand finale of fireworks at this special family festival.

7th June 2025 3-10pm (King’s Birthday Long Weekend) Coal Creek, 12 Silkstone Rd Korumburra Tickets: southernlightsfestival.com.au

photo connor vaughan

TURNER & AUSTRALIA

Turner & Australia is first major exhibition to explore the extraordinary influence of British painter J.M.W. Turner (17751851) on two centuries of Australian art. Turner’s awe-inspiring landscapes transformed the way we experience the epic power and beauty of nature. Turner & Australia showcases the immense vitality of Turner’s art alongside the heroes of the Australian landscape tradition that he helped to inspire.

7th June - 24th August 2025

Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale gippslandartgallery.com

J.M.W. Turner (England 1775–1851) High Force, Fall of the Tees, Yorkshire, 1816 Watercolour and scraping out on paper

28.3 x 40.3cm

Collection Art Gallery of New South Wales, Sydney Purchased, 1947

Image © Art Gallery of New South Wales

STIFF GINS

Stiff Gins, featuring Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, is a powerful musical duo. Celebrating their fourth studio album “Crossroads” marks the 25-year career point for Australia’s longest-performing all-female First Nations band. A reaffirming of the band’s status as matriarchal pioneers in the Australian Blak music scene.

19th July 2025

Meeniyan Town Hall lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/stiff-gins

FRANK YAMMA & RADICAL SON

A very special double-header evening. Two performances from two of the most culturally significant First Nations artists in Australia. Frank Yamma, one of Australia’s most prolific Indigenous songwriters, with an ability to cross cultural and musical boundaries. Radical Son, with his Kamilaroi heritage and Tongan roots, is one of the most powerful voices and captivating performers in the Australian music scene.

8 November 2025

Meeniyan Town Hall lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/frank-yamma-and-radical-son

Events Guide 2025

JUNE 2025

Lyrebird presents – Dobet Gnahoré

6th June | 8pm Meeniyan Town Hall

Whitelaw St, Meeniyan lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au

African superstar and GRAMMY winner Dobet Gnahoré takes listeners on a powerful musical journey celebrating her highly anticipated new album Zouzou.

Southern Lights Festival

7th June | 3.00pm – 10.00pm Coal Creek 12 Silkstone Rd, Korumburra southernlightsfestival.com.au

Take in the warmth of the bonfires and fire drums while you dance the night away to live music

Exhibition - Turner & Australia

7th June - 24th August | Gippsland Art Gallery

70 Foster St, Sale gippslandartgallery.com

Turner & Australia is th first major exhibition to explore the extraordinary influence of J.M.W. Turner (1775-1851) on two centuries of Australian art

Detox Your Home

7 June, 9.00am – 1.00pm Wonthaggi Transfer station www.eventbrite.com.au

Detox your home events accept a specific range of highly toxic household chemicals that can’t be accepted at most transfer stations.

Garry Starr performs EVERYTHING

14 June, 7.30pm – 8.30pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

Disgraced actor Garry Starr defies his critics by performing every style of theatre imaginable, thus saving the performing arts from extinction.

Tarwin Lower Film Society

20 June, 7.30pm

Tarwin Lower Memorial Hall Mechanics Institute, River Drive, Tarwin Lower tarwinlowerhall.com/filmsociety

Movies shown on the third Friday of each month except December.

Lo Capitano (film) SGAR fundraiser

22 June, 2.00pm – 4.00pm

The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi basscoastculturalvenues.com

Longing for a brighter future, two Senegalese teenagers embark on a journey from West Africa to Italy. A refugee week fundraiser for Sth Gippsland Rural Australians for Refugees.

JULY 2025

Jumbunna Bush Market

6 July, 9.00am – 1.00pm

Jumbunna Community Hall, Jumbunna

There are around 15 stalls at this market with everything homemade and home grown, including craft and woodwork

The Island Whale Festival

11-13 July

Across Phillip Island islandwhales.com.au

The Island Whale Festival gives visitors and locals a chance to witness these majestic creatures up close

Uncle Kutcha Edwards NAIDOC 2025

6 July, 7.30pm – 9.30pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

Multi-award winner Kutcha uses his mesmeric music to create connections across cultures, generations, and space

Lyrebird presents – Stiff Gins

19 July, 7.00pm

Meeniyan Town Hall, Whitelaw St, Meeniyan lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au

Stiff Gins, the powerful musical duo featuring Wiradjuri/Yorta Yorta woman Kaleena Briggs and Yuwaalaraay woman Nardi Simpson, will play a very special show

Robertson Brothers 60s Variety Show

26 July - 2pm

West Gippsland Arts Centre, 1 Civic Place, Warragul artscentre@wgac.com.au

Australia’s new ‘Kings of Variety Television’ are back in 2025 with a brand-new show!

Gala Dinner with Beau Vernon

26 July, 7.00pm – 10.00pm Silverwater Resort, 17 Potters Hill Rd, San Remo bccf.org.au

Beau Vernon is a champion whose journey has changed his life, the lives of his community and audiences who listen to his unbelievable story of opportunity and optimism

The Bunurong Environment Centre

The Esplanade, Inverloch visitbasscoast.com.au 03 5674 3738

Bunurong Environment Centre provides an ideal learning experience for students at all levels, tourists, community members and families.

AUGUST 2025

Kilcunda Ocean View Hotel

WHATS ON – gig guide

3531-3533 Bass Hwy, Kilcunda kilcundaoceanviewhotel.com.au

Check out their website for regular local gigs

MSO Chamber Orchestra – The Poetry of War

2 August, 2.30pm – 4.30pm

The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi basscoastculturalvenues.com

Music by modern masters including Debussy, Britten and Webern features alongside some of most poignant poetry of the 20th century

The Mikado by Gilbert & Sullivan

9 August, 2.00pm – 5.00pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

This brilliant opera is presented in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan, a libretto by W. S. Gilbert and is the most internationally successful Savoy opera ever

1984 by George Orwell

16 August, 7.30pm – 9.10pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

Strap in for an electrifying take on the George Orwell classic – from the multi-award-winning creative minds at Shake & Stir (Frankenstein, Jane Eyre, Animal Farm and Dracula)

Prom Country Farmers Market

16 August, 8.00am – 12.00pm

Foster War Memorial Arts Centre, Foster 3rd Saturday of each month

James Morrison Quartet

31 August, 7.30pm – 9.10pm

The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi basscoastculturalvenues.com

James Morrison is known throughout the world for his sheer brilliance as a jazz musician. He has played with legends including Ray Brown, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles, Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, and Wynton Marsalis

SEP 2025

Prom Country Film Society

5 September, 7.30pm 13 Falls Rd , Fish Creek famda.org.au

Screening high-quality, non-mainstream films in a community setting - plus the opportunity for social discussion and interaction.

Beauty And The Beast - ballet

6 September, 2.00pm – 4.00pm The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi basscoastculturalvenues.com

Don’t miss out on seeing all your favourite characters plus exhilarating solos and pas de deux from the stunning leading couple, the very moving transformation, grand waltz and ultimate happily-ever-after final scene!

Whalebone

29 September, 2.00pm – 3.00pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

Physical reality turns virtual and back in this family show about what makes us humans humans, the stories we tell, and artificial intelligence knocking at the door (recommended for 6-12yr olds)

Riverview Hotel Tarwin Lower

WHAT’S ON – gig guide

11-15 River Drive, Tarwin Lower riverviewhotel.au

For music and upcoming events, check out their website

OCT 2025

Churchill Island Farmers Market

First Saturday of each month 8am-1pm

246 Samuel Amess Drive, Churchill Island (off Phillip Island)

Organic produce, free-range eggs, cheese, meats, and hundreds of other unique delicacies that showcase the best of the region’s cuisine

Biketoberfest - Leongatha

11 October, 9.00am – 3.00pm Bair Street, Leongatha biketoberfestleongatha@gmail.com

Motorcycle event created for motorbike enthusiasts. Trial riding, live entertainment, stalls, merchandise and much more. Fun for the whole family!

Wonthaggi Citizens Band Concert

11 October, 7.30pm – 9.30pm

The Union Theatre, Wonthaggi basscoastculturalvenues.com

The Wonthaggi Citizens’ Band fosters a welcoming and diverse environment, playing a significant role in shaping the musical journeys of many local musicians while continuing to be a vibrant symbol of unity and harmony in the region

Growing Old Ungracefully – David Scheel

14 October, 11.00pm – 12.30pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

This is a hilarious take on the ageing process, a personal view as David’s own hair begins to change colour!

Victorian State Concert Orchestra

19 October, 2.00 pm – 4.30pm | @Berninneit

91-91 Thompson Ave, Cowes basscoastculturalvenues.com

For nearly 100 years this iconic orchestra has been renowned for an ever-changing program that ranges from the classics to musical theatre and contemporary composers

NOV 2025

The Westernport Hotel

WHAT’S ON – gig guide

161 Marine Parade, San Remo www.thewesternport.com.au

For great local and international gigs, check out their website

Tarwin District Community Lifestyle & Auto Festival

2 November, 9.30am – 3.30pm

Tarwin Lower Recreation Reserve, Walkerville Rd, Tarwin Lower mdavey5419@gmail.com

Cars, bikes, trucks, tractors and stationary engines on display. CFA Cert SES demonstrations. Live music, stalls and markets. Free children’s entertainment

words aissa reed photos warren reed & karli michelle

NATURE CALLING Maria Brates

Maria Brates grew up in a world where creativity wasn’t just encouraged - it was a way of life. With two artistic parents shaping her journey, art was always destined to be part of her story. But after years of working as an art therapist and experiencing the toll of empathy burnout, she longed for something different.

Maria began her art studies at Wollongong University, then moved to Melbourne, drawn to its vibrant creative scene. She enrolled at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) to study theatre-performance making, a form of performance art where students crafted their own original pieces. It didn’t take long for her to realise theatre wasn’t quite the right fit. "There were so many divas. If they didn’t get their costumes on time, they’d scream and cry. I was always more interested in the design aspect anyway."

Restless and eager for adventure, Maria spent years travelling across Australia, soaking up inspiration from the landscapes around her. She lived in Darwin, Brisbane and Byron Bay, fully embracing the outdoors. "I lived in a truck for a while and even

went on a big sea kayaking trip, island hopping. We started at Airlie Beach, then travelled all the way to Mission Beach. We had hand lines and caught so much fish, we actually gained weight! My mum thought I’d return home starving and skinny, but between the fish and coconuts, we ate like kings."

When she eventually put down roots again, Maria knew she wanted to work in the arts in a way that mattered. She earned a Master’s degree in Art Therapy and spent 14 years as an art therapist, group worker, counsellor and mental health clinician - helping those in crisis. "I was young and idealistic. I wanted to change the world." But after years of absorbing others' trauma, she found herself emotionally exhausted.

When, COVID-19 hit, she reflects, “The world seemed consumed by anxiety, particularly about death. It was everywhere - on the radio, in conversations, doctors talking about it, the fear that you could just drop dead without warning." The uncertainty forced her to reflect. "If I were to die, what would I regret not having done?" After years of exploring mixed media, the answer became clear - she needed to paint. "I just wanted to be around beauty. Not in a superficial way, but after working with trauma for so long, I saw darkness in everything. I needed to immerse myself in nature."

Nature became her sanctuary, her muse. "Even if you return to the same spot every day for a week, it always looks different. The storms, the clouds, the birds, the trees -everything in nature fascinates me. I love the element of surprise - you never know what you’re going to get."

She often ponders her relationship with the land. "Is it symbiotic? I take so much from nature - it relaxes me, excites me, humbles me. But what am I giving back? Right now, I’m just trying to listen."

For Maria, painting is more than just a creative pursuit - it’s a form of meditation. "It’s mindful, almost hypnotic. When I step into nature, I don’t have a fixed plan. I mix colours based on what I see, but I often amplify them. Soft pinks might become bright magenta. If it’s windy, my brushstrokes are wild and energetic. If it’s scorching hot, the discomfort seeps into my marks. The best feeling is when I’m in sync with the colours -when I instinctively know which one will complete the piece. It’s a full-body, mind-soul connection."

"Even if you return to the same spot every day for a week, it always looks different. The storms, the clouds, the birds, the trees - everything in nature fascinates me."

She is particularly drawn to painting banksias near the river. "Driving down Powlett River Road toward the river mouth - it’s just breathtaking. The grassy wetlands, the shifting seasons, the raw beauty of it all - it’s incredible. And it’s right here, practically in my backyard."

Sound plays a big role in her inspiration, too. "The wind, the birds - even the unexpected moments. Once, I was painting among the ferns when I heard rustling. My senses went into high alert. Then I saw it - it was an echidna, just ambling past. I love those little surprises."

Most of the time, Maria paints en plein air, fully immersed in the elements. Occasionally, she’ll work from photographs, but she thrives on the unpredictability of nature. "The banksias, with their silvery leaves, are always shifting. A place I visit regularly never looks the same twice. Everything is constantly transforming."

Through her art, Maria has rediscovered herself. After years of holding space for others, she now lets the land speak to her. And she listens - capturing its essence one vibrant brushstroke at a time.

SHIPS OF MERCY Gab Stefani

In March 2022, as the world slowly emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, Gabrielle Stefani travelled some 17,000 kilometres from her peaceful Sandy Point home to Senegal, West Africa. For many, such a journey is a once-in-a-life time experience; for Gab, working aboard a floating hospital was transformative.

It started with a dream. In the late 1970s, Mercy Ships founders Don and Deyon Stephens left America to establish a floating hospital with a big-hearted vision to provide lifesaving surgeries along the African coastline. Fast-forward to pre-COVID 2019, when the Mercy Ships completed their 100,000th surgical procedure and Gabrielle Stefani had a conversation at work that planted a seed.

A former peri-operative manager at Foster’s South Gippsland Hospital, Gab remembers interviewing a local nurse for a

much-needed theatre position. “I said, ‘When can you start: can you start yesterday?’ She replied, ‘Oh, sorry, I can’t start for four weeks — I’m going to serve on a Mercy Ship.’” By the end of the interview, Gab was hooked. “The draw of nursing somewhere on the other side of the world where people have no access to healthcare really tugged at my heart-strings,” she says. Gab was approved to volunteer as a nurse-anaesthetist, but when COVID struck her plans were put on hold.

Oddly, nursing was not Gab’s first career choice. A country girl from Fish Creek, her first love was marine biology … “even though I didn’t like actually being in the water,” she laughs. Recalling her disappointment when she wasn’t accepted into a marine biology course, she says: “I sort of fell into nursing because a lot of my friends were putting in preferences for nursing and teaching, and I guess I just tagged along.”

Despite her years of nursing experience, Gab remembers feeling nervous about boarding the Africa Mercy. Sharing a cabin with six strangers for eight weeks was another daunting prospect. Gab describes how a roommate, a woman named Patty Stack from America, greeted her with a hug. “She was like a big sister. I thought I’d feel like a foreigner walking onto the ship. I thought I was going to be a nervous wreck, but I wasn’t. I met unbelievable people, and my confidence grew … I felt like I belonged there.”

The Mercy Ships attract volunteers from more than forty countries, serving in roles ranging from deckhand to surgeon, cook and teacher. They also employ hundreds of locals as translators for patients during the ship’s ten-month stay in port. According to Gab, many of the volunteers never see the patients. “What blew me away was how you have accountants and judges in the kitchen; you have highlyqualified people cleaning rooms. It humbles you. These people are here to give, and be a small part of something big and worthwhile,” she says.

The first anaesthetist Gab worked with was an Irishman in his sixties, a regular Mercy Ships volunteer who serves

twice a year. He asked Gab to support a procedure with an ‘awake intubation’, something she’d read about but had never assisted with. “He just said, ‘Oh, it’s a wee thing, it’ll be alright. Don’t worry your little soul about it,’” she says, with a convincing Irish lilt and a smile. Feeling out of her depth, Gab remembers googling the procedure beforehand to see what it would look like. It was a success.

Working in theatre from Monday to Friday, Gab had evenings and weekends free to join in ship life and explore the surrounds, sometimes jumping into a ‘troopy’ to go to the beach. Life onboard was flavoured by the Christian roots of the ships’ founders, but Gab did not find this problematic. “The core values are in line with Christian teaching, which is to treat others the way you’d like to be treated. Treating each other with respect and dignity,” Gab says “is just the basics of good human existence.”

Gab wonders what it would be like for patients when they first walk up the gangway. “Imagine coming from your simple desert home to this flash and alien-looking ship full of white people who don’t speak your language. They’d be so scared, but excited at the same time,” she says. Many patients travel from desert communities with no running water or power, seeking treatment for conditions seldom seen in Australia — cleft lips and palates, tumours that block airways or restrict eating, hernias and severe bone deformities. Gab recalls a patient taking off her mask, revealing a major facial abnormality. “I was so glad I had my mask on so she didn’t see me gasp, or my mouth fly open. After that, nothing was shocking … because pretty much everything was shocking.”

The story of a twelve-year-old boy with a bilateral cleft lip and palate also stands out. “When he woke up he was scared to breathe, because he was used to having a big gap to inhale and exhale through. Suddenly he had to breathe through a small opening, and he thought he was suffocating,” Gab remembers. After surgery, the boy could talk and eat normally and was able to go to school.

Impassioned, Gab describes the heartbreaking situations of women who come aboard for fistula treatment. In Australia, labour obstructions are managed swiftly. “You’d be whipped off to theatre, and in five minutes Baby’s out and Mum’s fine. But these are young women, pregnant with big babies. Their bodies aren’t developed yet; they might labour for days, causing terrible pressure-injuries on the fragile tissues of the bladder and bowel. The babies die.” The young bereaved mothers are incontinent, and without resources to treat or manage their condition. “They’re ostracised … shunned from the community. It’s a sad story,” Gab says. “They’re living with these injuries for a long time, often coming to us

in their late 30s and 40s,” she adds. After surgery, the women stay aboard for a few months to heal and retrain their bodies.

Before they leave, local tailors present the women with a selection of materials from which they make a dress and matching headdress. “It’s a celebration dress for their new life,” says Gab. “Seeing those women walk down the gangway in these beautiful fabrics as new people — going back to the community healed — is special,” she adds, reflecting on their profound transformation. “It made me happy, nearly to the point of tears, seeing them so delighted afterwards.”

A few months before Gab’s first trip, her sister-in-law died. Gab had not expected to begin a healing journey of her own on the ship. “I was really upset one night,” she says. “I went to an Australian priest, and I started talking; it was all-round grief, and it came pouring out. It was amazing,” she says. “I could finally grieve for Fleur … it was a good thing for me to do; I hadn’t been able to do it at home.”

Gab served again in October 2024, in Sierra Leone. She always returns from the Mercy Ships with a renewed resolve to be easier on herself, more empathic, less concerned about what others think. “Every time I’ve come home, I’ve walked into the house and thought: ‘This house is so big. I don’t need all this.’” The feeling wears off as Gab resumes her regular routines, but the re-set is hard to explain to others. “When I got home, people would come up to me and say, ‘What you’ve done

is so amazing’.” Uncomfortable with the compliments, Gab is grateful for her useful skillset and the opportunity to be involved. “I got more out of it than I gave,” Gab says. “You go over there to help, but you actually help yourself, because you can only grow from that kind of experience.”

In addition to surgical procedures, the Mercy Ships support local medical services, providing technology, instruments and training opportunities. “They’re not just doing surgery and getting out of there,” Gab says. There are few paid positions, and volunteers pay to stay aboard. The Mercy Ships rely primarily on the generosity of everyday people who hear about their life-changing work. Flights to Africa are costly, and Gab is thankful for support from local Rotary and Lions clubs.

Gab still nurses at South Gippsland Hospital. Between volunteering with the local music club and spending time with her supportive partner and close-knit family, her life is full. But her time in Senegal and Sierra Leone has awakened new possibilities. “Although I like the idea of going to a remote hospital there to help with surgery, I’m not totally sure … I’m a bit of a creature of habit,” she muses.

But although she’s uncertain about what her future holds, and her life in Australia is good, Gab knows that Africa is likely to be a very significant part of whatever awaits her.

For more information, visit www.mercyships.org.au

food & wine feature

Wine, good food, family & friends. That’s what it’s all about.

Heather P

LAMEZLEIGHS

Lamezleighs Coffee House & Eatery

A FAMILY, A DREAM & A DAMN GOOD CUP OF COFFEE

Picture this: a group of sisters gathered around a table, tossing around ideas for their dream café. What would they call it? Something fun? Something meaningful? In the end, they combined their names: La (for Alanna), Mez (for Mary, the youngest sister), and Leigh (for Ashleigh, the twin) - and Lamezleighs was born.

When the time came, it was Alanna who took the plunge solo, opening Lamezleighs at the age of just 22. “I was probably too young to be aware of the risks,” she admits, “but honestly, I think that was a blessing. I never held back.” Eight years later, she’s still here, now with her husband Ben and their four-month-old son Harry. The café has evolved into more than just a place for coffeeit’s a community hub, buzzing with life and connection.

Lamezleighs started small, with an inviting indoor section and plenty of outdoor charm. As word spread and more locals found themselves lingering over coffee, it became clear that expansion was inevitable. The original space was reworked, and just 14 months ago, part of the garden and carpark morphed into a stunning new extension.

“We wanted to keep that warm, inviting feel,” Alanna shares. “Concrete floors, exposed brick, big wooden beams, and velvet touches in deep olives, mustard and burnt orange. It could’ve felt a bit too industrial, but we made it cosy with couches, natural light, bifold windows, wooden tables, and a funky hand-painted mural. People come here to settle in, and we love that.”

But Lamezleighs isn’t just about great coffee, though their Saint Ali beans and spiced chai made with real spices are definite highlights. They shake things up with themed events: Mexican fiestas, live bands, and house-party disco nights. “We don’t want to take away from other places in town, so we just do special events here and there,” Alanna explains.

The menu, rotating every three months, celebrates the best of each season while keeping beloved staples like all-day breakfast and hearty lunches. House-made granola, golden poached eggs, crispy fritters and juicy burgers are always on hand. We started with the vibrant green smoothie, a refreshing blend of spinach, kiwi, apple, banana, and coconut water. Paired with the seasonal bowl of roasted pumpkin, cauliflower, creamy avocado, grilled haloumi, crisp greens, five-seed medley and Sriracha mayo, it was a wholesome feast. The fish tacos, with lightly battered flathead, zesty salsa, and tangy tartare, were an absolute standout.

For those on the run, the express station serves takeaway coffee and quick bites. Open seven days a week - 7 am to 4 pm on weekdays, 8 am to 4 pm on weekends - Lamezleighs also hosts the occasional Friday night event. Plus they’re dog-friendly! Bring your pup, sip a cocktail (yes, they’re licensed all day), and soak in the good vibes.

Lamezleighs is a place to slow down, connect, and enjoy the moment. An absolute must on your next visit to Mirboo North.

words aissa reed photos nicky cawood & warren reed

Swedish Buns by the Invy Baker

Makes 10 - 12 buns

Ingredients

Dough

550g white baker’s flour

100g caster sugar

1 tsp ground black cardamom seeds

0.5 tsp salt

250ml water

100g unsalted butter

25g fresh yeast

Cardamom Buns Filling

1 tbsp ground black cardamom seeds

1.5 tbsp water

100g butter

100g caster sugar

35g almond meal

1 tbsp vanilla syrup

Cardamom Buns Topping

Vanilla glaze

Cardamom/caster sugar mix

Cinnamon Buns Filling

1 tbsp cinnamon

1.5 tbsp water

100g butter

100g caster sugar

35g almond meal

1 tbsp vanilla syrup

Cinnamon Buns Topping

Vanilla glaze

Pearl sugar

Method

First, mix the flour, sugar, salt and cardamom together. Then add water, yeast and butter. Mix on low speed for 8 minutes until the dough is smooth and coming away from the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a bench and turn it over a few times. Cover and rest the dough in the fridge for 4-6 hours (or even overnight).

Vanilla syrup:

Put 50gm of caster sugar and 50ml water in a saucepan. Slice one vanilla pod down the middle and add it to the saucepan, bring to the boil. Remove, and allow to cool.

The filling:

Place the butter, sugar, almond meal and vanilla syrup in a mixer and mix until smooth. Be careful not to overmix the filling. If making cinnamon buns, mix the cinnamon with the water first to create a paste and then add to the filling. If making cardamom buns, spread the filling first, and then sprinkle a 50/50 cardamom/caster sugar mix over the top.

With a rolling pin, roll the cold dough out into a 30cm wide rectangle that is approximately 6mm thick. Cover half of the surface with the filling, being careful not to leave any gaps. Fold the other half across the filling with the seam towards you.

Roll the folded dough out slightly with a rolling pin until it is approximately 1cm thick.

Cut strips (with a knife or pizza cutter) that are approximately 1cm wide and 30cm long.

Roll/tie/knot the buns according to preference.

Leave the buns to prove for approximately 2 hours at 25 degrees Celsius. They should be a bit wobbly before baking.

Bake at 220 degrees Celsius for 12 minutes. If using a fanforced/home oven, you may need to reduce the temperature and time.

Brush buns while still hot with vanilla glaze and sprinkle cinnamon buns with pearl sugar and cardamom buns with cardamom/sugar mix.

THE BAY GOURMET FOOD & WINE STORE

WELCOME TO OUR FOOD AND WINE STORE IN BEAUTIFUL VENUS BAY, SOUTH GIPPSLAND. WE OFFER A RELAXING CAFE WITH AN EXCELLENT SELECTION OF BEVERAGES. THERE IS SOMETHING TO SUIT ALL TASTES AND OUR INSTORE PROVIDORE OFFERS HAMPERS, GIFTWARE AND THE BAY GOURMET PRESERVES.

Just a Short Drive from Phillip Island…

Between Bass and Grantville, you’ll find a farm that has grown from a traditional dairy to a celebrated cheese producer. Bassine Specialty Cheeses and Bass River Dairies, run by Glen Bisognin and his partner Kaye Courtney, is where farming meets the art of cheesemaking.

It’s a place where the much-loved herd even has a “holiday home” along the Bass River, inspiring the name Bass River Dairies. But what truly makes this farm special is Glen and Kaye’s dedication to quality, sustainability, and fostering local connections while teaching the community where their food comes from.

Meet the Makers: Glen & Kaye at Bassine Specialty Cheeses

Glen Bisognin has been farming this property since the 1960s. His parents, Attilio and Mary, established the farm in 1966, but the roots of dairy farming run deep in the family. Attilio grew up on a dairy farm in Northern Italy, while Mary was raised near the Powlett River. For Glen and Kaye, it’s always been about family, local produce, and quality. If you’ve driven along the Bass Highway, you’ve likely passed their dairy and café. The 235-acre property is home to a mixed herd of Friesians, Jerseys, and Aussie Reds, alongside Glen’s favourites— the Gentle Giants (Holstein Friesians). bassinespecialitycheeses.com.au

Slow Roasted Asian-Style Lamb Shoulders

by Nellie Kerrison

Serves 8

There’s something special about a dish that delivers big on flavour with minimal effort.

This Slow Roasted Asian-Style Lamb Shoulder is exactly that – A recipe I first created for a Relish Mama cooking class, and it quickly became a favourite.

Ingredients

60ml extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons sea salt

2.5kg lamb shoulder, bone-in

1 red onion, peeled and sliced

1 head garlic, skin on, halved crosswise

1 lemon

75ml light soy sauce

75ml sweet soy sauce

2 tablespoons oyster sauce

3cm piece fresh ginger, grated

350ml chicken stock

To serve

4 spring onions, finely julienned

Coriander leaves

1 lime, zested and juiced

Recipe by Nellie Kerrison. relishmama.com.au

Take the lamb out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before cooking to bring it to room temperature.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan-forced if using).

Rub the oil and sea salt into the lamb.

Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and sear the lamb shoulder on all sides until golden brown.

While the lamb is browning, scatter the onion slices across the base of a deep baking dish (preferably one with a fitted lid).

Transfer the browned lamb to the baking dish and add the garlic.

Cut the lemon in half, squeeze its juice over the lamb, then place the squeezed halves in the dish.

In a small bowl, combine the light soy sauce, sweet soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Pour this over the lamb.

Grate the ginger directly over the lamb (a microplane works well for this).

Pour the chicken stock into the base of the dish, around the lamb (not directly on top).

Cover with a lid, or if using an uncovered dish, secure a double layer of baking paper followed by a tight layer of foil.

Roast for 4-5 hours or until the meat is incredibly tender and falling off the bone.

Remove the lamb from the oven and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before serving.

Transfer to a serving platter, spoon over some of the rich cooking juices, and garnish with spring onions, coriander, and lime zest and juice.

This dish pairs beautifully with steamed jasmine rice or a crunchy Asian slaw. Leftovers make the most incredible bao buns or rice paper rolls the next day.

Where to eat

A quick guide to the best eateries in Gippsland

ÂNERIE

12 Thompson Ave, Cowes 0403 625 001

Intimate, traditional French dining.

BANG BANG BAR & FOOD

18 Vista Place, Cape Woolamai 5922 4374

Coastal bar, chill vibe & asian-inspired meals

BIRD AND WOLF

43 River Dr, Tarwin Lower 0493 857 854

Great coffee and delicious brekky & lunch

BLUETTE ON BEAR

17 Bear St, Inverloch 5115 8664

Funky vibe, stylish meals from local produce

DIRTY 3 WINES

64 Cashin St, Inverloch 5606 8128

Sample wines with soul and harmony; local cheese and charcuterie

FIG & THE BAY

24 Liberty Cres, Corinella 5678 0337

Stunning meals under majestic fig trees

GIPPSLAND WINE COMPANY

6835 South Gippsland Hwy, Loch 0477 555 235

Small batch, cool climate wines and stunning platters

GOMATHY’S KITCHEN

Sundays Kongwak Market gomathysivasi09@gmail.com

Passionately prepared Asian and Malaysian

215 Gurdies-St Helier Rd, The Gurdies 5997 6208

Bay views, events & music

GURNEYS CIDER GURDIES WINERY

343 Fish Creek Foster Rd, Foster 5642 9019

Voted Australia’s best cidery with platters and Prom views

HICKSBOROUGH STORE

1 Hicksborough Way, Nth Wonthaggi

5672 5441

Escape the hustle and bustle for breakfast, coffee, lunch

KELP BAR & EATERY

141 Marine Pde, San Remo kelpsanremo.com.au

Cool cocktail bar, tacos, share plates and more

LAMEZLEIGHS COFFEE HOUSE & EATERY

62 Ridgway, Mirboo Nth 5668 2455

Cosy, luxe vibe with fab coffee and wholesome food

LIME & CO FOOD TRUCK POP-UP

Williams St Inverloch & catering limeandco.com.au

Family business passionate about Mexican food

LOCH & KEY

32 Victoria Rd Loch 5659 4236

Modern cuisine inspired by Gippsland produce

MAFFCO BREWERY

1 Maffco Lane, Maffra 5147 2885

Wide range of food from pub classics to fine dining

MAHOB AT MOO’S

89 Whitelaw St, Meeniyan 0413 035 690

New to town and serving modern Cambodian cuisine

MARIOS AT SAN REMO

93 Marine Pde, San Remo 5678 5365

Family business serving authentic Italian cuisine

MONTALTO WINERY

33 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South 5989 8412

Restaurant, piazza, wine, art and sculpture

NARKOOJEE WINERY

220 Francis Rd Glengarry Nth 5192 4257

Winery and restaurant with unique ambience

OCEAN VIEW HOTEL

3531- 3533 Bass Hwy, Kilcunda 5678 7245

Great pub meals with fantastic ocean views

PHILLIP ISLAND WINERY

414 Berrys Beach Road, Ventnor 8595 2155

Functions, fine local food with an Island vibe

PROMONTORY RESTAURANT & WINERY

23 O’Gradys Ridge Rd, Foster 5682 1538

Memorable meals overlooking Wilsons Promontory

RACV RESORT INVERLOCH

70 Cape Paterson-Inverloch Rd, Inverloch 5674 0000

Stunning restaurant and bar overlooking Bass Strait

RUSTY WATER RESTAURANT AND BAR

1821 Phillip Island Rd Cowes 5952 1666

Light lunches to fine dining amongst the gum trees

SAINT JULES

117 Marine Pde, San Remo 0439 216 131

Coffee, tucker, larder

On the Jetty 2 Beach Crescent Newhaven 5926 6802

Out on the jetty with 360° bay views

17 Potters Hill Rd, San Remo 5671 9300

Watermark Restaurant offers gourmet breakfasts through to dinner

SALTWATER SILVERWATER RESORT THE BAY GOURMET

127-129 Jupiter Boulevard, Venus Bay 5663 7227

Relaxed dining, courtyard, coffee and preserves

THE CAPE TAVERN

Surf Beach Rd & Market Pl, Cape Paterson 5674 8122

Friendly, casual pub-style meals

11 Dr Sleeman Ave, Wonthaggi 5672 1437

Relaxed dining experience

27 Uren Road, Krowera 0457 111 026

Smoking sundays, music, food, drinks

THE CLUBHOUSE THE GROVE THE ROSEDALE HOTEL

29 Lyons Street, Rosedale 0488 782 200

Community Hotel, entertainment, dine in and take away

2 Cuttriss St, Inverloch 5674 6097

Beer garden, music, inlet views

16 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi 5672 1007

Bistro meals the locals love, open every day

THE SANDBAR INVERLOCH THE WONTHAGGI CLUB TIDES BAR & GRILL

108 South Gippsland Hwy, Tooradin 5998 3908

Steak, seafood and more - dine in and take-away

TOMOS - JAPANESE

1/23 A’beckett St, Inverloch 5674 3444

Authentic and modern Japanese cuisine

82 Whitelaw St Meeniyan 5664 7397

A taste of Southern Italy in Meeniyan

TRULLI WESTERNPORT HOTEL

161 Marine Pde, San Remo 5678 5205

Unashamedly good pub food and bay views

ZEAL AND FLOW

19 Market Place, Cape Paterson zealandflow.com

Speciality coffee and local treats

IT’S TIME TO wine down

Winter mini-breaks are made for this. You have planned a few days to escape, meander down country roads, take in the sights and discover some hidden gems.

Whether you are arranging a visit with friends, or coming to one of the region’s famous autumn, winter and spring festivals, Gippsland’s wine region has it sorted for you. You can pair your wine finds with local produce at cellar doors, or at a range of cafes and acclaimed restaurants that champion this vast region.

This is cool-climate wine country, enjoying coastal influence with rich soils producing premium aromatic and elegant pinot noir and complex chardonnay. Other varieties also thrive here, including exciting examples of riesling, pinot gris, cabernet sauvignon and shiraz. Spanning more than 300km long and 160km across, from Phillip Island to the NSW border, it sits between vast mountain forests and wild Bass Strait. There are 45+ wineries, around 30 with cellar door experiences (some by appointment, see www.winegippsland.com).

Despite global fame, Gippsland remains a little-known destination wine region. It is full of small, independent producers, who work “on the tools”,

WHERE TO START

Your challenge in tackling Gippsland’s food and wine trails is where to start and how long to take. This is no ‘let’s cover it all in a weekend’ destination. Gippsland, like its premium wines and delicious produce, deserves to be savoured. And that may mean coming back for seconds to do the region justice.

Central Gippsland and East Gippsland, (featured this issue) including Traralgon, Maffra, Sale, Stratford, Bairnsdale, and Lakes Entrance. Bound by the Great Dividing Range, the 90 Mile Beach and Gippsland Lakes, this region offers stunning scenery, from high country forests to pristine beaches. Getaways cater for all tastes: skiing or hot springs bathing, paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing, camping, biking and hiking, or just relaxing at a brewery, distillery or winery, and enjoying a range of cafes, pubs and restaurants. Picturesque small towns are packed with local delights. Highlights include the Gippsland Lakes, the Great Alpine Road, Tarra Bulga National Park, Lake Glenmaggie, easy-to-ride rail trails (with e-bikes to hire), waterfalls, the Heesco Mural Trail, beaches and Stargazing Gippsland’s dark-sky locations. Wineries include: Narkoojee, Blue Gables, Glenmaggie, Carrajung Estate, Lightfoot, Wyanga Park, Nicholson River and Tambo Estate. Others by appointment.

in their own vineyards using sustainable practices, paying close attention to soil health, revegetation and biodiversity. Their aim is to create awardwinning wines that are a genuine reflection of this pristine landscape. Volumes are small, so grab them while you can.

Add these events to your winter/spring trip plans: the popular Loch Food & Wine Festival regularly attracts more than 3,000 people and will be held on Sunday 8 June. The East Gippsland Winterfest is a month-long celebration of people and places from 20 June - 20 July, and Mirboo North Winterfest is in early August. The inaugural Eat, Drink, Play Gippsland Festival will be 18-19 October in Leongatha, showcasing the best of Gippsland’s food and drink sector, along with artisan producers and live music.

(Main, clockwise) You’ll find warm welcomes and plenty of weekend lunch options at Gippsland wineries including: Narkoojee Winery, Blue Gables Vineyard, Glenmaggie Wines and (right) Dirty Three, Inverloch’s urban winery.

West Gippsland/Baw Baw includes Tynong North, Longwarry and Warragul, and has consistent rainfall and generally warmer temperatures. Although there are few cellar doors in the West open yet, it is home to some of Gippsland’s most soughtafter wines. Wineries include: Cannibal Creek (with a popular restaurant just 50 mins from the CBD), Krooked Row and Blackcoat Wines. Others by appointment. Hatted restaurant Hogget Kitchen serves wines made from the vineyard surrounding the winery: William Downie, Patrick Sullivan and Entropy.

South Gippsland and neighbouring Bass Coast hug a shared wild coastline, from Phillip Island through to Wilson’s Promontory and beyond. A weekend trip here starts just over an hour from Melbourne, where you can head for the tourism drawcards of Inverloch, Korumburra, Loch, Leongatha, Meeniyan and Wilson’s Promontory. There are stunning national and state parks to visit year-round, with waterfalls, wildlife walks and seaside activities. Wineries include: Purple Hen, Phillip Island Winery, The Gurdies, Bass River Winery, Silverwaters Vineyard, Dirty Three, Harman Wines, Fleet Wines, The Wine Farm, Djinta Djinta, Gippsland Wine Company and Corner Inlet. Others by appointment.

THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT Cape Paterson

Bunurong Country

The Cape, as locals know it, has a lot going on all year round. Take a day or weekend to immerse yourself in its unique character made up of wild and mild beaches, glistening rockpools, walking trails and immersive stores and boutiques. Meet the locals and share stories as you relax at the tavern with great meals, Gippsland wines and live music.

1 THE ROCKPOOL

The Rockpool is a legacy of the 1960s and just as loved today. The ocean pool offers sheltered waters for swimming or throwing in a line. Bring your mask and snorkel to check out the beauty beneath the surface before laying on your towel to simply chill.

2 THE BEACHES

Beautiful beaches go without saying. Locals lovingly reel off the list of names, easily listing what makes them special. The Channel, Bay Beach and F Break all have their own unique quirks and overarching beauty. Great for walking, surfing, diving, beachcombing and relaxing – always swim between the flags.

ZEAL AND FLOW

Zeal and Flow perfectly captures the essence of the Cape. This vibrant coastal store and yoga studio surprises with an uber-tastefully curated display of homewares and lifestyle must-haves. The café completes the experience with friendly locals making sensational coffee and serving homemade treats.

zealandflow.com

4 CAPE PATERSON SLSC

The Cape’s Surf Life Saving Club is part of the community DNA with volunteers keeping beachgoers safe patrolling First Surf Beach from the end of November to Easter.

The modern clubhouse is superbly set up for sunset drinks and events. Soak in the beauty of the ocean views while enjoying great company and delicious food.

Boutique Weddings & Events boutiqueweddingsevents.com.au

5. Undertow Bay: Awe-inspiring power: always to be respected. This is Bunurong Country at its best photo ted grambeau

words katie cincotta photos warren reed & supplied

Rowena Wallace

DRAMA QUEEN

Can you truly call yourself Australian if you don’t remember television’s powerhouse villain – Patricia ‘Pat the Rat’ Hamilton/Morrell/Palmer? As the star of ‘80s soap Sons and Daughters, actress Rowena Wallace drew both ire and admiration for her nuanced performance as the super-bitch on the show that garnered religious-like devotion across a 6-season, 972-episode run.

Her cobalt-blue eyes and honey-drip hypnotic voice seemed to reach through the screen as she connived her way through secret affairs, meticulous manipulation and money grabs in the age-old battle of the wealthy Hamiltons and the working-class Palmers. It was a performance that saw the first-ever Gold Logie awarded to a soapie star, embedding her into the psyche of the ordinary Australians who loved to hate her character.

“She was the catalyst in that show. People used to remark ‘she’s just like my mother’, or ‘she’s just like my auntie’. I worked very hard to make her as real as possible … to show she wasn’t just an evil character, but a human being with all sorts of emotions and vulnerabilities.”

Rowena talks to me from her couch in the humble weatherboard she rents in Wonthaggi, chain-smoking her way through memories with her beloved miniature poodles Rebus and Phoebe by her side. At 77, her longterm recollection remains sharp, but the damage born of twisted bones and debilitating arthritis have left her stooped and frail. “Getting old is so weird. Sometimes it’s hard to be motivated. I have severe scoliosis, which has pulled my spine into an S-bend.”

What hasn’t changed is the gravitas of her voice – it’s deep and measured, with a tinge of the polished British accent she retains despite migrating to Australia when she was a child.

“I think to please my parents – who didn’t get on at all well – I spoke properly. It was a war marriage,” she says. Her father was a dashing Scottish bombardier in WWII who survived the crash of his aircraft. “He broke his neck, and although he survived, he had terrible ringing in his ears for the rest of his life.” Her mother, from Coventry in England, endured two miscarriages before she and her husband were able to have their only child – a baby girl with Bambi-wide blue eyes, dark-brown hair and a darling heart-shaped face. “They loved me, but it was a strange upbringing. It was, ‘Your father this …’ and ‘Your mother that …’. When I couldn’t cope, I’d leave.”

“We had a lot of laughs. Wednesday night was the ‘cold tinny’ run after we’d been almost constantly in the studio for three days. We’d all chip in and someone would go and buy the wine and beer.”

True to their British roots, Rowena’s parents raised her to hide her emotions – to display a stiff upper lip, no matter what life dealt her. She was so shy and introverted as a teen that the family doctor suggested joining an amateur theatre group to help her gain confidence socially. “I loved it. I felt like I was home,” she says. The hard shell was cracked, and the actress was born.

Her angelic face and commanding presence won her roles in Twelfth Night and Calamity Jane, and as the weather girl in Brisbane, but it was the character Patricia Hamilton, with her trademark spiky white hair, that shot her to fame, and onto countless magazine covers.

While she loved playing ‘Pat the Rat’, she admits those heyday years were exhausting – her character appeared in almost every scene. “It was hard work for me. I’d be up every night rehearsing. I used to take the script with me when we were recording and then shove it under the couch on set. After a few years, it was bulging,” she laughs, the set sofa laden with scene after scene of shock love affairs, shady business deals and cliffhanger deaths.

Recording days were long, but the cast and crew were tightknit. “We had a lot of laughs. Wednesday night was the ‘cold tinny’ run after we’d been almost constantly in the studio for three days. We’d all chip in and someone would go and buy the wine and beer.”

Off-screen there was romance too, including an affair with one of the crew. “I’ve had some funny relationships in my life. I fell in love with the boomie (microphone boom operator). He was gorgeous … and he had a motorbike, which I loved. But the producers found out about it and put their foot down.”

For a brief stint in 1973 she was married to George Assang (later Assange), an Aboriginal-Chinese singer and actor from Thursday Island. George was 20 years her senior, and a stepgrandfather to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. “George was my only real partner,” she admits, speaking of the years they spent together with their dogs and his big Torres Strait family.

Long-term love may have eluded her, but she’s been sustained by close friendships. In Sydney she lived on the harbour with Ally Fowler, who played her daughter Angela in Sons and Daughters.

With the hindsight of age, drawing parallels between her character Patricia and her real-life dramas in love and money, she recognises that some of her life seems to have imitated art.

“I don’t think we realised it at the time, but there is a little bit of me in that character. I’m not a nasty person … but I’ve had my moments. I think she had trouble loving. And I think she struggled to find that place of love in herself.”

There was complexity and contradiction in the character of Patricia that always fascinated Rowena.

“It was about what she wanted but couldn’t get. She didn’t know how to. She kept battling people, belittling them. She had an enormous ego, and when things went wrong, she’d blame everybody but herself.”

While she loved playing the beautiful villain, she did cop backlash from some fans. “There were people who thought the character was me. I got some very strange letters about what they’d do to me if they ever came face to face.”

She famously told celebrity interviewer Michael Parkinson that a truck driver once arrived at the studio, threatening violence against ‘that Pat the Rat’. The nickname was originated on set by actor Peter Phelps, who played her son John. “He said it casually one day, and before long it became folklore.”

She left the role as one of the country’s highest-paid television actors, and sometimes regrets her decision. “They offered me more money to stay, but I needed a break, and was keen to try something different, like returning to the stage.”

But having been ‘stamped’ with the soapie badge, it wasn’t easy to find other acting roles. “I did a lot of stage work, but films evaded me. I had a tiny role in Puberty Blues, but that was about it.”

In jailhouse drama Prisoner, she played psychotic inmate Anne Griffin, who attacked ‘top dog’ Bea Smith, and appeared in the show’s legendary big tunnel escape episode. “I’m always playing either the maddies or the baddies,” she confesses with a roaring laugh, adding that Prisoner felt like a revolution for its almostexclusively female cast. “It was wonderful to work with so many fabulous female actors – it was quite unique for the time.”

In her 60s, encouraged by friends who thought she might like the rural lifestyle, Rowena moved to Wonthaggi. Unfortunately the distance from Melbourne and Sydney hampered her ability to continue acting, and she became depressed as a result of the isolation. Acting’s adage is ‘the show must go on’, however, and in life Rowena has matched that resilience. She survives on a disability pension and subsidised rent, but has no regrets. She’s made friends in the town, has spent time reflecting on her career, and explored the mystical movement of Sufism. That inner quest to find divine love and wisdom has always inspired her. She especially relates to the teachings of philosopher George Gurdjieff, who theorised that actors are often seeking to understand their identity through playing other people.

“Gurdjieff felt that actors don’t know who they are, and I think there’s something in that. Acting gave me the ability to look inward. As a child I had no idea who I was: I was always searching for something that would reflect me.”

Her shelves are crammed with books, photos of her beloved dogs, and artefacts from her travels to Africa and the Middle East. What’s missing are her six Logies – the great symbols of television success in Australia. She’s matter-of-fact about why she sold them to an anonymous bidder. “I was desperately poor. There was no work coming in. It’s hard not to have money when you’re older. And I’ve got these two,” she says,

looking to the adoring dogs by her side. “The Logies are symbols of something, but they’re just things. I thought, ‘If someone else would like them and is generous enough to buy them, then they can have them.’ I know it’s awful. In some ways I’m sorry I did it, but I had to do something. I’m not fit to do any other jobs.

Her world now revolves around her 13-year-old dogs Rebus and Phoebe. “I just want to be with my doggies and have an old-lady life. The first thing I do in the morning is put their leads on, get on the scooter, and off we go down to the oval where they race around off-lead.”

The veteran actress also makes scooter-runs to Woolies for smokes and rump steak – the Horizon Purples for her, the posh cuts for the pooches. The staff love to banter, regularly asking when she’ll be taking them to the Logies. The conversations are a lovely reminder of the glamour days of her youth, but she no longer yearns for the spotlight. Life as a dog-mum provides happiness enough.

“I just want to outlive my dogs, bless their little souls.”

You can watch Sons & Daughters on 7Plus: 7plus.com.au/sons-and-daughters

Produced by Latrobe Valley Express Newspaper

THE BIG CHILL

As the sun peeps over the horizon, a group of sleepy, bather-clad swimmers make their way down a wooden staircase to a wild ocean beach. In a blink, they toss their towels and outer clothes to the sand, sprinting toward the pounding surf. This ritual has become an essential part of their mornings – a daily dose of ‘vitamin sea’, a moment of pure happiness and freedom.

At first, it took some convincing for me to take the plunge. Now? I wouldn’t miss it for the world. Our Kilcunda crew is out there almost every day. Sometimes it’s about the swim, sometimes it’s just about showing up. It’s as much a social ritual as it is life-affirming. As the sky shifts from inky blues to fiery pinks and the waves whisper (or roar) their morning greetings, we dive. And the shock of the cold? Oh, it’s real. No way around that. But so are the benefits.

Some mornings the ocean is glassy and calm, and we float like cuttlefish bones. Other days, it tosses us around, forcing us to dive, tumble, and surrender. But every single time, we come out feeling alive. Revived. Exhilarated. The water soothes us, but it also sparks something deep inside. It’s the ultimate re-set.

words aissa reed photos annette spinks

And it’s not just about the water. It’s about the people. The ones who stand beside you as you shiver, laughing through the shock. There’s a special bond in taking that freezing first step together. The laughter, the gasps, the shared disbelief –it knits friendships tighter, making each swim feel like a small triumph. It’s about presence. Connection. The rush of cold against your skin, and the deep, quiet peace of floating, weightless, in an endless sea.

From the Inverloch Icebergs to the Phillip Island Turtle Smugglers, the Friday Chill at Cape Paterson to the dedicated swimmers of Kilcunda, Corinella, Venus Bay, and Seaford – this isn’t just a passing fad. It’s a movement. A ritual. A way of life. Every plunge wakes up the metabolism, toughens endurance, boosts circulation, strengthens the immune system, and soothes aching muscles in nature’s ice-bath. More than that, it clears the mind, melts stress and floods the body with endorphins – the best kind of high.

Nicole Hynes started The Friday Chill at Cape Paterson during the COVID lockdowns. Missing her friends, she made a simple suggestion: “Let’s meet for a swim.” They lived near the beach but typically only swam when the weather was good. “Why wait?” asked Nicole.

What started with three friends has grown into a group of 15 to 20, its numbers rising and falling with the tides. “We’ll see what winter does to that,” Nicole laughs. “It’s become this wonderful social thing – mostly women of a similar age, though sometimes partners or family join in. But at its core, it’s a space for us to catch up, even if it’s just for 20 minutes.”

Their ocean family members have seen each other through life’s highs and lows. “We’ve supported friends through divorce, breast cancer, brain cancer,” Nicole shares. Their dear friend Shiona was determined to keep swimming for as long as she could, even in her final months. “She used everything she could think of – ATVs, flotation devices – just to get to the beach. Her family joined in too, even though they hated the cold, just to be part of it.”

As her strength faded, they found ways to make those last swims magical. “One day, when getting her to the water had become tricky, we rolled out a ‘red carpet’ of yoga mats to the shoreline, crowning her the Queen of the Ocean. We made makeshift crowns and capes – it was joyful and light, a way to push back against the sadness. She was diagnosed with cancer in October 2022 and passed away in January 2024. It was heartbreaking, but she was surrounded by love. The morning of her funeral, we met at the beach to honour her.”

Nicole is still amazed by the depth of connection built in such a short window of time. “It’s just 20 minutes in the water each day, but in that time, you catch up on people’s lives. We all come from different backgrounds, yet this brings us together in a very intimate way.”

It’s more than just a swimming group – it’s a community. They swap books and clothes, celebrate birthdays with jetty jumps, and gather for beach bonfires. “We have a motto: #friendswhosayyes. If someone suggests something, we just say yes. We even made T-shirts with our motto on them! It’s about surrounding yourself with people who push you to embrace life.”

Over at Venus Bay, Clare Armstrong and her group, the Not So Skinny Dippers, were drawn to cold-water swimming almost by accident. “It started with just one guy and his mate,” she says. “They swam every morning, and little by little, more people joined in.” Now, they have a core group that goes year-round, with weekend numbers swelling to 30 or more when Melbourne holiday-makers jump in.

For Clare, the swim itself is only part of the pull. “It’s the community that keeps me coming back. There’s a shared craziness in it – an unspoken bond. When it’s pitch black, freezing, and the wind is howling, the idea of getting into the ocean is ridiculous. But knowing your people are waiting? That’s what gets you out of bed. And you never regret it – ever.”

She stumbled into it in a moment of support. “A close friend was a die-hard swimmer, but after breaking both her wrists, she was barred from the water for months. The day she got her casts off, she wanted to at least stand in the ocean. I wasn’t swimming much at the time either – I’d just had breast surgery – so I said, ‘I’ll come with you.’ I went in fully dressed –bather bottoms, jumper, puffer jacket, the works – thinking I’d just get my feet wet. Then a wave knocked us over. I reached for her, and she’s holding her splinted arms up as if to say, ‘I can’t help you!’”

She came up sputtering and laughing, but something clicked. “The way I felt afterward … I was hooked. I don’t go every day, but I don’t miss many. And I never, ever regret it.”

Athletes swear by it; doctors recommend it; and for those of us who take the plunge, it’s more than a habit: it’s a way of life. Cold-water swimming isn’t just a fad – it’s a love affair. It’s an electrifying shock and a deep exhale. It’s the sting of icy water, the echo of laughter over waves, and the quiet solitude of floating in an endless sea. It’s a daily reminder that we are alive, connected, and ready to say yes to whatever comes next.

STOCKYARD GALLERY

A contemporary gallery and shop featuring artists from South Gippsland and beyond. Exhibitions change monthly and we often host group shows with an attractive prize pool. Check our website for a stellar line-up of artists for 2025. Featured in October: Jenny Peterson from Helen Timbury’s group of printmakers.

12 McDonald St, Foster 3960 03 5682 1125 stockyardgallery@dcsi.net.au | www.stockyardgallery.au

Open Thursday - Monday 11am -3pm. Closed Tuesday & Wednesday @stockyardgallery | @StockyardGallery

We welcome you to our enchanting boutique in Wonthaggi. Explore our collection of bohemian clothing, Browse the spellbinding selection of books, journals, and tarot cards. Exotic aromas of incense and perfumed oils for home and body. Crystals and silver jewellery adornments. Spell Candles, sage sticks, cauldrons and singing bowls. Come in and feel the magic at Gypsy Dreaming

120 Graham St, Wonthaggi, 3995 0438 006 503 jodie@gypsydreaming.com.au | www.gypsydreaming.com.au

Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturday 9am - 2pm @gypsydreamingwonthaggi | @gypsydreamingwonthaggi

Your idyllic, luxury, glamping retreat. The Inverloch Glamping Co is an elegant, sustainable retreat on the edge of Inverloch. Taking our cues from the ocean views, choose from one of ve luxury, adult havens. Woven with care, crafted with honesty each handcrafted option, perfectly blends elegance and comfort, inviting you to switch o and create a memory everlasting.

80 Drowleys Rd, Inverloch, VIC, 3996 0400 168 240 inverlochglamping@bigpond.com | theinverlochglampingco.com.au @theinverlochglampingco | The Inverloch Glamping Co

Inverloch Fishing and Outdoors is a fishing tackle and outdoor retail shop. We sell a wide range of fishing brands including Shimano, Penn, Okuma and Daiwa. We stock a huge range of Yeti products and are continuously updating the range. We also sell a variety of beach and camping equipment. The owner of Inverloch Fishing and Outdoors is knowledgeable and passionate and will give you the advice to get you out on the water.

Shop 1-2, 8 Williams St, Inverloch 03 5674 3322 | 0420 229 429 www.inverlochfishingandoutdoors.com.au info@inverlochfishingandoutdoors.com.au

Open Monday - Friday 9am - 5pm, Saturday 9am - 4pm, Sunday 9am - 3pm @inverlochfishingandoutdoors | @inverlochfishingandoutdoors

LET’S DRIVE

Set your maps app to time travel from Rosedale to stratford via Sale in Gippsland and let the adventure unfold

This 55-kilometre cruise takes you across ancient rivers, through paddocks of fresh produce ripe for the picking to stroll world-class art galleries, relax in cosy pubs, savour local produce in modern breweries –and simply stop.

So, buckle in for a journey jam-packed with the kind of discoveries we Coasters love with a surprise around every corner. Take a few hours, a day, a week - it’s all on your time.

Wind your way down onto the banks of the mighty Durt’Yowan (Latrobe River) and into the tiny village of Rosedale

Rosedale

Take in the shops from local art to high tea, vintage collectables, great coffee and local produce with my standout – cherries when in season.

COLOURFUL HISTORY

Like each town on this road trip, Rosedale has more than a few surprises – a visit to the Prince Street Reserve reveals that the town was the birthplace of Patrobas – the 1915 Melbourne Cup winner. Also be sure to stop and smell the roses in the Victorian Rose Gardens.

Rosedale Historic Walk starts at Willow Park and retraces old stock routes with signs sharing tales of floods, fires, the first bridge, Blind Joe and more historic buildings than you can poke a stick at.

RELAX AT THE ROSEY

All roads lead to the Rosedale Hotel - you may even be drawn by the sound of local musicians singing out from this gorgeous country pub. Locals call the Rosey “a ripper” and, recently renovated with the aim to be a pub for the community, you’ll soon have it as your local too.

Warm and inviting, the team has crafted a menu with pub favourites and next-level signature dishes all excellently paired with Gippsland’s local wines, ciders or beers.

Built in 1858, the pub has a long history of welcoming travellers, first as a stopping point for the gold escorts travelling from the goldfields to Port Albert. It is just one of the gold nuggets you’ll find on your epic Gippsland road trip.

ROSEDALE HOTEL

Sale

Make a beeline to the Port of Sale – where you’ll find the arts and tourism precinct including moorings, library, visitor information centre, The Dock Espresso Bar, theatre, skate park, meeting rooms and workspaces, art gallery and Wedge Performing Arts Centre – no wonder the locals never want to leave!

Next stop, Sale, the big, beating cultural heart of Gippsland

TAKE A CRUISE

Drift back to a time when waterways were highways onboard the Rubeena with Port of Sale Heritage Cruises Relax into the historic timber boat’s quiet rhythm as you cruise along and enjoy stories of the area across time. Majestic Red Gums and birdsong surround you as you travel to reach the landmark Swing Bridge, it is the longest bridge in the Southern Hemisphere that swings 360 degrees.

ART UNLIMITED

Gippsland Art Gallery is a gift to Gippsland and beyond. This premier facility hosts world-class exhibitions while honouring and supporting Gippsland’s talented First Nations artists and arts community. Its current blockbuster Turner & Australia is the first major exhibition to survey the profound influence of the British artist’s landscapes on Australian art.

TIME OUT

On the banks of Lake Guthridge, Sale Botanic Gardens are great for a stroll. Nakunbalook Environmental and Cultural Centre is a community fave - check out what activities are on when you’re visiting.

THE RUBEENA

You’ll feel welcome as soon as you drive into the buzzing town of Maffra

Maffra

A mix of old-world and bustling modern defines the town where there is literally something for everyone. Wirn wirndook Yeerung (Macalister River) is a central feature - its gentle flow reminding us to take a breath and reset to cruise mode.

HISTORIC BEETS

There is a proud history of beet-growing in Maffra and it’s little gems like the Maffra Beet Museum (open Sundays) that will draw you in.

PARKS AND RECREATION

Roam free with parks ‘aplenty like Macalister Park with an extensive playground including carved sculptures. Bellbird Corner Riverside Reserve has 2.6 kilometres of riverside walking trails where you’ll meet the local birds and wildlife.

PADDOCK TO GLASS AND PLATE

When it’s time for a bevvy, you won’t believe your luck as you enter Maffco Brewery & Distillery. Set in an ultra modernised, historic milk factory, the Maffco team brew a range of top-notch beers served in their TUCKA @ Maffco farm-to-fork restaurant. On the menu are their own smoked meats, fresh Lakes Entrance seafood and vegetables sourced from the kitchen garden and local farmers.

maffco brewery & distillery

STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

Release your inner foodie and inner child at the Berry Dairy. Pick your own strawberries, visit the petting zoo and enjoy local dairy and farm produce at the licenced café where strawberries have found their way into donuts, gin and more. Don’t leave without one of their sensational homemade strawberry ice-creams.

On the banks of the Avon River, this town with a shakespeare-inspired name has a definite creative vibe

Stratford

Stratford is such a lovely town - there are friendly cafes, colourful murals and performing arts a’plenty, with posters for upcoming shows at the heritage Courthouse Theatre adorning shop windows. The uber-relaxed shopping strip is also a hit, allowing you take your time browsing unique art, homewares, clothing, gifts, produce and craft.

FIRST NATIONS FEEL

The town has a strong link to the Gunaikurnai. A modern-day victory was celebrated at the Knob Reserve just outside Stratford where the 2010 Native Title Agreement determining 45,000 hectares in Gippsland was signed.

GETTING AROUND

Walking and cycling are great ways to explore and you can also venture further afield to join the Gippsland Plains Rail Trail that meanders across tiny Gippsland towns to Traralgon.

STAY AND RELAX

Statford’s relaxed vibe is something people in the know are all over. It’s becoming the destination to retreat to and indulge in the powerful natural environment, creativity and culture. Might be something to do with the award winning Delrose Farm RetreatGippsland's latest luxury getaway that’s the talk of the town.

The reimagined 160-year-old original homestead has “all the feels” and offers a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The family-owned beef farm uses regenerative practices for a sustainable future. A stay at Delrose is the perfect way to break your trip and experience a little bit of life in the modern-day country before you head off on your next day’s adventure.

delrose farm retreat

Yallock-Bulluk Marine & Coastal Park

Bunurong Country, millions of years in the making, it’s invigorating and awe inspiring.

photos warren reed

Where eagles fly, tracks hug the dramatic clifftops offering spectacular views that stretch forever capturing the light shimmering silver and blue.

Breathtaking Bass Strait stretches south to Antarctic waters.

WAVERIDERS Putting smiles on dials one wave at a time

The sky over Smiths Beach is a perfect, endless blue – the kind that makes you forget anything exists beyond the horizon. A sea of red, blue, and yellow rashies* bob on the ocean. Surfers slice through the waves with practised ease, while first-timers wobble and slide with grins stretched wide across their faces. It’s a scene of pure unfiltered joy, laughter ringing out over the roar of the surf, a community bound together by the simple thrill of riding a wave.

“Today was humanity at its best,” beams Paul Hayes, president of the Disabled Surfing Association Bass Coast. “It’s all about putting smiles on dials - one wave at a time.” And today, those smiles are everywhere. Over 70 disabled surfers and 120 volunteers have come together, their enthusiasm as boundless as the ocean stretching before them. “The weather was perfect, the volunteers were incredible, and the surfers came out in droves. Honestly, we couldn’t have asked for a better day,” he reflects.

Out on the water, a surfer rockets towards the shore. “That was frikkin’ awesome!” shouts Jade McLear, her face alight with exhilaration. An occupational therapist from Hurstbridge, the

words aissa reed photos brian crimp

23-year-old’s journey to this moment has been nothing short of remarkable.

In 2022, her life took a devastating turn. “I was driving home after visiting a client when my car lost control on a wet road. I wasn’t speeding, I wasn’t on my phone - it was just a freak accident.” Her car spun, colliding with another vehicle before wedging between a tree and a car. It took emergency crews over an hour to cut her free. Rushed to a trauma hospital, her list of injuries was severe - head trauma, fractured spine, pelvis, and ankle. She spent four months in a coma, her future uncertain. But Jade is made of steel wrapped in sunshine, and with the unwavering support of her family, she fought her way back.

Her mother nods. “Reframing life after an accident is tough. We were told Jade would never get out of bed and that she should live in a nursing home. But we weren’t having that. We brought her home and built a full-time rehab plan as a family. Our philosophy? You’ve got to work to get better. The standard ABI (acquired brain injury) model pushes for constant rest, but that didn’t sit right with us. Jade works from 7:30 a.m. to 4 or even 6 p.m. some days. It’s intense, but she’s making progress. She sleeps through the night, wakes up refreshed, and has fulfilling days. She’s Wurundjeri Aboriginal, an occupational therapist, an artist and has lived experience. We just need to find her niche. She’s incredible company. We’ll find the right fit one day.”

Socialising after the accident has been one of her biggest challenges. “People who don’t know me talk to me like I’m a child,” she says, frustration flickering beneath her words. “I’m a bloody adult. People need to see past the wheelchair - it’s still me. Since the accident, I have no filter. Mum and Dad are still shocked at how much I swear. Oh boy, I let it rip! But seriously, get to know me before you judge my disability.”

For Jade, the ocean has always been home. “I started Nippers at Venus Bay when I was six. As a kid, I’d jump into rips to

get out the back faster - then realised, uh, that’s not exactly normal,” she laughs. “My grandparents had a beach house there, so I basically grew up in the surf. I did Nippers, then moved on to the lifesaving club. My younger sister trained in IRBs (inflatable rescue boats) and ranked tenth in the world! Our crew at Venus Bay takes on the big surf - there’s no such thing as waves too big.”

Her love for the ocean hasn’t dimmed. “I’ve got a 4WD wheelchair, so we do long walks on the beach. The other day, we saw a frikkin’ seal just chilling on the sand, scratching its bum with a flipper. It was huge! OMG,” she hoots, laughter bubbling over.

But nothing compares to being back on a board. “Surfing now, I feel like I’m in my element. Nothing can go wrong. What’s the worst that could happen? I fall off? That already happened! First time I ever went out, I got dumped. And I LOVED it. Didn’t even get water up my nose! The other surfers were panicking, and I was laughing so hard I couldn’t breathe. It’s just awesome. It’s freeing. These event days are magic. Everyone knows me, everyone’s having fun, and the energy is contagious. I’m just smiling so freakin’ much.”

“Today was humanity at its best,” beams Paul Hayes, president of the Disabled Surfing Association Bass Coast. “It’s all about putting smiles on dials - one wave at a time.”

Jade can’t praise the volunteers enough. “They’re bloody lovely, putting up with my crap,” she chuckles. Her mum adds with a mock-serious face, “Actually, I have one complaint…the sausages come out too late! But honestly, the volunteers are incredible. We’re starving by the end of it, and they feed us all. They truly are amazing.”

The Disabled Surfing Association is making waves, growing its reach every year. “We’ve had volunteers from as far away as Chelsea Life Saving Club, which is fantastic,” says Paul. “At our last two events, we had over 100 volunteers. But we always need more. People can get involved in so many

ways - volunteering, joining the organising committee, or just spreading the word. Anyone interested can go to disabledsurfers.org and check out the Bass Coast page.”

And if anyone’s feeling unsure about giving surfing a go? “We cater to all abilities,” Paul reassures. “Some people sit, some lie down with beanbags, others kneel or stand. We’ve got the equipment to make it happen. It starts in the carpark - we’ve got change rooms, electric beds, special wetsuits, and beachfriendly wheelchairs. And best of all? It’s free. We even provide lunch and drinks. Volunteers just need to bring a wetsuit, sunscreen, and a hat.”

Despite receiving no government funding, the association continues to thrive thanks to community support. “We’ve been lucky. A company ran an event to raise funds for us, and we get support from Rotary Inverloch. Plus, Bakers Delight in Cowes and Paul the Pieman in Inverloch donate bread for our event days.”

As Jade readies herself for one last ride, she leaves with a simple but powerful message: “If you’re thinking about trying this but feeling nervous - just do it. Worst that can happen? You fall off. OMG. It’s heaps of fun! It’s so freakin’ fun - you’d be stupid not to do it!”

With that, she pushes off with the help of volunteers, catching a wave and soaring across the water, a picture of freedom, resilience, joy, and the unbreakable spirit of the sea.

arts feature

Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life

Pablo Picasso

CARRIED BY THE CURRENT

Ceramic Artist Natalie Cootes

When ceramic artist Natalie Cootes named her business Drift, she didn’t realise how layered the meaning would become for her craft. Not only was the name an acknowledgement of how much the ocean inspires her work, but how the process of drifting – being carried slowly by the water –embodies the evolving process of transforming a slab of clay into a thing of beauty. Natalie’s pieces are handbuilt, involving slab or coil construction rather than a pottery wheel. The work requires infinite patience, sometimes taking many weeks to breathe life into a structure as it progresses through the stages of conception, sculpting, firing, and layers of glaze.

The moment of magic for this ceramicist is always at the birthing, as a piece emerges from the fire.

“Opening the kiln is always a dramatic moment. You never know what you’re getting until you open the door and see what’s gone on inside.”

Each element is a leap of faith, governed not simply by the artist’s vision, but the science at play. Structures. Chemicals. Temperatures. Sometimes accidents turn into beautiful creative embellishments, like when a glaze pulls away from the clay to create an intricate pattern or texture.

Natalie embraces the surprises as a metaphor for her life. As she prepares for her first solo exhibition, she reflects on the journey she’s made as a late bloomer in the art world. Having spent more than 20 years as a pre-school teacher, she began to take ceramics more seriously as she honed her skills through classes both locally and overseas.

She’s planning a seventh trip to Japan – the country which inspired her love of ceramics – and recently trained in India with British master-potter Kate Malone. Now in her fourth year as a full-time artist, she feels buoyed by the change.

words katie cincotta photos kim keltie

After decades of being dominated by schedules – both those of a teacher and a single mum of two – the professional path has been freeing for Natalie. “Not being ruled by school holidays, and being able to work for myself … I really appreciate that. If I’m on a roll, I can stay up till 2 in the morning. And it feels great at this age to be learning a whole new set of skills. I wasn’t expecting that in my life. It feels like such a gift – all the travel, and the connections that I’ve made.”

In 2023, Natalie was the only Australian artist whose work was chosen for the 1000 Vases exhibition that was part of Paris Design Week. With her mother travelling through Iceland, Natalie’s daughter – jewellery-maker Tilly – took on the task of carrying her vase to France. “She packed it in her hand luggage, wrapped in paper bubble-wrap. The poor girl was petrified until the moment she handed it over”.

Natalie has just moved from McCrae to Somers, having renovated a 1929 weatherboard set among the gum trees. Her adult children are forging their own life-paths, and she feels quietly satisfied to be pursuing life as an empty-nester in one of the sleepier corners of the Mornington Peninsula. She’s excited to show me around her new home, which feels like

“The shift just sort of … happened. I moved into the Walkerville house, and it felt like a new beginning.”

the perfect haven for an artist – kissed by light in almost every corner, with stunning picture-windows framing the eucalyptus trees which are home to a koala the neighbours have dubbed ‘Fat Tony’. “He’s quite stumpy, and hangs in the really low branches: we often sit on the couch and watch his antics.”

Arguably, even more pivotal for Natalie has been the purchase of what she calls a ‘beach shack’ perched high in the bush overlooking the water at Walkerville. While Natalie is represented by two Mornington Peninsula galleries, double that number are eagerly showing her work in South Gippsland. The interest and support from local galleries has been very encouraging, she says. “The owner of Rare Earth Studio Gallery in Toora is transforming her space to showcase my new work for ‘Vessel’, and the synergy between the gallery’s signature earth-pigment paintings and my stoneware pieces is beautiful,” says Natalie.

When she began making ceramics, her work was mostly in hues of green and blue. Now, her collection is in neutral tones reminiscent of sand, shells, and sea-foam. “The shift just sort of … happened. I moved into the Walkerville house, and it felt like a new beginning.”

The death of her father in 2024 marked a tumultuous year, where she was burrowed down in grief and solitude. Now emerging into a new chapter, the lightness of the clean neutrals in Natalie’s ceramics may be reflective of that renewal. The pieces for her first solo show are based on three distinct but interrelated forms, some with textured glazes reminiscent of coral, volcanic rock or wave-foam as it breaks on the shore.

She’s had commissions from Peninsula Hot Springs and Endota Spa and is attracting attention from celebrity interior stylists like Steve Cordony who recently showcased her pieces at one of his style sessions. “To a certain extent,” Natalie gently muses, “I think I chose the business name as a kind of disguise, a way of hiding, of protecting myself when I first ventured into the art world. Now I’m starting to feel more confident, and I’ve begun signing my work with my own name rather than the business tag.”

The constant in her life has been a desire to be near the ocean. She didn’t cope in her first year of teaching when she was living in Bendigo, far from the coast. “It wasn’t even about the actual swimming: not being able to see any water just didn’t feel right.”

She’s an ocean swimmer – with the shoulders to prove it – relishing where the current has taken her.

“I didn’t know this when I chose the name Drift Ceramics: that when I’m near the beach and salt water, I go into a ‘drifting’ state, like a meditation. It explains why I always loved being underwater, or near the beach.”

SEA LEVEL

A study in light, water and time

SEALEVEL is an ongoing fine art photographic series capturing tranquil, reflective moments where soft pastels, vivid colors, and delicate shadows play across the ocean’s surface. Shot either just before dawn or just after sunset, these images explore the abstract beauty of light as it dances on water—fleeting, unpredictable, and entirely unique to each moment.

Over the past fifteen years, I’ve utilised a refined, interpretative approach to ocean photography—one born from years of documenting surf using water housings and experimenting with specialised camera and lens combinations. SEALEVEL is the natural evolution of that journey, focusing not on the waves themselves, but on the subtle interaction of light, water, and time.

My approach is in essence to focus on the abstract nature of this phenomenon, which in itself is often so fleeting that it is virtually invisible to the naked eye but is as real as any other documentary capture.

SEALEVEL by Ted Grambeau | tedgrambeauphotography.com

‘INTANGIBLE’ EXHIBITION

LINDA SHAW

22 JULY  31 AUGUST

OPENING CELEBRATIONS

27 JULY 13PM  ALL WELCOME

THE THING THAT I AM SEEKING IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING MY ART IS SOMETHING THAT IS BEST DESCRIBED AS INTANGIBLE. I HAVE LONG BEEN DRAWN TO AN ETHEREAL WORLD OF HALFLIGHT AND HUMAN FACES THAT HOLD WITHIN THEM AN AMBIGUITY OF EXPRESSION.

ARTSPRINT EXHIBITION

2 SEPTEMBER  12 OCTOBER

OPENING CELEBRATIONS

7 SEPTEMBER 13PM  ALL WELCOME

FEATURED ARTIST & CURATOR SUSAN HALL. A SELECTED GROUP OF PRINTMAKERS WILL SHOWCASE THEIR WORKS AT ARTSPACE AGAIN THIS YEAR. MANY ASPECTS OF PRINTMAKING ARE COVERED BY THESE PROFESSIONAL ARTISTS, LINOCUT AND WOODCUTS, MONOPRINTS, ETCHINGS PLUS COMBINATIONS OF SOME.

‘FLEETING MOMENTS’

TESSA HUBBLE & KATE MUIR

14 OCTOBER  23 NOVEMBER

OPENING CELEBRATIONS

19 OCTOBER 13PM  ALL WELCOME

AN EXHIBITION ABOUT CAPTURING MOMENTS OF OUR FOREVER CHANGING SURROUNDINGS AND THE THINGS WE ENCOUNTER. KATE MUIR AND TESSA HUBBLE HAVE BOUGHT TOGETHER PAINTINGS SHOWING CONTRASTING STYLES, TECHNIQUES, PERSPECTIVE AND EXPRESSION.

NAIDOC EXHIBITION | 10 JUNE  20 JULY OPENING CELEBRATIONS 5 JULY 13PM

THE ANNUAL NAIDOC WEEK FIRST NATIONS ART EXHIBITION AT ARTSPACE WONTHAGGI SHOWCASES AND CELEBRATES LOCAL ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER ART. THE EXHIBITION IS HOSTED BY THE BASS COAST/SOUTH GIPPSLAND RECONCILIATION GROUP WITH SUPPORT FROM THE BASS COAST RECONCILIATION NETWORK AND THE WONTHAGGI ARTSPACE GALLERY.

Detail

HIDDEN BEACHES

170 x 150 | acrylic

Annette Spinks

Rare Earth Studio Gallery

Visual Farm

troy@harrisbuild.com.au

lifestyle feature

home & garden inspiration

There is a garden in every childhood, an enchanted place where colours are brighter, the air softer and the morning more fragrant than ever

Elizabeth Lawrence

GLASS HOUSE

Lindy Yeates has always had an eye for beauty. As a landscape artist, she sees the world in colours, textures, and the way light dances on surfaces. She and her husband Gavin never set out to build a new home … but sometimes the best things in life happen when you least expect them.

From the moment you step onto the couple’s property, you feel a sense of harmony. The home isn’t just placed on the land – it belongs to it. Your eye is immediately drawn to the breathtaking glass pavilion, framing the ocean like a painting. It welcomes the landscape inside, offering shelter from the southerly winds while bathing the living spaces in northerly light. Lindy smiles as she recalls their journey to creating this space. “Originally we weren’t even looking to build,” she admits. “We worked with an architect for a year, and at first, all we had was a rectangle. Then we started exploring what architects in New Zealand were doing, and we found a coffee-table book featuring a house that ticked all the boxes – glass on both sides, quarried stone, wood. It was everything we wanted.”

Their block of land was an interesting shape: straight on one side, angular on the other. But instead of seeing it as a challenge, they saw an opportunity. The straight edge became the foundation for bedrooms and bathrooms, while the kitchen and pantry adapted beautifully to the angular portion.

Every detail of their home references the surrounding environment. “The flooring picks up the colour of the sand on the beach below,” Lindy explains. “When the sun hits those iron-rich cliffs, everything in here just makes sense. The black basalt beneath the cliffs inspired the dark cladding at the base of the house. Everything’s a nod to what we see outside our window.” The ceilings and staircase showcase Queensland spotted gum, further tying the interior to the natural world.

words aissa reed photos warren reed

Lindy laughs as she recalls a particular design decision led by husband Gavin, a geologist by trade. “We were planning to use porcelain for our benchtops. Then we saw an episode of Grand Designs the Melbourne owners used quartzite, and Gavin, who normally doesn’t get too excited about these things, turned to me and said, ‘I’m a geologist. Why aren’t we having real stone?’” She grins. “By the end of the episode, he was all in: ‘Quartzite, quartzite, quartzite!’ And honestly, it’s absolutely bullet-proof.”

When it came to the interiors, Lindy wanted a space that was calm, balanced, and serene. She sought advice from an interior designer to help navigate the overwhelming number of choices. “I’m creative, and I wanted a hand in everything, but the world is full of so many options that it can be stressful. I just needed some advice and someone to bounce ideas off,” she says.

The home is designed to sit lightly on the land. Solar panels ensure they aren’t drawing from the grid, and natural materials dominate every space. Lindy speaks passionately about her favourite artist John Walmsley, and his philosophy on artistry and nature. “He talks about sitting, breathing, observing, and letting nature speak to you before you create. I applied that same approach to this house. We let the land tell us what it needed.”

The home is filled with personal touches. The master bedroom offers a breathtaking view through to the bath, with the ocean on the flipside as a backdrop. The Ibiza plaster walls, made by an artisan, create a unique texture that breathes with the environment. Lindy’s favourite spot, though, is her cosy British ‘snug’ room, perfect for curling up with a book or a movie.

Even the pantry is a source of joy. “I love it,” Lindy beams. “It’s beautiful but functional. I bake, I make chutneys – every inch of it is used and appreciated.”

Reflecting on the journey, Lindy expresses deep gratitude.

“Our builder Christian and his team were incredible. Matt our landscaper was brilliant in the garden. Every artisan left their mark on this home, from the stonemasons to the furniture makers. Gavin supported every aesthetic choice I made, which meant the world.”

Their house is more than just a retreat: it’s a space that welcomes family, friends, and the peace that only nature can provide. It is truly a home that breathes, a space that welcomes, and a masterpiece of art and nature intertwined.

AT HOME WITH NATURE

This beautiful Inverloch home is a sanctuary that draws inspiration from the landscape around it. Featuring relaxed, earthy tones and lush soft furnishings, it’s a space designed to evoke a sense of calm and create a connection with nature. This inviting home includes a soothing palette of sage green, neutral textures, and organic shapes that echo the bush landscape beyond the walls.

Balancing the softness of the decor is a touch of industrial edge, with oxidised gunmetal side-tables and vintage-style leather seating that adds just the right amount of contrast.

Key pieces sourced locally from SB Interiors Inverloch help bring the entire look together. The sage-green sofa and matching body-hugging chairs offer a cosy place to unwind,

while the three-legged green chenille chair with a walnut ash finish delivers both sculptural beauty and timeless Scandinavian design. Accessories like green glassware, drip-glaze vases, and the ‘Thinking Man’ statue add a unique finishing touch.

SB Interiors’ Wendy DeKunder says she “enjoyed working with the owners to create a space that’s effortlessly in tune with the bush surroundings of the home, a sanctuary to retreat to.”

Most of the furniture and homewares pictured are available from SB Interiors Inverloch. Contact Wendy on 0407 414 895 or on Instagram @southern_bazaar

Coast Style INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME

LAID-BACK LUXURY LIVING

Hotel luxury and the comfort of home combine in this beautiful seaside home overlooking iconic Wilson’s Promontory.

The talented design team at Studio 44, led by principal designer Dan Bruce and interior designer Zoe Kusberg, is behind this stunning transformation with laid-back luxury at its core.

The muted colour palettes, natural textures and meticulous craftsmanship of this Yanakie home bestow a sense of minimality and harmony that bring this concept to life.

“The homeowners are two busy professionals whose careers demand long hours and constant decision-making. They sought a space that required nothing of them, and provided the ability to exhale and unwind,” says Studio 44’s managing director Carrie Bruce.

The home is a tranquil space where sculpted textures, natureinspired materials, organic curves and earth tones blend seamlessly, blurring the line between inside and out.

The standout feature? The rendered micro-cement interior walls that weren’t part of the original plan, but a muchwelcomed addition. “Originally the homeowners envisioned a sleek, modern aesthetic, but as the design evolved, Studio 44 suggested rendered micro-cement to elevate the interior,” Carrie explains. “The seamless, sculptural finish not only enhanced durability but added an organic, textural quality that softened the space. It was a defining moment — one that turned a beautiful design into something truly extraordinary.”

The result is a luxurious, unique home that has far surpassed expectations. As Carrie says, it’s a sanctuary where time moves differently, where every detail is designed to make being effortless.

This stunning renovation was completed by Studio 44 Interior & Alfresco Design, in collaboration with Leongatha Kitchens & Bathrooms.

Discover more at www.studio44.com.au

‘Natives, because they’re beautiful’

Melaleuca Nursery has been supplying quality indigenous & native plants to West & South Gippsland for over 40 years. Whether it’s a few plants for the backyard or thousands for a revegetation project; we provide excellent advice on what’s best for your area.

ADDRESS:

50 Pearsalls Road, Inverloch Vic 3996

SUMMER HOURS: Monday to Saturday: 9am – 5pm

John Flanigan

Dip FMBM

Experienced Finance Specialist

PHONE: Phone: 03 5674 1014 Trade enquiries welcome

EMAIL & WEB: info@melaleucanursery.com.au www.melaleucanursery.com.au

With over 40 years’ experience in the finance industry l support my clients with their finance needs, processing the application, dealing with the lenders and conveyancers through to successful settlements.

Specialising in

- Established properties

- House & Land construction

- Investment properties

- Refinancing to improve lifestyle & reduce repayments

Support & Educate

- First home buyers

- Government scheme participants

THE RIGHT FIT

When Laura and Marshall met Garry and the team at Aspire Designer Homes, they knew they were finally on the way to their dream home becoming a reality. The can-do company said ‘yes’ to providing a solution to build on their complex block of land, navigating them to an amazing result.

After holidaying in Rye for many years, the Mornington Peninsula was very much on the couple’s radar. When they heard about land for sale in Sorrento, they jumped at the chance to live on the Peninsula permanently.

Laura and Marshall were thorough with their research. They finally settled on a house design by a large building company, but were soon disappointed to learn that their land was considered too difficult to tackle.

“It’s not your standard flat block,” explained Laura, looking over the 1,800 square metres close to Sorrento’s main street and just five hundred metres from the beach.

They went back to the drawing-board and kept searching, ultimately falling in love with a similar Hamptons design by Porter Davis Homes. Disappointingly, the verdict there was the same: the build would be impossible.

But they didn’t give up, and luck then drew them to Aspire, who fortunately hold the licence to build Porter Davis designs and are always willing to take on a challenging project. They approached them with trepidation – and left jumping for joy.

“We met and told them our story, and Garry said he thought it was possible! They are wonderful people.”

words sally o’neill photos andrew harrison

“We called it our retirement home and now it’s our forever home. It truly is magical.”

Garry and the Aspire team saw their vision and planned the necessary works to provide the solution needed for the complexities of the land. They worked to allow the 509sqm (55sq) house to sit superbly on the block, managing the design and vegetation overlays that were problematic.

“One of our team’s greatest strengths is navigating through the challenges that many building companies steer away from. It’s important to us to offer solutions for each project we take on, and make the dream of building a new home come true,” said Garry.

The couple made the build their own, working with the Aspire group to tailor it to meet their individual lifestyle and also to fit with future life plans.

“The way we’ve situated the house on the block means the sun is captured all through the day – the outdoors is truly brought indoors. The design offers big windows which, along with the open-plan design, give the feeling of endless space,” Laura explained.

The Hamptons-style home perfectly captures the area’s classic coastal vibe. It’s light, bright and airy with high ceilings, and the carefully researched and chosen colour palette reflects both the coast and the couple’s own personal style, delivering warmth from the moment you walk through the front door.

“We chose colours and styles that really appeal to us both, and we truly love their cohesion and feel.”

The house design is breathtaking, from the Hamptons-feel exterior that reflects the everchanging coastal hues to the wide entry which showcases a feature staircase and leads to an elegant living and family area and host(ess) kitchen.

Laura and Marshall worked with the experts at Aspire to tweak the original downstairs design to include a master bedroom. “For when we can’t easily climb the stairs,” Laura laughed.

All five bedrooms have ensuites and walk-in robes, both accommodating their large family and allowing for the possibility of future holiday rental. The upstairs master is fit for a king and queen, its luxurious spa offering the ultimate relaxation after a long day.

A ceiling void over the living area provides height and light and definitely contributes to the house’s wow factor.

Throughout the property there’s plenty of room to spend memorable moments with family and visitors, and also ample spaces for retreat and relaxation. Outdoor living and dining areas ensure the couple can optimise alfresco dining on balmy summer nights and across the seasons.

Readying themselves for another weekend of welcoming visiting family and friends, Laura and Marshall are still pinching themselves, not quite believing their luck.

“When you live on the Peninsula you realise how stunning it is, how calm and peaceful. We called it our retirement home and now it’s our forever home. It truly is magical. I know that sounds over the top, but that’s exactly what it is to us.” aspiredesignerhomes.com.au

Coast Style INSPIRATION FOR YOUR HOME

HOW TO DO WHITE RIGHT: A masterclass in coastal style

This knockdown/rebuild Coastal Hamptons-inspired beach house is proof that white can be anything but sterile.

A joint project between Chelsea Simpson of Indigo Interior Design and Mat Ryan of Ryan Developments, this family home – named The White House – exudes warmth, style and sophistication.

“It was a huge transformation,” Chelsea explains. “Building for a large family, the aim was to create a place of utmost comfort that was inviting and warm: the perfect place to create lots of memories.”

From planning to final styling, every detail of this home has been carefully curated to create a stunning, cohesive design, perfect for family living.

Soft blue accents, classic wainscoting, warm oak floors and crisp white walls set a timeless, elegant tone. Stone-look porcelain floors, Venetian-rendered walls, polished chrome tapware and custom cabinetry add a touch of luxury to the wet areas. Textured lighting highlights key spaces, while a gas fireplace, rustic timber, jute rugs, and coastal artwork bring warmth and character.

As Chelsea says, “This home represents a beautiful example of a coastal Hamptons aesthetic balancing timeless design, ease and elegance.”

Chelsea can be contacted at Indigo Interior Design at chelsea@indigointeriordesign.com.au.

Mat can be contacted at Ryan Developments on 0413 160 607.

Photos lori hand - the height life

We offer a holistic approach to your garden. Specialising in all aspects of gardening and also large property maintenance. From regular upkeep to full transformations, our qualified, experienced team delivers exceptional results. Trust us for reliable, professional service and beautifully maintained gardens year-round.

0438 742 945 | yardcraftgardens@bigpond.com | yardcraftgardens.com.au | Servicing Bass Coast & Surrounds

Q&A WITH ARBORIST EVAN ENBOM

When you say you’re an arborist, people tend to have a lot of questions. So, you climb trees for a living? Hang off branches with a chainsaw? We put some questions to South Gippsland Tree Care’s chief arborist Evan Enbom to find out what really goes on when your office is in the treetops.

words katie cincotta photos andrew harrison

What’s the essential skill-set you need as an arborist?

Besides the professional training and hands-on experience, I think being a little bit OCD and nihilistic is a prerequisite.

Your office is in trees. What else do you love about the job?

I love storytelling with trees, learning how each client interacts with the slice of nature that they’re privileged enough to 'own'. Client expectations vary dramatically, just like their trees, and I love trying to help the two co-exist.

What are the dangers posed by an unhealthy tree?

Generally, the biggest risk of an unhealthy tree is a dead tree! And that's a big loss to the landscape. I put the question to my 9-year-old son Archie, and he reckons: "Umm, it could fall over!" And that's sometimes true too.

What are the biggest and tallest trees you’ve tackled? How do you get up there safely?

Not much over 60 metres – generally our trees in the Strzeleckis and along the Bass Coast are under 40m. How we get our ropes up in the trees is a trade secret, so you'll have to hire me to find out.

What animals have you encountered on the job?

I rescued a koala that had been hit by a car: that’s been the highlight of my career besides the occasional cat rescue.

What’s your favourite tree species?

I am quite partial to anything you might find in a Japanese garden or in a cool temperate Aussie rainforest

How can tree-care help with bushfire risk management?

Besides the obvious removal of ignition sources on the ground, clearing space between tree canopies, understorey trees and ground-covers helps mitigate bushfire intensity,

What do you love most about living and working in South Gippsland?

I love that it reminds all my English clients of the Lakes District in the UK. It really is a special place to be, and hasn't been overdeveloped like so many other beautiful areas of Australia.

Have you earned ‘superhero’ status with your kids as a professional Tarzan?

Ha! No, not at all. That's all they've ever known, so they don't seem too fazed at all. I think they get sick of me pointing at trees when we’re driving, and saying: "I climbed that!" It’s like … ‘Cool story, Dad – where's the ice-cream?

Why do you have a $20 million insurance policy?

It’s a requirement for government and other departments. Not something that you hope you'll ever have to use. Touch wood.

What's special about this job we can see in the imagery?

Over the past five years, I’ve been pruning dozens of 100-year-old cypress trees for safety, aesthetics and a little extra view-clearance. Many other contractors would have pushed for removal, but we have made our client’s vision a reality. What’s on the horizon for your business?

I will be launching AQF Level 5 Arborist reports – written tree reports that meet council requirements for development – from early 2026.

What do you never leave home without?

My phone, wallet, keys and sense of humour.

For expert advice visit southgippslandtreecare.com.au

COMMUNITY AT ITS CORE

Buying a home is one of the biggest life decisions many people make, and one of the most expensive. And as more and more people seek to buy property in Gippsland – whether it be a residence or a weekend home away from home – expert advice from professionals who understand the region is more important than ever.

Community is at the heart of everything Coast to Coast Conveyancing does. Founded in 2005 by owner and Wonthaggi local Dani Brann, changing hands in 2021 to the current team backed by Patten Robin Lawyers and Mauve O’Brien, and now with an additional office in Foster, its ties to the Bass Coast and Gippsland run deep.

Led by principal and director Anthony Murdoch, conveyancers Tania Dods-Cumming and Katrina Morris and property lawyer Angela Wallis combine their expertise with a true commitment to the places and people of Gippsland. “Our close working relationships with local real estate agents and mortgage brokers make for a seamless experience for our clients. We have a particular interest in providing assistance to first-home buyers.”

“Having a deep connection with the community is really important to us,” Anthony stresses. This commitment is evident in many aspects of the business, including its sponsorship of local groups including Inverloch Surf Lifesaving Club – where Anthony’s children are Nippers and Katrina volunteers; Tarwin and Inverloch football/netball clubs and Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club, supported by Tania and her family; the Foster football/netball club –where Angela and her children are members; – and previously the Wonthaggi Bowls Club.

This personalised approach has helped the business expand its client base along the east coast of Australia, with new offices in Melbourne and the Sunshine Coast. Anthony seized the opportunity for an expansion up north when he noticed a pattern of conveyancing clients relocating between Bass Coast

“Knowing how stressful buying and moving can be, I can say that engaging a conveyancer means there’s significantly less for you to worry about, and it’s worth every cent,” Toni says.

and Queensland. “People grow up on a farm in Bass Coast and want to retire on the Sunshine Coast. Locals are assisting with parents or grandparents who move up there. Now we can assist at both ends,” Anthony says.

For Leongatha’s Toni Veirinder, what could have been a tricky relocation became a seamlessexperience thanks to the expert help of Coast to Coast. Moving from interstate to Leongatha early this year, Toni employed the team to handle the purchase, a decision she doesn’t regret for a moment. She says their local and interstate expertise was invaluable as the processes in the two states were completely different.

“We’d had a previous experience that was a little bit stressful to say the least,” Toni tells Coast. “But with Coast to Coast, it was like night and day. We had incredible peace of mind knowing they were handling everything, but we were also kept in the loop and knew exactly what was happening and when.”

From the nuances around country titles and overlays to coordinating interstate home purchases and sales like Toni’s, Coast to Coast’s experts are there to help with some of the most confusing and difficultaspects of buying and selling a property. In situations where issues do arise, clients can

breathe a sigh of reliefdue to the business’s unique structure, which includes the connected law firm Patten Robins.

Anthony explains that this set-up saves clients dollars, headaches and the potential stress of dealing with unconnected lawyers. “What could potentially be a six- or seven-figure litigation can often be resolved with an email. That resource is just one button away and usually won’t cost clients any extra,” Anthony says. “With property you’re dealing with the biggest asset most people will own. There’s no scenario where we can’t help you.”

While she has happily settled into life in Gippsland and has no plans to move again, Toni highly recommends working with a conveyancer if you’re considering venturing into the property market or planning to relocate. “Knowing how stressful buying and moving can be, I can say that engaging a conveyancer means there’s significantly less for you to worry about, and it’s worth every cent,” Toni says. “Coast to Coast Conveyancing was a perfect match for my needs. Gippslanders can buy and sell with confidence, knowing their most important assets are being handled by expert and trusted locals.”

words aissa reed photos warren reed & supplied

THE LOWDOWN

Sky-High Adventures of Barry Foster

It’s the kind of wedding photo you don’t forget. A bride and groom, locked in an embrace, stand in an open field. Classic, yet timeless. But above them a bi-plane roars past, skimming just metres overhead. It’s not just any shot: it’s an award-winning moment, made possible by the legendary skills of local aviator Barry Foster.

Barry Foster was born to fly. Growing up on a dairy farm in Wooreen near Leongatha, his dreams always soared higher than the rolling pastures. “I had heaps of model planes and used to watch the Ag (Agriculture) boys crop-dusting,” he recalls. His passion ran so deep that he started working part-time picking potatoes just to save up for flying lessons. “I left school at 14 and started flying at 15. Legally, I couldn’t hold a student licence till I turned 16,” he grins. “Let’s just say I might’ve taken a few unofficial flights before then.”

Barry learned to fly at Latrobe Valley Aero Club, training at the Meeniyan base near Buffalo. Aviation seemed to be in his blood – he and his father, along with a few others, were among the first to set up at a hangar at Leongatha Airport. But breaking into agricultural aviation wasn’t easy. He needed 1,000 flight hours to qualify as an Ag pilot. His solution? Start a flying school. “I hired a guy to train me as an instructor, so I could teach others while racking up my own hours.” Once he hit the magic number, he earned his Ag pilot certification and began flying for a local agricultural company.

Ag flying is not for the faint of heart. Most pilots are forbidden from flying below 500 feet except when taking off or landing. For Ag pilots, however, flying low is part of the job. “We spend most of our time between 100 metres and just two metres off the ground,” Barry says matterof-factly. So how low can they actually go? He gestures toward the power lines marked with red orbs. “We train our students to fly under those.” There’s no relying on instruments at that altitude – you work purely by eye. “The only gauge you’re watching is the one that shows you’re flying level.” Is it terrifying to teach students how to fly? Barry shrugs. “You get a good sense of a person before they even hop in a plane. And when you’ve got dual controls, you can always take over if necessary.”

Barry’s reputation extends far beyond Australian skies. He’s trained three-quarters of this country’s Ag pilots, and spent several years teaching Chinese pilots under an Australian government aid program. “We flew four locally-built Airtrucks and a Cessna 185 from Australia to Hong Kong to get them registered, then took them on to Harbin, China,” he recalls. But navigating Chinese airspace in the early days was a challenge.

“When China first opened up, we couldn’t leave the hotel without a minder, and everything was recorded.” Airspace was strictly controlled by the Chinese Air Force, and one day that nearly got him in trouble.

“We were flying near Jiamusi, close to the Russian border, when suddenly there was a lot of shouting from our Chinese minders.” Barry turned to his interpreter, Ping. “I asked what was going on, and Ping goes, ‘Uh … we forgot to get the permits’.” Within moments, Chinese MiG fighter jets were scrambling. Thinking fast, Barry decided to drop altitude. “I figured we were

too slow for them to do anything. So we dropped down a few hundred feet more.” The MiGs screamed past, unable to slow down enough to engage. “We got lucky,” he admits with a laugh. “But yeah, we were sweating bullets for a minute there.”

Barry has spent years training pilots from all over the world, among them Chinese, Indian, and Malaysian students. He recalls one memorable trainee from the early '90s, a young Malaysian man. “Lovely bloke,” Barry says with a chuckle. “He just scraped through his flight test. As he was leaving, I joked, ‘If I ever see you near the controls of a jet, I’ll jump out the door!’ We all had a good laugh.” Years later, Barry found himself working in Malaysia, boarding a midnight AirAsia flight. A flight attendant approached him. “The captain would like to see you,” she said. “No worries,” Barry replied, but as he headed for the cockpit, down the aisle strode the captain himself. “Good evening, sir,” he said with a grin. “Now, which door would you like me to open so you can jump out?” It was his old student.

Even with interpreters, communication could be tricky at times. Barry and his students relied on hand signals and sketches, but misunderstandings still happened. One day, a student was flying solo as a thunderstorm approached. Barry signalled, “Get that thing down as quick as you can.” The student took it literally – he brought the plane down immediately. “The plane flipped as it hit the ground,” Barry remembers. “We all ran over, thinking, ‘He’s dead.’ But there he was, not a scratch on him! The plane? A total wreck. That’s when I learned to choose my words very carefully.”

He has also trained police pilots in Darwin for low-level flying –what they call ‘chicken training.’ “We used PC-12 aircraft, which are fairly well pressurised, but we could still open the back door,” he explains. Their mission? Dropping lines over yachts in distress. “We’d go down to about 100 feet, fly over, and drop a

line with a package attached. Inside was an EPIRB and enough food and water to keep them going until help arrived.”

Barry encountered one of his most harrowing experiences while firebombing during a thunderstorm in the NSW mountains. Firebombing is no easy job, as the fire itself creates unstable flying conditions. “I released a load of water and immediately knew I was in trouble. In a thunderstorm, you get caught in updrafts and downdrafts – you don’t know where you’ll end up, especially in the mountains. I knew I was going to hit the trees. I radioed the boys: ‘I’m going down. This is it.’”

The plane nosedived. “I continued to think, ‘I just might get out of this’ right up until the moment I hit the trees. When I saw flames coming up one side of the plane, I jumped out the opposite door. When I hit the ground, I thought, ‘Great … I’ve put one fire out and started another one’.”

In 2001, Barry and his family bought the Leongatha airport. “The shire was going to sell it, which would’ve destroyed the Ag-flying industry we’d built. That would’ve been our business gone.” Now, it’s a true family operation. “My wife Marg and daughter Kelly run the office. Grant, my stepson, is an engineer in the first hangar. My son works in the second hangar as an outside engineer. Another son is up in Deniliquin, spraying rice crops.”

Barry Foster isn’t just a pilot – he’s a legend in the world of Ag aviation. From daredevil low-flying feats to training the next generation, his life has been spent in the sky, pushing limits and dodging danger. “Even now, I still love it. When I’m up there alone, I feel free.” Of retirement he says: “The day I stop enjoying it is the day I stop flying.”

And that wedding photo? Just another day at the office for a man who’s made a career out of flying closer than most would dare.

KONGWAK BUTTER FACTORY

Perfect for large groups of families, friends and business teams. Ideal for a group getaway, team building off-site, or a place to celebrate your special occasion.

Situated halfway between Wilson's Promontory and Phillip Island. Close to Inverloch's famous beaches, wineries, cycling trails, restaurants and cafes. And the Kongwak market just over the road. Book your stay now

kongwakbutterfactory.com.au | 1486 Korumburra-Wonthaggi Rd, Kongwak | @kongwak_butter_factory | @kongwakbutterfactory

Inverloch Short Stays

Dreaming of a Coastal Escape?

Inverloch Short Stays offers a diverse range of holiday accomodations across Inverloch, Cape Paterson, Kilcunda and Wattle Bank - from stunning beachfront retreats to tranquil tree-lined escapes. Our dedicated team provides professional service, ensuring you find the perfect getaway for a relaxing and memorable stay. Whether you’re seeking a peaceful retreat or an adventure by the coast, we’ll match you with the ideal property. Book your next escape today!

WHERE TO STAY

WATTLEBANK FARM

Your idyllic luxury glamping retreat.

The Inverloch Glamping Co is an elegant, sustainable retreat on the edge of Inverloch: our guests choose one of five luxury adult havens. Taking our cues from the ocean views, each handcrafted option is woven with care, crafted with honesty, and perfectly blends elegance and comfort, inviting you to switch off and create an everlasting memory. theinverlochglampingco.com.au

Under a majestic gum tree sits ‘Seahorse’, a beautiful, rustic, off-grid caravan repurposed as a cabin overlooking the rolling hills of South Gippsland. It's fitted with a comfortable Queen-size master bedroom, 3 Japanese-style bunk beds, a fully equipped kitchen and bathroom. Lay in the tree hammock watching the horses frolic or nestle under the blankets by the open fire. wattlebankfarm.com.au/farm-stay

INVERLOCH GLAMPING

KONGWAK BUTTER FACTORY

Situated on a 39-acre site, this iconic heritage building, with rolling green farming hills as a backdrop features a curtain of trees hugging the Foster Creek and an expansive open lawned area. This is a place you can relax, unwind, and spend quality time with friends and family.

Enjoy the use of the large open living spaces, a game of table tennis or shuffle board, the 9-person outdoor spa, and cook up a feast with the pizza oven or on the BBQ. Sleeps 15 people. kongwakbutterfactory.com.au

BUBBLE RETREATS

Winner of Airbnb's Global 'OMG!' Category Competition, Bubble Retreats is a truly extraordinary and immersive experience looking out to Wilson’s Prom NP. As you step inside, you’re transported to a world where the boundaries between indoors and outdoors vanish. The transparent canopy above reveals a mesmerising display of stars, allowing you to feel like you are sleeping beneath a celestial masterpiece. Quality amenities and thoughtful touches allow comfort and nature to seamlessly combine.

bubbleretreats.com.au

THE LAKEHOUSE

Enjoy the peaceful surroundings of The Lakehouse, at Mewburn Park Retreats, located in the paddocks of the homestead and overlooking the relaxing ponds.

The fully-equiped one bedroom has a lounge, bedroom, kitchenette and bathroom. The lounge opens out onto the decking, where you can enjoy the view from the outdoor lounges or free-standing stone bath. The perfect way to unwind. mewburnpark.com.au/stay

GALINI SERENITY

Welcome to your dream holiday retreat nestled by the surf in the picturesque Inverloch. This newly built 4-bedroom, 3-bathroom property offers the perfect combination of modern amenities and coastal charm, ensuring a memorable stay for families and friends alike.

inverlochshortstays.com.au/accommodation/galini-serenity

Wedding Feature

Ness & Lachie

The sun shone and Cape Paterson put on a show for Ness and Lachie on their wedding day. Barefoot on the beach was how the local couple knew their day had to be. “I spent every summer as a kid along the Bass Coast, so getting married by the sea that is so close to my heart was a must,” says Ness.

Moving to the area in 2022, as soon as they saw the beautiful Cape Paterson Life Saving Club, they knew if they got married –it had to be there.

“The day was all we’d dreamed of, and we still feel so grateful to have been able to share such a wonderful experience with our close friends and family. All our guests were blown away by the location and how special it was spending the day by the sea. We made the day authentic to us ... it truly was the best day ever.”

photos donna lee couple ness & lachie

The wealth of talent on the coast will give your day fun, frivolity, style, character and depth with celebrants, musicians and providores at the ready to be part of the celebrations.

“I

spent every summer as a kid along the Bass Coast, so getting married by the sea that is so close to my heart was a must,” says Ness.

Fall

in love with the Coast.

The stage is set with Gippsland ready and able to host your wedding in whatever way you imagine. Open spaces offer the freedom to choose and make the day your very own. Vineyards, mountains, churches, halls, paddocks and beaches are all on offer, providing a photographer’s dream backdrop and places for your guests to enjoy.

photos donna lee florals alby franks floral makeup luxe allure aesthetics hair emma jean bridal hair dress grace loves lace venue boutique weddings & events at cape paterson surf life saving club

ONLY THE BEST FOR YOUR BIG DAY

Nestled in the scenic Gippsland hills lies one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Coast shines a spotlight on The Grove Gippsland, a premier destination for couples seeking a wedding that’s as seamless as it is stunning.

Known for its breathtaking views and exceptional service,

The Grove – which began life as a very popular restaurant – has become the go-to venue for those wanting a truly personalised wedding celebration. At the heart of its success is a small core team led by wedding planner Sarah, whose shared passion, creativity, and dedication have helped countless couples bring their wedding-day vision to life.

The Grove Gippsland’s rise to its position as a premium wedding venue has been sure and steady. What started as a few weddings during COVID has grown to the venue being

booked and busy – sometimes back-to-back – each weekend during the August-to-April wedding season. With this increase in demand has come a strategic business expansion. Based on the feedback of couples, a bridal suite, backup wet-weather ceremony site, and more accessible parking for wedding buses have been added to the range of services. In a nod to its origins, The Grove also offers a popular Sunday lunch for those who want to experience its exceptional food, views and service, but are not planning a wedding.

words bonny redman photos warren reed & kovac moments

Set in an idyllic 60-acre olive grove amid regenerated eucalyptus forest in the hills of Krowera, The Grove prides itself on being the complete wedding venue. “Sarah treats each wedding with the utmost care, as if it’s her own family, her own wedding,” owner of The Grove, Josh Ehrlich, explains. “It’s our commitment to a truly tailored experience that sets us apart, leaving couples rapturous long after their big day. Our team is exceptionally talented and dedicated: alongside Sarah, Lily is our amazing front-of-house manager, Tara our talented head-chef, and Ash our full-time groundskeeper. Our small team is the true success of The Grove. ” Even as we sit down for this interview, Sarah’s phone buzzes with messages and photos from past couples who still keep in touch.

Newlyweds Dr Marcus Hopkins and wife Sarah Colson are amongst those rapturous fans. Marcus, an osteopath, and Sarah, a school teacher, tied the knot in March in what The Grove team described as an “elegant party” that was “so much fun”. The couple tell Coast they fell instantly in love with The Grove.

“The Grove was the only venue we looked at,” Marcus recalls.

“We liked the photos and menu online so we booked a tour, and as we walked out of the venue my partner and I looked at each other and said, ‘I guess we’re having a wedding!’”.

It’s a decision the couple hasn’t regretted for a second. From the initial introduction to the big day itself, bride Sarah says The Grove team went above and beyond to ensure everything was just as they’d dreamed it could be.

“Whatever we wanted, whatever we asked, the answer was always ‘yes’. Our wedding day was absolutely perfect. The Grove is so private and unique. It feels like it’s just you and the people you love having the best time and not really noticing the rest of the world.”

“On the day, you’re so caught up in what’s happening that you have no concept of time, but Sarah and the staff made sure everything was running to plan. They were on top of everything. This is no small feat for a small but talented team with no previous experience in the wedding industry.”

After experiencing The Grove firsthand, and hearing from delighted past clients, one thing is very clear: Sarah and the team are leaders in their field … and they’re only just getting started.

2025’s top wedding trends – from The Grove’s wedding planner Sarah Oliver.

1

Bridal dresses in colours other than white: “We’re slowly seeing brides opting for dresses in colours beyond the traditional white or cream. We’ve had two recent brides choosing black, with the guests wearing white.”

2

‘First looks’: “The trend of seeing each other and doing the majority of the ‘location/portrait’ photos before the ceremony is becoming a lot more popular … and we’re all for it. Seeing each other in private as bride and groom before the ceremony provides a very intimate moment, and pre-wedding photography cuts out those awkward hours while guests traditionally waited for the bridal couple to arrive and the cocktail hour/reception to begin.”

3

Ditching the bouquet toss: “The bouquet toss is now rare. We’re seeing more and more couples removing formalities and traditions in favour of just having fun.”

Capturing the magic

It’s hard to know what was more fun – the actual wedding day, or the photos that captured it and ensured that those magic moments will live on forever in the hearts of Tara, Jordan and their guests.

All of which points to the importance of finding an adaptable photographer who sees the opportunities in the less formal moments – like bridesmaids on hay bales at sunset. “The day was a scorcher. We’d planned a group shot at sunset, but by then, a few of the guys had celebrated a little too hard to be safely climbing hay bales (the groom was even shirtless!)” laughs photographer Kate Lafferty. “When I suggested we try the shot with just the girls, they were all in – and absolutely smashed it. These bridesmaids were some of the most supportive and adventurous I’ve ever worked with. Truly a joy to capture!”

“Kate did such a beautiful job with our photos,” says Tara. “What we loved most about our wedding day was sharing it with all the special people in our lives. We really wanted it to be a celebration of us rather than anything too formal. Neither of us relishes being the centre of attention.”

Tara’s advice to couples planning their wedding: “Know what suits you as a couple and be sure that your day is exactly how you want it to be. And set aside some time for just the two of you. Otherwise the day can go so quickly that you spend time with everyone apart from your new husband/wife!”

photos kate lafferty photography klphotography.com.au hair emma jean hair makeup luxe allure aesthetics

dress grace loves lace florals melanie robertson

bridesmaids billy j bridal

WEDDINGS & EVENTS

GARDENS | STABLES | MARQUEE

Hidden by the iconic oak tree driveway - you will find Mewburn Park, a historic Homestead with a modern twist, known for their attentive care & hospitality.

Located just out of Ma ra, the estate is exclusively yours for your wedding day. Get ready in the Day Suite, have an unforgettable ceremony in the homestead gardens followed by a relaxed cocktail hour, wander the property for stunning photo backdrops, enter into your dreamy reception in the clear-view marquee and stay the night in the new luxe Lakehouse. It’s all here in one place.

What is hot for weddings right now: relaxed linen jackets and suits in natural and cool green shades. Panthers celebrating 70 years in business, your right choice for guys looking sharp and feeling comfortable on their wedding day.

info@boutiqueweddingsevent.com.au | boutiqueweddingsevents.com.au

LOST AND FOUND

A family’s wedding car returns for Caitlyn’s big day

For many brides, the phrase “something old, something new” is simply tradition. But for newlywed Caitlyn Lacy, it became the heart of a story spanning generations – one filled with love, fate, and a little bit of luck.

At the centre of it all is a 1960 Ford Zephyr Mark II, a car that had been in the Chizzoniti family for decades, lovingly restored by Caitlyn’s grandfather Frank. It was the same car that had carried her parents on their wedding day. But years later, the Zephyr was sold, lost to time until fate (and a well-timed Facebook Marketplace search) brought it back home just in time for Caitlyn’s big day.

Growing up, Caitlyn had always admired the Zephyr, and wished it had never left the family. “I always envisioned it being part of my wedding,” she says. So, when her father’s brother Domenic stumbled across the car for sale while searching online – for firewood of all things – the family knew it was meant to be.

“The moment my brother sent me the ad, I knew it was Dad’s car,” Caitlyn’s father, Michael, tells Coast. “I couldn’t afford it, but I had to have it. It was pulling at the heartstrings, so I bought it home.”

It’s a decision Michael hasn’t regretted for a moment. And it couldn’t have been more perfect timing for Caitlyn.

“The first thing Dad said was, ‘I’ve got your wedding car!’” she recalls. Dressed in a stunning Alena Leena gown, Caitlyn tied the knot with her husband Scott on a beautiful private property in Inverloch accompanied by family, friends, and a lineup of cars that meant the world to them. “Scott’s a diesel mechanic

who owns his own business, so cars are a big part of our lives,” Caitlyn explains.

For Caitlyn, one of the most unforgettable moments was the drive to the ceremony, with grandfather Frank at the wheel, as he’d done for her mother before her. “As we drove along The Esplanade, I waved to everyone along the foreshore – I felt like royalty!” she laughs.

The Zephyr’s unexpected return made her wedding even more meaningful. “I never thought we’d have it back, so to have it be part of one of the biggest days of my life is something I’ll always be thankful for.”

From one generation to the next, the Zephyr’s story continues –proof that some things are simply meant to find their way home.

“It’s not leaving again,” Michael says adamantly. “It’s sticking around this time – for good.”

words bonny redman photos captured photography & design

Wedding Directory

especially for

At Ambling Along Tours & Transfers we offer a proffesional and friendly premium tour and airport transfer service located in the

Ambling Along Tours & Transfers 0439 900 105

kelly@amblingalong.com.au | amblingalong.com.au @amblingalongtours

GETTING YOU MARRIED AF without the fuss!

No need to head to the big smoke for a registry wedding, when you can do something even better and just as quick (if that’s your thing) right here on Phillip Island. The registry style wedding is for the lovers and the groovers that just want to do their wedding their way and rock on with the day!

No Fuss - Registry Style Weddings www.phillipislandregistryoffice.com.au | By appointment only. Monday - Friday 10am - 3pm & Saturdays 9am - 12pm @phillipislandregistryoffice | @phillipislandregistryoffice

Jon von Goes

Jon was Melbourne’s premier civil celebrant, now he’s the best on the Bass Coast. He’s conducted over 1500 weddings in his time and he’s got better with experience. He’s mastered the delicate balance between fun and serious. Equal parts laughter and tears. Jon’s a musician, a broadcaster, a seasoned entertainer and a listener. And he has a wardrobe of very smart vintage suits. celebrant

Jon von Goes Celebrant Archies Creek | 0400 365 713 jonvongoes@gmail.com | jvgcelebrant.com @jonvongoes | @jonvongoescelebrant

Amble | Noun | Travelling at a slow relaxed pace,

leisure.

heart of Phillip Island, servicing Bass Coast & Gippsland.

Inspired by the texture of sand, rocks and uidity of ocean water, silver is combined with sea glass and stones to create one-o pieces for every ocean lover. Sea glass is collected from the beaches of Millowl to Yiruk Wamoon (Phillip Island to Wilsons Prom) and made slowly in Inverloch.

The perfect keepsake to connect the wearer to the wild waters of our coastline.

Handmade in Inverloch, Vic, 3996 hayleyjkoster@gmail.com | www.thewildwater.com.au @the.wild.water

Integrated Holistic Wellbeing

Kinesiology | Massage | Reiki | Acupressure | Nutritional Testing

Pod 2, The Sticks, 3537 Bass Hwy, Kilcunda

Phone or text 0458 763 186 for an appointment www.sanctuarykilcunda.com.au @sanctuarykilcunda | @sanctuarykilcunda

Celebrate in style with Over the Top Eventswhere your dream wedding becomes reality.

Marquees | Equipment Hire | Styling

Shop 2/31 The Concourse, Cowes, 3922 03 5952 1791 info@overthetopevents.com.au | overthetopevents.com.au @overthetopevents1 | @overthetopevents1

Come explore with us the best of what South Gippsland and Bass Coast has to o er.

Winery tours | Brewery/pub tours | Private tours

Wedding celebrations | Day tours | Gig tours | Build your own tour

Seats 12 passengers

Bernie Vuillermin

0402 258 808 | bernie@gallivantinggippsland.com.au gallivantinggippsland.com.au @gallivanting_gippsland | @Gallivanting Gippsland

SEA GLASS, STONE & SILVER

Amazing bouquet for Monique by Eliza Flowers in Frankston @elizaflowersflorist

Bridie & Nagendra chose a stunning native bouquet by family owned Great Alpine Flowers @greatalpineflowers

A 1.50ct oval diamond held in a 4-claw setting, pear-shaped diamonds set along an elegant wedding band, a solid yellowgold oval link chain for a modern, yet timeless finish.

by Lacy Jewellery Studio & Gallery

Jami & Matt with an iconic floral bouquet by Brother Studio @brotherstudi000

Fragrant Offerings

Reflect the beauty of the coast with a selection of blooms that perfectly complete the day.

Wedding directory

Florists

Alby Franks Floristry Studio Flowers by Bell

Bloem Phillip Island Flower Fixation

Brother Studio Great Alpine Flowers

Eliza Flowers Morrie and Maisie Event Flowers

Bloomfield Flower Farm albyfranks.com.au flowersbybell.com.au bloempi.au flowerfixation.com.au brotherstudio.au greatalpineflowers.com.au morrieandmaisie.com.au elizaflowers.com.au

bloomfieldflowerfarm.com.au

capturedphotographyanddesign.com.au

donnaleephotography.com.au

kovacmoments.com.au

Jewellery Designer and Maker monicaszwaja.com.au

10am - 5pm Saturday and Sunday 0419 564 363 Fellow of the Gold and Silversmiths Guild of Australia

10am - 5pm Thursday to Sunday 0418 513 971 | @deco_heaven

BENDIGO BANK

If you already bank with us, thank you. Your business has helped us achieve rewards to the community to the value of $613,809 since our inception in the early 2000s.

When you support your local bank, you’re actually supporting our community, enabling clubs and other local organisations to bring communities together, furthering their activities and staging events that bring excitement to us all.

The more business we do at our Inverloch Branch, the more we can give back to this amazing community. That’s in our charter: it’s what we do. And it’s a definite win–win.

Since we began back in April 2006, well over a hundred local groups have benefited from these distributions. Here are just a few:

Inverloch Surf Life Saving Club $126K+

Inverloch Jazz Festival $67K+

Inverloch–Kongwak Football Netball Club $46K+

Inverloch Bowling Club $27K+

South Gippsland Yacht Club Inc $22K+

Friends of Inverloch Library Inc $6K+

South Coast Stars Soccer Club Inc $16K+

Tarwin Football Netball Club Inc $5K+

Southern Business Women’s Network $1K+

Inverloch Community House $695

Inverloch Primary School $29K+

Lyrebird Arts Council $2K+

Leongatha & District Cricket Association

Female Cricket Team $1K+

Bass Coast Cycle Challenge $1K

Equinox Festival $3K

Inverloch Art Show Committee $8K+

20 Defibrillation Units to the value of $43K+

Our grant programs run twice a year. See the Bendigo Bank website for details on how to apply.

Our Inverloch branch is pet-friendly.

Bendigo Bank is a company owned by community shareholders. All directors are volunteers, many of whom live and work within the community, and all our staff are super-friendly.

Community Bank

Inverloch & District We deliver the products and technology you’d expect from a big bank, plus the personal service you wouldn’t. As one of Australia’s biggest banks, our heartland remains firmly local. As does our focus on you and the quality banking products you need.

GET YOUR GLOW BACK

Zoe Fitzpatrick - Glow Girls

Zoe Fitzpatrick has led a social movement across Gippsland where young women are coming together for events of self-discovery, wellness and community, all aimed at helping them ‘get their glow back’.

Glow Girls is the brainchild of Phillip Island local Zoe Fitzpatrick, who, after finishing school, was struck by something not many are talking about – social isolation as a young person.

“I was still living in my hometown after high school, and many of my friends had moved away,” Zoe tells Coast. “I was feeling isolated in adulthood. In your early 20s a lot of social interactions involve drinking. Whilst I was craving connection and wanted to meet new people, at times these sorts of interactions were leaving me feeling unfulfilled.”

Zoe’s desire for connection saw her travel to areas such as Melbourne and the Gold Coast where she connected with like-minded communities for early-morning swims, breathwork and wellness-inspired activities.

“I thought of moving to the Gold Coast but then thought ‘Why not bring that kind of event and develop that kind of community here instead?” Zoe says.

So Glow Girls was born. Self-described as a community that values “mindfulness, authenticity and connection”, Glow Girls exists to encourage Gippsland women to “come as you are, find your people and try something new.”

“I wanted to create a space where women are welcomed and invited to show up as their authentic selves, and be seen and valued by other women in this way, encouraging them to let themselves shine,” Zoe explains.

The first Glow Girl event was yoga in the park in Traralgon back in February 2024, where more than 20 young women united for a morning of movement and conversation. Since then, the community has caught up for monthly events that include Pilates, picnics, pottery, surfing, creative workshops and meditation. There are also WhatsApp chats for localities across Gippsland as well as for specific interests, such as surfing and reading, so that everyone can find their place.

words bonny redman photos supplied

“At Glow Girls events we have lighthearted fun and embrace our playfulness, whilst also having deep and meaningful conversations that allow for self-reflection and self-discovery. We aim to have women walking away feeling a sense of peace within themselves, and social fulfilment,” Zoe explains.

For the woman reading this who thinks she may find her people with Glow Girls but is perhaps apprehensive about coming along, Zoe is sympathetic – she was once that person herself.

“Navigating friendships as we mature can be difficult, and making new friends isn’t easy, but I think one of the beautiful aspects of this community is that you don’t have to emerge from events with a new best friend for it to have an impact,” Zoe says.

”Sometimes we have days where participants can look back within and also have opportunities to connect and learn from new people, or try a new hobby that they’ve always been too scared to explore alone. It may be that you take the opportunity to share and be seen in a group environment or get outside your comfort zone. It’s not just a place to come and make a new friend, but a place to come and meet yourself in new ways.”

You can learn more about Glow Girls and its upcoming meetups via their Instagram page at @glowgirls. community or on Facebook by searching Glow Girls.

Inspired

tyde.com.au

15 MINUTES OF FAME

Paula Wasiak

You may know Paula Wasiak for her love of Phillip Island’s little penguins as she shares tales of their secret lives on radio and TV. But a different, critically-endangered bird has stolen her heart and provided a new life-mission.

Geographically, Paula hasn’t travelled far from Frankston Hospital, where she was the first of her siblings to be born outside Poland, a country her parents had fled as political refugees.

Growing up in Melbourne’s bayside suburbs, she spent many days immersed in her very own “witch’s forest” – a little patch of swamp next door where she’d play until the streetlights came on, signalling it was time to go inside.

“My forest was where I felt most at home,” Paula explained. It’s only now she’s realising the impact of those hours in nature. Completely “uneducated” about careers, she chose biology “for the animal factor” and majored in zoology and freshwater and marine biology. A trip to Costa Rica to volunteer with turtle researchers solidified her love of the hands-on approach to protecting wildlife. The next step was an honours thesis, and that’s where she met the Island’s little penguins.

words sally o’neill photos warren reed & supplied

Ultimately her studies led to the role of technical officer at Phillip Island Nature Parks, where she worked for 15 years. There certainly were some interesting moments, including pulling out what she thought were two penguins from a burrow to find it was two penguins and an echidna … and discovering why penguin poo is sparkly (it’s the fish scales). She also gained fascinating insights into the birds’ breeding habits.

“What I really loved was the fieldwork, being out in nature where I feel most at ease. And knowing I was contributing to something positive was very important. There were stressful moments, but also many satisfying ones.”

Yet all the while there was an internal dialogue going on.

“‘Do I have children or do I undertake a PhD?’, I asked myself. I decided it would be most sad if I didn’t have children, so I took a step back to have our daughters Aurora and Isis.”

Now separated and with daughters aged seven and twelve, Paula has started a new chapter, finally deciding to start a PhD. Enter her new love: the quirky and ridiculously cute bush stone-curlew, a bird that once lived on Phillip Island and across Victoria.

“In Victoria curlews are critically endangered, with only fifty to one hundred individuals left. There’s a very real risk they will be lost forever. The last recorded sighting of them on Phillip Island was in the 1970s. My PhD is about strategy and tactics for reintroducing bush stone-curlews, and birds in general, back into the communities where they once lived.”

To date, these curlews had only been released back into controlled, fenced areas. But with the Island now fox-free, twelve birds were successfully released into the wild in August 2024, with another release planned in 2025.

“I want people to understand the uniqueness of the area we live in, and that we have a community where wildlife can be restored and we can all live comfortably together. The Island is a good example of a place where tourism, community and wildlife can co-exist.”

Paula dreams of the Island becoming the state’s stronghold for the curlew, and advises we can all play our part by looking out for wildlife on the roads, keeping cats at home and following dog regulations.

“Living on the Island for 16 years and raising my children here, I’ve found much more purpose and connection to the community. We are hearing about the biodiversity crisis around the world: on the Island we have an amazing, unique opportunity to bring it back.”

If she could talk to young Paula dreaming in her imaginary witch’s forest until dark, she’d tell her to follow her passion and not stress about decisions she might think need to be made early in life.

“It can all work out. I’m very happy with where my life is at, and my choice to have children first. It’s not without struggles, but I love my life, and my PhD is exactly what I want to do. I’m looking forward to being able to hear bush stone-curlews calling as I go to sleep.”

ORPHEUS NINE

by Chris Flynn

An unputdownable supernatural thriller about a mysterious global event, set in a reimagined Bass Coast. One fateful day, every 9-yearold child on the planet dies. Follow three families as they rally and react to what is happening around them. I read this in one sitting! Local author Chris Flynn, will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end.

HOW TO SAIL TO SOMEWHERE

by Ashleigh Barton

Ages 8+

On their last day together the previous summer, Uncle Byron had given Bea an intriguing antique book containing a map of Somewhere, a mysterious island off the coast, and promised that next summer they’d sail to Somewhere together for their best adventure yet. But Uncle Byron hasn’t returned. Are the book and Byron’s disappearance linked? A story of lost and found, of friendship, family, hope and the power of the ocean. For junior readers who love a mystery.

MY FRIENDS

by Fredrik Backman

Bestselling author of A Man Called Ove returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later. I’m always in awe of Backman’s writing and will recommend him to anyone and everyone.

ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF BETTY by

Debra Oswald

From the writer behind TV’s Offspring comes Betty: storyteller, feminist, eternally curious and phenomenally old. On the eve of her hundredth birthday party, Betty tells us her story. Set against a century of world events and social upheavals, Betty takes us to the frontlines of the anti-war protests and the women’s liberation movement of the 1970s, to the AIDS crisis during the 1980s, and more.

SWEPT AWAY by

Beth O’Leary

Be swept away with Lexi and Zeke as their one-night stand becomes a fight for survival as their houseboat is swept out to sea. I absolutely ADORE Beth O’Leary and loved this epic romance/adventure. A new sub-genre? I’m here for it!

for all ages

Thalia Baker YOUNG

& INSPIRED

Thalia Baker is a passionate advocate for young people, determined to ensure their voices are heard. A Year 10 student at Mary MacKillop Catholic Regional College, she is deeply involved in her community through the South Gippsland Youth Council and as a dedicated volunteer with Live4Life, an organisation committed to youth mental health and wellbeing.

Having grown up on a farm, Thalia now lives in the heart of Mirboo North with her father and siblings. Her journey has not been without challenges. "I lost my mum during COVID, and it was one of the hardest times in my life. It was incredibly isolating," she shares. "But I still have my dad — he’s really sweet — and my nine (half- and full-) siblings, who mean the world to me."

Thalia’s involvement with Live4Life has been a transformative experience. "Live4Life is all about young people supporting other young people. We have crews in different schools that host events to raise awareness about youth mental health, advocate for those struggling, and work to break the stigma surrounding mental illness. I love that it builds a sense of community," she says. "When you’re dealing with mental health challenges, it can feel really lonely. Live4Life helps remind people that they’re not alone. It’s such a positive group, and if things are difficult, we all try to lift each other up."

Beyond her advocacy work, Thalia is an avid singer, having been part of the school choir since Year 7. "The choir is such a welcoming space. We practise weekly, perform at mass and eulogies, and even compete in the Yarram Eisteddfod each year. Singing with a group of people is such a wonderful experience."

Her interests extend even further — she enjoys dancing, playing badminton, and exploring her creative side through Visual Communications, her favourite subject. "I really love marketing and communications, and I hope to work in that industry one day."

Thalia describes herself as independent and adventurous. "I love taking the bus down to Traralgon, spending the day walking around town, and enjoying time by myself. Being 15 can be frustrating — I can’t drive yet! But at the same time, it’s exciting because there are so many opportunities. Back in my dad’s day, the only clear path to success was going to university and getting a degree. Now, we have so many different ways to achieve our goals. My dream? I’d love to own my own business one day."

Recently, Thalia joined the South Gippsland Youth Council, where she and her peers work on initiatives to improve their community. "We focus on areas like public transport and housing from a youth perspective. It’s so important for young people to have a voice — we are the future! We think outside the box and bring fresh ideas to the table. I truly believe our generation will make a difference in the world."

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Deco Heaven 173

Delrose Farm Retreat 90

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Gippsland Wine Company 62

Gypsy Dreaming 84

Harris Build 116

Indigo Interior Design 135

Inverloch 3996 @realty 187

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Jacquelyn Stephens Art 115

Jon von Goes 167

Kongwak Butter Factory 151

Lacy Jewellery Studio & Gallery 13

Lamezleighs Coffee House & Eatery 57

Leongatha Kitchens & Bathrooms 127

Maffco Brewery & Distillery 88

Mary MacKillop College 85

Melaleuca Nursery 129

Mewburn Park 163

DIRECTORY PREMIUM PARTNERS

Monica Szwaja 173

Nice Stack of Books 182

Onagi Design Studio 11

Over the Top Events 168

Panthers Menswear 165

Passion8 Photography 169

Phillip Island Registry Office 167

Port of Sale Heritage Cruises 87

Port of Sale 87

Rare Earth Studio Gallery 115

Relish Mama 65

Resolve Finance 129

Rosedale Hotel 86

Ruperts 50

Salt & Sand Clothing 49

Sam Twite Stone Works 136

Sanctuary Kilcunda 168

SB Interiors 125

South Gippsland Tree Care 138

Studio 44 127

Stockyard Gallery 84

The Bay Gourmet 62

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The Grove Gippsland 2 & 160

The Middle of Everywhere 86

The Range Retirement Village 79

The Spiral Websites 91 TYDE 11 & 179

VerdeLife Outdoor Kitchens 127

Warren Reed 5

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Zeal & Flow 71

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