Coast Summer 2011

magazine

Coastal living at its best!

online edition

celia rosser banksia magic xavier rudd amps up for summer summer on the coast festivals, events, attractions building + reno your ultimate guide

A magazine for living, relaxing & enjoying life by the coast coast 1

Seagrove Seagrove isis Phillip Phillip Island’s Island’s premier premier environmentally-sensitive environmentally-sensitive estate – superbly located in Cowes estate – superbly located in Cowes just just 700m 700m from from a sandy, safe safe swimming swimming beach beach and and walking walking distance distance from from shops, restaurants restaurants and and cafes. cafes.

Master-planned Master-planned by by award-winning award-winning designers, designers, Seagrove Seagrove features over eight acres of landscaped parks, features over eight acres of landscaped parks, wetland wetland habitat, habitat, underground underground services, services, including including gas gas and and broadband, broadband, rich rich birdlife birdlife and and regionally regionally signifi significant cant eucalypt woodland. woodland.

Select Select from from a a range range of of premium premium home home sites sites -- up up to to 800m 22 plus plus -- including including lots lots with with bay bay views. views. Titles Titles are are available available now so you can can start start building building your your dream dream home home straight straight away away. you

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“sets a new benchmark for sustainable

residential development�

2007 Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards for Excellence

Freecall 1800 61 61 06

www.seagrove.com.au coast 3

Shear possibility.

Located on Settlement Road, Cowes, Shearwater on the Island is only minutes from the beach, the centre of Cowes and is surrounded by the world-class attractions and natural splendour that make Phillip Island famous.

The award winning wetlands at Shearwater on the Island are a key element of the environmentally sustainable landscape design.

The wetland system serves as a lifestyle location for residents with walking and bike tracks, parks, seating areas and playground integrated seamlessly into the natural landscape.

With land now selling Shearwater on the Island is the perfect environment to make your home.

For more information or an immediate on-site tour, call 1300 SHEARWATER (1300 743 279) or visit www.shearwaterestate.com.au

113a Thompson Avenue, Cowes, VIC

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132 Whitelaw St Meeniyan VIC 3956 | Phone 5664 0055 | Please visit www.lacyjewellery.com.au

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Archies

on the

Creek

Modern steakhouse restaurant • Cellar door • Sample 100 whiskies and beers Private dining • Functions • Conferences • Weddings coast 8

81 Archies Creek Road, Archies Creek For bookings or enquiries: 03 56 787 787

www.archiesonthecreek.com.au coast 9

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contents &features

regulars 14

Coast life

18

2 (coast) people Andy Stewart & Sierra Dunton

20

Arts & events guide

25

15 minutes of fame

59

What’s cool & what’s new (& 133)

34

Feature areas Kilcunda & Loch to Foster Drive p. 76

Bernadette Carroll

139 Around town

Check out what’s going on around your town (& 180)

122 Travel Story The magic of Prague

126 Where to eat A quick handy guide on where to wine, dine and snack

128 Dine out

La Provincia in Corinella

135 My favourite recipe Kilcunda General Store

171 Coast property & lifestyle

Xavier Rudd Gets ready for Pyramid Rock Festival

22

Surfer Profile Meet Mal Gregson

26

Curl’s Cartoons The man behind the pics

30

Artist Profile The amazing Celia Rosser

38

Coast Character The life of Elliot Maynard

44

Music Man Mick Turner of the Dirty Three

48

Chainsaw Chick Angela Polglaze carves it up

54

Man on a mission Steve Argent’s OrphFund

68

Artist Profile The Baron of Gooseneck Pottery

72

BUILDING + RENOVATION 141 The Ultimate guide

194 Coast directory

All of the great businesses in one easy listing.

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Read us online at www.coastmagazine.net coast 12

Sally x

Our Coast Team

Name on card:

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This edition we’ve rounded up yet another bunch of incredible coast characters including world-renowned botanical artist Celia Rosser, wild and crazy chainsaw chick Angela Polglaze, and the man behind Coast’s cartoons, Curl aka Aloha Barry. I chat with musicians Xavier Rudd, Mick Turner from the Dirty Three and Iarla, vocalist from Afro Celt Sound System.

Please remember to take care this summer and festive season. Look after each other and those less fortunate. Be safe, and please watch out for all the amazing wildlife that shares this coast with us.

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Starting with edition(Season)

Welcome to summer, the time our coast truly shines. The ‘superstar’ of seasons, it’s full of fun, festivities, hot days and balmy nights.

We have worked hard to jam pack this edition with great summer reading – there’s the best of summer living, fab places to visit, eat and drink, and of course your guide to events and festivals.

There are also the incredible life stories of renowned Aboriginal actor Elliot Maynard, and Steve Argent, who has dedicated himself to saving the world’s orphans. We take a drive from Loch to Foster and visit the spectacular seaside town of Kilcunda then round up all the info you need for building and renovating in one handy guide.

Mr

Telephone:

There’s a time in the few weeks leading up to Christmas when I feel I have ‘my beach’ all to myself. It’s the ‘calm before the storm’ of Christmas and the busy summer season (which I also love) – it’s a special time I look forward to all year.

Publisher Editor Sub editor Words Photo Editor Photography Design Print manager Advertising

Maria Reed Sally O’Neill Anne Roussac-Hoyne Sue Webster, Sally O’Neill, Katie Cincotta, Kate Lindsay + Kate Brinsley Warren Reed Warren Reed, Christina Prochazka Coast Photography 0414 753 739 Ryan Thomas, Maria Reed Nigel Quirk Taylor Hammond For all advertising enquiries 0432 273 107 or ads@coastmagazine.net

www.coastmagazine.net coastmagazine

PO Box 104, San Remo, Victoria 3925 Phone.

(03) 5678 5600 Fax. (03) 5678 5600 Ads. 0432 273 107 Email. editorial@coastmagazine.net Web. www.coastmagazine.net

Phillip Island to the Prom Coast Magazine © published by Coast Media P/L. ISSN 1833-3648. The publisher is not responsible or liable for any omissions or human error in Phillip Island to the Prom Coast Magazine. Material in this publication cannot be published or reproduced without the publishers written consent.

All material contained in this publication is protected by Australian Copyright regulations. All rights reserved.

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coastlife summer

an arty farty christmas Wow your family and friends with original gifts direct from the artist. Sian Adnam is having a Christmas Show on Friday 10 December from 4pm at 21 Second Ave, Cape Woolamai www.artyfarty.com.au

win tix We have a double pass to give away to two lucky campers for the Pyramid Rock Festival!

The two camping tickets are valued at $314 each and allow the winners entry to the festival from 11am on Wednesday 29th of December 2011- Saturday 1st of January 2011.

To win, send us an email telling us about your most memorable summer festival moment in 50 words or less to editorial@coastmagazine.net by 5pm Thurs 16 December. thepyramidrockfestival.com

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watch out for wildlife this summer!

Please take extra care when driving this summer. If you do come across injured wildlife on Phillip Island, please call Phillip Island Nature Parks Wildlife Shelter on: 0409 558 482

coasting on 3mfm

Listen for us on your local radio station 3MFM. Each season we chat about what’s coming up in Coast. There are also great programs to tune in to this summer like ‘Live and Local’, ‘The 3MFM Kitchen’ & ‘Continental Cabaret’ and more. Listen online at www.3mfm.com.au 88.1,89.1 and 89.5 on your dial.

(Read more about Curl on page 30)

art @ archies Visit Archies on the Creek’s art gallery in the Hunt Foyer to view the work of regional artists from Wednesdays through Sundays. Admission is free. Each month Archies features a different local talent or exhibition. In December, don’t miss the works of Mick Turner, who is also the guitarist of The Dirty Three featured in this edition on page 48. Stop by for a glass of wine or a coffee, or stay for a meal. archiesonthecreek.com.au or call 5678 7787.

paw a little love South Gippsland photographer Christina Prochazka has worked with South Gippsland Animal Aid to bring you Paw a Little Love - a 2011 calendar featuring rescued dogs and cats from the Bass Coast. $29 each with $10 donated to South Gippsland Animal Aid. Call 0400 981 090 christina@chrisppictures.com.au

carvings @ the coachman Wood carvings, pastels and oil paintings decorate the reception area at the Coachman Motel in Cowes.

Quite a talking point, the carvings are the work of owner, Austrian-born Josef Moser, and his father.

The landscape and portrait paintings are by artist Maria Teresa Vigano (1884-1969), the grandmother of Josef’s wife and comanager, Robin. Josef’s command of six languages makes the European guests’ experience at the Coachman memorable and relaxed. www.coachmanmotel.com.au

inspired by

yoga

Join renowned yoga teacher Lance Schuler’s unique synergy of Vinyasa and Iyengar yoga that he has developed and taught around the world for 30 years in a series of summer workshops.

“I teach tools to find inner silence and peace, and especially enjoy involving people in transformation using strength, flexibility and endurance to go beyond the physical to the mental, and to go beyond happiness into joy,” says Lance from his Byron Bay base. “Australia is so advanced in yoga. It’s because of our natural environment: yoga is all about finding your natural self.” His tips for a better life? “Discover the truth in yourself and make excellence a habit.” pattihos@hotmail.com www.inspyayoga.com

gippsland gets creative Creative Gippsland is gearing up for another brilliant ‘Be Inspired’ arts festival in May 2011. The festival’s newly-appointed artistic director Neill Gladwin is known as ‘half’ of the internationally-acclaimed comedy duo ‘Los Trios Ringbarkus’ and has also worked on major events such as the Olympic Closing Ceremony. “I’m looking forward to bringing artists together, not in one stadium but throughout the whole of Gippsland,” says Neill. “Festivals are an opportunity to showcase the people who live in the place: who they are, why they are there, and what it is that makes them so unique.”

Get involved at creativegippsland.com.au coast 15

rangers in danger

Local filmmakers Nicole DeGruchy and Peter Baird have produced a documentary that explores the transition from school to work from the viewpoint of students looking forward, and professionals looking back.

international day of people with a disability

Students were involved in script development and production, and recorded their music for the film soundtrack. A group of six arts and multi-media professionals were interviewed and a strong theme emerged around the need to identify what you love to do and develop a strategy to connect your work with what you love. Hence the title ‘Love Your Work’.

The professionals included Circus Oz and Aria award winner Tim Cole, J. Walker of Machine Translations, Aria award winning singer-songwriter Tanya Doco and cinematographer Germain McMicking. They were very open in revealing their life stories, describing the seminal events that motivated them and the philosophies and attitudes that have sustained them. The idea of connecting with something you love as a central theme in choosing what you do for work seems to virtually be ‘a missing link’ in the vocational guidance of the education system, but was central to the life decisions and career paths of all the professionals interviewed.

Facebook: Forest Cave Studio or call 0457 173 782.

Recognise the achievements and contributions made to our community by people of all abilities.

Celebrations in Gippsland include a Kongwak market day, wheelchair basketball, art exhibitions and a film festival. All events free!

Alisha McDonald 5662 9376 www.idpwd.com.au

After white, anything can happen

kookman

Filmmaker Tony Mason doesn’t believe the hype.

“Talk is cheap,” he says of his chosen industry.

When backing for his surf movie fell through, he decided: “Stuff it, I’ll make it myself” and moved to Phillip Island “to get amongst the culture”.

His award-winning short film ‘131.9 Cents per Litre’ led to feature-length ‘Kookman’ - a satirical look at surf culture. Always the “class clown”, Tony is a self-proclaimed eccentric who is also a pretty “crap surfer”. But his passion for making a difference through film drives him on, and he is now thinking about his next project. “I’d love to do a documentary, perhaps go to an Aboriginal community and work with kids…” ‘Kookman’ is available on DVD at local outlets and online www.kookman.com.au

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freedom to sing

love your work

Ranger-activist Sean Willmore’s has created a new series of children’s books. “The books are based on my own experiences, those of rangers worldwide and a bit of imagination.” www.thingreenline.info/merchandise

Exhibiting artists at Saraghi Art Space recently shared a performance of mixed media, paint, rock, plastic and participation. Local artist Sam Haycroft played drums and Julian Medor played guitar in front of empty white canvases and metres of drop sheets. There was a playlist, pots of paint, bayoneted brushes and an anticipating audience. Stay tuned for more at Saraghi Art Space, @ Cafe Lugano, Phillip Island.

Did you know that singing is actually healthy for you, energising mind, body & spirit? The members of the Wonthaggi Singers do! “No experience is necessary, but enthusiasm helps,” says the group’s Jenni Chad. “We sing, laugh, socialise and explore our voices, and are a friendly group of varying ages. Some of us perform, some just have fun. We meet on the first and third Wednesday of the month at 7pm, Mitchell House, Wonthaggi.” jenni_chad@hotmail.com

la la

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Open Lunch & Dinner 115 Thompson Avenue, Cowes 3922 (03) 59 522 655 Phillip Island, Vic, Australia www.infused.com.au

Challenge.

Create.

Change.

C your business in a new light... www.purplec.com.au Call 1300 557 336 coast 17

Conversation is lively in Andy Stewart and Sierra Dunton’s farmhouse in the Bass Hills. Straight-talking Andy was resigned to time alone after moving to the Bass Coast region from Sydney when an overseas trip led to a chance meeting with the equally straight-talking Sierra. The two started a conversation that continued across the world and finally brought them together with a commitment to making it work – no matter what… words as told to sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

Andy: I moved here from Sydney about four years ago now, having originally hailed from this area – well, sort of. I actually spent much of my childhood at Somers, which was a giant adventure playground for me in the ’70s. Funnily enough, when my family moved to Flinders in 1979 our house actually overlooked Westernport and these very hills where Sierra and I now live. I used to stare across at them while I ate my corn flakes in the morning.

I’ve lived in a few places before I finally moved here: St Kilda, the Gold Coast, Balmain, even Great Keppel Island for a while. I’ve been a musician and studio producer/engineer for over two decades now and for a lot of that time I’ve had my own recording setup. These days I mainly record and mix other people’s music.

I’d been living in Sydney and working in big recording studios before I moved out here – from a city of five million to a city of about 50, yet apparently – and to my utter amazement – there’s another Andy Stewart who lives around here, and I’m still unofficially “the other Andy Stewart”!

I remember a couple of years ago some guy rang the house in a panic because apparently my cows were out and heading for the main highway.

I said to the guy: “Yeah mate, I think you’ve got the wrong Andy Stewart. I don’t own any cows.” Even in a town where the population is mainly comprised of cattle I’m still the other Andy Stewart.

It’s been a fascinating few years for me I’ve gotta say – this region is my retreat. I simply can’t imagine living in an urban landscape any more.

People are so friendly around here. I know it’s a well-worn cliché to say that about country people, but around here it’s quite true. I’ve never felt lonely in these parts for one minute, literally from the moment I rocked up with a trailer full of stuff and my old dog Sweetie. I distinctly remember I’d only been in the house 10 minutes when a tractor pulled up out the front and out jumped Ron Kent, a local dairy farmer. Dishevelled and thoroughly windswept looking, he appeared at the door in his gumboots looking like a dead-set cartoon character. He introduced himself, shook my hand with his vice-like mitts and asked me straight up if I played cricket and whether I’d like to join the CFA. That was pretty much the very first sentence I ever heard anyone utter around here. It was hilarious.

Sierra and I first met at an international trade conference for audio engineers, which was being held in Sierra’s home state of California, in San Francisco. Sierra worked for a company called Universal Audio and I was there representing AudioTechnology magazine, an Australian audio mag, of which I’m the editor.

I nearly didn’t go to the show actually but I guess fate stepped in at that point. I was travelling with a colleague at the time who knew Sierra through his affiliation with Universal Audio – he was the one who introduced us in fact. Sierra and I met again that evening at a party and talked all night about everything from the environment to US politics. She was fired up and talked openly, frankly and insightfully, which was fascinating to me, especially since all anyone else was doing that night was talking about audio. The next night we went out for dinner and it just went from there, really.

Two months later, Sierra flew to Australia for the first time and stayed for a couple of weeks. We travelled around, ventured to Wilson’s Prom and the Great Ocean Road. I remember showing her the mob of kangaroos that live down near the mouth of the Powlett River – she was literally hopping up and down with excitement when she saw them! I’ll never forget it.

Sierra brings me companionship… and two cats. When I first moved here the last thing I expected was that I’d kick-start an international relationship!

Frankly, at the time I just wanted to be me. In hindsight I don’t know what would have happened to me had I not met Sierra. It’s kind of miraculous that she’s here, really. She is courageous, that’s for sure.

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Sierra: I grew up in Sonoma County in Northern California, right next

door to the Napa County wine region. I went to university in Santa Cruz where I lived for about a decade before I moved to Australia. Santa Cruz is a great town. Politically, it’s as far left of the spectrum as you will get in the United States, and the people there pride themselves on being openminded and socially aware.

I majored in environmental studies at UC Stanta Cruz with an emphasis on sustainable agriculture. It was interesting watching a place (similar to here) that was once farmland and orchards become completely overrun by vineyards and winemakers. It definitely split the community over there. I love wine and the wine industry, so I wanted to learn how the region could maintain this industry without destroying local ecosystems.

While I was at uni I also worked a full-time night job, studied in the daytime and had a part-time job in between. It was hard – college is expensive in the US. After school I ended up working for a company called Universal Audio managing domestic and international sales. That’s how I met Andy… at a trade show. I remember the first time I saw him I thought, “Oh, who’s that guy?” – he had a striking look, (could have been the long hair), then I thought nothing more of it.

But then, that night my company hosted a press party, where our Australian distribution partner, Mick Wordley, introduced me to Andy and the rest is pretty much history. There was an instant connection – we talked all night. We seemed to have very similar opinions and ethics, particularly in relation to politics, the environment, and music.

By the end of the weekend we’d developed a love connection, but I hadn’t told anyone at work. A few days later when he left for the airport, his colleagues were in the car waiting and we had to say goodbye as if we were no more than work acquaintances – I remember feeling sick to my stomach and thinking, ‘Now what?’ It was unspoken, but we knew we were going to become something more.

Being in a long-distance relationship is challenging emotionally and financially. After a year, we had to take the next step or call it quits. The decision boiled down to who had to move. Andy had just bought a house in Woolamai, and I was renting mine in Santa Cruz, and I was ready for a change. Within a month I’d left my job and the country. After years of acquiring ‘stuff’, things like furniture and dishware, it was interesting how easy it was to pick up and leave everything behind. Quite liberating!

When I’d initially visited Victoria, I thought: ‘This place is beautiful, I’m in love, I’ll move!’ I never rationally considered what it would actually be like living somewhere unfamiliar, not being allowed to work, not knowing anybody, and being entirely dependent on Andy for just about everything.

But then I moved my cats over here and things started to feel a bit more settled. Now we also have a beautiful dog, Rupee, so there’s five of us in the house now, which makes the place feel less isolated… and very hairy!

I love Andy and I’m really glad we’re here. I now have a great job managing events at Archies On The Creek, lots of good friends, and great beaches in every direction! There is always a part of me that misses California – the trees, the smells and the climate. I miss my family and old friends, and after three years I sometimes wonder if that’s something that will start to fade – I almost hope not. I like having two places I can call home, and I’m excited to see where else life will take us.

What I love about Andy is that he has strong opinions and beliefs and they don’t waver. He has a solidness; he grounds me. In one word, he’s ‘impressive’ – I admire him. And he makes me tea and toast every morning!

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Where: Frankston waterfront Who: www.sandsculpting.com.au Frankston Visitor Information Centre 1300 322 842 www.visitfrankston.vic.gov.au McClelland Sculpture Survey When: Until 17 July 2011 Where: McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, Mc Clelland Dve, Langwarrin Who: www.mcclellandgallery.com

December 2010 “The Usual Twist” a mother-daughter exhibition of prints and oil paintings When: November 25 to December 14 Where: Stockyard Gallery Foster @ the roundabout 5682 1125 stockyardgallery.org.au Arty Farty Christmas Art Show When: 10 Dec Where: 21 Second Ave, Cape Woolamai Who: www.artyfarty.com.au Kongwak Market When: Each Sunday from 10am.

NOTE: Closed Sun 19 Dec, re-open Sun 26 Dec Where: Kongwak General Store Who: Jane 0417 142 478 Lisa Kennedy - The Earth Speaks Beautiful watercolours by local indigenous artist.

When: 16 Dec – 4 Jan Where: Stockyard Gallery, Foster Who: Call 5682 1125 stockyardgallery.org.au Sculpture in the Vineyard 19 Artists show their work When: 18 Dec – 30 Jan Where: Lyre Bird Hill Winery, Koonwarra-Inverloch Rd Who: Call Angela 5668 8213 Mick Turner Exhibition When: December Where: Archies on the Creek Who: Call 5678 7787 www.archiesonthecreek.com.au South GippsLandscapes - Linda Gibbs When: 19 Dec – 15 Jan Where: Gecko Studio Gallery, 15 Falls Rd, Fish Creek Who: Kerry and Michael 5683 2481 www.geckostudiogallery.com.au Pyramid Rock Festival When: 29 Dec – 1 Jan 2011 Where: Pyramid Rock, Phillip Island Who: www.thepyramidrockfestival.com Balnarring Race Course Market When: 3rd Sunday of month Nov – Apr Where: Coolart Road, Balnarring, Melway ref. 163 H9 Who: Rotary Club of Hastings 59832590 www.visitwesternport.com.au Sand Sculpting Australia - Creepy Crawlies When: 26 Dec - 26 Apr 2011

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Spirit in the Land Exhibition When: 12 Dec – 20 Feb Where: McClelland Sculpture Park + Gallery, Mc Clelland Dve, Langwarrin Who: www.mcclellandgallery.com Red Hill Community Market When: 1st Saturday of every month from Dec - May Where: Arthur’s Seat Rd, Red Hill Who: Red Hill Community Market & Red Hill Lions Club www.craftmarkets.com.au New Year’s Eve Dinner When: Fri 31 Dec Where: RACV Inverloch Resort Restaurant Who: Call 5674 0000 www.racv.com.au

January 2011 Allowance Give Before A Sleeping Giant Bold, bright and thought-provoking works When: 5 - 18 Jan Where: Stockyard Gallery, Foster Who: Call 5682 1125 stockyardgallery.org.au Kustom Nationals When: 7-9 Jan Where: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Who: www.kustoms.com.au Music In The Glade When: 7 Jan Where: Opposite Inverloch Inlet Hotel, Esplanade Who: Rotary Club of Inverloch 0423 926 005 Bass Coast Agricultural Show When: Sat 8 & Sun 9 Jan, 9 am – 5 pm Where: Wonthaggi Recreation Reserve Who: Rosemary Loughnan, 5672 3259 www.basscoastagshow.org.au Woolamai Picnic Races When: 9 Jan, 22 Jan, 12 Feb, 26 Feb & 26 Mar Where: Trews Rd, Woolamai Who: 5678 2344 www.countryracing.com.au Cowes Night Market: Where: Cowes foreshore, Phillip Island Time: 5pm – 9pm Dates: Jan 8 + 22, Feb 19, 12 March & 2 April Who: Anne Marie Emanuele 5952 1131 www.cowesnightmarket.org.au

2011 Australian 4WD Mud Racing Championships When: 9 Jan, 11 am Where: Dalyston Recreation Reserve, Tulloch St. Who: Hans Kamphuis 0418 529 310 www.a4wdmra.com.au A 20 Year Love Affair with Australian Landscape Angela Newberry Linocuts and Screenprints When: 15 Jan – 6 Feb Where: Gippsland Art Gallery, Sale Who: Call Angela 5668 8213 Another Time and Place: Journeys to the West Works in acrylic by Annie Stark.

When: 16 Jan - 19 Feb Where: Gecko Studio Gallery, 15 Falls Rd, Fish Creek Who: Kerry and Michael 5683 2481 www.geckostudiogallery.com.au A Day at the Cape When: 15 Jan, 9am – 4pm Where: Cape Paterson Bay Beach Who: Lisa Archibald, 0417 008 729 Life Aquatic Small works art competition & exhibition When: 20 Jan – 22 Feb Where: Stockyard Gallery, Foster Who: Call 5682 1125 stockyardgallery.org.au Kilcunda Lobster Festival When: 23 Jan, 9am – 5pm Venue: Kilcunda foreshore Contact: Shelley Applebee 0400 045 130 kcda@waterfront.net.au Exhibition - 3.B.One - a one man show When: January 24 to March 8 Where: Stockyard Gallery Foster 5682 1125 stockyardgallery.org.au Who: Welshpool artist Rod Adams

February 2011

Serenade at Sunset Where: Pinehaven Farm, Tenby Point When: 12 Feb Who: www.basscoast.vic.gov.au Kongwak Market When: Every Sunday Where: Kongwak General Store Who: Jane 0417 142 478 Foster Agricultural Show When: Saturday 26 Feb, 9am – 4pm Where: Foster Showgrounds, Station Road, Foster Who: Rhonda Bland 5687 1111

March 2011 World’s Longest Lunch - Phillip Island When: Fri 4 Mar 12 - 4pm Where: Rhyll Trout & Bush Tucker Farm, 36 Rhyll-Newhaven Road, Rhyll, Phillip Island.

Who: Call 1300 366 422 www.visitphillipisland.com World’s Longest Lunch - Gippsland When: Fri 4 Mar Where: RACV Inverloch Resort, Hillside Who: Call 5674 0000 www.racv.com.au Inverloch Food and Wine Festival When: 5 Mar 10.30am – 5.30pm Where: The Glade, Inverloch Who: www.visitinverloch.com Inverloch Jazz Fest When: Fri 11 – Mon 14 Mar Where: Inverloch Town Who: www.inverlochjazzfestival.com 2011 World Kneeboard Titles When: 16 Mar Where: Cape Woolamai Who: Jim Brown 0438 360 166 www.2011kneeboardsurfingworldtitles.com

Phillip Island Superbike World Championship When: 25 - 27 Feb Where: Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Who: www.phillipislandcircuit.com.au

Mossvale Park Music Festival When: Sat 19 Mar Where: Mossvale Park Rd, Berry’s Creek Who: www.lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au/mossvale

New Works - Sue Gilford When: 20 Feb – 19 Mar Where: Gecko Studio Gallery, 15 Falls Rd, Fish Creek Who: Kerry and Michael 5683 2481 www.geckostudiogallery.com.au

Art and Soul Summer Festival When: Sat 19 Mar Where: Newhaven Colege Year 9 Environmental Campus ,1770 Phillip Island Rd, Sunset Strip, Phillip Island Who: www.artyfarty.com.au

Powlett River Downs Camp Draft Cattle drafting on horseback When: 5 - 6 Feb Where: O’Meara’s Rd, Wonthaggi Who: Aileen Hughes 5664 7586

Kongwak Market When: Every Sunday Where: Kongwak General Store Who: Jane 0417 142 478

San Remo Channel Challenge When: Sat 19 Feb Where: San Remo foreshore Who: www.basscoast.vic.gov.au

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words sally o’neill photo kane hibberd

bathing in koonyum sun xavier rudd coast 22

coastlegend

Australia’s favourite songman, Xavier Rudd, is on fire. His latest album Koonyum Sun marks a fresh new musical and spiritual awakening for this accomplished musician and festival favourite. The album is a collaboration with his new found ‘brothers’, high-energy South African musicians Tio Moloantoa and Andile Nqubezelo. We catch up with Xavier Rudd on the road and on the cusp of a busy season of summer festivals…

Your earliest memory?

Hmmm… I don’t know - I’ve got a pretty vague memory! I have early memories of my surroundings, of Jan Juc Beach. I was really blessed to grow up down there. I’ve got a lot of great memories of being at the beach, being outside - I was lucky to always be outside. The more I’ve travelled over the years, the more I’ve reflected on that time, and I appreciate it for sure.

How did music come into your life?

It was always there, you know. Even as a young child I was writing songs. Before I even knew what I was doing, I was writing and singing little songs about things that were happening around me. It was sort of the start of what I do now, I guess. I always fiddled with instruments and taught myself to play things – it’s just part of me in a huge way. I’ve never known life without all that buzzing in my head and in my heart.

Your passion for indigenous cultures?

It’s always been there. It’s a bit of a mystery as to why. I think I’ve always had Spirit with me that connects me that way. It’s my culture and, as I’ve got older, I’ve felt very much at home with it. It also has everything to do with lost people in my father’s family. It’s a hard one to work out and get answers to.

What was the inspiration behind Koonyum Sun? I’m inspired by life, pretty much. I have a blessed existence. I get to travel all over the world and see beautiful things and meet beautiful people and share in a lot of sacred business. My life has been eventful in the past few years [his marriage broke up] and I’ve met two very powerful South African musicians, Tio Moloantoa and percussionist Andile Nqubezelo - they were in the rhythm section of the band of the late Lucky Dube [the Afro-reggae legend who died in 2007].

We connected at a festival in Austria, then came together in the last year and started making music. Koonyum Sun is the result of that connection. Recording it was a very powerful experience– a lot like a meeting of spirits, really. There was a lot of powerful energy coming together - history, strength, wisdom, suffering and oppression from different sides of the globe combining to create music, and I feel really blessed. It’s probably my proudest work.

Does it happen organically or were there cultural differences?

We feel like brothers. We are completely connected. Tio and Andile are some of my closest friends, for sure. We hit each other like a train and we all feel that way. They love the whole thing. It’s really strong.

Describe your performance style.

I just let it flow, you know. I don’t have a particular plan. We write a set list so we have a basic structure to work from, but it goes where it goes.

Every show is different and I sort of go into a bit of a trance, into a place that’s more like a dream. I immerse myself in it and just open myself up to the energies of people and what they’ve given to me – it’s a bit like church for me.

What about sharing the stage with Tio and Andile?

It’s a real blast to play with these guys. Really, really fun. They’re crazy and wicked and have beautiful souls. They grew up during Apartheid and know suffering beyond what most of us can ever imagine. That’s evident in their music. Any artist that has suffered oppression has a particular way of playing, of painting and doing what they do. Tio and Andile have their own vibe but are such positive, bright, humble, forgiving people. It’s an absolute blessing, and I’ll look back as an old man and think, ‘Wow, what a connection that was!’

If you were Prime Minister for a day?

What would I do? Aah… a lot of things. I might need more than a day!

But, if I had just one day, I’d sit with elders and start to implement a system that does things the Aboriginal way, not the white man’s way. I’d take my suit off and take time to get to their level and talk about how we can grow this beautiful [Aboriginal] culture that has been severely oppressed. I would have the school systems teaching the young ones the story of the land in all the different parts of Australia. I’d involve all of the people with the knowledge left, and make it a high priority to include their input in our education system right across the board.

If you could play with anyone alive or dead, who would you choose?

Hendrix – I wouldn’t be playing, just sitting with my mouth open, watching in awe.

Your perfect summer day?

Hanging with my kids on the beach. I’d light a fire, have good food, and lots of smiles and music. Also, I’ve been away a lot and I’m looking forward to a chunk of time at home. I built a beautiful home on the west coast. It’s a work in progress and fully sustainable and all the rest. I love getting back there.

Do you know Phillip Island?

Yeah, I know it pretty well. It’s deadly country: I love it. I haven’t been able to spend a lot of time there in the last ten years, but I used to go there as a kid. My old man is good friends with Russell Francis, a legend from Phillip Island who started Full Circle surfboards, and we used to go and visit Russell and Shaena when I was a grommet. Yeah, so I know the island pretty well.

Any last words?

What I do is a treat, for sure. The performance part of it is incredible. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone at festivals over summer and I hope people are digging what I’m doing. Oh, and give Russ a punch in the arm and Shaena a big hug for me…

Xavier Rudd will perform at Pyramid Rock Festival Dec 30 2010 – Jan 1 2011

thepyramidrockfestival.com For your chance to win tix see p. 14 coast 23

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Music has taken Bernadette Carroll around the world - touring with Tommy Emmanuel and even singing a tune with the Indigo Girls. Yet her sea-change has forced her to face her fear of singing solo and to appreciate the simpler things of life…

fifteenminutesoffame

words as told to sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

Where did it all begin?

Another highlight?

I grew up in Sydney’s outer suburbs - our house backed onto bush. We knew everyone: my Gran and Dar lived up the street, Mum’s childhood friends - Aunty Yvonne and Uncle Bill - lived close by, and we were friendly with the ‘funny family’ on the corner with cars on the front lawn.

We rode our bikes everywhere and were allowed anywhere – except over the bridge. It was a very free childhood.

Later, we contacted his manager and asked if there were any gigs we could support – and she said ‘Absolutely!’ He ended up doing our very next album, and took us everywhere. We’ve now been a support for Tommy for a long time. His generosity is like nothing else - no wonder he’s so successful.

How did you get into music?

We were Catholic, so we were always singing at Mass, and they gave free guitar lessons at school. I did a teaching degree and sang just for fun. But once I got into a school, they picked up on my talent. I did the choir and then decided that I really, really enjoyed singing.

From there?

I thought I’d try my luck in Melbourne in 1990. I would go into hotels and ask if they’d let me sing. I’d borrow a guitar from whoever was playing, or accompany them. I was scared, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Whenever I’d despair, someone would come up and say, ‘I’ve got a job for you’ or ‘Why don’t you meet this person?’ Then I’d get a radio gig or sing a jingle.

The defining moment?

When I met my friend Jacqui Walter. We started singing together just for a laugh. I was singing at a pub and called her up and said, ‘You sing the melody and I’ll do the harmony’ and… she was brilliant! And had never sung in front of people in her life. We had a little cover band and then got a third person and formed a band called Bluehouse - and it’s taken us all over the world.

Memorable moments?

We went to play the Spiegeltent in Edinburgh. We had to fill out a visa form, and for the very first time I put down ‘musician’ as my occupation.

It was a proud moment.

Why did you move to the coast?

My partner got a job down here. It was a hard decision to leave Melbourne, because I love the place. But when you have a partner, you share dreams: ours was a house and we couldn’t afford one in Melbourne. At first it was really hard, almost like being retired before I was ready. But it’s actually ended up being the biggest gift – to be able to do things like walking on the beach every day with our dog, Dot.

Is music part of your life on the coast?

I was very scared of solo work - always have been. I get terrible nerves.

People who saw me in Bluehouse came to expect a certain persona on stage. To see me disintegrate into a bundle of nerves on my own – it was a shock. So, I left it for a while. Mum died of cancer and the Relay for Life fundraiser came up, and a friend reminded me that I’d said I’d sing. A Tommy Emmanuel tour had been cancelled, so I did it for Mum and Gran. Now I’m really enjoying solo work. It’s different to Bluehouse – that’s a lot of “shock and rock and roll”, but this is a little more relaxed.

How do you feel about life on the coast now?

I love it! Where else in Australia can you live in such a beautiful place and be so close to a major city? It’s ridiculous! I’m really grateful to everyone - people have been so welcoming. You can be lonely (by yourself ) surrounded by people in the city. Here, I never feel like I’m alone. There’s that sense of community - just like when I was a kid. I know all my neighbours. I sat out in the sun the other day – and I felt so amazingly blessed. I had a cup of coffee, my book and Dottie (my dog) sitting beside me. The chickens were all around and I’d just been for a walk on the beach: it was heaven. I thought, ‘I am so rich…’

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surfer profile

Salt water in the veins

words katie cincotta photos christina prochazka & supplied

Mal Gregson talks about carving up a wave like it’s the most majestic feat you could ever accomplish.

His flecked eyes flicker and the sun-beaten crow’s feet arch up in wonder across his temples as he describes the feeling of flying on water. “It’s very, very difficult to explain the power of surfing to anyone who doesn’t do it. It’s a whole bunch of things, I reckon. It’s the fact that you’re out in nature – that’s the romantic side, that it’s just you and the ocean. But the actual exhilaration of going over the edge of a wave is ... (he pauses, trying hard to find the right word)… awesome.

It just gets you in.”

‘Big Mal’ has been a ‘Big Kahuna’ on Phillip Island for more than 40 years, chasing crackin’ surf ever since he jumped atop a clunky foam Coolite board as a boy on his family’s annual Christmas camping trip to Inverloch. The lanky kid with the gap-toothed grin had salt water in his veins from the get-go. Little ‘Fang’ grew up in Edithvale in the 60s, well before the price of pastel-painted bathing boxes required a mortgage. “We were a beachy family. Our back fence was the beach.

So, to be honest, I can’t actually remember learning to surf, but I must have been five or six.”

By 15, he and his mates were making the weekend trek to Phillip Island’s Cat Bay, Summerlands and Woolamai – trying to whisk across the water on a 9-foot 6-inch plank with a single fin. In the 1970s, he says the island still had a quiet charm and the beaches were eerily empty. “When we first came down, this was just a little country town with hardly anyone here. There was no-one on the beach, or maybe occasionally a couple of fishermen. We’d go down and sleep in our cars or the sand dunes. One of our favourite winter spots out of the wind was at Summerlands where the Penguin Parade boardwalk is today.”

As an apprentice lithographic printer, Mal went on to help start a successful outdoor advertising business in Melbourne, but he and his wife Cath would escape every weekend to their holiday shack in Smith’s Beach. “In those old days it was a bit of an alternative lifestyle, a

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bit renegade. Now, it’s pretty mainstream.” Mal says what continues to inspire and thrill him about surfing is its elusive nature.

“The conditions change all the time. It’s not something you can get on tap. You can’t just say at 11am on Thursday you’re going to have a surf, because the conditions could be crap. Maybe that’s the mystique.”

On his 57th birthday, Mal was pumped to wake to a big swell – 8 - 10 foot waves – with the wind offshore. He headed down to Express – a serious surfie haunt where only experienced daredevils venture. “It’s really fast, and hollow and scary. There weren’t many guys there. The fact that I can still go out there and catch the occasional one is pretty satisfying.. It’s so physically demanding, respect and encouragement from the younger ‘gun’ surfers out there is really quite cool and keeps you going.”

Even as a veteran surfer, Mal says the fear factor never wanes – and that keeps him focused. “We knew three days beforehand that Express was going to be big and offshore, and there’s a little bit of fear involved. It’s not the carefree surf of 4-foot waves at Woolamai where you’re just having fun. It’s more serious. If you walk around to those places and you’re tired, it’s probably best to turn around and go back.

The thing about surfing is that you’ve got to want to do it. You’ve got to physically paddle your guts out to go over the edge and make the drop. It’s not like getting to the top of a ski lift and somebody nudges you over.”

Even when you’re sharp and fit and can handle yourself on a board, things can go wrong when you battle the big blue. Mal’s burly body bears the marks of the sea’s wild power – violent tumbles have left ridged scars on his head and legs, and permanent titanium plates and pins in his wrist and ankle. >

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surfer profile

“When you get hit by a big wave, you really get thrown around and shaken up. You can’t even tell which way is up: you’ll be trying to swim to the surface but actually hit the bottom.”

Despite picking up a whole swag of championship wins, Mal remains humble about his surfing talent, describing himself as ‘just a good average surfer’. Where he’s really come to shine is as a surf coach, teasing out the skills of young grommets trying to get a grip on the bump and grind of surfing. “Because I’m on the board at Surfing Australia, and I’ve worked at big events, I’ve always thought that it’s a really good idea to go back and watch what the little kids are doing, because I think that brings perspective. Otherwise, you can get a bit precious up at the top.”

Mal says the magic of teaching comes in witnessing a child’s first experience with the great aquatic balancing act. “When you first start surfing, it’s so exciting. I think it’s about recognising that initial thrill in the kids.” For some of Mal’s students at Island Surf School, learning to surf was life-changing. “In just a few hours, you can change kids’ lives and perceptions. I’ve taught tough kids from inner-city Melbourne who are king of the school yard but right out of their depth in the ocean.”

One autistic boy on school camp touched Mal with his raw ability. “I could just tell he could do it. I was telling him how to stand up and he was listening. Then I took him out further, let him go, and he was standing on the wave, doing exactly the right thing. By this stage, his mother and his carer were both crying. And then when I took him right out the back and he surfed by himself for 50 metres, all the teachers

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started crying. And you think to yourself, ‘Hey, this is a pretty good job’.”

Next year at Newhaven College, surfing will become a VCE subject which Mal will help teach at a practical level. His teenagers Bridget and Patrick already have a head start on the curriculum. Their Dad picks them up every day from school, and they stop off for a surf before heading back to their spectacular glass-fronted home overlooking Rhyll.

They made the sea change to the lush 3-acre property six years ago, after almost 20 years of making the weekend island trek from Albert Park. “We’ve ended up with a comfortable house house in a good spot, in a great community and it’s all paid off, so I can’t complain. We clocked on and off for 25 years, so we’re happy these days to cruise and not be locked in.”

Mal now makes his living from imparting his surfing smarts, both as a coach and a local surf reporter for Coastal Watch, which delivers surf forecasting online and to mobile phones. “We could always use some more money, but who really cares? That’s the whole thing about the surfing lifestyle. The guy who bought our business was a wealthy lawyer, but so tense and uptight. I told him to stop bloody whingeing. At some stage you have to ask how much is enough. It’s not about who has the most toys at the end. For us surfers, it’s about who’s got the most time to surf. They’re the winners.”

Score: Mal =1. Lawyer = 0. www.surfcoaching.biz

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coastcharacter

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Aloha Barry, the crazed, confused cartoon character emerged from the mind of Phillip Islander Darren Marks.

the amazing mind of

Curl words & illustrations darren marks coast 31

coastcharacter

Since our third edition of Coast in Winter 2006, we’ve been treated to glimpses of life through the eyes of cartoon character, Aloha Barry.

We decided it was time to meet the man and his creator Darren ‘Curl’ Marks. From sunny Western Australia, he penned these answers and also some brand new artworks just for the occasion!

Where did Aloha Barry come from?

Barry is a mongrel breed of quite a few classic Phillip Island characters that I’ve known over the years. He’s just a tribute to the blokes that misled and corrupted me as a young man growing up - all in the name of good, honest fun, of course. There’s a good chance that if you can relate to Aloha Barry, then you’re probably one of those bad influences, and I thank you.

Where do you get your ‘Barry inspiration’ from?

The inspiration comes from the everyday stuff. The stuff that’s actually funny when you step back and take a good hard look at what the bloody hell you’re doing! Obviously a surfer’s perspective on life is a little different to that of ‘normal people’.

Tell us a bit about Darren ‘Curl’ Marks…

I’ve called Phillip Island home for around 30 years, but the family and I have been wandering around in the west (Western Australia) for the last few. We’re currently in Esperance enjoying the beaches, and I’m working as a supervisor at a boarding school – it’s great fun.

How did your art evolve?

I’ve always had a crack at drawing and have done quite a few T-shirt designs, posters and other bits and pieces over the years. I suppose the part I enjoy most nowadays is trying to spin a bit of a yarn and having

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a laugh about it. I’m also spending a lot more time on each piece now.

I reckon I’ve spent around 100 hours on these pictures for Coast. It’s pretty silly really: that’s quite a bit of time to spend drawing a drinking and smoking idiot!

Tell us about your travels. What do you miss about your Phillip Island home?

We’ve been lucky to have seen a lot of pretty amazing places, but I suppose the best thing has been being able to give our boys an experience that hopefully they’ll remember forever. The people back home are definitely what we’ve missed most, closely followed by offshore Woolamai Beach and the mighty Bulldogs!

Does your art have a message?

I’ve mostly just drawn cartoons, but I’ve also written and illustrated a couple of books for kids over the last few years. I’ve got a book called ‘The Great Big Blue’ ready to go next: I hope it will give children a bit of an understanding about depression and get them talking about it.

Hopefully there are some organisations out there that will be interested in the project: I’m not wanting to make any money out of it, I just want to get the book published and read.

If Aloha Barry had one wish, what would it be?

A giant statue of Aloha Barry would be pretty funny, a real tourist attraction, too, like that one overlooking the city of Rio. Have it built on top of Hurricane Hill, looking out over the good folk of Phillip Island.

I know a few people in high places – I should think talks are already underway!

For more information on the artist or his children’s book ‘The Great Big Blue’ contact Curl at johmarks@bigpond.net.au

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words sally o’neill photos warren reed

Kilcunda

Oh, how I love Kilcunda! Through the Anderson roundabout, swing past the green hills and you’re there. Wide ocean views greet you and, because you’re so captivated, you may miss the township, so hang a u’ey and check it out! >

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Anita Stepano-Ross ARTISTS STUDIO Fine Art

Illustration - Commissions (Dip. Fine Art/Dip. Education)

Viewing by appointment Tel. 5678 7346 Mob. 0412104841 Google redbubble . anarte anarte@dcsi.net.au

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feature area

Kilcunda (or ‘Killy’) is a tiny dot on the map with a population of 264 at last count. The small township sprang up with the discovery of coal in the area. Western Port Coal Mining Company harvested the ‘black gold’ from 1871 and a post office opened to service the area in 1879. Kilcunda became a stop along the Wonthaggi railway line in 1910 and operated until the 1970s. I often imagine how spectacular that section of the trip would have been as you steamed across the timber trestle bridge over Bourne Creek that still stands today.

Kilcunda’s beaches are sublime yet treacherous. Coarse white ocean sands are scattered with shells of all sizes. The main beach below the caravan park is accessed via stairs from either end. Beaches lead into undulating dunes bearing traces of the Bunurong people in extensive shell middens.

The rocky coast is perfect for diving, snorkelling, surfing and fishing, but all must be approached with extreme care, as there’s a strong undertow and conditions are often unpredictable. At low tide rockpools are revealed, offering a safer way to have a dip on a hot day.

Kilcunda is home and haven for permanent residents and holiday-makers alike. There’s quite a community nestled around the ‘town centre’. At its heart are favourite eating spots such as the Kilcunda General Store (also the area’s post office) and the ‘Killy Pub’. There’s a charming motel next door and caravan park across the road – right on the cliff ’s edge.

All establishments have ocean views and plenty of invigorating sea air.

Shelley Beach, to the west, is a secluded bay book-ended by two rocky headlands. A quiet refuge on a hot summer day, you can walk along the headland from the main beach or drive along a dirt track from Bass Highway. To the east is the main surf beach framed by the timber trestle bridge. This wide strand is a favourite for fishers and surfers alike.

A lazy breakfast at the general store is a weekend ritual sometimes enriched by the sight of Tex the Cowboy riding into town on his horse ‘Lippy’. The store is developing quite a reputation for its fine food and range of homewares as well as fab coffee! Another essential Kilcunda summer ritual is enjoying a relaxing drink or dinner on the pub verandah on a balmy night. Walk straight from the beach (don’t forget shoes and shirt) - you can even tie your pooch to the rail to enjoy a drink from the doggie bowl.

Across Bass Highway is the coastal reserve where you’ll find a BBQ and picnic area along with a popular children’s playground. Each January, this site comes alive with the annual Lobster Festival. Now in its 27th year, this summer festival raises funds for important community projects – like building the community hall which is the venue for Tai Chi, dancing and weekly table tennis nights and also the CFA depot. Originally, resident fishermen who worked out of San Remo brought lobsters to help raise funds,” says Shelley Applebee, secretary of the Kilcunda Community Development Association. “Throughout the day, you can buy whole lobsters, or buy a ticket for the spinning wheel for a few dollars and have the chance to win a 3-4 kilo cray.”

The coastline offers great walks in either direction. To the east is the town of Wonthaggi, connected by the Bass Coast Rail Trail which includes a crossing of the spectacular trestle bridge built in 1910. To the west, you can join the seven-kilometre George Bass Coastal Walk that follows the coastline to San Remo near Phillip Island via spectacular secluded coves and beaches.

Kilcunda’s hinterland can be explored from the spectacular, if a little treacherous, Kilcunda Ridge Road. The road winds its way through farmland to the top of the Bass Hills where you’ll experience spectacular views across the coast and surrounding hills. This unsealed road needs to be approached with caution, but the views are worth it.

Both permanent and holiday residents enjoy the Killy lifestyle. This diverse community ranges from long-term ‘locals’ through to those who travel down just for the weekend. It boasts artists of renown such as Anita Stepano-Ross along with musicians, writers, and farming and fishing families born and bred: all are united by their love of this tiny piece of Victoria’s coastline.

At a glance:

The social hub of Kilcunda is the KGS - Killy General Store where locals and holiday makers meet up for great coffee, meals, provisions & homewares. Most folk at KGS spend some time contemplating the ocean, usually over scrumptious breakfast or lunch, cake or latte. It seems the secret is well and truly out now - that slightly crazy, eclectic little cafe in Kilcunda is filled up with people who love good food and beautiful things...

Close by:

Powlett River Just down the road is the nature wonderland of Powlett River Reserve. The small waterway snakes its way down from the Strzeleckis to the sea. A golden sea of river reeds bounds the tranquil estuary that’s visited by pelicans, spoonbills and egrets as well as fishers, kayakers and walkers. Look out for kangaroos and echidnas along the road, and walk along the riverbank past the majestic dunes or through the banksia forest to the wild ocean beach. This area once seemed remote, and now, though all the activity of building the desalination plant has changed the landscape, the area’s natural power and beauty shine through.

2011 Kilcunda Lobster Festival - Kilcunda Foreshore Sunday 23rd January 9am - 5pm – entry is free.

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Celia Rosser her life’s work

Renowned botanical artist Celia Rosser devoted 25 years to meticulously painting all of Australia’s known banksia species. After an eventful 80 years, she now has her roots firmly planted at her stunning gallery in Fish Creek.

words sally o’neill paintings celia rosser photos warren reed & supplied

Celia Rosser is one determined lady. ‘Stubborn’ also comes to mind when you hear stories of her life and its challenges. Born in Melbourne, she was the youngest of four children. It was her older sister who guided her through her early years.

Celia’s father died when she was young, so she was expected to go to work at age 14, but with the help of her oldest sister, she was allowed to do a dressmaking course at RMIT. Then her sister stepped in again and Celia went to art school on the sly. “It was six months before my mother found out about art school, but everything worked out well in the end,” says Celia.

In the early 1960s, she moved to Orbost, where her husband was posted to the high school. Her love of painting plants developed as she devoted any spare time she had to the task. But it was love at first sight for Celia when she saw her first banksia. “An epiphany.” And, like most great stories, it happened by accident…

Often left alone on weekends when their husbands played golf, she and a friend decided to go for a Saturday afternoon adventure with their children. “We took a sandy track on the Marlo plains, but it turned

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out to be quicksand, and the car sunk down to the axles,” she recalls. “I was pregnant with Andrew and had to crawl out on my knees. There was a Banksia serrata looking straight at me. It was the most profound thing that had happened in my life.” She reached out and touched the maturing bud. “It was silver-grey, tactile and beautiful, and I picked it with a few other wildflowers, making a small bunch to give to my friend. She said, ‘Paint them for me’.”

Her passion for banksias blossomed as she worked towards her own exhibition, saving child endowment money for the framing. “My first exhibition was in 1965 at the Leveson Gallery in South Melbourne.

I invited well-known botanist Norman Wakefield to visit me in Camperdown to help me give botanical names for my work before the show. One painting was of three banksia buds, and he told me that I should show a flower, bud and fruiting cone. That was my number one lesson.” Each subject then became a study in botany, approached with scientific attention to detail. She was particularly excited about the spiral structure of the fruiting cone. “It took me years to see it. I was so amazed: I thought I’d discovered the wheel! That spiral is in everything; it’s in our lives,” she enthuses.>

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artist profile

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After moving around Victoria, the family returned to Melbourne where Celia applied for a job as an artist in a university botany department.

“With some sweet-talking, I got the job – it was fate.” Initially, she was disillusioned to find herself drawing not plants, but graphs. “It was boring.” One day, a Dr Scott turned up at her office door. “He made an amazing picture - dressed in a kilt with a leather sporran and a dirk (dagger) in his sock. He asked, in his Scottish accent: ‘What do you know about moss?’ I said, ‘It grows on the south side of trees!’ He and another doctor were writing a book on the mosses of southern Australia, so I illustrated 110 mosses over three years.” All the time, Celia was refining her powers of observation: “My drawings grew increasingly detailed and botanically correct.”

With the moss project complete, she made it clear that she was “certainly not going back to drawing graphs”. Dr Scott suggested the project of recording Australia’s banksias - Celia readily agreed. Another epiphany.

In 1974, she embarked on a project that would engulf her for 25 years.

She recorded 76 Australian banksias in extraordinary detail - each exquisite watercolour evolving from rough sketches captured during field trips to remote corners of the continent. “The four-wheel-drive was full of academics - and me. Sometimes I had only 20 minutes in the field to capture each plant – the final paintings took months.” The resulting three volumes of work were published in chronological order of the banksias’ discovery.

Without a doubt, her greatest thrill was having a banksia named in her honour. ‘Banksia rosserae grows on a very remote farm in north-western Australia. It was ‘discovered’ in 2002, and Celia’s first paintings only showed fruiting cones because it had never been observed in flower due to lack of rain. “In 2006, a cyclone marooned the property for six weeks and in that time it flowered. I didn’t think it would ever flower in my lifetime.”

The banksia project was finally completed in 1999, resulting in three volumes of magnificent watercolours, which she personally presented to the Queen. “I remember when I met the Queen for the first time - she was wonderful! I had a lot of Monash people instructing me to only speak after she had asked me a question. But I was so nervous I talked like a magpie!” >

I remember when I met the Queen for the first time - she was wonderful! I had a lot of Monash people instructing me to only speak after she had asked me a question.

But I was so nervous I talked like a magpie!

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Celia confides that the project took its toll on her as an artist. “After each volume I fell in a heap, and then I had to pick myself up again. Just try and imagine - you are a creative artist who is constantly restricted to the same paper format. It was very difficult, with many people waiting for me to fall off the perch. Also, many academics thought the money being spent on the project should have been spent on them.” But that didn’t faze her. “It kept me going,” she says, displaying that determined, stubborn streak.

It also took a toll on her personal life. “My children all grew up with banksias, as I threw everything into the project. With each edition I went down a little further. I was told I was to be given an honorary degree. I said I wouldn’t be able to accept it because my husband wouldn’t cope (he had a Bachelor of Commerce). In the end, my marriage ended. Now I have an honorary Master of Science and honorary LLD from Monash.”

It was a series of “happy coincidences” that led her youngest son Andrew to move to Fish Creek, and then she followed. “I’ve always loved Gippsland, and I do believe it was all meant to be.” Then Andrew decided to build a gallery in her honour. “It’s a tribute to Mum’s

Celia's style “You can’t really capture plants with photography,” says Celia. “I spend a lot of my time at the beginning of each drawing just looking at the negative spaces. Many people don’t understand that. I start my drawings with tracing paper and use a 6B pencil or something like that. If I don’t like it, I chuck it out. When I think I’m getting somewhere, I turn it back to front. We were taught to look at our drawings in a mirror at art school to see if they were balanced or not, but this is easier. That’s how I work. If you can draw something, you can understand it. I like to paint with 1 and 0 brushes. It takes patience - it becomes a form of meditative concentration.”

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achievement of painting all the banksias,” says Andrew. “This is the first building I have done, but Mum’s work is so special - it was a privilege.

It had to be good – you couldn’t house work like this in anything less,” he says, sweeping his arm towards the stylish gallery. Its clever design allows for a flexible use of the exhibition space, including adaptation for musical and other performances. When it came to the lighting, he went straight to the National Gallery for reference. “Nothing but the best for Mum,” he says with a cheeky grin. “How could I not build a quality facility for her life’s work?”

After recently celebrating her 80th birthday, Celia is now content to enjoy days painting and talking to gallery visitors. Her love of banksias is as strong as ever. “A lot of people think I am completely mad! ‘Oh, you’re still painting banksias?’ they ask, and I say yes, because I still have so much to learn.”

“Oh, and I got an OAM,” says Celia, almost as an afterthought as we are getting ready to leave. Just one more extraordinary detail in an extraordinary life.

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fadetoblack words katie cincotta photos christina prochazka & warren reed

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WHEN former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd made his momentous apology to the Stolen Generation – those tens of thousands of Aboriginal children taken from their families – Elliott Maynard sat on his couch and wept.

“On that day I was working spraying weeds along the foreshore, and I had to go home. I sat there and cried for those people. I just bawled my eyes out.” The Flinders Island-born Aboriginal actor, who now resides on Phillip Island, was personally and professionally connected to that spiritual turning-point for indigenous Australians. “My sister Anita was there in the gallery for the apology. She was stolen, taken away from Mum and Dad and sent to a private girls’ school in Launceston when she was 14. I was nearly stolen. I remember Mum hiding me. On the days the welfare would come around and check up on us, she would tell me to go out and play, or run up to a friend’s house.”

On Tasmania’s remote Cape Barren Island, the divide between black and white was cavernous. As late as the 1980s, Aboriginals weren’t allowed into the supermarket, and were served food through a ‘bullring’ – a hole in a cement water tank. Living predominantly off the land, the black community must have found the commercial food supply comical. Since the 19th century, Elliot’s ancestors had fed on fresh seafood and roasted muttonbirds from the rookery.

“Looking back at the way I was brought up on the island, I didn’t realise then that I was living like a king. At the time, I thought getting your own food off the land – like diving for crayfish – was pretty bad. Actually we were living pretty well, while other kids were eating take-away.”

Elliott envied the white children with their shiny shoes and fancy schools, while he and his four siblings were learning to survive with their bare hands, and count with rocks and shells on the beach.

A snapshot of that time resides in the National Library of Australia: a poignant black and white photograph of Elliott, aged 12, carrying buckets of sea water on his shoulders, heading to a shed where he would wash the muttonbirds, and prepare them for cooking. When the 39-year-old gazes at the photo, it’s as if he’s looking at another person, from another life – a world he describes as “the bubble of being black.”“I grew up in two worlds. My white world was school, but when I walked through the gates at 3.30pm I went home to my black world.” Back there, they called him Bucky – which stuck after his father announced the birth of a ‘buck’ - but they also named him Elliot, after crime fighter Elliott Ness in The Untouchables. “In Tasmania I’m Bucky, in Victoria I’m Elliott.”

On the cusp of puberty, the island boy was already dreaming of escape - a chance at an artistic life that would give voice to all the stories and sentiments of his people. “I loved being taught the old ways, but it wasn’t enough for me. I dreamed about being an actor. I looked up to David Gulpilil and Kath Walker, and I thought that if they could do it, I could do it too.”

When the pioneer of Aboriginal theatre, Bob Maza, discovered him on stage at 15, he encouraged the tall, skinny kid to audition for NIDA. “But I didn’t want to move from Tassie. I was an island boy, a little black fella from Cape Barren, so it was too much for me.” Instead, Elliott was picked up by ABC Radio in Launceston, and in his 20s was working in Melbourne as a producer on 3LO for talkback host Terry Laidler.

While he found radio a powerful vehicle, the desire to act proved stronger, and he finally found his way to NIDA in Sydney, and a lead role that would take him around the world. A five-minute audition with Wes Enoch, director of the hugely successful stage play Stolen, gave Elliott his most famous role – stolen child Jimmy. “Jimmy spent his life in and out of institutions, firstly in the children’s home and then in prison. When his mother eventually tracks him down after 26 years, he’s dead.” The stage fades to black with the shadow of a swinging body.

The tears Elliott shed during the historic ‘apology’ speech took him back to that emotionally-charged production which toured through Australia, Europe and Asia. “As an actor it was pretty hard to do that character for five years and not carry the emotion. After the third season, we asked Playbox to get some debriefing happening, because when you’re living with a character for so long, you take it home.” >

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Under the spotlight of Stolen, Elliott was chosen as one of seven prominent Aboriginal people to be interviewed for an oral history project on what they envisioned for their future. What he said shocks him now.

“I said I would never have children with a white woman because I don’t want to thin out the blood any more than it has been raped into my people. I was pretty radical.”

Now separated from his partner, Elliott is facing increasing pressure from his Trowunna people to bring his children to Tasmania to discover their Aboriginal identity. But for a man who has merged the black and white worlds, it’s hard to embrace a society that thinks he’s sold out on so many levels – moving away from his roots in Tasmania, choosing acting over politics and fathering children with a well-educated white woman.

That determination dissolved the day he met Jen. “I was playing Lysander in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and studying Shakespeare in a pub. I was sitting there reading the script, finding it hard to dissect the language. And this beautiful white woman came up and kissed me.” The couple have two children together – Rali and Ruben – each born with lily-white skin. “In my early years I was racist towards white people because I didn’t know anything else. I had an epiphany when my daughter was born. We’re all just human beings. And if you can’t evolve then you just get stuck in a box.”

“I was groomed to be a leader for my people. I jumped on the bonnet of John Howard’s car when he came down to sign the Regional Forest Agreement. But I don’t want to live around negativity. I don’t want to become part of the ‘conquer and divide’ approach of people that makes them become their own worst enemy.” Instead, Elliott has held drama workshops for young prisoners at Parkville Juvenile Detention Centre, helping them to write their own stories. He’s also been cast in the lead role of a feature film with the working title Deep Water, with Australian cinematographer Ian Jones (Ten Canoes) and acting legend, Sigrid Thornton. The thrilling drama is set on a boat in Tasmania and confronts racism, identity and inter-cultural relationships – a story that’s eerily close to Elliott’s own experience.

Confusing identity with skin colour is something Elliott knows his children will have to contend with, just as he has. With his caramel skin and dark eyes, people often mistake him for Italian or Middle Eastern, which has laid bare stinging racism. “People have said to me, ‘You’re not Aboriginal: you’re not black enough to be Aboriginal.’”

On a recent revegetation project in Foster, Elliott was shocked by the vitriol from a woman bemoaning indigenous land rights. ‘Just throw an Abo bone in there and you won’t be able to build anything,’ she squawked. Elliott chose not to reveal his Aboriginality, but did retort: ‘Well, how would you like it if you were buried in the ground and somebody came and built a house on top of you?” The woman admitted she wouldn’t be keen on that herself, and then fell silent.

He admits his ultimate career ambition is to see the film make it big, and to one day work in America. Oh, and to stop being mistaken for Aaron Pedersen (yes, they do bear a striking resemblance).

Clearly humbled to be part of Australia’s thriving arts scene, the island boy says it’s simply a pleasure to be working as a professional storyteller – a practice that goes back to the very heart of the Aboriginal people.

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wings to ly We meet artist and musician Mick Turner who holds a place in one of Australia’s quintessentially cool bands The Dirty Three…

It’s hard to imagine Mick Turner in a shirt and tie playing at a 50/50 dance on a Saturday night. But that’s how it all started. “My first band was when I was in school and we played Chuck Berry, Beatles and Elvis – things like that. We used to play at Morrabbin Town Hall and you had to wear a shirt and tie. It was fun, strange but fun,” recalls Mick as we sit at the kitchen table of his Phillip Island beach house.

His musical influences came from friends and also the abandoned record collections of his older brother and sisters as they flew the nest of the family home in Black Rock. “There was a lot of sixties folk and rock, like Rolling Stones and the Kinks. So I guess they were my first musical influences. Then there was the radio, of course.” His dial moved quickly from mainstreams like 3XY to independent stations such as the newly emerging Triple R and PBS. “I heard a lot of alternative music from around the world and Australia. I’ve always really loved music, so I taught myself guitar when I was 14 and I’ve never looked back.”

Mick became an integral part of the heady Melbourne music scene when he joined a band called The Moodists in the early eighties. With contemporaries such as The Go Betweens, Birthday Party (and later, Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds), Triffids and Died Pretty, they played exclusively in Melbourne for their first years before travelling up the coast for Sydney gigs. “Then we went to London, and I was living off music. But it was pretty tight - a can of baked beans for dinner and stuff like that,” says Mick. “We also went to America for one short tour. It was great fun.”

After the Moodists, Mick continued playing music. He had a ‘day job’ working in a library until a chance gig changed everything. When friend Warren Ellis came to live in Melbourne, his mate wanted a bit of music on Friday nights for his pub. “It was the Baker’s Arms in Victoria St, Richmond - it’s now a Pokie venue, I think,” says Mick. “Warren knew Jim (White) and approached him to do the little gig and then asked me to come along.

We all knew each other and pretty much went down and made it up on the spot. We got $50 each and a few free drinks. It just started from there.”

After a six-month residency, they recorded their first album and the band that became known as ‘The Dirty Three’ took off. “It was great. A company in America that wanted to get our record out organised a little tour, and then Nick Cave came to see us. He said, ‘Come and play with The Bad Seeds in Europe’. So we had an American and European tour. We just went off and didn’t look back. It was fantastic, really exciting, going to places we’d never been before and just playing music. The offers to play kept coming. We were really lucky that the three of us just gelled when we played - we felt really good and people liked it. It’s one of those rare things where the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

The band embarked on a five-year touring whirlwind. “We were pretty much homeless. It was great, but it kinda wore us out and eventually you throw out the anchor.” Mick’s anchor landed in Melbourne, where he lives with partner Peggy Frew and their three children.

Dirty Three still plays and records together when they are in the same country. “Warren lives in Paris now, and Jim’s in New York, so we all play with other people. Like Warren plays with Nick Cave, of course, and Jim plays with Cat Power, Bill Callahan and Will Oldham.”>

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words sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

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Asked to describe the music of Dirty Three, Mick says: “Kind of warbling, folk, jazz, rock, punk instrumental with violin, drums and guitar - kind of like every band I’ve played in.” Fans around the world use much more glowing terms to describe the trio’s folk rock, almost transcendental pieces that are rarely under five minutes long. And their live performances are legendary. Warren takes centre stage, while Mick appears calm and focused. “Music is best for me when I’m immersed in it, so though I might not be jumping around, in my head I’m immersed in the whole process. You kind of go into, you know, that place where you’re not really thinking about it. You lose yourself and go with the flow. To a certain degree, there’s a lot of improvisation; it’s quite loose. I mean, there’s definitely structure to things, but it’s not a tight type of thing we do.”

Mick’s success as an artist evolved in parallel with Dirty Three.

“I did art up to the end of sixth form but didn’t go on to art school. I was more into music, but always did a little bit of art just for myself.” His unique style appears on the album artwork for all Dirty Three records. A positive response encouraged him to exhibit for the first time in 2002. “I was a bit nervous at first, but it’s gone very well and has been really enjoyable.” He describes his work as “figurative and quite naïve”. His influences include Melbourne-based contemporaries ex-ROAR studios artists such as Marc Schaler , and the Australian eras of Sidney Nolan and Charles Blackman.

Mick views art and music as two discrete pursuits. “Music is much more social: you’re usually around other people.

Painting is such a solitary thing.” If there is a place where art and music merge, it’s in Mick’s “loose approach” to both.

He also combines the two in performances, when he plays against a backdrop of projected, partly-animated artworks or within an exhibition space.

With work and a studio in Melbourne, Mick also finds solace in his Phillip Island retreat. He’s visited the island since his teens to surf Woolamai or Surfies’ Point. When the chance came to buy a block of land, he took it. A house relocated from Box Hill now sits comfortably surrounded by sand dunes and trees - kids’ art adorns the walls. “Yeah, it’s great. It’s pretty wild and woolly - you really get the weather. I like it, and I love swimming and going to the beach. I’m pretty happy with my art and music and family. My partner is writing a lot, so I’m trying to give her space to do that. She actually has a long history with Phillip Island: her grandparents had a place at Ventnor, but we met in Melbourne.”

It’s quite incredible that someone who has lived the wild music scene remains so grounded and, well, sensible. “Apart from the Moodists’ minor success, I’ve played in so many bands where hardly anyone came to see us,” says Mick. “By the time Dirty Three became successful, I was quite learned about it all. Wise enough to put the money away, and smart enough to have our own record company, so we retain control over all our creative output.”

As I drive away, I reflect on Mick’s humble, low-key demeanour.

It belies a deep passion and talent. In his music this passion is channelled into “that place” where he goes to on stage. In his art his talent is reflected in the way he portrays his wonder and affection for the coastal landscape - the place where he’s wild and free, with wings to fly and the childish whimsy to make sand angels.

Mick Turner will exhibit at Archies on the Creek from 5–31 December 2010

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art & soul festival

The annual ART & SOUL festival organisers are very excited to announce a move to their new home on the grounds of the Environmental Campus, Newhaven College. Set on over 82 acres of the island’s most stunning views over Westernport Bay and Churchill Island, the campus provides the perfect backdrop to smooth music, eclectic art and wonderful food. Grab a picnic blanket, some family or friends and sit back and enjoy the grooves of Tea Leaves, The Quarry Mountain Dead Rats and Family Tree. Between sets you can browse the art market, talk to a local maker, or pick up something special. This year, ART & SOUL will showcase the amazing talents of chainsaw sculptors from ArtIsTree, an international art group who perform, sculpt and sell their work all over the globe. Come and see how they create their artworks and have the opportunity to speak to them in person about their work processes and unique style.

ART & SOUL Summer Festival, Saturday 19th March, 9am - 4pm. 1770 Phillip Island Rd, Sunset Strip. If you would like to find out more about the festival, log onto www.artyfarty.com.au and click on festivals and events. If you would like to be a stallholder, please call Sian on 0418 519181. Tickets at the gate. coast 53

Chick’, w a s n i ha itled ‘C mure as the t f l e s the de lglaze, at’s about as ood for o w P f a o l e s k h Ang p chun , she can nality t u o s r r a e e t p build has a f ses to o u t e h h g s i sl w chainsa tures. Though lp carve it u her scu p with th e best of male cou them, of nterpart te s on the The large internatio n beating her bu r-than-lif rly nal carvin ec finding ‘h g circuit. er people hainsaw sculpto r talks to ’, sawdust Coast ab in your u her art and the o c n c d u ie p s a ! tional ha out words as told to m zard of aria reed photos su

chainsaw chick

pplied

coast 54

“I’d just finished art school, and was determined to make a go of carving for a living. It was 1997, and a friend told me about a chainsaw carving competition. Before I got there, they thought I would be a man, ‘Angelo’ in fact. “How do you start ‘em?” I asked, as I had never used a petrol chainsaw in my life!

By the end of the event (which was gruelling), the STIHL people decided to support me by loaning tools and providing free servicing.

Without that support I probably wouldn’t have continued on the path I have. Saws can be expensive to buy and maintain, and back then I really wasn’t selling too much. So I went off with my three chainsaws and a whole bunch of inspiration and returned the next year to steal second place. It was an exciting time indeed!

I’ve been a full-time chainsaw sculptor for 14 years. I’d been doing a lot of metal welding at art school and hated it. I started thinking about chainsaws, but my lecturers were not encouraging: sometimes it felt like they were trying to crush students’ desire to create. As a matureage student, I was a bit cynical to start, but I was also a bit more aware.

Life and the working world can be a tough ride. It actually was another mature-age student from the bush who showed me how to use the chainsaw. Over time, I’ve learnt how to use my saws effectively and sharpen my own chains, and how to maintain them.

I’d never held a chainsaw until I was 27, but after carving for a year I had a graduate exhibition at school – and was granted a whole room to myself. I said to the lecturers, “Okay, I want to deck it out with pedestals here for the small stuff, and paint the floor and ceilings blue and white like clouds and hang all this white card to hide the ugly windows.”

“No, you can’t do that!” was the response, but when they went home, I spent the entire evening painting the walls and floors and everything.

I was taught that, when you’re thinking sculpturally, you need to consider: ’How does this object sit in the environment? Does it hang, float, move? Does it sit, does it belong in a garden?’ This as important as the sculpture itself. I really took that on board. Sculpture is part of life. I wanted to make the most of that space to let the work sing. And it did!!

I love the immediacy of chainsaw sculpting. Even when I started out, I could make a gorilla in two days. Wow! It’s a trip!! Now I could do it in a day - or half. And it’s scary also! There’s a lot of danger and adrenalin - you’re in the zone the whole time. Now I usually listen to music and dance while I work, but the focus is still on the work. I have to say, though, that I’m sick of being dirty. It’s an occupational hazard . . . that and getting sawdust in your undies. I don’t wear a mask because it fogs up my glasses, but I wear a bandana over my nose when sanding. It’s bad for you – like most things. When I was in art school, they assured us that if we were serious about our work, it would probably kill us whether it be something falling on you, the chemicals in paints, or the>

coast 55

mark in your diary: See “ArtIsTree” in action at ART & SOUL festival 19th March, 2011 Grounds of Environmental Centre at Newhaven College, 1770 Phillip Island Rd, Sunset Strip.

For more info log onto www.artyfarty. com.au click on events & festivals

sawdust in your lungs. But I guess we all have to die of something.

I can’t imagine doing anything else: I definitely couldn’t sit in an office.

By 2002, I’d been carving full-time for five years. It was exhausting, I wasn’t really getting ahead . . . and I was living on less than unemployment benefits. Then one magical day I discovered the international chainsaw-carving circuit through an Internet forum, where people from all over the world get online and promote their events, ask questions, share ideas and post pictures of their latest works. I put up some pictures of a work I did in 2000 called ‘Circle Work, In Celebration of a Hot Pink Box’. It consisted of a random selection of busty naked gals with big red lips and bright red nipples and red shoes in the back of a hot pink ute. I drove them all around Victoria for three months, with a final run in the Brunswick Street Festival parade and a grand finale at a gallery opening in Williamstown.

After I posted the pictures, I had about 60 responses from around the world asking, ‘Who is this person – where has she come from?’ I’ve discovered that most carvers are quite conventional – you know, the old bears, eagles, things trying to kill things . . . it’s such a boy thing, or an ‘American thing’ I should say. I find the European carvers to be a lot more eclectic. Most of the events are held in the northern hemisphere, and in no time at all I was invited to participate in a competition in the USA. The amazing, inspirational carver Susan Miller (who has been carving for over 50 years) offered to chaperone me: that made up my mind, and I’ve never looked back. With practice, it is really quite incredible what an experienced carver can create in a short period of time. And every year the quality and creativity of the work just gets more amazing. It’s hard to describe.

I found ‘my people’ on that trip; Somewhere I finally belonged - the extended family that understood me and what it was that drove me to carve in the first place. It was wild . . . absolutely! I didn’t want to come home.

Chainsaw carving events have become hugely popular spectator sports all over the world. I was at an event in the USA this year with 200 carvers, in a blizzard, and thousands of spectators showed up. Crazy!!

In June I returned to the States to represent Australia in a series of invitational events across the country, including my very own low-key ‘Cheesy Chick Challenge’ which was held in July at the Wizard of Odds Earthworks store in upstate New York (It’s on Youtube). I have hundreds of friends on the international carving circuit in Japan, Europe, UK and USA. It’s an amazingly creative and adventurous life … and I love it.

I’m now nine years in to full-time travelling with carving. At one point I was considered amongst many of my peers to be one of the leading female performance carvers in the world, but of course that can change in an instant. I’ve possibly won more awards than any other female carver, and I manage to keep up with the boys. What makes me different from many of the chainsaw carvers is that I choose to paint much of my work. Wood takes paint so beautifully. Sometimes

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people wonder why I cover up all the beautiful wood grain underneath, but you know, if I want to stick feathers to it or nail on a bit of tin, I will - because it’s mine and I like it that way! I’ve never felt the need to justify why I paint – and as I carve, I visualise just how I want to paint it, and carve accordingly. Right now I’m keen to take a new direction with my work and envision myself attaching all sorts of stuff to the carved elements.

A lot of carvers keep carving bears and the like because that’s what sells, and they have to make a living. But how much money do you really need? I’d like to think that we were driven by passion also.

Early this year during a quiet period I created a mural piece titled ‘The Blue Stockings’ that I really like. It’s 6-foot tall and was carved from some big beams of Oregon panelled together. It has a big gold frame around it and depicts a girl sitting back, with her hand covering her girly bits, and sucking her thumb. It’s a wonderfully provocative piece: even people that don’t like it are drawn back for a second look. I haven’t shown it yet as I’m saving it for a special occasion. She is an undeniable attention-grabber, and has led to a number of murals being carved for the Freehand Custom Carving gallery in New Jersey USA. Carving has taken me around the world. I spent my 40th birthday in the UK by myself, with 8 cents in my pocket. Then I went on to a carving event in Germany, where I got paid 2 500 euro to create a 4-metre totem pole over four days. I was treated like royalty: 4-star accommodation, the works. It’s like rags to riches. That year, though, really rattled me. I had no money, no safety net and it was scary. Oh, man: when I read through my diaries, sometimes I think I’m the biggest optimist on the face of the earth.

But having said that, I feel very blessed in a way. Earlier this year I completed a project for Coburg Park Lake, one of my biggest to date. I came up with a concept and the council took me on – and they love the end result. That style of work has to be chunky and strong for public consumption, so nothing can be caught or little fingers squashed.

Sometimes wood is not a very forgiving medium for once it’s cut, it’s gone - you can’t stick it back on.

Plans are already in place for creative carving adventures across the globe in 2011, but most exciting of all is the ‘ArtIsTree’ event to be held on March 18th in conjunction with the annual ‘Art & Soul’ festival held on Phillip Island, Australia. ‘ArtIsTree’ is to be a showcase of some of the world’s more eclectic carvers, and promises to present a rare creative spectacle unlike anything seen before in Australia. A number of Australia’s leading carvers will be in attendance, and amongst our invited international guests already confirmed are professional carver of 16 years Brett McLain, founder of Freehand Custom Carvings, USA, and Pete Bowsher of Scotland, both of whom will be demonstrating their unique styles, skills and technique. This will be a noisy, fun, adrenalinpacked event not to be missed. See you there! angela-polglaze.com

MINGARA GALLERY

Andrew Southhall

Phone 03 5952 3722 242 Thompson Avenue Cowes 3922 Phillip Island Australia www.mingaragallery.com.au | noelle@mingaragallery.com.au

New Swedish Jewellery collection!

Now with two great stores in one arcade!

+ Online shop

Shops 2 & 4, IGA Ritchies Arcade, 158 Graham Street, Wonthaggi T: 03 5672 5553

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Quality accommodation

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Quest_v1.indd 1

12/2/10 12:39:43 PM

whatscool on the coast this summer

nordic designs is expanding

win,win,win!!

One lucky family can win one night’s accommodation + one 3-Parks Pass to the Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm and Nobbies Centre. All you need to do is tell us three photos that appear on our homepage at www.coastmagazine.net Email your answer to editorial@coastmagazine.net by 7 January 2010 to win. Conditions apply.

akers for eyes Now with two great stores in the same arcade, Nordic Designs offers a greater variety of homewares and jewellery. During summer, the new shop will offer clearance items for up 50% off. Don’t miss these bargains! During 2011 Scandinavian furniture and clothing will be introduced into the new shop leaving the current store for the jewellery and accessories Nordic is famous for. Shop 2 & 4, IGA Ritchie’s Arcade, 158 Graham St, Wonthaggi Call 5672 5553 & 5672 5513

Akers Eyewear has grown!

Visit their great new location & browse the huge showroom stocking a range of quality brands, prescription glasses & sunglasses.

69 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi Call 5672 1965

ring ring!!! southern bazaar

expand your choice Garry Cox is a 4th-generation builder with over 35 years building and design experience. They have hundreds of designs to choose from so visit their professional team at the new display centre located on Phillip Island and ‘get the facts upfront’.

1/219 Settlement Rd Cowes Vic 3922 Call 03 5952 2150

Check out this groovy piece! This retro handset converts the modern mobile to a 70s-style phone that’s also good for your health, cutting out 95% of radiation to your head. Available in black, red and orange. $49.95 from Southern Bazaar, 42 Cashin St, Inverloch. Call 0409 234 482.

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.BILLABONG. .LEE. .TIGER LILY. .RUSTY. .ROXY. .QUIKSILVER. .OAKLEY. .VON ZIPPER. .HAVAIANAS. & MORE.

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T

T

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Jean Depot_v4.indd 1

25/11/10 11:01 PM

LTB DENIM PEPE LONDON BEN SHERMAN ELWOOD J BRAND METALICUS MESOP D.CO COPENHAGEN INNOVATIVE JEWELLERY

mens and womens streetwear

LEATHER ACCESSORIES

44 Ranelegh Drive, Mt Eliza 3930 (OppositeCanadian bay hotel)

Ph. 03 9787 8227

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Lauren wears Tigerlily Belvisia one piece swimsuit from Jean Depot $149.95 Roxy Abigail Wide Brim Hat from Jean Depot $29.99 Poolside Sunglasses from 1 Soul $129.95

cool summer

FASHION Photography: Christina Prochazka Models: Lauren, Kristy & Christina Hair, make-up and styling: Ale de la Rosa Location: Bridgeview Penthouse Suites, San Remo contact The Professionals San Remo Call 5678 5141.

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Toni Pons from Twiggy’s Shoes, Sorrento $159.95

Kristy wears Mimosa Pool Party Calypso Dress from Hunter & Minx $250 Sojo Diamond Sandals from Hunter & Minx $135

Kristy wears Gathered Round Neck Top $49.95 & Casual Pant from Juwita Moon Resort Wear $49.95 Pearls for Girls fresh water pearls with solid heart $77.90 - Nordic Designs Sash ballet flats from Chatters Cowes Arcade $85.95 Akers Eyewear Sunglasses $POA - Nordic Design

Christina Wears Silk Taffeta party dress from Sketa $POA

summer fashion

Lauren wears Kudosmade Vintage Dress $245 Antique Silver Link Chain $1,050 Antique Silver Snake Chain $600 3 x Antique Silver Bangles $298 Hill Tribe Bangle $75 all from Kudos

Lauren wears Wrangler Chambry Dress -Jean Depot $99.95 Zensu Gazella Leather thongs - Haze $99.95 Necklace - Chatters $39.95 bangle - Beemo $38.50 Solar Powered Lanterns $50 & Bongo - Simply@Home $105

Lauren wears Cooper St Dress Ashanti frock $149 & Zensu Gazella leather thongs $99.95 Campfire Bracelets $29.95 all from Haze Lucky Brand Sunglasses - Akers Eyewear $160

Lauren wears Insight Sooty one piece swimsuit $109.95, Fedora Hat $25 & Tuck Skyhighs $99.95 all from 1 Soul Campfire Bracelets from Haze $29.95

summer fashion

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summer fashion

Twiggys Shoes Sorrento Where quality meets style & comfort

It’s every girl’s dream to be surrounded by beautiful shoes, and for Verna Curtis-Smith, this became a reality - in the gorgeous seaside town of Sorrento no less…

A sea change was an attractive alternative for ex-corporate couple Rex and Verna Curtis-Griffiths. In 2004, they left the city behind and relocated to their Sorrento holiday home. They also became the proud owners of Twiggys Shoe Store - a long-established Sorrento business originally established by the Twigg family.

Fiji-born Verna and husband Rex set about transforming Twiggys by introducing many quality European shoe lines and popular leading brands. With a background in advertising, Rex believes strongly in brand management and aims to maximise exposure to leading names in store. With help from their two adult sons they transformed the store layout by improving wall and floor displays utilising merchandising displays provided by suppliers.

Verna enjoys sourcing new-season ladies fashion styles and bringing more Italian, French and Spanish shoes in quality leathers into the store. In 2008 she introduced the French-made ‘Arche’ brand and is overwhelmed by the response to these very easy-wearing yet stylish shoes. As part of their quest for the perfect footwear, they recently visited the giant Milan Shoe Fair to meet current suppliers and source stock from new manufacturers.

“Our core focus is to provide quality, stylish comfortable brands not available at other stores. My challenge is to find and evolve the product mix so our many regular and valued customers will always find something new and different at Twiggys,” says Verna.

“We have a very loyal client base who trust our trained staff with shoe choices - many have become friends.”

arche Made in France

Arche make every woman’s feet look elegant

Shoes for Ladies, Men & Children 60 Ocean Beach Rd

Sorrento

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Local lads enjoy a selection of casual and dress shoes along with nautical numbers like Sperry, Active Casuals and Kroton. And, generations of local and holiday children have been measured and fitted with Clarks school shoes.

“We love living in Sorrento,” says Verna. “With a three-minute drive to work and such a fabulous picturesque seaside environment, where else would you want to live?”

SKETA AUSTRALIA

Australian designed and made – Limited quantities for the individual look – Quality accessories Mornington 71 Main Street T 5976 3311 Sorrento 42 Ocean Beach Rd T 5984 0927

and stores throughout Melbourne and Noosa

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summer fashion

HOT SUMMER LOOKS

Dress up your outfit with funky accessories.

So!Me, Leongatha

a

Local artist-inspired clothing found at Linton La Fontaine.

Mt Eliza Village

b Models shot on location at a/ Bridgeview. Penthouse Apartments for sale through The Professionals San Remo Call 5678 5141 www.sanremorealty.com.au b/ Island accommodation book online at www.theislandaccommodation.com.au

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Ethical fashion and funsummer wear.

Maxines, Wonthaggi

1 Soul 141 Graham St, Wonthaggi Call 5672 5338 Akers Eyewear 69 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi Call 5672 1965 Beemo & Chatters Rear of Cowes Arcade 34-38 Thompson Ave, Cowes Haze 17b A’Beckett St, Inverloch Call 5674 1133

Christina wears 100% Swiss polished cotton dress from Sketa $ POA Shoes stylists own

Hunter & Minx 44 Ranelagh Dr, Mt Eliza Call 9787 8227 Jean Depot 41-43 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi, Call 5672 3656 & 5 Smith Street Plaza, Compass Arcade, Leongatha Call 5662 3023 Juwita Moon Resort Wear Shop 1,74 Chapel St, Cowes (Flix@Chapel) Call 5952 6922 Kudos 137 Marine Pde, San Remo Call 5678 5944 www.kudosvintage.com Maxines 55-57 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi Call 5672 3889 Molly Moo + Tilly Bear 40b Thompson Ave, Cowes Call 5952 2259 shop online at www.mollymooandtillybear.com.au Mt Eliza Village mtelizavillage.com.au Nordic Designs – 2 stores, Ritchies Arcade, Wonthaggi Call 5672 5553 Sketa 71 Main St, Mornington Call 5976 3311 & 42 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Call 5984 0927. Stores throughout Melbourne and Noosa.

So! Me 57 Bair St, Leongatha Call 5662 3103 Twiggys Shoes & Accessories 60 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento Call 5984 2184 Ale de la Rosa Make Up Hair & Beauty Call 0402 117 280

stockists

Clothing, footwear and accessories for men and women with style.

Open 7 days December to April

17B A’Beckett St, Inverloch

Ph: 5674 1133 coast 67

coast hero

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OrphFund

saving one child at a time

words sally o’neill photos supplied

Meet Steve Argent, passionate campaigner against world poverty.

This human dynamo is battling the big guys to help orphans around the world…

Most emails from Steve Argent read something like...‘ We need urgent help over here in Sierra Leone’ or Uganda, or some other far-flung location. To meet him reveals an earthy, high-energy guy with a slight ‘edginess’ that probably stems from his anxiety to solve the problems of the world – like yesterday. But this urgency is tempered by years of experience that have rendered him wise enough to know that there’s no magic solution to world poverty – it’s just plain old hard work. Take today, for instance: he’s manning the OrphFund stall at Melbourne’s Rose St Market - a job usually done by volunteers, but when that fails, Steve steps in.

Orginally from Somerset, England, Steve studied fine art but didn’t really know what to do once his course finished. “I did a lot of rubbish jobs, then landed a job as a fundraiser on the streets. It was really exciting and a good time. Charities weren’t in the public eye much then. I found myself to be very passionate, especially about children’s charities. I signed up about 20 people a day. I’d just stop them and ask: ‘Have you got a minute?’ and then encourage them to part with a few pounds.”

His eyes opened to the world of poverty, especially that of children.

Next, he found himself volunteering on a trip to Ghana. “The experience of being in a village in Africa was amazing. I just loved it, and felt really alive there.” Driven by a growing passion, he climbed the charity corporate ladder. In 2003 he was flown out to lead fundraising efforts in Melbourne. “The higher I got, the more uneasy I felt about the buffet lunches, beautiful offices and all the expenses. I thought, ‘Hang on’ I was getting paid $70 000 a year, had a company car and a beautiful apartment, and I wasn’t even the boss. I wondered if the money that we were telling people was so desperately needed was actually getting to the people we were concerned about.”

Steve’s concern grew. “I was going to Africa and seeing all the big NGOs in their new Landcruisers. After all the experience I’d had, I wondered if they were really changing the world. They have multimillion dollar programs and budgets to play with, but nothing’s really changed in decades.” Disillusionment led Steve to the conclusion that the only solution was to start a charity himself. “I thought that after working for charities, travelling and spending a lot of time in orphanages, I could at least give it a crack.”

What happened from then on was “organic”. A random letter arrived from Sierra Leone. “It was from someone in the army: how they found me I don’t know.” The sender pleaded for help. “I knew that Sierra Leone was a very alarming place. When the civil war was going on, eight-year-olds with AK47s were being forced to take drugs and shoot their parents, their friends and stuff like that – it was horrific. I just never thought I’d get the chance to go there.”

He decided to go and investigate. “In my first few moments in Freetown, the capital, a guy made a gun shape with his hand and put it up to my head - that scared the life out of me. I thought, ‘What am I doing here?’ All my friends had told me I was crazy for going.

“We ended up seven hours away in a little village. It took us ages to get there – the roads were awful. But we arrived in an amazing little town called Kamakwie, where no other aid organisations were doing anything for the children, so there was a really big need.”

He ran some preliminary interviews and hundreds of orphans turned up. “They were genuine orphans, so I thought it seemed like a worthy cause.” Back home, he embarked on fundraising and finding volunteers. He contacted everyone he could think of, and gathered the team and funding together to go back and reinstate>

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coast hero an orphanage that was facing closure. The team also took over the running costs and maintained the staff that had been caring for the children since the war.

Steve cites war, disease and poverty as major contributors to the rate of orphans in the world. “I chose to work with orphans because they are the most vulnerable and desperate. When I’m in a village playing Frisbee with the kids I feel as free as I possibly can. I find it rewarding and the kids love it, too.” Those rewards come in the rare glimpses of “happiness and cheekiness” he sees in the children he supports, like a boy in Sierra Leone who lost his parents in the war when he was six. He lived on the streets eating spiders, lizards and rats: at the age of ten, he hitched a ride to neighbouring Guinea to find a job, and that’s where OrphFund found him. Or the girl in Kenya: “We’d already taken on twice as many children as we should have, but she was living with her blind grandmother under a tree.

We just had to help,” he laughs, and shrugs.

Since OrphFund started four years ago, the organisation has helped to educate 1000 children, and supports three children’s villages and two schools in Cambodia. OrphFund responds to requests from communities who want to help their orphans, or need funds to sustain existing initiatives.

Then Steve gathers a team of volunteers, who must each provide their own airfare and raise funds for the project. “It demands a lot of trust on everyone’s part. It’s not just about putting it on Facebook and telling all your friends about it; it’s a total commitment. You are not going to change anything just by taking photos.”

Once in the village, the team is hands-on. “People can’t believe we have come thousands of kilometres to help, and they are so appreciative. We go there to work together, and we get respect wherever we go. Yes, we may be going to dangerous places, but once we are in a village helping, we couldn’t be safer. Probably the most dangerous things are the snakes and the illness.”

Another hazard is burn-out. Just ask his wife (who must have the patience of a saint) about the toll on their personal life. After working virtually 24 hours, seven days a week, he is now “making a conscious effort to take a break on Sundays, and to turn off the computer at 6.30pm.

HOW TO HELP Check out www.orphfund.org to see what works for you. There is a range of gifts with a difference, and information about getting involved. Enquire about joining OrphFund’s next project, or tailoring one to suit you and your friends.

A new range of volunteer opportunities now exist for you to be a part of OrphFund’s important work, contact Steve on orphfund@gmail.com

OrphFund’s success is growing, and the organisation adheres to its mission of directing 100% of funds to the orphans. “Ideally, I want OrphFund to become an example of the way a big charity should be run. I’ve gone into the whole thing in the dark: there’s no course I’ve done, it’s just been common sense and a lot of passion, and belief that you can change things. If you have success in getting one child off the streets and into school, then that’s brilliant.”

Steve isn’t sure what inspired him to take on this challenge.

“We’ve only got one chance at life, and I just want to make sure I’ve led a life that has made an impact. If you can pull someone out of hardship, it’s a brilliant thing to do. I send out emails pleading for support and asking people to sponsor a child. I’m not always successful, but I know that if I could teleport those people there and let them listen to that child’s story, if they had a heart, they would help.”

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artistprofile

with fire Most artists use paint. Robert Barron paints with fire. With dirt.

With ores and oxides … and even with salt. His hand-thrown, wood-fired stoneware graces collections in Canada and Italy as well as across Australia. words sue webster photos warren reed This Gippsland potter forms shapes from dirt-white clay and then, twice a year, he subjects those artworks to temperatures that soar into four figures.

In the process, the kiln-firing transforms mute, beigecoloured shapes into things of surpassing loveliness, each with an individual story, each a stand-alone statement of creativity.

But perhaps Robert’s magnum opus is not the treasury of pots and statues that emerges from his hands, but his wood-fired kiln. Nestled into a tree-lined valley sandwiched into a moist fold of South Gippsland called Kardella, the kiln emerges from the earth like some organic thing. There is a haphazard beauty to the hand-built 1000 cubic feet, five-chambered brick structure measuring 14 metres in length and 3 metres in height and width.

Its foundations go down 1.5 metres into the rock beneath. It is one of Australia’s largest wood-fired kilns.

Actually, it looks like a Gothic-inspired mausoleum, or maybe a Neolithic burial chamber, complete with arches. A bit Heath Robinson, a blend of bush carpentry and careful brickwork – it’s a very deceptive piece of engineering. Stilled and dark, it looks more like catacombs than a hotbed of creativity. But twice a year, fuelled by a load of cut timbers, it bursts into action as a massive furnace, burning at about 1300 degrees and fusing the silica, melting the wood ash.

It’s a big event, involving not only Robert’s two sons Nick, 12, and Ben, 14, but guests – often from overseas - keen to learn the art of the woodfired kiln. In the world of pottery, his atelier is an international hub and Robert, 53, a world-leader in the technique. The wood-firing technique is a heady mix of science, art and happenstance. And the kiln becomes “a place to explore the richness of surface

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texture, carbon trap and the fluid melting of wood ash,” he says. ”What a wonderful place to find oneself.”

Robert was always going to be a potter, like his mother. “When my brother Graham and I were kids, Mum would be potting and we’d build little woodfired kilns,” he said. The family hailed initially from the UK: his father worked for a firm of London architects and his mother was learning the art of pottery (“she was fascinated by it”). She was hungry for adventure so, in 1964, the family emigrated. They settled near Croydon, close to the heady home-grown arts and crafts movement. There were local galleries, the Potter’s Cottage at Warrandyte and later on, the Melbourne Meat Market Craft Centre. “Through that upbringing I realised that almost anything is possible...”

But Robert was not settled. School was not a good fit, and he found solace in surfing. He saw Midget Farrelly in action. “And it was ‘Wow’: I want to do that!”

Soon he was putting his practical skills to the new passion. “When I was in my teens I made my own boards and was selling them through the Trading Post,” he says. It wasn’t his only source of income.

He had started potting full-time at Croydon in 1976.

The pots he created were earning enough to allow him to travel, initially to NZ in his late teens and then to North America, England, Europe, and South Korea.

Admittedly it was rudimentary and cheap travel – eating ‘bugger all’ for days at a time … or possum … and battling appendicitis on the road. While in the UK he visited Michael Cardew in Cornwall, a luminary in the pottery panoply. He was also engaged as an apprentice at Cornwall Bridge Pottery, Connecticut, and was a regular at many workshops, art schools, galleries, and museums. “It all combined – travel, pots and surfing. My life has been a complete mix.”>

Through that upbringing I realised that almost anything is possible. coast 73

‘A PICTURE PAINTS

A THOUSAND WORDS’ In Melbourne

On Phillip Island

Toorak Manor Accommodation

The Coachman Motel Accommodation

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Relaxing Peaceful Warm and Friendly 03 5952 1098

artistprofile

Returning to Australia in 1984, he decided to establish his own pottery.

His requirement was exact - a slope to encourage the updraft needed to fuel the kiln. And the price had to be right. Early investigations showed that the Mornington Peninsula was going to be too pricey. A wander through South Gippsland found him admiring a 4.5-acre block that included a flattened area of road reserve snaking up a steep valley.

“It’s called the Gooseneck,” said the estate agent. “That could be the name for your pottery!” It stuck. And it travelled. The day I visited Robert he was chatting with a touring Canadian couple. They had been drawn there by the Gooseneck reputation and left with some purchases.

“Establishing Gooseneck was the direct response to ten years of potting, five years of travel, an apprenticeship in the US and travel to many countries researching kilns … plus surfing and skiing,” He recalls. “Gooseneck was the next step: it was the culmination of this experience.”

Nowadays Robert and his US-born trainee Jen Halli hand-throw pots in the quiet, tree-shrouded calm of the snug little studio. Inspiration comes from many sources. Home is Inverloch and Robert says that walks on the beach often give him ideas for shapes and forms. The creative germ is elusive to trace. “It’s more physical than Zen. The pot’s shape reveals itself to you.”

He believes his kiln itself could be adding to the blend. “Over the last 20 years some of its wonderful secrets have been explored, but there are still many more locked inside the brickwork, waiting to be revealed,” he said.

“It is, without doubt, an exciting, confounding, exhilarating, frustrating and wonderful journey.”

Kiln Opening and Christmas Exhibition Hand-thrown wood-fired stoneware from the recent firing.

Demonstrations, wine and cheese.

Sat 11 and Sun 12 December 60 Kardella-Fairbank Rd.Kardella (Via Korumburra) Call 5655 2405

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Summer Road Trip loch to foster

I’m going up the country, where water tastes like wine… They say it’s the journey that is important, not the destination. With this in mind, we hopped in the car to sample some of the coast’s wondrous hinterland towns and all the little gems along the way, beep beep!

coast summer road trip

Loch to foster ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS Drive

A week of sunning yourself at the beach is just paradise, but you may be looking for an adventure once you shake the sand out of your cossie. The sky is blue and the sun is shining. Jump in the car and discover this great coastline. We take a ride from Loch to Foster and discover all the little treasures along the way. Make sure you fill up your tank at Evans Petroleum BP Service Stations at Fish Creek, Korumburra & Leongatha, p. 192 for this picturesque journey.

Stay

Break the drive and stay at any of the gorgeous locations along the way. www.promcountry.com.au has this drive covered with many places to stay.

Book online today and receive a free petrol voucher, see p. 192

Edney’s Leongatha will get you driving with the latest Hyundai vehicles

South Gippsland Info Centres along the way will give you the lowdown on where to stay, what to see and more, p. 193

TOTAL TRIP 144km (2 ½ hours) coast 76

coast summer road trip

Loch We begin our road trip in the tiny township of Loch. The town is easily accessed from the South Gippsland Highway or you can wind your way through the hills from Grantville. If you go this way, you’ll pass through the tiny hamlets of Kernot, with a famed general store that does mean yabbie pies, and Krowera, which is notable for its production of quality olive oils.

Traffic used to hurtle right through Loch until the South Gippsland Highway was diverted away from the town. Now it’s a tiny swerve

off the main road. This quaint village is a relaxing destination filled with fascinating shops where you can easily while away the hours.

Antiques, collectables and more await you as well as a fab op shop and quality dining options such as The Gilded Lily and Hard Loch Café.

• Loch Village is a classic country town with a twist of galleries, cafes, antiques and more, p. 78 • Krowera Olive Grove closeby to Loch hand picks their olives to produce extra virgin olive oil with aromatic fruity flavours and a mild peppery finish, p. 187.

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Visit Loch Village Nestled amongst the rolling green Gippsland hills, Loch village is a picturesque country town where time doesn't matter.

Gourmet cafes, classy restaurant, quirky curios, local wines, antique emporiums and galleries.

Stay for an afternoon or a weekend.

loch.org.au Loch.indd 1

South Gippsland Antique Centre South Gippsland Antique Centre Open Weekends & Public Holidays 7 Mine Road, Korumburra, Vic. 3950 Ph: 5655 2605 M: 0414 523 461

Specialising in fine quality furniture & decorative arts at affordable prices

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Tyabb Antique Centre Tyabb Antique Centre Open Thurs-Sun & Public Holidays 10am–5pm 1527 Frankston Flinders Rd, Tyabb, Vic 3913 Ph: 5977 4245

tyabbantiquecentre.com.au

Loch - Korumburra 14km, about 15 minutes

Back in the car and onto South Gippy Highway – the gateway to Gippsland’s attractions and an important thoroughfare for farmers and the community as a whole. Enjoy the lush rolling hills all around as you wend your way to Korumburra, in the foothills of the Strzelecki Ranges. Picture-perfect, ‘the Burra’ was built on the back of black coal in the late 1800s before becoming a dairying town. The happy cows love the green grass, which grows luxuriantly due to the area’s rich soils and plentiful rainfall. The dairy tradition continues today and is an important part of the town - milk, cream, yoghurt and cheese are produced in the town’s large dairy factory.

The wide main street is lined with shops, cafes and businesses that service the large farming community in the surrounding hills. Back in the car, and just through town is the charming little village of Coal Creek. This attraction brings to life the history of the area, with original

houses and buildings set in a village-type atmosphere. The site is also home to the Visitor Information Centre where you can get local info on the town and surrounding areas.

• Heather’s Craft, Wool and Café. Quirky gifts & homewares, local crafts & delicious food. Open until 6pm, p. 190.

• Coal Creek has a large collection of artifacts housed in the many heritage buildings in a village-like setting. Buy some hand made sweets in the General Store, ride the bush tramway, dine in the Pig n Whistle Café by the lake or simply enjoy our 30 acres of natural bush surrounds, p. 80.

• South Gippsland Info Centres. Get all the info you need from their three centres at Korumburra (Coal Creek), Leongatha & Foster, p. 193.

• Cafe Swiss is Korumburra’s newest café with excellent coffee, p. 80.

• Sth Gipps. Antique Centre has a wide range of quality antiques, p.78.

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Community Park & Museum

Visitor Information

Centre & Community Gallery, Shops, rides and treats

Regular Events

Monthly Farmers Market, Ghost tours, Education Programmes

Yearly Events

Halloween Party, Easter Egg Hunt, Pirates Day, Literary Festival

pack picnic lunch for an affordable family day out.

Open Thursday to Monday, 10.00AM to 4.30PM 7 Days during Victorian School Holidays South Gippsland Highway, Korumburra 5655 1811

Available for Weddings, Corporate Events

FREE ENTRY www.coalcreekvillage.com.au

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Food influenced by Ticino, the Italian region of beautiful Switzerland.Serving breakfast, lunch and fresh cakes with Chicco D’oro coffee.

26/11/10 5:31 PM

Enjoy a cosy atmosphere, background music and friendly service at reasonable prices. Exciting specials changing daily.

Open 9am - 4pm Daily Closed Monday & Tuesday 17 Mine Road, Korumburra 3920 p. 5655 1747 www.cafeswiss.com.au

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coast summer road trip

Loch

Melbourne

Korumburra Leongatha San Remo & Phillip Island Koonwarra Meeniyan Wonthaggi

Inverloch Foster

Fish Creek

Wilsons Prom

Korumburra – Leongatha 14.4km, about 20 minutes After a relaxing stop in the Burra, it’s back in the car to travel the 14 kilometres to Leongatha. This is a lovely part of the drive where some remnant forest spreads down to the roadside. You will pass through green rolling hills with classic old farmhouses as well as the blood-red soils of market gardens. Don’t blink and miss the turnoff to Kardella. This rural destination is just a few kilometres off the highway and boasts a showcase of artistic talent including the galleries of Robert Barron’s Gooseneck Pottery and Angela Newberry.

The highway winds its way through Leongatha, which bares its wares on Bair and Mc Cartin Sts and beyond. Heritage buildings such as the Post Office, Courthouse and Mechanics’ Institute cement this town’s place in history while many of the stylish shops and cafes move it firmly into the present. Dairying is the key industry and the large Murray Goulburn Dairy (Devondale) factory lies just to the north, providing employment for surrounding regions. There is a wide range of shops and services on offer so take the time to have

a coffee, shop for a new summer wardrobe, or browse the stunning jewellery of Denis Hawkins.

If I weren’t driving, I’d stop and sample a length of the Great Southern Rail Trail that starts at Leongatha. You can walk, ride or cycle the 53-kilometre trail to Foster that follows the line of the Great Southern Railway and passes through some spectacular country with tantalising views over Wilson’s Promontory.

At a glance:

−− Jean Depot has all the latest looks and fashions, p. 60. −− Gooseneck Pottery, just before Leongatha is worth a stop, p.100. −− Denis Hawkins creates traditional and contemporary pieces, p.82 −− Edney’s Leongatha will get you driving with the latest Nissan and Hyundai vehicles. They also offer finance, used vehicles, parts and service, p. 84. −− So! Me offers a memorable shopping experience, p.70. −− Angela Newberry Studio 15 km from Leongatha towards Mirboo Nth is open by appointment p. 184..

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Artisan and seller of Traditional & Contemporary Jewellery

LEONGATHA STUDIO & SHOWROOM 3 Lyon Street, Leongatha | Tel. (03) 5662 3142 www.denisahawkins.com.au | denisa10@bigpond.com

KOONWARRA STUDIO & GALLERY 11 Swan Road, Koonwarra Village | Mob 0428 685 282.

Koonwarra Day Spa Mid-way between Phillip Island & the Prom.

Only 20 minutes from Inverloch.

Foodstore & Emporium Excellent expresso coffee, scrumptious farmers style breakfasts, divine lunches & devonshire teas Gippsland produce, wines, cheese & hampers Unique garden, homeware & furnishings Specialty gifts & beautiful books Designer clothing & exclusive accessories

• Couples treatments available • Pamper packages & gift vouchers available

Open 9–5 daily • Fully licensed • BYO

9 Koala Drive Koonwarra www.koonwarraspa.com.au Ph: 03 5664 2332

Koonwarra Village, South Gippsland Hwy Ph. 03 5664 2285 email. store@koonwarrastore.com.au

Bookings are essential.

Open Mon to Sat. Closed Sun., public holidays & Mon. off peak.

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Leongatha – Koonwarra 8km, about 7 minutes

Just a hop, skip and jump from Leongatha is the intriguing hamlet of Koonwarra. This village has been a part of the Gippsland farming community for over 100 years, and has now transformed into a contemporary mecca for sustainable living. Originally discovered by anti-nuclear campaigner Helen Caldicott and co in the 1990s, Koonwarra has evolved into a bustling cluster of sustainable and highly principled businesses. It’s well worth a visit to enjoy some local fare at the renowned Koonwarra Store, or linger in the galleries and emporiums of ethical and organic wares. There’s an organic cooking school, sustainable communities centre and day spa amidst a strong community vibe to enjoy.

At a glance:

−− Koonwarra Store. This foodstore and Emporium is open every day for excellent coffee, sumptuous farmer’s-style breakfasts, divine lunches and take away treats, p. 82 Koonwarra Day Spa is a relaxed day spa offering pampering and therapeutic treatments, p. 82 −− Denis Hawkins Gallery – unique artworks from this talented craftsman, p. 82 −− Don’t miss ‘Sculpture in the Vineyard’ exhibition to be held in the grounds of Lyrebird Hill Winery in Koonwarra from 18 Dec – 30 Jan, p.112

Koonwarra – Meeniyan 9km, about 8 minutes

Now it’s just a short motor down to Meeniyan, but take care – the road is winding and requires concentration here. As you approach the town, a bridge takes you across the flood plains of the Tarwin River. The highway continues on and divides through this lovely country town.

The main street is lined with shops, galleries and more. Many of the buildings still bear traces of the town’s transformation into ‘Rainbow’s End’ in the ABC television series ‘Bed of Roses’. The show was filmed in and around the towns of Meeniyan and nearby Foster, and portrayed life in the fictional town of Rainbow’s End. Meeniyan is a boutique artisan’s town. In this tiny country village, you can browse galleries of quality art and jewellery, and there are also craftwares, fine food and produce. The charming town hall was rebuilt after it was destroyed by fire in 1939. Inside echo the sounds of such greats as Martha Wainwright, Angus and Julia Stone, and Paul Kelly, who have all performed at the famous music nights hosted here by the local Lyrebird Arts Council.

At a glance:

−− Lacy Jewellery Studio & Gallery – A unique gem in the heart of Meeniyan. Breathtaking designs for all occasions, p.6 −− Moo’s at Meeniyan – Stop in for coffee, provisions or a divine meal bursting with local produce, p.189.

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• Celia Rosser Gallery celebrating three years • Wonderful gifts, great coffee, delicious cake and fresh, light lunches • Stunning gallery space showcasing Celia Rosser’s acclaimed banksia botanical paintings.

Open Friday through Monday 10am to 4pm Promontory Road Fish Creek VIC 3959 Tel. +61 3 5683 2628 www.celiarossergallery.com.au

1 Roughead Street, Leongatha VIC 3953 T 5662 2327 F 5662 2642 E edney@dcsi.net.au W www.edneysleongatha.com.au

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coast summer road trip

Meeniyan – Fish Creek (via Buffalo) 17.6km, about 20 minutes

From Meeniyan, hang a right and travel to Fish Creek through more green Gippsland hills that are dotted with even more happy cows.

Another quintessential dairying town, this rural gem is now the haven of artists who have re-inspired the flagging main street with galleries, bookstores, cafes and workshops. The fish theme carries through the streets in the form of murals and handcrafted metal seats – as you pass the imposing art deco pub, look up and you’ll see a large fish marooned on the roof. You can easily while away some hours chatting with the talented artists, admiring their work and making a purchase or two.

It’s also nice to sit in the park and just soak up the tranquillity before getting back into the car.

At a glance:

−− Gecko Studio Gallery showcases original artworks with monthly exhibitions and specializes in custom framing and art supplies, p.86 −− Ride the Wild Goat is the brainchild of Andrew McPherson who crafts timbers and metal objects in his on-site workshop, p.86 −− Celia Rosser Gallery. View the world-renowned botanical artworks of Celia Rosser and works by other noted artists at this stylish gallery with café and gift shop, p.84 −− Just down the road at Sandy Point Café you’ll get burgers and fish & chips the way you remember with a good dose of salty sea air! p.189.

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g estudio c kgallery o

15 Falls Road Fish Creek 03 5683 2481 0423 721 593 0421 209 878

monthly exhibitions of contemporary artwork | art materials | picture framing email: framing@geckostudiogallery.com.au www.geckostudiogallery.com.au opening times thurs-mon 10am-5pm

Kerry Spokes & Michael Lester

fish creek galleries

7 days mid December to the end of January

furniture, objects and paintings created on site original pieces and occasional exhibitions by selected artists

andrew mcpherson gallery workshop 5 Falls Road, Fish Creek T 56832661 M 0417370596 E andrew@ridethewildgoat.com.au W ridethewildgoat.com.au hours 10:30-4:30 friday-monday

Gippsland free-range beef raised as nature intended

Driving from Loch to Foster is driving through Gippsland Natural country.

Gippsland Natural Meats is a producer-owned company aiming to promote natural grass-fed, free-range beef, raised without the use of hormonal growth promotants or antibiotics on lush pastures of the Gippsland region of Victoria.

Gippsland Natural Beef & Enviromeat (Australia’s first environmentally certified beef), are flavoursome products underpinned with the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) tenderness guarantee. A level of quality that is helping them find a niche in leading gourmet butchers, cafes, pubs & fine dining restaurants.

For more information, venues & local outlets visit www.gippslandnatural.com.au Local Farmers Markets: Inverloch, Venus Bay & Churchill Island

39 Main Street Foster ph: 5682 2410 CoastSummer2010.indd 1

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coast summer road trip

Fish Creek – Foster 14km, about 15 minutes

From Fish Creek to Foster is an ascending journey through Gippsland farming country with occasional glimpses across to Wilson’s Prom. You literally descend into the town, which was founded when gold was discovered there in the 1870s. It’s now the hub for surrounding rural and coastal areas such as Wilson’s Promontory, Corner Inlet and Waratah Bay. Originally known as Stockyard Creek, the town boasts cafes, supermarkets, bakeries, a pub and services along with a plant nursery, gift and bookshops and homewares. There’s a swimming pool, lawn bowls club and golf course. The thriving community is showcased at the community gallery and through the Prom Coast Seachange Festival held in April. You can view Foster’s largest goldmine, the Victory Mine, on Hayes Walk which starts in town just behind the carpark. There’s an historical museum in the old post office, and Pearl Park, on the banks of Stockyard Creek, has large, shady trees and is perfect for a lie in the sun before you jump back behind the wheel.

Foster – Loch along the South Gippsland Highway - 67.3km, about an hour

After such a meandering journey, you’ll probably want to head back as directly as possible. The simplest route is straight back along the South Gippsland Highway. You’ll pass the famous Stony Creek Racecourse between Foster and Meeniyan, then it’s a simple matter of retracing your steps back to Loch or beyond…

At a glance:

−− Main Street Revelations has an eclectic mix of new-age products and unique jewellery and clothing, p. 190. −− Essential Body Basics specialises in hair and beauty and indulgent spa treatments, p. 186 −− Gippsland Natural Meats is natural grass-fed, free-range beef. Look for it at farmers markets along the drive & Foster gourmet butcher p.86 −− Stockyard Gallery is a community gallery with permanent and changing exhibitions and gifts, p. 184.

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whatscool on the coast this summer

stay at the big wave Phillip Island’s newest place to stay, The Island Accommodation is stylish, affordable, ecofriendly accommodation with a laid-back coastal vibe. And did we mention affordable?

Choose from private studio suites, double, twin, family rooms and multi-share options.

Call 5956 6123

manyung now at sorrento ‘The place where art lives’, Manyung Gallery in Mt Eliza is one of Victoria’s oldest and largest contemporary art spaces, showcasing the very best of Australian paintings and sculpture. Browse over 200 affordable artworks with exhibitions changing monthly. The licensed restaurant ‘Boyz@ Manyung’ completes the experience. 113a Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento.

keep that cup!

Janine Daddo

location, location, location!

In Australia, disposable paper cups account for over 5,500 tonnes of landfill each year. Don’t let your daily coffee cost the earth. Get hip and purchase a Keep Cup. This is the world’s best reusable coffee cup, approved by baristas and compatible with professional coffee machines. Designed and made in Melbourne by two exbaristas: grab yours from Red Elk, 27 A’Beckett St, Inverloch.

Small $12.50/Large $14.50

who gives a haircut?!

They do! This cool team of talented hairdressers offers creative coastal cuts with friendly local service.

Shop J, 10 A’Beckett St, Inverloch Call 5674 1780 114-116 Jupiter Blvd, Venus Bay, Call 5663 7566

Alex Scott and Staff have expanded to a bigger and better location. Same superior service, now with a location to match.

See the big red building, cnr round-about 113 Thompson Ave Cowes. 5952 2633 coast 88

art from the city to the sea

Manyung Gallery Group Make a day of your quest for beautiful, affordable art and follow Manyung Gallery’s Port Phillip Gallery Trail that spans from Malvern to Portsea.

The original Manyung Gallery was established in Mt Eliza in 1968 and is one of Victoria’s oldest and largest contemporary art spaces, showcasing the very best of Australian paintings and sculpture.

Today, the Manyung Gallery Group has stylish exhibition spaces in Malvern, Mt Eliza, Portsea and now Sorrento, so you are sure to find original works to complement your home or office.

Selecting the right piece of art can be confusing. Gallery owners David and Sharyn Wemyss-Smith suggest that their website is a good place to start. Manyung’s site allows you to browse thousands of images that convey the works of outstanding artists so you can get a feel for the artists you like. Then it’s time to hop in the car, visit the galleries to have a chat and view the works on show.

manyung ..

.

port phillip

galleries trail

An inspiring collection of affordable art

• Portsea • Sorrento • Mt Eliza • Malvern ... make a weekend of it !

You can then take artworks home on an obligation-free trial to see how they work in your living or office space. The Group also offers a free mobile gallery service and in-home advice on how to decorate with original, quality paintings and sculpture.

Open until late 7 days except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

manyunggallery.com.au Manyung at Sorrento 113a Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento Mel Ref 157 A8

Manyung Gallery 1408 Nepean Hwy, Mount Eliza Mel Ref 105 E5

Portsea Art Gallery 3752 Point Nepean Road, Portsea Mel Ref 156 F2

Glenferrie Road Contemporary Art 248 Glenferrie Road Malvern Mel Ref 59 C8

Licensed café adjoining Manyung Mt Eliza: Plan for a lunch or breakfast stop Licensed restaurants also at: Portsea (Portsea Produce adjoins gallery) and Malvern (with Matchless onsite)

In-home gallery service: Choose works from any of our four galleries, and we’ll bring them to your home for a trial period

(03) 9787 2953

manyunggallery.com.au coast 89

M U S I C F O R YO U R F E E T !

MO CD E SES D A E C FRE W SHO ILDA E V I L T. K IN S

More than your typical “Wedding Band”!

Young and funky professionals with sounds from Top 40, Classic Rock & Funk, 80s, Swing, Jazz and More...

Call 0438 301 313 or visit www.bakerboysband.com.au Email: bakerboysband@gmail.com

Who Gives a Haircut

Creative coastal cuts with friendly local service Body waxing, eyelash and eyebrow tinting

Come in & meet the team: Dee Truscio, Michael Chizzoniti, Leesha Dacey, Kara Hedley, Gabrielle Drinkwater, Ashlee Bendall & Marlina Chizzoniti

Venus Bay

Shop 3, 114–116 Jupiter Blvd Ph. 5663 7566 Email. whogivesahaircut@oracletelecom.net.au

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InverLoch

Shop J, 10 A’Beckett Street Ph. 5674 1780 Email. whogivesahaircut2@oracletelecom.net.au

global beats

Afro

Celt Sound System Described as energising, inspiring and spiritually uplifting, Afro Celt Sound System are a synthesis of world beats and a show not to be missed. words sally o’neill photos © womad

Iarla O Lionair’s stellar career started with his musical family. Growing up in West Cork, Ireland in the 1960s, music was part of everyday life.

“People were still using music as a form of communication, singing together around the kitchen and calling in late at night to tell stories through song,” says Iarla.

Each of his 12 family members could sing, but Iarla was always known as ‘the singer’. “By the time I was six or seven I was being asked to sing on radio and things like that. I don’t know how,” he explains in his lilting accent. “I got a little bit of special treatment and, by the time I was a teenager, I knew I was a singer and I’ve been lucky enough to carry on believing that.”

Without ever having a formal lesson, Iarla’s training came from the folk choir in his home village. “We sang in church in the Gaelic language, the choir was very formative,” recalls Iarla who felt a little outcast when he went to school and had to learn to speak English, as he had only known Gaelic at home. It was this upbringing that formed one of the world’s unique folk singers and why musicians of all genres want to work with him. “People ask me to do things because I sound a certain way, because of who I am and where I came from. I’m a synthesis of my background and the person I am.”

His most successful collaboration with Afro Celt Sound System happened “largely by accident.” A “huge fan” of Peter Gabriel, he wrote him a letter and was invited to record at ‘Real World’ studios. “The key people he wanted me to meet were the members of Afro Celt Sound System. I spent most of my time with them. It felt really good. Then the album came out and people started asking us to perform live, so we had to kind of step up. That’s how it happened, just like that. There was no plan.”

Afro Celt Sound System beats it up with traditional styles originating from villages in West Ireland and West Africa. Geographically worlds apart, Iarla sees similarities between his Irish village and the Ghanaian villages of his fellow band members. “There’s a huge difference between the Ireland of today and Ghana. But when I was growing up, there were horses; no machines and we used simple things to work the land. That is very close to the experience of my friends from Ghana. Only recently has Ireland change and fragmented these traditions. I could relate immediately to these guys and I know for a fact that they felt the same about me.”

Their music is unique and exhilarating. “When we are playing, audiences go through a lot of conflicting feelings, they feel exhilarated, tranced out, blissed out, but also very emotional. I see people crying with joy, it’s really extraordinary that they would have that complex of feelings. That’s how our music affects people.”

Iarla sees festivals as: “modern reconstructions of the village concert, of that singing around the heart, where people let their guard down and go into a state of sharing music together.” It’s also a bonus for the performers. “Being on stage is a privileged place to be. When I got up on stage at Womad in England this year, my hand was shaking, and I’ve been on the road a long time. I could already feel what the concert was going to be and it was fabulous. I’m so lucky to be the transit point for all those feelings. I wouldn’t even call it work! The work is the travelling and waiting and missing your family and friends.

Being on stage is not work - it’s an experience.”

Afro Celt Sound Experience will appear at 2011 Womadelaide along with Angus and Julia Stone and hundreds of other global sounds, art and experiences at Adelaide’s Botanic Park- between Fri 11 & Mon 14 March, 2011. womadelaide.com.au coast 91

shop taste indulge at mt eliza

taste

indulge

This summer treat yourself to the quintessential girls day out

Photo Jackie Jones

shop

Mt Eliza Way, Mt Eliza, Vic 3930

www.mtelizavillage.com.au

e:lucinda@mtelizavillage.com

New Sensational

Summer Cocktails

now available in the bar 7 days - Local Wine by the glass - Mornington Peninsula Brewery beer on tap - Tapas & share plates to nibble

Lunch | Dinner | Drinks | Fully Licensed | 7 Days 34 Mt Eliza Way Mt Eliza Ph: 03 9787 0200 www.verde.com.au coast 92

shop taste indulge at mt eliza

Forty9 Fine Foods

Belle Cose

Truffle Hunter

Canadian Bay Hotel

Feel like taking home delicious freshly prepared homestyle food rather than the usual fast food options? Introducing the new Forty9 Fine Food & Catering who will satisfy any craving. Their yummy food is also available for functions & parties. Try something different and discover another favourite.

Belle Cose means Beautiful Things and this is what you will find. Stocking a huge array of exclusive fashion labels, as well as handbags, hats, accessories and outrageously unique jewellery sourced from reputable artisans of their trade. Visit Belinda’s boutique and browse what’s new in fashion for Summer.

Allow your pure personality to show with fashion to suit your personal style for any occasion.

Truffle Hunter stock a range of beautiful and delicate evening wear through to vintage inspired and quirky everyday wear and accessories to match. Their resident stylist will help you create your unique look from head to toe.

The perfect place to drink with friends, enjoy a meal with the family, or have a romantic dinner for two. Introducing a new summer menu, tapas selection and wine list to tickle your tastebuds while you soak up the relaxed and friendly atmosphere.

A function room is also available for all your special celebrations.

49 Mt Eliza Way 9787 3356

84 Mt Eliza Way 9787 2259

58 Mt Eliza Way 9787 5019

35 Ranelagh Drive 9775 2331 www.canadianbay.com.au

Eliza Interiors

Breathless Parfumerie

Femtique

Knapps

Innovative furniture & interiors with individuality. Eliza Interiors is a gem for all your home decorating, gifts, and furnishing needs. Proudly manufacturing custom furniture from their own local factory, they also specialise in reupholstery, curtains, blinds & shutters. Seek advice from their resident Interior Design professional and create a space that reflects your personality.

At Breathless Parfumerie you will find well known designer perfumes and also a wonderful range of exotic perfumes you may not know, but will long to try. Browse through the beautiful collection of handbags, jewelery from all corners of the world, gorgeous scarves, sleepwear, body products and great gifts.

Enjoy the ambience of an era long gone.

A family owned and operated business, Eileen, Jane, Lisa & Pamela are there to assist all your fashion & accessory needs with fabulous clothing, nightwear, shoes, handbags & jewellery.

Stocking sizes from 10 to 24 Femtique will make you look and feel fantastic with a great range of well known labels.

Relax and enjoy a great coffee made from fresh Melbourne roasted beans. Why not take some beans home and enjoy the same great taste? (Grinding is free!!) Another of the many specialties is the huge variety of handmade chocolates as well as the finest imported and local confectionery.

114B Mt Eliza Way 9775 3244 www.elizainteriors.com.au

90 Mt Eliza Way 9775 2675

114 Mt Eliza Way 9787 6119

40 Ranelagh Drive 9787 3377

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a wondrous place where art + culture meet 1

4

Australia’s leading Sculpture Park and Gallery set in 16 hectares of serene bushland, lakes and landscaped gardens in Langwarrin, 4 kms east of Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula. Entry by gold coin donation.

ADDRESS : 390 McClelland Drive Langwarrin, Victoria 3910 Australia.

PHONE : +61 3 9789 1671 FAX : +61 3 9789 1610

OPENING HOURS : Tues to Sun : 10am - 5pm Closed on Mondays and some Public Holidays.

McCLELLAND GALLERY CAFE : Tues to Sun : 10am - 4:30pm Book for a meal or function on +61 3 9789 1671

info@mcclellandgallery.com www.mcclellandgallery.com

Artwork Key: 1. Roman Liebach Wharf spears 2005; 2. Lisa Roet White ape 2005; 3. John Kelly Alien 2006; 4. Teisutis Zikaras Untitled (GPO) 1964; 5. Simeon Nelson Pollinator phenotype 2001 (detail); 6. Phil Price Grace 2007

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Summer needs no introduction. It is the season to be merry, be lazy, get moving, try new things, explore new horizons and take in more than one sunset. It’s the season to indulge with friends and get amongst it with all the events, markets and festivals on offer. Welcome to summer on the coast‌

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summer on the coast

Jetty Triangle, Cowes, Phillip Island VIC

For information contact Anne-Marie Emanuele T: 03 5952 1131 M: 0419 560 293 or visit cowesnightmarket.org.au

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Summer on the coast events, markets & festivals Inverloch Food & Wine Festival

Cowes Night Market

Greenheart Organics

The picturesque Inverloch foreshore forms the backdrop for a relaxing day of fine food, wine and music. Enjoy the culinary delights and fine wines of Inverloch and the surrounding region.

Melbourne food icon Caterina Borsato will host cooking demonstrations by local chefs, and interviews with food and wine producers.

Sat 5 March 2011

The Cowes foreshore comes alive with awardwinning provincial wines, culinary flavours from around the globe, original handcrafted art and collectables. A great place to relax and unwind with family and friends to the energetic sounds of local musicians. 5-9pm 8 & 22 Jan, 19 Feb, 12 Mar & 2 Apr 2011 -

Learn how to go green and live healthy with workshops held Saturday afternoons during January in Inverloch, see ad page 184

18th Annual Inverloch Jazz Festival Enjoy over 75 bands across all styles of jazz in venues around Inverloch at this communityrun festival. Kicking off on Friday evening, there will be a Grand Parade, picnic in the park and jazz, jazz and more jazz all weekend!

Fri 11 - Mon 14 Mar 2011

Pyramid Rock Festival Get your tix for one of summer’s hottest festivals. Now in its seventh year, the festival runs over three days and two nights on Phillip Island. With an awesome lineup featuring The Temper Trap, Arrested Development, Gyroscope, Xavier Rudd, tix are selling fast! For your chance to win a double, full-festival pass, see page 14. 30 Dec 2010 - 1 Jan 2011

Art & Soul Festival In 2011, this popular and hip community festival will move to the grounds of the Year 9 Environmental Centre at Newhaven College with Phillip Island’s most stunning bay views.

Enjoy 50 art stalls, international chainsaw artists, rhythm, soul and blues music, kids’ entertainment, workshops and a wide variety of local gourmet food and wine.

Sat 19 Mar 2011

Kongwak Market Now a well-established tradition, Kongwak is an eclectic mix of old and new with live music, delicious food and fab coffee!

Every Sunday from 10am.

(Note closed Sun 19 Dec, re-open Sun 26 Dec)

Phillip Island Vineyard Over the summer months Phillip Island Vineyard runs music and theatre events on Saturdays on the wide green lawns in front of the cellar door. Keep a watch on the website for dates and artists.

Koonwarra Store Convivial Lunches The team at Koonwarra Store loves beautiful fresh food and wants to spread their passion for good quality, natural ingredients. To achieve this, they are hosting regular ‘Convivial Lunches’ to celebrate the region’s excellent food and wines and to encourage awareness of diverse, fresh local ingredients. Guest speakers, intelligent conversation and fine win Grab some friends and book in today!

Valentine’s Day

Spread the love and celebrate with your loved one at RACV Inverloch Resort. Enjoy a sumptuous Valentine’s Table d’Hôte menu starting with that all-important glass of sparkling. Inverloch Resort, Bistro, 12, 13 & 14 Feb 2011

New Year Cheer at Archies Bring in 2011 in style at Archies On The Creek.

The VR Room and Sports Bar will be jumping with the sounds of ‘Lionyl Loves Vinyl’. Entry is $20 and includes one house beverage, or spoil yourself to a set 6-course menu at $99 per person and get into the party free!

Longest Lunch Phillip Island Phillip Island producers will come together at Rhyll Trout & Bush Tucker Farm with a menu you can’t pass up. Picture our long table surrounded by tranquil eucalypt woodland, with a lunch of freshly-caught rainbow trout, the best quality beef, award-winning cheeses and just-picked indigenous herbs and spices and fab local wines. Fri 4 Mar 2011

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summer on the coast

CHERYL PETERSEN GALLERIES

Over 200 Artworks on display - Life drawing Classes and Painting Lessons

Available for Commission Work Shop 7/8 Edward St Somerville

cheryl.petersen@bigpond.com

5977 8724

0408 833 260

www.cherylpetersengalleries.com

Open 7 days Mon 9:30am-9pm Tues, Wed, Fri 9:30am-6pm Thurs 9:30am-9pm

Sat & Sun 9’30am-5pm

OAK HILL COMMUNITY GALLERY Oak Hill Community Arts Co-operative is a not-for-profit organization run by volunteers. We offer the public and art lovers alike the opportunity to appreciate a wide variety of styles from the traditional to contemporary, the conventional to the absurd. The gallery exhibits works by professional and up-andcoming artists with exhibitions held on a monthly basis. Our aim is to encourage and host new moves of art while continuing to embrace and respect the ancestry of art. A charming tree-lined country path meanders through the expansive grounds of Oak Hill and the rose gardens, past the working artist studios and onto the MPRG - Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery. Well worth a visit.

Oak Hill Gallery, on the Civic Reserve adjacent to The Mornington Regional Art Gallery & the Mornington Rose Garden.

100 Mornington Tyabb Rd, Mornington . www.oakhillgallery.com.au . ph 03 5973 4299

All Welcome open Tuesday-Sunday inclusive from 11am-4pm email. art@oakhillgallery.com.au coast 98

Summer on the coast artists, galleries & workshops Visit

Art Happenings

Anita Stepano-Ross Artist’s Studio By appointment, p. 36

All galleries across the coast have changing exhibitions, so check their websites and our arts & events guide on page 20 for details.

Arty Farty Gallery Vibrant art and sculpture, p. 183 Celia Rosser Gallery Showcasing botanical art, p. 84 Cheryl Petersen Galleries Over 200 works on display, p. 98 Denis A. Hawkins Art and sculpture at Koonwarra Village, p. 82 Gecko Studio Gallery Materials, framing & monthly exhibitions, p. 86 Goldsmiths Gallery Unique jewellery designs, p. 112 Gooseneck Pottery Hand-thrown, wood-fired stoneware p. 100 Island Influence Gallery Works by Josephine Allen & Russell Kent, p 183 Manyung Gallery Group Four great locations, p.89 McClelland Gallery Australia’s leading sculpture Park, p. 94 Mingara Gallery Paintings, sculpture & indigenous art, p. 57 Mosaics by the Bay By appointment, p. 101 Oak Hill Gallery Works by professional and up-and-coming artists p. 98 Saraghi Art Space @ Café Lugano Expect the unexpected, p 184.

Shearwater Studio Colourful paintings & sculpture. By appointment, p. 183 Stockyard Gallery Regular and changing exhibitions, open 7 days, p. 184

Sculpture in the Vineyard View the work of 19 talented artists in the relaxing surroundings of Lyrebird Hill Winery, Koonwarra-Inverloch Rd. Life Aquatic Stockyard Gallery Foster presents a small works art competition and exhibition 20 Jan – 22 Feb. Music at Banksia Gallery Fine music, gourmet food and wine. Check the website for January dates www.celiarossergallery.com.au About Abstract - Mingara Gallery invites you to come and meet abstract artist Gerald Lubensky. This recognised American artist will speak about his work at the opening on Sun 12 Dec and the exhibition will run until 8 Jan.

Workshops & Classes Arty Farty Gallery – Sian shares her talent with laughterfilled classes in sculpture and mosaic design.

Cheryl Petersen Galleries – Life drawing classes and painting lessons for all ages.

Goldsmiths Gallery – Weekend and weekday workshops – learn to make glass beads, wax casting, jewellery making and more.

Mosaics By the Bay – Mosaic classes, lunch and wine!

Island Influence

In Winter this year we featured Phillip Island artists Russell Kent and Josephine Allen, and we had many queries about where to view their work. Their ‘Island Influence’ gallery is open by appointment. Please call 5956 8594

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Robert Barron, Gooseneck Pottery, 60 Kardella - Fairbank Rd. Kardella. (via Korumburra) 3951 (03) 5655 2405 www.gooseneckpottery.com.au

Cowes Arcade Simply@home new shop!

Beach Rd Rhyll

Jewellery

Chatters Quality Fashion

Homewares

Fashion

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Beemo Eclectic Treasures

&Â More

Cowes Arcade 34-38 Thompson Ave Cowes

a day spa for your

creative

soul

We sent Taylor (our intrepid sales manager) to unearth her creative side & she discovered that a little bit of mosaic works wonders for your stress levels…

Being part of the Coast team is fabulous, but it does have its hectic moments. So, I’m taking some time out to do a mosaic workshop.

Scheduling it two weeks before we print the magazine seemed like a crazy idea, but it turned out to be the best thing I could have done.

Heather Fahnle’s workshops are designed for all ability levels, and the experienced artist put me at ease, then set me to work on my first mosaic creation. Having the luxury of thinking of nothing else and focusing on something colourful and creative made all my stress literally disappear! Now I know why Heather is such a calming joy to be around.

During the full-day workshop, Heather spoiled us with lunch and drinks (even a vino if we were so inclined). She also dished up constant assistance and plenty of laughs. Heather is a qualified artist

with a great ability to help guide your ideas (or lack of ) towards a piece of art you can be immensely proud of.

My fellow workshopper, Jill, was a hoot, and it seemed very apt that she named her very first mosaic owl ‘Hooters’! As a mum of four who decided to take the time to replenish herself, she found mosaicing very therapeutic, claiming “it had instantly changed her life”.

The hardest part of the day was saying goodbye and walking to my car and back to reality. Soon participants in extended courses won’t even have to leave the property, as Heather is currently building a B&B next to the studio, enabling her guests to relax and spend the whole weekend basking in inspiration and massaging their souls with creativity.

To find out more log onto www.heather fahnle.com.au

Heather

Fahnle

MOSAIC ARTIST

M O S A I C S B Y T H E B AY

Mosaic workshops include material, lunch, wine & laughter Mosaic workshops

•

Commissions

•

Studio visits by appointment

www. fahnle.com.au email. heather@fahnle.com.au

mob. 0417 562 625

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summer on the coast The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory the sweetest attraction on Phillip Island

Retail • Cafe • Tours

Home of Pannys Amazing World of Chocolate, a unique, interactive & educational celebration of all things chocolate.

• Daily buffet lunch from 12 to 3 • Hot Chocolate made with real chocolate • Choc dipped frozen bananas

Phillip Island Chocolate Factory, 930 Phillip Island Rd, Newhaven phone 5956 6600 web www.phillipislandchocolatefactory.com.au

The Rhyll Trout & Bush Tucker Farm…

Naturally spectacular.

Try your luck fishing in the Trophy Lake, or the indoor Rainforest Pool. Our friendly staff will show you how to get the most out of your visit to the farm.

Meander through our new Bush Tucker Trails. Enjoy coffee and cake or lunch in our heritage style café. Our chef will even cook your catch!

36 Rhyll-Newhaven Rd, Rhyll, Phillip Island.

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Ph. 03 5956 9255

info@rhylltroutandbushtucker.com.au

www.rhylltroutandbushtucker.com.au

Summer on the coast summer attractions Phillip Island Nature Parks – a great summer destination!

Coal Creek Community Park & Museum

Phillip Island Nature Parks, home to the world-famous Penguin Parade, is a fantastic summer attraction for all ages! Pick up the 3-Park Pass, which gives entry to the Penguin Parade, the historic Churchill Island Heritage Farm and the unique Koala Conservation Centre.

Walk through time at Coal Creek. This replica village with original buildings has a large collection of fascinating artefacts. Stroll through the natural bush, ride the tramway, buy some handmade sweets. Enjoy the visitor centre, General Store and relax in the Pig N’Whistle Café.

Regular markets and events held on the grounds. Free Entry!

Phillip Island Chocolate Factory This award-winning attraction is an experience unlike anything you’ve ever visited before. It’s a celebration of all things chocolate. Naturally, there is more chocolate than you can dream of, but also other delectable treats such as choc-dipped bananas, rocky road, ginger and honey. Panny’s Amazing World of Chocolate is an interactive experience of all things chocolate and Panny’s Café sells the most amazing meals, drinks and snacks, all with a chocolate theme!

Rhyll Trout and Bush Tucker Farm A place where you can learn to catch rainbow trout both indoors at the Rainforest Pool or outside surrounded by native wetlands. Have your catch prepared by a chef or enjoy coffee, cake and bush tucker options in the café. Wander the Bush Tucker Trail, which winds through four hectares of native food crops and bush gardens.

Phillip Island Nature Parks

Rhyll Trout & Bush Tucker Farm

Coal Creek

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Your invitation to:

World’s Longest Lunch Friday 4 March 2011, 12 noon–4pm Rhyll Trout and Bush Tucker Farm 36 Rhyll-Newhaven Road, Rhyll, Phillip Island $115 per person Phillip Island producers will come together with a menu you can’t pass by. Picture our long table surrounded by tranquil eucalypt woodland, with a lunch of freshly caught rainbow trout, the best quality beef, award-winning cheeses and just-picked indigenous herbs and spices. To accompany this splendid feast, wines from local vineyards Purple Hen, Phillip Island and Silverwater.

Featuring chefs from: • Harry’s on the Esplanade • Spice Island • The Foreshore Restaurant • Infused Restaurant Phone 1300 366 422 coast 104

www.visitphillipisland.com

Summer on the coast Amaze’N Things Test your senses of logic and fun at A Maze’N Things. This attraction is all about fun and it’s for all ages, not just kids! Spend a day immersed in illusions, mazes, stimulating puzzles, illusions and memory tests. Then relax in the café or indulge in the lolly shop and ice creamery. Come and get lost with us at Phillip Island’s most fun attraction!

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Get your heart pumping at the world-famous Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit. Test your speed on the all-new suite of Swiss Hutless Go-Karts on the 760-metre scale replica track, or go for broke and whiz around the real circuit in a GT3 Porsche with an experienced driver on the ultimate Hot Lap. You can also take a Guided Circuit Tour, browse the History of Motorsport display or just relax in the café.

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit

The Island Accommodation Phillip Island

Stay Visitor Info Bass Coast Info Centres The local team offers a full range of services including accommodation bookings and attraction info. p. 113 Sth Gippsland Tourism Association. p. 193 Promcountry.com.au Over 90 places to stay in Gippsland. p.192

Quest Apartments Luxury and two great locations in the heart of Cowes, p.58

Across the Moors Luxurious accommodation for couples in the heart of Silverleaves, Phillip Island. p. 183

Silverwater Resort Enjoy your stay with bay views and all resort facilities. There’s even a Kid’s Club! p. 13

Coachman Motel Minutes from Cowes,The Coachman has a range of accommodation from motel rooms to self-contained apartments. p.

74 Their Melbourne property, Toorak Manor is an elegant Boutique Hotel in a gracious nineteenth century Victorian mansion set in an enchanting garden p. 74

The Island Accommodation Get into the ‘Island-vibe’ at Phillip Island’s newest eco-friendly facility. Meet new people and enjoy a community atmosphere – perfect for the whole family at the right price, p. 46

RACV Inverloch Resort This eco-friendly resort is the perfect base for a family holiday in a spectacular setting, p. 10

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Water on

the

summer on the coast

ove!

words geoff russell photos taylor hammond & lightseeker photography

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Coming to an event near you… Drink up and perform at your best, stay well hydrated at no cost thanks to Westernport Water and the Hydration Station.

What is the Hydration Station?

The hydration station is a concept new to Westernport Water that brings drinking water to an event near you. The mobile trailer is transportable and suitable for a wide range of events from cycling, running and beach events to school fetes, community festivals, and shows.

‘Your visitors will appreciate the convenience and availability of free water to keep hydrated and refreshed’ commented Managing Director Murray Jackson.

‘The hydration station is so versatile it can be connected to most areas that receive drinking water. Mains connection is preferred however it even has the capacity to be connected to a water tanker for those remote destinations’.

Westernport Water supporting the community Westernport Water enjoys supporting the community and its environment. If you believe our Hydration Station could be a positive addition to your next event, please submit your booking application for consideration against our sponsorship criteria.

‘It’s fantastic to be able to add value to our community through the use of our Hydration Station’. said Murray Jackson. ‘We have provided water at the Kids are Family Festival and the San Remo Fishing Village festival, several bookings lined up include the Australian Surfing Titles, Bass Coast Summer Series, and various other community based events. Crowds will be able to get a drink or refill their bottles using the Hydration Station’.

Hosting a Public Event?

Cool your crowds with the Hydration Station!

The Hydration station features include: • 6 drinking fountains • 8 tap outlets for filling bottles • 2 large stainless steel troughs on both sides of the trailer Check out our website for more details www.westernportwater.com.au

Booking information?

For booking application forms and more information about Westernport Water’s Hydration Station and our work in the community please call our Customer Service team on

Why water is the drink of choice this summer!

Free call 1300 720 711 www.westernportwater.com.au

How much fluid do I need?

Water loss needs to be replaced! Experts say we need to drink six to eight glasses of at least 150ml each a day – if you are physically active or exposed to warm and hot conditions, you will have to alter your consumption accordingly.

(Medical Information supplied by Deakin University

through www.betterhealthchannel.com.au )

Run Your Body on Water!

Look your best! prevent dehydration, classic signs of dehydration include dry cracked lips, flushed skin, slow responses, weakness, nausea and headaches - just like a hangover, these are some of the symptoms that can occur when the water content of the body is too low.

Replenish your fluids

Water loss in mature adults is about 2.5 – 3 litres per day. The elderly lose less with about 2litres. Hot weather, active lifestyles, exercise and partying could all contribute to greater loss.

Water content in food…

With a balanced diet the body obtains up to half its water needs from the food you consume alone. The digestion process also contributes as it produces water as a bi-product.

Help the environment and save!

It’s safe and responsible. Re-fill your bottles straight from the local drinking water supply and save. Reduce the effects of bottled water on the environment and keep countless plastic bottles out of land fills. Every bottle of water you buy and discard ends up in landfill, not to mention the energy wasted from bottle manufacturing and processing. Plus there is no pollution from transportation of bottled water to your event as it’s already flowing through the pipes.

‘Save the environment and your guest’s hip pocket’. Managing Director of Westernport Water explains the maths ‘For the average cost of a manufactured 600ml bottle of water you could buy 1700 litres of tap water’.

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summer on the coast

There’s no magic to running one of Phillip Island’s top attractions, and there’s no smoke and mirrors – just plain old-fashioned hard work – and good planning… words sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

Geoff Moed is the man behind Phillip Island’s A Maze’N Things attraction, but ask Geoff and he’ll tell you different. “The ‘man’ behind the maze is Sandy,” says Geoff straight off as we meet. But Sandy is not a man at all, rather Geoff ’s long-term partner who happens to be a leggy blonde female.

He and Sandy met in Melbourne when they and were both working in the recreation industry. “I went overseas and Sandy took over my swimming lessons. When I came back we went sailboarding together one day and have never been apart since,” says Geoff.

Geoff was searching for an alternative career after having a disagreement with his boss (“Local government philosophically cannot run real commercial operations well,” he explains.) He and Sandy took a trip to New Zealand in 1985 and found themselves at an attraction called ‘Puzzling World’. “I had no interest in puzzles at all; I just went for the in-laws,” says Geoff. “I went out to the car and waited and watched: there were people going in and coming out, and I could see that the experience generated a real reaction. I thought, ‘This is good; people would pay to have this experience. We could operate something similar in Australia.”

They returned to Phillip Island and selected the Koala World Caravan Park as the perfect site. “I had some money saved and came to the island to buy it, but missed out. We negotiated for months for another site, but that also fell through. We thought that if we couldn’t do it here, we’d do it somewhere else.” They opened a maze on the Bellarine Peninsula near Geelong. “We were really happy, because on the first day we took $700 and thought we had it made!” recalls Geoff.

He and Sandy were working full-time as well as running the business.

Geoff had another disagreement with his employer and resigned to become a full time “Maze Man”. During a quiet winter period in 1990, his thoughts kept coming back to Phillip Island. “I rang real estate agent Cath Rogan and said I was interested in Koala World Caravan Park. She said, ‘It’s up for auction in two weeks with another agent’ and hung up - that was Cath all over!” Geoff laughs.

They did a quick feasibility study and partnered with Sandy’s brother and sister. “We didn’t have the capital to go solo.” Six people were at

the auction. They were the highest bidders at $320 000. “It was passed in, we got it, signed all the papers and went out to seek finance. We got 14 knockbacks and had many sleepless nights thinking we’d lose the deposit and more. Interest rates got up to 22%.”

They secured finance and then set about fixing up the run down site. “There was a caravan park and small entertainment centre with pinball machines and a big picture of Boy George on the wall! I remember on the board it said ‘6-square A/C house’ and Sandy (who was pregnant at the time) said, ‘At least it’s got air conditioning’. Then we found out it meant cement sheeting! For the first week we slept on top of the pool table in the recreation hall, then we graduated into the one cabin on the property.”

They opened the maze on Boxing Day 1991 and had 25 000 visitors in their first year. “Phillip Island was a different place then - the nearest shopping was an hour away at Cranbourne. I remember driving into Cowes in the middle of July and seeing five cars in the street and thinking – gee, it’s going to be a busy day!” he recalls.

Since those humble beginnings, Geoff and Sandy have worked tirelessly to build a popular attraction that has grown from one maze to a complete experience of puzzles, mini golf, café and boutique shops such as a lolly store, ice creamery and chocolate café. Over 105,000 people now pay to go to A Maze’N Things each year. “Sandy is really strong on the day-to-day things. I’m sort of the ‘new project’ type of person: I have an idea, get it up and running and then move on to something else,” admits Geoff.

His approach to business? “The customer is not always right, but they must leave happy,” says Geoff. “If you provide cleanliness, friendliness and service, you have a chance to create a good business. If not, then you may as well go home and save yourself the hard work.”

“Many people are not sure what our attraction is all about when they arrive, but they leave smiling.” And it’s not just for kids. Geoff assures me that adults love it just as much – sometimes even more. When he poses for photos in the ‘flooded room’, his cheeky grin makes me think he’s still just a big kid himself. And I’m sure he has a little more imagination that he lets on…

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summer on the coast

SUNDAY

from 10 am - in all weather LIVE MUSIC FROM 11AM Closed Sunday 19th December The market re-opens Boxing Day Sunday 26th December Open every Sunday during summer

j

Twilight Market Wed 12th Jan 4pm–8pm Korumburra-Wonthaggi road, Kongwak Call Jane for more info 0417 142 478 Kongwak Market is a smoke free event

PIMG

Phillip Island Medical Group

Your trusted health professionals team Phillip Island Medical Group – Cowes 164 Thompson Avenue 5951 1800 8:45am- 5.30pm weekdays 9am-12pm Saturdays 10am-12 noon Sundays After hours GP clinic 6.30pm – 10 pm on weekdays 4.00pm – 10pm Sat, Sun and public holidays

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Phillip Island Medical Group – San Remo 123 Marine Parade 5678 5402 8.45am- 12.45pm weekdays 1.45pm-5.30pm weekdays Closed Saturday, Sunday and public holidays

After hours locum: 132 660

www.pimg.com.au

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summer on the coast

j j

j words sally oneill photo christina prochazka

promotional feature

j

You don’t need to travel to Fiji to get the benefits of a Kids’ Club - there’s one right here at Phillip Island’s Silverwater Resort.

When Sarah Bell started work at Silverwater Resort she knew right away how she could contribute. “There was no kids’ program,” says Sarah. Her experience in running Kids’ Clubs for Club Med in New Caledonia and Bali had made her well aware of their benefits – both for parents and kids. “It’s so nice to give parents a few hours’ break,” she says.

“We started small, and now it’s a proper program.” For a small joining fee, each child receives a fun-pack and can participate in as many activities as they like. Silverwater is Victoria’s only resort with a Kids’ Club, and the response has been overwhelming. “We offer a secure environment, but kids are left at the parents’ own risk,” says Sarah. And, on any given day during school holidays, you’ll hear squeals of delight from kids having a ball while their parents sip a latte in the café or read the paper in the sun.

The list of activities that kids can be involved in is extensive and heaps of fun. “Every morning there’s a 1.5 hour activity with titles like ‘Make a

fun for kids @ silverwater

Caterpillar’, ‘Musical Instrument Making’, ‘Pasta Pictures & Edible Jewellery’, ‘Bouncing Spiders’, ‘Pet Rocks’ and ‘Paper Plate Animals’ to name a few. And, Master Chef eat your heart out, because ‘Cooking with Chef’ is one very popular activity at Silverwater Resort!

Each afternoon the games room is open between 2-4pm so kids can sit, do some colouring-in, meet their friends or just hang out. They can then socialise with their new buddies at the Kids’ Party Night held once a week. There’s party food and party games, and then a movie while parents enjoy a night of dining in peace. “It’s all lots of fun, very casual and relaxed,” says Sarah.

Along with the Kids’ Club, Silverwater Resort offers seven hectares of resort facilities including spectacular indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis, basketball and volleyball courts, restaurant, bar and café and resort oval - and all of Phillip Island’s attractions are just a hop, skip and jump away. www.silverwaterresort.com.au

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The

oldsmith’s allery

Specialising in handcrafted Australian mementos & jewellery of the Bush and Sea. Individual jewellery created by members of the Gold & Silversmiths Guild of Australia Unique Jewellery | Commissions | Repairs | Classes | Rethreading Shop 3 - Bridgeview Arcade San Remo phone. 5678 5788

Regular Classes & Exhibitions visit:

www.goldsmithsgallery.com.au

Hosted by Lyre Bird Hill Winery

18th December – 30th January 2011

Open Daily 10am-5pm

JOHN ABERY • SIAN ADNAM • ROBERT BARRON • HELEN BRISTOL LAURIE COLLINS • PAT DALE • BOB HICKMAN • PATRICIA HILL • BARRY HILL JIM HOWSON • NICOLA HOYLE • PAUL JESSE • CHRIS JOSEPHS ANDREW KASPER • HELEN MCINNIS • MARGARET MCPHERSON JOHN MUTSAERS • ANGELA NEWBERRY • JOHN WATSON

Enjoy our special wood fired pizzas. Check on www.lyrebirdhill.com or phone us.

Platters of fine local cheese available every day. Wine tastings every day.

Lyre Bird Hill Winery 370 Inverloch-Koonwarra Road 3953

Ph.5664 3204

Artist contact Angela Newberry 5668 8213 | Margaret McPherson 54463238 coast 112

summer on the coast

30 years of information words sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

promotional feature

For over 30 years, Phillip Island Visitor Information Centre has provided visitors and locals with info about what to see and do…

It was a grand occasion in 1977 when Phillip Island opened its own Visitor Information Centre. Local architect, the late John Baird, captured the essence of Phillip Island’s landscape through the building’s coastal, rustic feel and chicory-kiln-inspired design.

Tourism on Phillip Island has changed a lot since then. There are now more attractions, a stronger focus on ecotourism, and a greater range of accommodation. Where there was previously the summer rush and winter hibernation, visitors now stream through the centre right throughout the year.

Visitor Services Officer, Janette Little, has seen a lot of changes since she started in 1996. “It was a shock to the system coming from Inverloch and starting just before the motorcycle Grand Prix,” she recalls. “The biggest change is the increase in the number of and diversity of visitors.

The annual walk-in visitation when I started was around 90,000 and last year we had nearly 150,000.”

The landmark building was upgraded in 2007 to accommodate this growing need. “The intention was to keep the core of the building and modernise it. The Community has a certain sense of ownership over the historic icon that has graced the landscape for more than 30 years, so it was important to keep that connection to the past,” says Bass Coast Shire Council’s Tourism Coordinator, Teresa Mahood. Accordingly the decision was to keep the core of the building and redevelop from there rather than tear it down and start again.

The new-look centre also has the latest technology that has made the staff and volunteers jobs much easier. Jenni McMillan, Visitor Services Team Leader, grew up on Phillip Island and started at the Centre in 2000.

She remembers writing daily takings and visitor numbers in a book and using a very basic cash register. Now all ticket sales and accommodation bookings are done using online systems. The tourism product available

in the region has also changed over the years with more tour options at the Penguin Parade as an example. “I remember sitting on the sand as a kid with a torch back in the 70s waiting for the penguins to come ashore!” says Jenni. “There’s also the new bridge and Visitor Centre at Churchill Island. I recall not being able to get onto Churchill Island due to extremely high tides.” There are also new attractions such as the expanded A Maze N’Things and the opening of the Rhyll Bush Tucker and Trout Farm and the Phillip Island Chocolate Factory.

The amount of accommodation has also steadily increased over the years. “One thing that hasn’t changed though is the type of questions we are asked,” laughs Jenni. Like: ‘What can we do here? What time do the penguins come in? Where can we stay?’ And then you get the odd ones thrown in like: ‘Do they put wind-up penguins in the water when the weather is bad?’ and ‘Where is the closest nudist beach?’

The new-look centre is open every day of the year and has a large parking area for caravans, motor homes and coaches, and picnic tables in pleasant bushland surrounds. There is also an after hours information shelter with information about accommodation, eateries, attractions, events and free visitor guides and maps.

The Accredited Centre ensures friendly staff who provide you with the full range of services you need to plan and enjoy your stay on Phillip Island and the Bass Coast. The Centre offers a free accommodation booking service, tickets for all of the local attractions (including some packaged tickets like the Phillip Island Nature Parks Three Park Pass and the new Phillip Island Experience Pass) and events including the Pyramid Rock Festival at New Year. There’s even a gift shop where you can purchase a few mementos including clothes, postcards and gifts to take home for friends and relatives. And, all under one chicory-kiln inspired roof.

www.visitbasscoast.com Wonthaggi Information Centre 73 Watt St Tel: 1300 854 334

Cowes Information Centre Cnr Thompson Ave & Church St Tel: 1300 366 422

Inverloch Information Centre 16 A’Beckett St Tel: 1300 762 433

Phillip Island Information Centre 895 Phillip Island Tourist Rd Tel: 1300 366 422

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summer on the coast

Beauty Now selling at Outer 2 Inner book in for a Skin Analysis

Wellness Cosmetic procedures that create dramatic results for younger looking skin Made in Australia & free from animal testing • Acne scarring • Pigmentation • wrinkles • Psoriasis • Sun damage • & much more

Outer 2 Inner Shop 10, Cowes Plaza 209–213 Settlement Rd Cowes | ph: 5952 6688 | mob: 0404 979 287 | email: outer2inner@waterfront.net.au

ASHLEY BROOKE HAIR DESIGN

PETER SAVAGE BARBER Phillips Island’s original Barber Shop returning after 50 years!

Quality hair design at a friendly price!

Specialising in colour, cut, bridal & styling

Wed 10pm–6pm Thurs 10am–6pm Fri 10am–6pm Sat 10–6pm Sun 11am–6pm No appointment needed

Mon 12pm–7pm Tues 10am–6pm Fri 10am–6pm Sat 9am–3pm Other times by appointment

Ph: 0401 438 399 coast 114

21 Thompson Ave Cowes

Ph: 0437 365 846

Summer on the coast summer glow Body Essence of Mornington Let your ‘beauty angels’ take care of you. Pamper yourself with a range of beauty treatments to have you looking your summer best!

Summer Skin Advice from Marianne Daniells of Body Essence of Mornington “The skin is an outer expression of your inner being. A radiant complexion is dependent on many things, one of which is an optimal skincare routine. Elemis have an array of products which can be combined to suit your individuality and your budget. Starter combination packs are available to introduce you to their range of products, being a lower cost option to get you started. They are incredibly quick and simple to work with. As Elemis products are concentrates, the smallest amount goes such a long way. Remember, a good clean surface is just as important with your skin as it is with painting a luxury vehicle. It doesn’t matter how many layers you put on the top, if the foundation is not well prepared, it will never provide the clean sleek lines you desire.”

Essential Body Basics, Foster Step inside for a complete range of beauty, day spa, massage and hairdressing services: you’ll walk out feeling relaxed, pampered and ready for Summer! Special range of quality skin care, mineral cosmetics, and beauty and hair care products.

Great advice from Nerelle Checkley from Essential Body Basics.

Professional advice should identify potential aging problems that can be addressed with products & treatments.

Sun damage combined with trans epidermal water loss are two aging factors we can do something about everyday: −− Cleanse, tone & moisturise daily to keep your skin in good condition −− Exfoliate regularly followed by a suitable mask to rejuvenate the skin −− Wear sun protection. Chemical-free mineral cosmetics are a good alternative to sun screen, contain natural sun filters plus calm sensitive skin −− Drink at least 8 glasses of water per day to re hydrate the cells & flush out damaging toxins −− Eat raw fresh fruit & vegies which nourish cells and neutralise body acidity that contibutes to inflammation −− Apply a heat protection product to your hair before drying or straightening your hair −− Nourish, protect & rehydrate your hair with a regular moisture infusion mask

Get the look!

Check out our summer fashion feature on p. 61

Important contacts to keep safe and healthy this summer: −− Amcal Chemist Cowes 24 Thompson Ave, Cowes Call 5952 2061 – Open 7 days. −− San Remo Pharmacy 123 Marine Parade, San Remo Call 5678 520 Phillip Island Medical Group Cowes Call 5951 1800 San Remo Call 5678 5402 After Hours Locum Service 132 660 (local call) Wonthaggi Hospital Call 5671 3333 Ambulance Ring 000

Out 2 Inner

Step into a harmonious, tranquil environment and leave your daily cares behind. Gia and her team will spoil you and take away all your stress! Book in for a skin analysis - Gia now stocks ‘skinstitut’ serious skin care products for younger looking skin.

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summer on the coast

Welcome to YMCA Bass Coast Leisure Facilities Phillip Island Leisure Centre 10-14 Church Street, Cowes, 3922

• Vacation Care

Phone: 5952 2811 Fax: 5952 2078 Email: phillipisland@ymca.org.au

• Squash • Skate Park • Teen Gym • Basketball • Mixed Netball • Pilates

www.basscoast.ymca.org.au

Explore the Prom and beyond this Summer

2 The Esplanade Inverloch, VIC 3996 Ph: 03 5674 1502 Em: sales@inverlochmarine.com.au coast 116

J D0576

• Health Group • Group Fitness classes • Personal Training • Multi-purpose Stadium • Spa and Sauna

• Spin Cycle classes

Summer on the coast health & fitness

Islantis Surfboards & Phillip Island Paddle and Surf School Just over the bridge on Phillip Island, Islantis stocks everything a surfer needs. From beginner Mini-Mals to high performance shortboards for the serious surf addict, wetsuits, wax, clothes and more. You can also book in for a surfing lesson or learn stand-up paddleboarding from the experts. If you want to stay on dry land, hire a bike from the friendly team and start exploring!

Inverloch Marine For family fun in the sun this summer, get into Inverloch Marine and check out the exciting range of Yamaha Waverunners. The friendly sales staff and Yamaha Certified Technicians can make your summer holiday one to remember. Inverloch Marine also offers a good range of wakeboards, water skis and water-sports equipment.

Bass Coast Summer Series Don’t just stand on the sidelines - challenge yourself to join one of Bass Coast’s popular summer events. Open to all ages and abilities, you can train to be first across the finish line or just be happy to complete the course while your friends and family cheer you on! −− Cape Paterson Aquathon (Biathlon) Sunday 16 January −− Surf & Sand Fun Run Saturday 22 January −− Anderson Inlet Swim Classic Sunday 23 January −− Cowes Classic (Biathlon) Saturday 5 February −− Phillip Island Penguin Swim Classic Sunday 6 February −− San Remo Channel Challenge (Biathlon) Saturday 19 February

Summer Fitness Crossover Cycles This summer, exchange the car for a bike from the great range at Crossover Cycles. They also stock all the accessories to suit your summer biking lifestyle, p. 118 Join the YMCA! Bass Coast Leisure Centres include Phillip Island Leisure Centre and Wonthaggi Leisure & Aquatic Centre. There are also cool things like skate parks, massage and spas. Memberships offer great value and casual visitors are welcome at the YMCA, p. 116 Inspired by Yoga Awaken your spirit with yoga. Join Lance Schuler for a weekend workshop on Phillip Island from 7 to 9 Jan. Master classes to be held at Yoga Tree in Elsternwick on 7 Jan and Yoga Room, Mornington on 10 Jan. p. 186

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summer on the coast

We The People Sunday Colony The People Sunday Colony Bikes for allWe levels Pilgrim Avanti Trek Specialising in BMX Scott bikes Pilgrim Scott Avanti Trek + accessories.

We The People Sunday Colony • We The People • Sunday We The People Sunday Colony • Colony Pilgrim Scott Avanti Trek • Pilgrim Madd gear Scott Avanti Madd gear • Scott Pilgrim Trek • Avanti Flavor Blunt • Trek Madd gear Flavor Blunt Scooters + Accessories.

Red Red • Madd gear Flavor Blunt • Goon Madd gear • Flavor Madd gear Red Sunday Colony • Blunt The People We • Red Flavor Blunt Flavor Blunt Pilgrim Scott Red Avanti Trek Red 118 Graham Street Wonthaggi ph: 5672 2270 info@xover.com.au

www.xover.com.au

OPEN 7 DAYS Weekdays 8:30am to 6:00pm Saturday 8:30am to 5:30pm Sunday 9:00am to 5:30pm

Stockist of:

Cowes Pharmacy 24 Thompson Ave Cowes Vic 3922 Tel: 03 5952 2061 Fax: 03 5952 2499 cowes@amcal.net.au

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summer on the coast

the ride of his life

words sally o’neill photos christina prochazka

At 78 years young, Ken Shaw intends to ride 400km in 24 hours. Why? Ken puts people a third of his age to shame. That’s not his intention at all: he just takes on challenges that are questionable even for a 26 year-old. Like last year when he ran up and down Inverloch’s Shack Bay steps 50 times in 90 minutes – a few have dared to try to beat his record, none have so far. And, his latest bent – the cycle challenge…

“I was watching TV and saw an emaciated mother trying to feed her starving baby after the disastrous floods in Pakistan,” explains Ken. “I thought there are two options – I can just feel sorry for her, or get off my butt and do something.”

This glowingly-healthy septuagenarian plans to ride 400km in 24 hours around the streets of Inverloch to raise funds and awareness for charity. His training currently involves riding his bike six hours a day and night, and he covers 600km per week. “A little old lady asked me if I thought I could make it. I replied: ‘I don’t know, that’s why I’m doing it,’” says Ken, who exchanged jogging for cycling after his fourth hip replacement.

The plan is to do 40 10-kilometre laps around Inverloch in the time period. He’ll pass through town twice every half hour – and hopes to have supporters there to wave and cheer him on. Luckily, he will never be alone - many locals, including former Olympic rower Drew Ginn, will also tag along for a lap or two to keep the spirits up. The local community has been very supportive – Heath from Crossover Cycles in Wonthaggi is excited by the project and has helped Ken out with a range of gear for the big ride as well giving him his whiz-bang, carbon-fibre bike at cost price.

and nature”. Olga is always supportive of her husband’s crusades, but is tight-lipped about his next challenge. “I can’t bear to be there,” she says, acknowledging her anxiety. “I know he won’t stop until he falls off.” Ken is not concerned. He will have a nurse there to check his vital signs, and he’ll even record them on a board for spectators. “I could collapse just sitting in a chair watching TV,” justifies Ken. It’s hard to describe Ken as anything but a fitness fanatic. Ever since he ran a race in Boys’ Brigade back in England and his “legs felt like lead”, he has been running, cycling, canoeing – anything to keep fit. Since he took up cycling he’s been hit by two cars, and even that hasn’t stopped him. “I’m not like other people: I have to accept that others think differently to me. But, I just feel that everyone can do something to improve their health and fitness.”

Ken sees his challenges as more than physical: they are a journey into the unknown. “It’s like travelling to a place you’ve never been before, into those unknown parts of yourself. It’s exciting, but you can’t do it all the time. I just hope this inspires people to get out and do things, however small. There’s nothing special about me, I’m just an ordinary fellow.”

How to help:

You can help Ken to raise funds by donating at Alex Scott and Staff in A’Beckett St, Inverloch, call 5674 4514.

Ken was born in Liverpool in 1932. In 1963, he and wife Olga and their three children moved to Australia to live amongst the “green

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summer on the coast

promotional feature

summerfun? summerseries!

Being active over summer is easy with a host of running and swimming events to choose from. There are team and individual events open to all ages and abilities so why not give the Summer Series a try this holiday period.

The Summer Series consists of the Bass Coast Series of Biathlons (Cape Aquathon, Cowes Classic and San Remo Channel Challenge), Surf & Sand Fun Run and Anderson Inlet Swim Classic in Inverloch and the Phillip Island Penguin Swim Classic in Cowes.

Council’s Event Coordinator, Frank Angarane, said the events are growing in popularity. “The Summer Series events offer unique locations and challenges and they cater for all levels of fitness and ability,” explained Frank.

“Each event has its own unique aspect. For instance the San Remo challenge attracts record numbers and has a swim across to the Island and back; Cowes is a relay event giving competitors an opportunity to team up and the Cape Paterson Aquathon is the only event that has a surf beach swim.

“We’re lucky to have such a great suite of events in the Shire. People visit Bass Coast specifically to participate in one or all of these events, which is great for our region and event organisers.”

The events are key fundraisers for the Inverloch, Cape Woolamai and Cape Paterson Life Saving Clubs, the Phillip Island Football Club and many service clubs and community groups in Bass Coast.

The Series is growing in popularity with athletes from across the State, but local competitors continue to shine. “Last year, locals, Mark Rowe and Luke Plant battled it out for honours in the Senior Males categories, while Chloe Butt from San Remo won both Senior Female categories,” said Frank.

“Junior competitors like James Bennett, Alex Judd, Marnie Peterson and Krystal Davie finished in the top three of their sections.

And keeping it all in the family, Krystal’s mother Angie won the Open Female Masters section!

“There was a strong local performance in the Men’s Masters Section as well, from Thierry Rolland, Rob Fleisner and Greg Bill. From next year we hope to incorporate the run and swim events into the point scoring system, making them even more attractive,” continued Frank.

So if you’re looking for a challenge this year, then challenge yourself in the Bass Coast Summer Series. Support our surf, sporting and service clubs and have a great time in the process.

Bass Coast Summer Series Events 2011 Cape Paterson Aquathon - (Biathlon) Sunday, 16 January

As an added incentive for competitors, the Bass Coast Series of Biathlons has a points scoring system across the three events with the incentive of an additional prize. Prizes are awarded to each of the series winners in Local and Open, Male/Female, Junior/ Senior/Masters categories.

Surf & Sand Fun Run - Saturday, 22 January

“You can participate in one event, but there is a real bonus if you compete in all three,” explains Frank. “You are awarded points for participating in each event and for your finishing position. The person with the highest score in each category will win $250 prize money.”

San Remo Channel Challenge (Biathlon) - Saturday, 19 February

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Anderson Inlet Swim Classic - Sunday, 23 January Cowes Classic (Biathlon) - Saturday, 5 February Phillip Island Penguin Swim Classic - Sunday, 6 February Full details of these events and more available at

www.basscoast.vic.gov.au

summer on the coast

The threatened Hooded Plover

promotional feature

words susan davies photos phillip island nature parks

Enjoying your island environment this summer!

The lazy, hazy days of summer conjure up images of swimming, surfing, beach combing and for many folk, holidays filled with exploring the local sights and destinations – including Phillip Island Nature Parks.

Just 90 minutes drive from Melbourne, the Nature Parks is a not-forprofit organisation, responsible for 1805 hectares on Phillip Island, Victoria’s wildlife haven.

Featuring unique wildlife reserves, wetlands and breathtaking coastlines the Nature Parks is also home to some distinctly Australian ecotourism attractions including the world famous Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm and the Nobbies.

The Nature Parks also looks after the magnificent Cape Woolamai, Rhyll Inlet, Swan Lake and many other stunning Island locations – all open to the pubic to visit.

For the Nature Parks 20 Rangers however, summer is a busy time of the year – and one which is crucial in ensuring the on-going sustainability of the wildlife and environment under their care.

Senior Environment Supervisor, Ranger Jarvis Weston, has lived most of his life on the Island, is passionate about his job – and takes his responsibilities very seriously.

“It is fantastic to see so many locals and visitors enjoying Phillip Island year round, including utilising the beaches, reserves and land under our care - but it is equally important that they respect and appreciate what needs to be done to ensure the sustainability of the environment for the wildlife, including our special Little Penguins.”

The Nature Parks environmental, research and education work is funded through revenue generated by its commercial attractions. “Our year round program includes weed management, revegetation, seed collection and propagation, habitat rehabilitation and vermin control.

We also spend a great deal of time talking to school children and community groups explaining what we do, and why we do it. Basically our work never stops – but is essential,” Jarvis said.

Summer is a particularly busy time. “Often visitors, and locals, don’t realise the impact they have on the wildlife and environment – in

particular on the beaches. Very often they aren’t aware of what could be just metres away from them on a beach or path. It is important that we make them aware of the important part they play as individuals in the protection of the wildlife.”

A key summer program is the Hooded Plover Protection Program – which is crucial in ensuring the survival of the Hooded Plover on the Island. “Hooded Plovers nest in the sand on beaches – so they are wide open to predators and being disturbed by unsuspecting humans. We have been recording the Island’s Hooded Plover population for many years, and the scary facts are that in 2009/10 season, only nine chicks, out of 115 eggs, from 50 nests, managed to get to the fledgling (flying) stage. Without help, the odds are stacked pretty high against the Plovers actually reproducing and surviving.”

During the summer months, a band of Nature Parks dedicated volunteers are on the beaches where the Hooded Plovers are nesting, to gently remind visitors about the impact they might be having on the birds and their eggs.

“Generally the areas where the Plovers are nesting are roped off, with signs explaining why, but often it is really helpful to have a volunteer also be able to explain a bit more about what is going on. Hopefully it gives visitors an insight into the precious eco-system on the Island.”

Another big, and busy, part of the Ranger’s summer work is caring for injured wildlife found on the Island.

“We have the only accredited wildlife refuge on the Island, and so all injured or distressed wildlife generally end up being brought to us for care.”

“Summer is a sensational time here, and we want everyone to enjoy it, but equally we need the public’s help and understanding, in ensuring we preserve this unique environment for generations to come.”

Experience Phillip Island Nature Parks world famous attractions this summer.

To book your visit, or for more information call: 03 5951 2800 or visit:

www.penguins.org.au coast 121

words sally o’neill photos © CzechTourism.com & sally o’neill

Bohemian Rhapsody The bohemian city of Prague, capital of the Czech Republic, with its gothic spires and narrow streets captures more than your imagination. Spend one day in the romantic city of Prague and you’ll never want to leave…

I got the shock of my life as I crossed the border from Germany into the Czech Republic. Gazing dreamily out the campervan window I was jolted into reality when we passed an everyday house and saw a barely-clad lady standing in the window – and she moved and talked!!

Don’t get me wrong, I’m no prude – I just wasn’t expecting an Amsterdam Red Light District experience in that setting!

But back to the itinerary. I’m en route to Prague - a pilgrimage to the physical centre of Europe and mecca of culture, architecture, art and bohemia. A town I’ve definitely marked on my ‘to-do’ list even though I’m not really a ‘to-do list’ traveller. But Prague has captured my imagination since I first read ‘The Unbearable Lightness of Being’ – a novel by Milan Kundera about life during the turbulent times of the communist uprising in 1968.

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The Czech countryside is green and open and scattered with lovely old barns and farmhouses. I glimpse women with headscarves toiling in gardens and men gathered around trucks smoking cigarettes and talking. We’ve set the GPS (a must for self-driving in Europe) to avoid toll roads and major highways and we’ve lucked into a series of idyllic, winding country roads. We pass through a tiny village and stop to buy farm-fresh strawberries from a roadside stall. I ask the girls for a quick lesson in the essential ‘polite traveller’s words’ of ‘hello’, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ in Czech (which was known as Bohemian until the late 19th century). I write my pidgin-English interpretation on a scrap of paper and slip it into my pocket.

At the next village we stop to enjoy coffee and cake ordered using my ‘polite pocket words’ and then press on to Prague. Our clever

coasttravel

backroad route takes us to the heart of the city without a single toll.

Yes! We can’t read the road signs, so just follow the traffic flow. In the absence of any flow, we just floor it. The strategy seems to be working so far.

People say to be careful of thieves and pickpockets in Prague and that one should never park in the city proper. ‘Look for a campground near the city and take public transport from there,’ they recommend.

‘Ok, what are the chances of that?’ I wonder. But, as we near the CBD, we actually see signs for camping places and enter a street lined with them. On closer inspection, they are really people’s backyards converted to accommodate camping – perfect! We position our van on the green lawn and head eagerly into town.

The lovely hostess at our camping place recommends the tram (there’s also the underground). It arrives like clockwork and edges towards the heart of the city through crowded, colourful streets.

I step off the tram and into the heart of Prague at one of its most famous landmarks, the Charles Bridge. Already I’m in awe – the architecture, the cosmopolitan locals, the river and bridges. Across the water, the old town’s domes and spires beckon like a shimmering

mirage. It’s so picture perfect, I can hardly believe it’s real. What is the Czech word for ‘awesome’ I wonder?…

Prague is the centre of Europe physically and culturally, and has emerged relatively unscathed after thousands of years of battles, revolutions and change. Sited in a natural amphitheatre, the Vltava River flows through its centre and is crossed by no less than 17 bridges. It has been compared with many iconic cities such as Rome and Paris for its ageless architecture and feel: these comparisons have merit, but walking down a Prague street has an atmosphere all of its own – a magic. Again no Czech word in my pocket for the wonders I am witnessing.

Charles Bridge links the Old Town with what is known as ‘Lesser Town’ (don’t let the name fool you!). Already this is a city I love. An artists’ market spans the bridge and bands of local musicians busk amidst the tourist throng. Stylish locals are rushing to and from appointments, standing on a street corner discussing interior design, or meeting friends to take in a concert at one of the city’s many venues. >

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My eye is constantly tempted by glimpses down side-streets or up to the Prague Castle beyond. The castle is the largest medieval castle complex in Europe, and Prague’s premier tourist attraction. We succumb to the calling of a man dressed as a sailor who is spruiking river tours. In fact there are about ten spruiking sailors - this is a tourist town after all. We board our replica Viking boat to explore the Vltava – the longest river in the Czech Republic.

Our delightful local guide takes us along the river lined with bars and cafes and into some weirs that give a Venice-like quality to the city. I’m fascinated by the large ice-barriers on the Charles Bridge and the statue of peace that has replaced an original communist monument.

It’s hard to imagine this modern, free city during those oppressive times. As we step off the boat under the Charles Bridge, one of the sailors is playing his accordion. His fingers fly over the keys and although it’s for the tourists, he continues playing long after they all leave.

A little more orientated after the cruise, we tackle the Old City. Walking in Prague is following in the footsteps of the great - Mozart, Albert Einstein, Le Corbusier, Vladimir Ilyich Lenin and Martina Navratilova to name a few. There’s even a John Lennon wall - although the Liverpudlian never visited the town. The wall started in the 1980s when communism ruled and John Lennon was a hero to the youth who celebrated the elusive concept of freedom. No amount of whitewashing, surveillance or even the threat of prison could stop people leaving messages of peace and scrawling Beatles lyrics which remain on this monument to this very day.

The very inappropriately named ‘Lesser Town’ across the river yields many treasures like Wenceslas Square, dominated by the Czech Republic’s oldest museum, The National. Wenceslas Square was established over 600 years ago and was once the city’s horse market.

Today it’s a vibrant boulevard lined with shops, restaurants and clubs.

This square can hold up to 400 000 people and has witnessed some pivotal moments in history including marches and demonstrations like those held during the Velvet Revolution of 1989 - a citizen-led, nonviolent overthrow of the authoritarian government.

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As we leave the magical town of Prague, I know I will be back. Its beauty and magic has woven its spell and I look forward to that day. Back in the countryside, we stop at a country restaurant and stare blankly at the menu until a lovely waitress brings an English translation. At the next table, a couple sits down to lunch complete with their dog on its own seat. The waitress brings our delicious, home-cooked meals and we finish with a light-as-a-feather crepe… perfect. Yekoway.

My Polite Czech words and pronunciations (with apologies to Czech speakers the world over!)

Hello = ahoj (pron: aho) Please = prosím (pron: prossy) Thank you = děkuji (pron: yekoway) And one you may find helpful- Awesome = užasné (pron: oojoshneea)

COFFEE & PASTRIES • CAFE & BAR • DELI FRESH & LOCAL PRODUCE • WINE SALES

Growing & using our own fresh produce, only the freshest & best quality ingredients are sold & used.

105 Corinella Road Corinella Phone: 03 5678 0382

ClayPot Curry House

Sat & Sun: 8:30am–5:00pm Monday: 8:30am–3:30pm

Authentic Sri Lankan Cuisine 733 Turnbull-Woolamai Rd Woolamai

Winner of Bass Coast Super Pages Hospitality Award 2010 Opening Hours Sat: Lunch 12–2pm Dinner 6–9:30pm Sun lunch: Group bookings Open: Daily during Summer, School Holidays & Public Holidays.

Take Away available during lunch & dinner.

phone. mob. email. www.

03 9705 2370 0425 748 907 spe10437@bipond.net.au claypotcurryhouse.com.au

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where to

eat

Archies on the Creek

Cafe Chocolatte

Banksia Cafe

Claypot Curry House

81 Archies Creek Rd Archies Creek Phone 5678 7787 Unique culinary destination

Promontory Rd, Fish Creek Phone 5683 2628 Coffee, cake, light lunch and art.

Boyz@Manyung

1408 Nepean Hwy, Mt Eliza Phone 9787 7911 Fresh and tantalizing fare

Cafe Lugano

71 Thompson Avenue Cowes phone 5952 5636 9am - 3pm everyday

CafeSwiss

17 Mine Rd, Korumburra Phone 5655 1747 Korumburra’s newest café

733 Turnbull-Woolamai Rd, Woolamai Phone 9705 2370 A true curry experience

Connells Bakery

33-35 Murray St, Wonthaggi (opp Safeway) Phone 5672 1050D Delicious food & treats

Curry Leaf

Shop 9, Vista Place Cape Woolamai Phone 5956 6772 Great curries

Esplanade Hotel 1 A’Beckett St Inverloch Phone 5674 1432 Delicious meals

Carmie’s Kitchen

Grantville Pantry

Champions Cafe

Grantville TakeAway

144 Marine Pde San Remo Phone 5678 5589 Delicious homemade food

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit Back Beach Road Phone 5952 2710 Racing good food!

Chocolate Factory 930 Phillip Island Rd Newhaven, Phillip Island Phone 5956 6600 For chocolate lovers

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1805 Phillip Island Rd Phillip Island Phone 5952 2283 Hot chocolate, chocs & more

Shop 7, 1509 Bass Hwy, Grantville Phone 5678 8757 Traditional, homestyle fare.

Shop 3/4 1524 Bass Hwy, Grantville Phone 5678 8535 Service with a smile

Harry’s on the Esplanade

17 The Esplanade Cowes Phone 5952 6226 Delicious cuisine

Heathers Cafe

Moo’s @ Meeniyan

Taylors Waterfront

Infused

Nobbies Centre

The Big Wave Cafe

99 Commercial st, Korumburra Phone 5658 1987 Scrumptious meals & snacks

115 Thompson Avenue Cowes Phillip Island Phone 5952 2655 Restaurant, cafe, wine bar

89 Whitelaw St, Meeniyan Phone 5664 0010 Share the passion for local produce

Nobbies Centre, Phillip Island Phone 5951 2852 Meals & functions with ocean views

1215 Phillip Island Rd, Phillip Isl. Phone 5956 7371 Seafood with spectacular views

10-12 Phillip Island Tourist Road, Newhaven Phone 5956 6883

Kilcunda General Store

The Palms at Kaloha Cnr Steele & Chapel St Cowes Phone 5952 2236 Island’s best seafood platter

23 A’Beckett St Inverloch Phone 5674 3444 Modern Japanese

Koonwarra Store

Phillip Island Vineyard

Verde

La Provincia

Red Elk Bar & Cafe

Mad Cowes

RACV Resort

Mangowood

Rhyll Trout & Bush Tucker

Bass Hwy Kilcunda Phone 5678 7390 Beautiful food, delicious coffee

South Gippsland Hwy, Koonwarra Village Phone 5664 2285 Fine food, providore/deli & winebar

105 Corinella Rd, Corinella Phone 5678 0382 Fresh, home-style Italian

4/17 The Esplanade Cowes Phone 5952 2560 Phillip Island’s best breakfast

6 Smith St Warragul Phone 5623 2777 Gluten free fine foods

414 Berrys Beach Rd, Phillip Island Phone 5956 8465 Dine with wine & functions.

27 A’Beckett St, Inverloch Phone 5674 3264 Great coffee & delicious food

70 Cape Paterson-Inverloch Road Inverloch Phone 5674 0000 Spectacular views

36 Rhyll-Newhaven Road, Rhyll Phone 59569255 Home style meals & trout

Tomo Japanese

34 Mt Eliza Way, Mt Eliza Phone 9787 0200 Seafood, steak, modern Italian

Watermark

Phillip Island Tourist Rd, San Remo Phone 5671 9300 Contemporary dining @ Silverwater Resort

Wonthaggi Club

16 McBride Avenue Wonthaggi Phone 5672 1007 Modern menu & functions

Woolamai Pizza

2 Vista Place, Cape Woolamai Phone 5956 7000 Amazing gourmet pizzas

Manna Gum @ Broadbeach San Remo Bakehouse 5 Lindsey Close, Inverloch Phone 5674 1199 Asian curries and Australian fare

153–155 Marine Parade San Remo Phone 5678 5862 Pastries, treats & coffee

McClelland Gallery Cafe

Sandy Point Cafe

390 McClelland Dve Langwarrin Phone 9789 1671 Cafe, sculpture & functions

105 Beach Parade, Sandy Point Phone 5684 1448 Authentic fish & chips, burgers

Let’s eat!

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La Provincia is a place where you’ll find yourself chatting to fellow diners and bumping into old friends in the know.

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coast dine out

Pssssst! I’ve got a secret. You know when you find a place that’s so good you want to tell everyone about it, even though a small part of you wants to keep it all to yourself? Well, that’s La Provincia. Tucked away just off the South Gippsland Highway in the small hamlet of Corinella, you may well feel you have discovered a gem of Italy right on the doorstep of the Bass Coast … and you’d be right!

What started out 18 years ago as a modest roadside stall has transformed into a thriving produce shop, deli and bustling café/bar. Owners Gina and Benny Riccardi know how to serve up hospitality in true Italian style. From the village of Fondi in the province Latina near Rome (and yes, that is the Latina where the pasta hails from) the couple moved to Australia over 50 years ago.

Being true to their roots, they decided to buy a farm in South Gippsland to satisfy Benny’s yearning to farm the land, and fulfil Gina’s dream of bringing good, wholesome, home-made (and homegrown) produce to the people.

Customers are greeted like old friends (and most of them are) with a smile, a chat and even a hug.

It’s not hard to feel like you’ve been adopted into a warm Italian family. Daughter Marie runs the deli and serves up a mean latte, while her husband Michael heads up the kitchen, sending out delicious plates of ‘Italian-sized’ meals.

We feel lucky to have booked for Saturday lunch as the café is a hive of activity, and we are shown to the last available table. Our friendly waitress requests our drink orders, and we decide on a freshly-squeezed juice of pear, apple, ginger and lemon, and a glass of Shiraz - did I forget to mention that they also produce their own wines?

We have visited many a time to indulge in a hearty Italian breakfast, which is a treat on a lazy Sunday morning, but we had yet to sample the lunch menu. Chef Michael’s paddock-to-plate philosophy ensures the seasonal menu is fresh and full of flavour. I chose the Bruschetta D’inverno for entrée. Succulent mushrooms sit upon home-made sourdough bread with pesto, along with La Provincia’s own goats’ cheese. The combination of flavours and colours is simply scrumptious. My partner chose the Insalata D’inverno. A delicious winter salad, it is a favourite in the Latina region of Italy. Arugula (roquette), fennel, orange segments and smoked salmon are sprinkled with lemon zest and a fresh chilli oil infusion. I made a mental note to try the Antipasto Italiano and Zuppa Del Giorno (Chef’s seasonal soup of the day) on our next visit.

La Provincia is a place where you’ll find yourself chatting to fellow diners and bumping into old friends in the know. Sitting next to us were two charming ladies celebrating a birthday and over 50 years of friendship. Their generous meals arrived, and they had no end of praise for the good food and friendly service.> words maria reed photos warren reed

We discover a little piece of Italian magic in Corinella…

la Provincia Café Bar, produce and deli.

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coast dine out

Gina still makes all the preserves, pasta, pasta sauces and relishes – and all are served with a smile.

While we waited for our mains, mamma Gina came over for a chat and reminisced about the days when the small shed, aptly nicknamed ‘the cupboard’, was their outlet. While the size of the store, deli and café may have changed, the things that make them a favourite amongst locals and Melbournites alike have not. Gina still makes all the preserves, pasta, pasta sauces and relishes – and all are served with a smile. There are plans for expanding the restaurant and alfresco area, and they expect to be able to seat up to 130 guests this summer.

Lunch arrives, and I am happy to have chosen the pasta special, Linguini Nocce. The homemade pasta works beautifully with the walnut sauce – a dish created by chef Michael. Drizzled with La Provincia’s own olive oil and generous shavings of parmesan, the only complaint I have is that I cannot finish the overly generous serving.

My partner tries the Pollo Tornato, a chicken breast filled with spinach and camembert cheese, wrapped in prosciutto. The presentation is excellent, and the taste - bellissimo!

After such a large main course I needed a walk before I tackled dessert, so I wandered over to check out the produce and deli. Benny introduces me to one of their first customers, Jean. She tells me, with the cheeky grin that nannas do so well, that she keeps coming back as “the fruit and veg keep for a long time, unlike some other places . . . and for Benny’s great hugs.” Most of the produce on sale is picked the very same day. What Benny can’t grow he will source from the fresh produce markets. The deli has a mouth-watering selection of home-

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made cakes and tarts, fresh bread, cheese, meats, take home meals, yoghurt and much more.

Dessert arrives with a good strong coffee, so I make my way back to the table. The Pere Con Vino Collo - winter pears poached in a wine and vanilla sauce and served with a vanilla panna cotta - looks simply magnificent. The panna cotta is smooth and creamy, and I just love a dessert where the flecks of real vanilla bean are obvious. A truly indulgent dessert. We are full to bursting, but I keep the Cioccolata D’amore in mind for our next visit. Chocoholics beware – it’s a delicious, decadent and divine chocolate torte made with rich Belgian chocolate and served with a delicious zingy mascarpone and berry sauce. La Provincia is the closest you will get to the Mediterranean on the Bass Coast. If you are in need of some good old Italian hospitality and wonderful food – it is not to be missed.

LA PROVINCIA Fresh, home-style Italian 105 Corinella Rd, Corinella Phone 5678 0382 Open for breakfast and lunch: Sat & Sun 8.30am – 5.00pm Monday 8.30am – 3.30pm Bookings recommended so you don’t miss out!

Cnr Chapel & Steele Street Cowes

Best seafood platter in town Open Tues-Saturday evenings or anytime for private functions, Weddings & parties. Wednesday locals night all main meals on the menu $15!

Book now for Christmas Lunch

ph: (03) 5952 2236 email: wiggos_5@bigpond.com

•Enjoy healthy eating & friendly service • Low fat, low sugar, low salt products • Fructose friendly products

Now stocking gluten free bread Fresh homestyle cafe foods & ready made dinners

Catering now available Specialty old style breads, Our famous Gourmet pies & pastries, Jasper coffee & all cakes made from scratch (No pre-mixes used!)

Proprietors Paul & Roberta Smith 153 -155 Marine Parade, San Remo

Tel. 5678 5862 coast 131

Brilliant coffee Delicious fresh food Fully licensed Great Atmosphere Fabulous outdoor deck

Red Elk Bar & Cafe Open seven days for breakfast and lunch Dinner - Friday and Saturday in Winter Dinner - Wednesday to Sunday in Summer

27 A’Beckett Street Inverloch E redelk@aapt.net.au T 5674 3264

Perfect journey break

Grantville Pantry is a gorgeous venue with Grantville’s best coffee, chunky pies & friendliest team. Our modern restaurant style Cafe offers casual comfort with home-cooked and traditional foods such as scones with jam & cream, quiches, malted milkshakes and banana splits. We are liquor licensed so enjoy a bevvy with our yummy food. Let us become your home away from home.

Phone: 5678 8757 coast 132

Shop 7/1509 Bass Hwy Grantville, Victoria

(located on corner near traffic lights)

whatsnew on the coast this summer

Panny’s Phillip Island Chocolate Factory has been honoured by the State Minister for Tourism, Tim Holding, at the RACV 2010 Victorian Tourism Awards. Panny and his team were awarded both the “Minister’s Encouragement Award” and “Finalist” in the Tourist Attraction category.

infused chill bar Summer is the perfect time to hang out at the Chill Bar at Phillip Island’s renowned Infused Restaurant. Select from 18 funky beers and browse the 80+ wine list. Cruise in and have a casual drink with some nibbles in the bar, or make a night of it and move from the bar to the restaurant and spoil yourself with Pat’s summer menu - it’s fresh and brimming with stunning seasonal produce. Bon appetit!

Lunch & dinner. 115 Thompson Ave, Cowes. Call 5952 2655.

chocolate factory dinners & winners

Mt Eliza’s favourite restaurant and bar, Verde now has cocktails at Verde Bar from 5pm every day! So make every day a little bit of a holiday this summer. Nibble on tapas at the bar or enjoy dinner from the extensive menu ranging from classical Italian pastas and risottos to great steak and fresh seafood, all prepared in a new and innovative style. With one of the largest specials boards on the peninsula, there is always something new to try. 34 Mt Eliza Way, Mt Eliza Call 9787 0200.

happy hour all week

sandy point café

Relive the days of your youth at Sandy Point Café, where the burgers are just like you remember them served with an extra dash of friendly service. The range of milkshake flavours that adorns the wall is like a rainbow, and you’ll even get an update on local surf conditions – heaven! 105 Beach Parade, Sandy Point.

Call 5684 1448.

koonwarra conviviality

Moo’s now stocks local produce including Sweet Tips asparagus, Aris’ honey and Garden Farm eggs. There are also Christmas goodies like santa gingerbreads and gorgeous giftware and cookbooks. His new summer menu is packed with local produce. There’s also a feature artist and wine each month, so get on down to Moo’s: December – Artist Peter Lorkin + Mardan Hills Winery January – Pat Dempsey + Wild Dog Winery, Warragul February – Kerry Spokes + Lucinda Estate Winery, Leongatha 89 Whitelaw St, Meeniyan Call 5664 0010.

moo’s @ meeniyan

gippsland natural meats

swiss dining Carlo Vassalli (formerly of Churchill Island Café) has taken his talents to the hills – Korumburra, to be exact. His new brainchild, Café Swiss, presents fine food from Carlo’s hometown of Ticino – in the Italian region of Switzerland.

Expect awesome coffee, brekkie, lunch and delicious cakes.

17 Mine Rd, Korumburra. Open Wed –Sun.

Here’s the scoop: get down to Koonwarra Store for one of their regular Convivial Lunches or Dinners. If you are fond of feasting, drinking and good company, these are for you. These regular events celebrate the excellence of regional food and feature guest speakers and producers. For bookings and enquiries, call 5664 2285 or email store@koonwarrastore.com.au

This producer-owned company aims to promote natural grass-fed, free-range beef raised without the use of hormonal growth promotants or antibiotics on the lush pastures of the Gippsland region. Paul (pictured) and wife Sam have implemented a rigorous Environmental Management System on their farm which allows them to supply Enviromeat (Australia’s first environmentally certified beef ). It’s sold locally through farmers’ markets and the company also has suppliers who supply beef under the Gippsland Natural Beef brand, available locally through Prom Meats at Foster, Foster Foodworks and at the Flying Cow Café in Fish Creek. www.gippslandnatural.com.au

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Fantastic Sports Bar and Entertainment venue: Juke box or live music, TAB and Pool table. Thirsty Camel Bottleshop and Drive Through. Tabaret, friendly staff and great service.

Modern Bistro, open 7 days, Alfresco dining, new summer menu with seniors meals available, breakfast every Sunday 8.30 –11.30. Try our Sunday night Buffet from 6pm, a great selection of dishes to tantalise your tastebuds

aptain’s ounge coast 134

Captain’s Lounge restaurant is the newest, most beautiful restaurant in town. A sophisticated menu and elegant surrounds, you couldn’t find a more perfect place to celebrate a special occasion!

Weddings, Engagements, birthdays, conferences and an amazing dining experience.

1 A’Beckett St Inverloch

03 5674 1432

myfavouriterecipe lemon meringue pudding We sisters grew up around an abundant table. This pudding made a regular and spectacular appearance.

Our mother and grandmother were quintessential country cooks, so we developed a love of food amidst the aromas constantly billowing from the farmhouse Aga (stove). We are happy to share this recipe as a tribute to our always whistling Nanna, who lived surrounded by a halo of flour dust, and our Mum (turning 80 this year) whose culinary flair and superb presentation set her apart from most post-depression cooks.

Hope you love this pudding as much as we do - it typifies what we aim for at KGS. It’s full of flavour and it’s fabulous. It never fails to draw an exclamation of appreciation!

Delise Graham Kilcunda General Store

Ingredients

Method

(Imperial measurements, as handed down)

1.

Spread the bread crumbs into a greased pudding dish, 8 inch diameter.

Sprinkle the lemon rind over the crumbs.

Pudding

2.

8 oz breadcrumbs Rind of 2 lemons 1 ½ pints milk 2 oz butter Yolks of 4 eggs 4 oz sugar

Beat the egg yolks and sugar. Scald the milk and butter till warm, not boiling. Pour milk mixture in to egg mixture then cook slowly over double boiler until it coats the back of a spoon.

3.

Pour the custard over the breadcrumbs. Place the bowl in a bain-marie (dish of water) in a moderate oven for 30 minutes, or until set.

4.

Meanwhile, make the syrup by warming the sugar and lemon juice till dissolved. When the custard is cooked and still warm, pour the syrup over.

5.

Beat 4 egg whites till stiff peaks form. Gradually add the sugar and beat till dissolved and meringue is stiff.

6.

Spread meringue over the lemon custard. Bake in a moderate oven without bain-marie for a further 15 minutes or until golden. Serve warm with pure cream.

Syrup 3 oz sugar Juice of 2 lemons

Meringue 4 egg whites ¾ cup sugar

Note: Steps 1 to 4 can be completed ahead of time and step 5 just prior to serving.

Cafe • Home & Foodstore • Post Office

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, COFFEE & CAKE, EVERY DAY If you haven’t discovered us yet.....prepare to be surprised! beautiful products hand selected from australian designers and ethical producers world wide..... gorgeous gifts for home & holiday, arriving daily

zoe wall elk seedling telegram switch sticks sancerre nancy bird robert gordon heaven in earth ma’kaira organic two by two my favourite bear mt. buffalo olives tarrago river brancourt ferron ortiz serrat

3535 Bass Hwy Kilcunda Victoria 3995 telephone 03 5678 7390 Swtich Sticks are the newest ‘must have’ accessory on the George Bass Coastal Wallk....come in & tell us your favourite colour....and have a coffee on us! (one per person with any meal purchaased)

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summer wine Daylight saving – long warm evenings, just the shot for informal eating, salads, nibbles and the inevitable BBQs. What about the wines? words rick lacey

For complete entertainment

Some things are pretty straightforward – like matching BBQ meats with full-bodied reds. Another classic match is fresh oysters and good quality dry sparkling white, although the crisp aromatic whites also work well.

But outside the archetypal, there are plenty of interesting options. Go with what pleases, but here are a few (random) thoughts.

A common misconception is that red wine goes best with cheese. More generally, crisp whites (particularly the aromatics like Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Pinot Gris) work well across a wide range of cheeses. If you’re going for a red, a lighter-bodied red with good acidity is likely to work better than a classic Aussie style full-bodied red.

Talking of reds, don’t be afraid to use a little bit of fridge time. The best temperature for reds is about 18º - a bit cooler than most reds stored at room temperature over summer.

Specialising in quality dining, and function experiences 16 Mc Bride Ave Wonthaggi tel: 5672 1007 e: wonclub@dcsi.net.au www.wonthaggiclub.com.au coast 136

Wines that work well with food may not be those you would choose for just sitting down with a drink. Good acidity, savoury or aromatic characters often work well with food. On the other hand, big rich wine can overpower rather than complement many foods, while ‘soft’ wines with lower acidity can be lost.

Speaking of getting lost – if you’re having a wine with dessert, the wine should be sweeter than the dessert.

But the main thing is that wine is a social drink – it is best shared with friends, responsibly!

Carmie’s Kitchen

Carmie’s Kitchen

144 Marine Parade SAN REMO VIC 3925 Phone: 03 56785589 Fax: 03 56785596

Family Owned Wide range of foods Great Coffee Great local service 33–35 Murray Street Wonthaggi 3995 (opposite Safeway) ph: 5672 1050

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Island Quality Meats & Seafood

Full range of fresh meat & Seafood

Gourmet range of gluten-free & dairy-free products, Gippsland Cheese & local produce Smoke Oven Facilities and Spit Hire Available Monday - Friday 7am-5.30pm Saturday 7am-3pm (Extended hours and Sunday trading in season) 69 Thompson Avenue, Cowes 3922 Ph: 5952 2036 email:islandqualitymeats@bigpond.com

Use technology to reduce paper waste.

Make the switch to online marketing and sales.

A website is a dynamic business tool to promote your products and services around the clock to every business and household worldwide, reducing the need to print brochures.

If you rely on paper-based brochures, catalogues, newsletters, price lists or order forms, talk to Meehan Design and move your business online. Engage and educate customers, increase sales, cut down costs and reduce your impact on the environment with a website.

Electronic brochures Email newsletters Mailing lists Search engine optimisation

Product catalogues Online shopping portal Image galleries Update content instantly

Visit www.meehandesign.com.au or call (03) 9495 1265 and make the switch. coast 138

2010 mayoral ball

Bass Coast Shire Council proudly acknowledges the sponsors of the seventh annual Mayoral Charity Ball

GOLD Sponsors

this page proudly sponsored by coast magazine

ower farm

Silver Sponsors

Bronze Sponsors

Phillip Island RSL, Wonthaggi Fabrics and Beads, Carpet Call Wonthaggi, AFI Branding Solutions and Phillip Island Printers

Bass Coast Community Health Service, Beveridge Williams, Stockdale and Leggo, Wonthaggi, TS Constructions, Luscombe Colahan, Wonthaggi Recyclers, Westpac Wonthaggi and Wonthaggi Toyota

coast 139

Building homes with pride.

We supply a huge range of homes for you to choose from, our in-house drafting service can design your new home or bring in your own plans

3a A’Beckett Street Inverloch coast 140

1300 BURKE HOMES or call 03 5674 1813

www.burkehomes.com.au

Feature 2011

image Darren Brown Design

It’s a dream come true to buy, build, renovate or just re-decorate your house by the coast. Our Building, Renovating and Lifestyle feature has everything you need to achieve this goal. From planning to permission to plain old handy advice, we have it all. Dream home here we come!

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“Quality Local Builders”

Sales Claire Brewer: 0447 006 828 Clay Brewer: 0457 813 905 Email: brewerhomes@bigpond.com

RBP 24502 HIA 857-853

www.brewerhomes.com.au coast 142

building + renovation feature

Feature 2011 10 TOP BUILDING & RENO TIPS 1. Do your research, especially before you buy a property. Consider slope, zoning restrictions, aspects like rocky terrain and excessive surrounding vegetation, and climate factors such as bushfire. Talk to your council to get the answers you need to make an informed decision.

2. Orient to the north and insulate. This will ensure you are warm in winter and cool in summer and save on energy bills!

3. Consider a mixture of both open and cosy, more intimate spaces - all openplan can cause problems with noise and privacy - and use furnishings and insulation to absorb noise.

7. Keep it standard. Use standard construction techniques and materials if you want to keep costs down.

8. Measure twice and paint once. It costs nothing to measure, but paint does cost, so measure and measure again before you head to the paint store!

9. Get permission. Talk to your local council or engage a consultant to help you through the maze of permissions you need for your home project.

10. Get a professional. Often engaging the services of a professional will save you time, money and heartache in the long run. So use our guide and get going!!

4. Design for the way you live. Whether you are a couple who loves to entertain or a family of five, plan your spaces to work for you. Create a mixture of private spaces and functional family spaces.

5. Consider your external finishes carefully. Don’t rush this important decision at the end of your project. Choose products that age well and don’t go out of fashion!

6. Make the most of all your space. Every square metre costs, so ensure that you plan effectively! Can you cut back on that guest room and use the lounge area? Choose your furniture to fit your spaces well.

image Eric Van Agtmaal

Feature 2011 coast 143

✔ Sunplus Solar - Renewable Energy Specialists - Solar & Wind Power ✔ Over 15 years experience in the design, sale and implementation of the finest Solar products on todays market ✔ Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions ✔ Generous Government Incentives ✔ Get paid for the Power you provide to the grid* ✔ Professional & Prompt Installation ✔ Low Maintenance ✔ Competitively priced

Phone: 1300 007652 for more information www.sunplussolar.com.au or check out your local distributor at www.phazer.com.au * Please refer to the Feed in Tariff applicable in your State for more details. coast 144

building + renovation feature

Guide Coast Complete Building and Reno Guide Here’s THE list with all the contacts you need to get your home project started! Check the page reference for ads with further details and read about the services in our listings section…

Advice and Information

Furnishings

Bass Coast Shire Council 1300 BCOAST (226 278) basscoast.vic.gov.au Dial Before You Dig 1100 www.1100.com.au Westernport Water 1300 720 711 www.westernportwater.com.au Gippsland Building Approvals 5672 4655 p. 168 TJ Building Consultants 5657 4408 p. 154

Carpet Call 5672 1861 p. 195 Dollar Curtains & Blinds 5672 4535 p. 195 Finding the Grain 0418 355 148 p. 166 Harvey Norman Wonthaggi 5672 1490 p. 170 L&J Tuddin Antiques 5674 3982 p. 190 Nordic Designs 5672 5553 p. 57 Ready Set Grow 5952 2726 p. 160 Simply @ Home 5952 3633 p. 100 South Coast Furnishings 5952 1488 p. 156 South Gippsland 5655 2605 & Tyabb Antique Centre 5977 4245 p. 78 Southern Bazaar 0409 234 482 p. 51

Builders, Architects & Designers Beaumont Concepts 5672 5196 p. 152 Brewer Homes 0447 006 828 p. 142 Burke Homes 1300burkehomes p. 140 Coldon Homes 5672 1999 p. 154 Darren Brown Design 5672 1144 p. 148 Ecoliv 5672 5195 p. 152 Eric Van Agtmaal 5672 3590 p. 146 GJ Gardener 5952 2150 p. 148 Home Design & Construction 5678 5777 p. 29 Hotondo Homes 5674 3058 (Inverloch) 0427 700 270 (Phillip Island) p. 146 Inner Space Design 5678 5638 p. 153 Langford Jones Homes 9579 2277 p. 170 Metricon Homes 1300 METRICON p. 33 Pod Trading 0409 020 149 p. 162 Smiths Beach Constructions 0417 946 878 p. 191 Tibbits & Merrill 9429 3675 p. 191

Heating & Cooling Bass Coast Refrigeration & Air Conditioning 5672 2426 p. 166 Coastal Refrigeration & Air Conditioning 5956 6301 p. 1668

Interiors Eliza Interiors & Furnishings 9775 3244 p. 93 Invisage Interiors 5674 6247 p. 156 National Tiles 5672 3215 p. 195 PKB Tiles 5952 1999 p. 158 Woodwork Solutions 0458 520 347 p. 158

Lifestyle Options

Outdoor/Gardening Compass Pools 1300 764 270 p. 196 Island Garden Supplies 5956 7397 p. 164 Island Landscape & Design 5952 3838 p. 191 James Ross Landscape & Design 0401 669 927 p. 162 Mojo Contracting 5952 5542 p. 165 Ready Set Grow 5952 2726 p. 160 Trowelworks 0420 380 577 p. 164

Property Agents Alex Scott, Phillip Island 5952 2633 p. 173 Harcourts Mornington 5970 8000 p. 193 Home Sale, Corinella 0430 720 772 p. 193 San Remo Realty 5678 5141 p. 172 Stockdale & Leggo Wonthaggi 5672 1477 & Inverloch 5674 3977 p. 174

Solar Solutions Sunplus Solar 1300 007 652 p. 144

Trades and Hardware Supplies Bowens Hardware 5952 5633 p. 155 Loe’s Hardware 5672 1628 p. 160 Van Steensels 5678 8552 p. 191

Concreting Trowelworks 0420 380 577 p. 164

Broadbeach Inverloch 5674 6291 p. 178 Seagrove1800 616 106 p. 2 Shearwater on the Island 1300 shearwater p. 4 Whytesands 5952 2633 p. 173

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building + renovation feature Quality Designer Homes

The hunt is over for luxurious & affordable designer homes.

Fixed Price with no hidden extras Clever, flexible floorplans Quality & style from a builder you can trust Seaspray 386

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL BUILDERS

When Hotondo Homes offers so much more, why search a moment longer for the perfect luxury designer home.

Beachview 340

Hotondo Homes Inverloch 2 Ramsay Bvd, Inverloch, Vic

Edgewater 305

Killalea 301

Phone: 03 5674 3058 Email: enquiries@hotondoinverloch.com.au

AUSTRALIA’S LEADING NETWORK OF PROFESSIONAL BUILDERS

Hotondo Homes Phillip Island (Upstairs) Cnr Marine Pde & Wynne Rd, San Remo, Vic

Phone: 0427 700 270 Email: enquiries@hotondophillipisland.com.au

www.hotondo.com.au

Eric Van Agtmaal Builder a quality builder

Wonthaggi eric.vanagtmaal@bigpond.com

Eric Van Agtmaal v4.indd 1

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no job too big or small specialising in pergolas & decking

B.P No DB -U 6131

03 5672 3590 0417 584 273 24/11/10 10:36 PM

building + renovation feature

Builders Architects +Designers Imagine... beachside, tree side, countryside Imagine living life tree side, countryside or beachside. Well it’s all within reach with Metricon, building award winning homes throughout regional Victoria.

So take a drive and discover the wonderful homes on offer. Whatever your dream, Metricon can make it a reality.

Soho

Burke Homes

Coldon Homes

Metricon Homes Why Metricon is

Custom home design specialists.

Managing Director Michael Burke has earned a reputation over the past 20 years for building quality creative homes. In this time the company has acquired a substantial body of knowledge, skills and experience, and is constantly searching for new ideas and researching its most requested custom home designs.

For over 45 years Coldon has been building homes in South Gippsland. Many customers are building their second Coldon home or were recommended by family or friends.

That’s a recommendation you can trust!

Coldon offers great value for money and excellent designs that are totally adaptable to your individual needs.

home builder One of Victoria’s leading homebuilders for over years, Metricon has a vast range Visit a30 display centre in your chosen location of dream award-winning floor plans that provide 1300 METRICON flexible living options for couples & families metricon.com.au alike. They are committed to being leaders in everything they do - from customer service to outstanding new home designs, house plans & display home network. You know that when you build your new home with Metricon you are building with the best.

Brewer Homes

Home Design & Construction

Inner Space Design

With extensive experience in building new homes, renovating and extensions, you can trust that your home is in good hands and will be built with pride by Brewer.

This family company offers skilled, creative designers and builders who’ll turn your new home, extension or project into a grand design. The team includes architectural draftspeople, master builders, skilled tradespeople, interior designers and consultants. Choose from their great new pre-designed plans.

Geoff Rodda’s philosophy is to create innovative, environmentally-sensitive and sustainable buildings. An award-winning designer with over 35 years experience, he has a strong belief in listening to and meeting the needs of the client. Project areas include residential, commercial and boutique subdivisions. The initial client meeting on any project is free of charge.

Beaumont Concepts

Ecoliv Buildings

Multi Award-Winning Building Designer Beaumont Concepts deliver a unique look and create functional designs for easy living.

In every project, they try to find and apply innovative building solutions that enhance your investment with excellent design.

Winner of 2010 HIA GreenSmart National Home of the Year, Ecoliv’s prefabricated modular buildings – purpose-designed and built by award-winning building designer Beaumont Concepts – fuse creative design, environmentally-friendly building concepts & exceptional value in sustainable housing.

Victoria’s leading

TREE SIDE

BEACHSIDE

COUNTRYSIDE

Bairnsdale Flinns Rd Vic Roads: 689 M5, Ph: (03) 5152 4884

Grovedale Torquay Rd Mel Ref: 442 A9, Ph: (03) 5277 7477

Ballarat The Chase Blvd Vic Roads: 565 L6, Ph: (03) 5342 9369

Traralgon Hammersmith Circuit VicRoads 343 L5, Ph: (03) 5176 4063

Lara Eastlakes Blvd Mel Ref: 422 H7, Ph: (03) 5282 6765

Bendigo McConnachie Ct Vic Roads: 604 F5, Ph: (03) 5448 5107

Traralgon Riverslea Blvd Vic Roads: 696 D3, Ph: (03) 5174 4936

Torquay Longshore St Mel Ref: 493 H12, Ph: (03) 5261 3540

Shepparton Ashburton St Vic Roads: 672 J5, Ph: (03) 5831 7576

Yarrawonga Robinson Way Vic Roads: 34 B2, Ph: (03) 5743 1490

Warrnambool McIntyre Ct Vic Roads: 515 N2, Ph: (03) 5560 5541

Wodonga Victoria Cross Pde Vic Roads: 653 N9, Ph: (02) 6056 4213

SALES OFFICES

Geelong 191 Melbourne Rd, Ph: (03) 5277 7477 Gippsland 3/183 Franklin St, Ph: (03) 5176 0675 Inverloch 17A A’Beckett St, Ph: (03) 5674 6451 Warragul 54 Queen St, Ph: (03) 5623 3059

Eric Van Agtmaal Builder Local builder Eric Van Agtmaal’s philosophy is ‘No job too big or small’. With a solid reputation in building, he also specialises in deckings and pergolas. Call him today!

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building + renovation feature

Complete Design & Documentation Service for all residential & commercial building projects WINNER-2010 BDAV Best Environmentally Sustainable Design

www.dbdesign.com.au Darren Brown Design Pty. Ltd. 47 Graham Street, Wonthaggi, Vic 3995 Phone: (03) 5672 1144 Mobile: 0418 379 301 Email: darren@dbdesign.com.au

“Residential and Commercial Builders Bass Coast” You’ll be in good hands!

• Your design or ours?... Or something in between • 100’s of leading edge designs • No gimmicks... Get the facts up front • Soil test before quote • You choose fixtures and finishes Garry Cox is a 4th generation builder with over 35 years building and design experience.

Visit our professional team at our new display centre located on Phillip Island and ‘get the facts upfront’

1/219 Settlement Rd Cowes Vic 3922

“Get The Facts Upfront”

www.gjgardner.com.au coast 148

03 5952 2150

building + renovation feature

Builder Architects +Designers

Langford Jones Homes

Hotondo Homes

Pod Trading

This family company has been building quality affordable homes in predominantly coastal areas throughout the Mornington Peninsula and also in South Gippsland and across the Phillip Island/Bass Coast region for the past 40 years. Langford Jones has a wide variety of house plans with over 65 fabulous designs from four distinct ranges.

The company has numerous displays across the Bass Coast region.

Hotondo values customer service, builds quality homes, and has a large range of designs to choose from. They also provide upfront, fixedpriced contracts. The Phillip Island & Inverloch team aims to make building as fun, easy and stress-free as possible – all while remaining a local and independent builder.

The Pod is a unique flat-pack accommodation solution designed for a more flexible and sustainable future. The philosophy behind each and every Pod building is informed by the possible social benefits of modular, affordable housing. Significantly, the ease of construction by relatively unskilled labour, coupled with the elimination of multiple tradespeople, translates into considerable time and cost savings for customers.

Smiths Beach Constructions This team of local, top-quality tradespeople has an absolute passion for design and building. They see their relationship with their clients as the secret to their success. Every home is a unique design developed closely with the owners to suit their personal taste, style and needs.

Darren Brown Design The team at DB Design see things from their client’s point of view. They put their many years of practical design experience into shaping the initial brief into a design concept, then producing final drawings and documentation. They maximise the possibilities of each project using sustainable building methods and utilising good design philosophies, whilst providing a professional value-for-money service.

Tibbits and Merrill Architects G.J. Gardner Homes Garry Cox has a fine reputation for designing and building quality custom-built homes.This expertise extends into his leadership of the G.J. Gardner Homes team now in Bass Coast.

Garry has designed and built commercial and residential developments for the last 35 years and joined the G.J. Gardner Homes group to offer greater value and excellence in customer service. Visit the magnificent new display centre in Cowes.

Lucy Tibbits and Aaran Merrill have worked as architects in Melbourne and along Victoria’s coast for over a decade. In that time they have developed a reputation for quality service and meticulous, award-winning design. Lucy has built a house and lived parttime at Phillip Island for over ten years: she knows the area and its landscape very well.

Feel free to contact them for references, or to discuss your project. There is no charge for the first meeting.

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designs for an award-winning lifestyle

promotional feature words sally o’neill photos warren reed

For Ashley and Esme Beaumont, a passion for environmentally-friendly living definitely starts at home.

Born and raised in Wonthaggi, their childhood family homes are within a block of each other, and the two met through the local football club. The couple headed to Melbourne for university studies and work opportunities for several years before returning to raise their own family in the area they know and love.

“This area and the lifestyle are great for our family. On Christmas Day the kids can run between grandparents’ houses, and when we’re not working we can take the family to the beach. That’s one of the main reasons we came back, and we are definitely here to stay.”

The couple owns Beaumont Concepts, a growing business that has developed organically from its inception around 2000, with business ranging from renovations through to major residential and commercial projects. The seed for Ashley’s design vision was planted when he did work experience with a Wonthaggi building designer as a teenager. Many years of study and experience in a diverse range of building design fields followed before Ashley took the decision to start Beaumont Concepts. From a one-person home-based business, Beaumont Concepts continues to grow in size and reputation and now incorporates several full-time staff and display offices in Wonthaggi and Cowes.

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The business is a family affair, with Esme tackling marketing and promotion (in addition to her full-time role as mother to the couple’s three young children), while Ashley’s Dad maintains the landscape gardens at the Wonthaggi display office.

The Beaumont family home in San Remo puts into perfect practice the design and eco principles that are at the core of all Beaumont Concepts projects. Proving the success of the design, the home won the 2010 HIA Building Designer of the Year award for the South Eastern Region, and is now in line for the Victorian state award.

This accolade is added to a collection of prestigious awards that Beaumont Concepts has received, including the BDAV Residential Design Award for 2008 and 2010.

Ashley and Esme have created a stylish, modern family home that maximises the value of every area and space without losing the classic feeling of ‘home’. It is a house that not only accommodates all the needs of the young Beaumont family but also incorporates an array of eco-focused design and construction components, including solar-powered hot water, three 3,000-litre water tanks and automatic garden systems.

“In some ways, it feels like a contradiction to the eco-principle to have a two-storey house with a lot of rooms, but we use every millimetre of space. It’s a good thing to show that you can have a house that fits your lifestyle and still go green.”

A key factor in all Beaumont Concepts projects is the refinement of the principles that will educate clients and help them reduce their environmental footprint. All Beaumont projects exceed the highest industry standard of sustainability in design, construction and function. Now Ashley, inspired by local conditions and a sharp focus on sustainability in regard to precious water and other natural resources, has clarified the key ingredients of his work into a new, creative eco-building concept – ‘Ecoliv’.

The prefabricated, modular building design of Ecoliv has developed over many years and draws on a wealth of experience and research that is dedicated to green principles. It is a refinement of design, materials and construction principles that will help home owners reduce both their footprint and their running costs.

While inspired by and designed to suit this region, Ecoliv has much broader, even global applications, and enquiries are now coming from across Australia and internationally. It is certainly proof that living in a regional area is no hindrance to producing world-class, awardwinning designs and projects. The Beaumont’s lifestyle and business clearly fits the ‘think global, act local’ maxim.

“People are definitely becoming more aware. Visitors who come to the region for a holiday see the Ecoliv concept and realise that it would work for them in their own suburb. We can provide something that is unique and green, and tailored to suit the home owner’s personal needs.”

For more information visit: www.beaumontconcepts.com.au www.ecoliv.com.au

The Ecoliv homes are compact and functional with a fresh, modern design, and offer a huge range of standard inclusions and adaptations to the floorplan. A 1.62kw solar power system and 10,000-litre water tank are standard with each module, and an array of optional extras includes water-recycling systems, composting toilets, worm-farms and wind-power systems.

“There are other companies that do similar houses, but they’re based on the other side of the city. We thought this was the perfect opportunity to provide something for this side of town. We are also proud that Ecoliv won the HIA National GreenSmart Home of the year this year.”

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LOCAL AWARD WINNING DESIGNER WINNER 2010 HIA SOUTH EASTERN REGION: Building Designer of the Year for 12 Anderson St. San Remo

b.

beaumont concepts Building Design and Architectural Drafting

www.beaumontconcepts.com.au

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Wonthaggi Office & Ecoliv Display Home 53 Graham St. Wonthaggi T : (03) 5672 5196 Cowes Office Level 2, 75 Chapel St. Cowes T : (03) 5952 6868 M : 0409 933 771

building + renovation feature

reflections from a building designer …….

Thinking of building or renovating? It is important that any design solution incorporates the following principles of design: •

siting/orientation to maximise solar gain

•

effective use of flexible, multi-function spaces

•

extensive use of glazing/opening panels to connect indoor/ outdoor spaces, as well as creating visual, spatial illusion internally.

•

thermal performance of glazing to be appropriate to the location.

•

sun control through the use of fixed/adjustable horizontal and/ or vertical shading elements, such as solid panels, battens, deciduous trees.

•

thermal mass in floors and internal walls which absorb heat during the day, releasing it during the night.

•

natural heating / cooling / cross-ventilation through the use of adjustable high and low level louvres.

The design philosophy of Geoff Rodda, the award-winning building designer from Inner Space Design, results in a unique, creative, innovative solution to any challenging project. He incorporates appropriate environmental, sustainable and energy-efficient measures into the design outcome. Geoff listens to the lifestyle needs of his clients and involves them at every stage of the design process.

His fee structures are very competitive, and your initial consultation is free of charge. Contact Geoff on 0408 138 065 or groddabdav@iprimus.com.au

Inner Space Design innovative environmentally sensitive building design

6 boathaven grove, san remo 3925 tel:

03 56 785 638

fax:

03 56 785 015

mobile: 0408 138 065 email:

groddabdav@iprimus.com.au

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Local builders with 45 years experience and a reputation for quality, great value and service

Over 40 designs adaptable to your needs Onsite consultation & experienced advice Accredited energy efficient designs Sourcing local suppliers & trade experts 6 year structural guarantee

Display homes located throughout Gippsland

www.coldonhomes.com.au

56 721 999

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“Providing practical solutions to help you cut through the red tape”

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State Wide Building Permit Approvals

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Building Performance Solutions

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Commercial & Domestic Projects

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Building Inspection Service

Fast Track Building Permit Service ■

Essential Safety Measures

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S U S TA I N A B L E

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Building Surveying Consultancy Energy Efficiency Assessments

Fire Engineering Solutions

TJ B U I L D I N G C O N S U LTA N T S ACCESSIBLE

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LIFESTYLE

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Bushfire Assessments

P.O Box 128, Inverloch Vic 3996 ph: (03) 5657 4408 Fax: (03) 8678 1324 Email: info@tjbc.com.au Web: www.tjbc.com.au

building + renovation feature TJ Building Consultants This friendly local company provides the highest level of professional building surveying services. Building permits, inspections, consultancy and bushfire assessments are just a few of the specialised services on offer to deliver quality outcomes on your next residential, commercial or industrial project. www.tjbc.com.au

Advice

Gippsland Building Approvals

Country Victoria’s largest building surveying and inspection practice, Gippsland Building Approvals has been servicing Gippsland for over 16 years with offices in Wonthaggi, Warragul & Traralgon. Their wealth of knowledge makes your permit experience an easy one. All staff are registered building practitioners and have the skills & knowledge to complement your building project. Lodge your building permit application online and save precious time & money. Fast turnaround times for all services let you get on with what you do best... building! www.gbas.com.au

Bass Coast Shire Council Working in one of the fastest-growing areas in regional Victoria, the Bass Coast Shire Council Planning and Building Team is well equipped with the knowledge, advice and skills to help you with your building project. For more information contact the team on 1300 BCOAST (226 278).

Westernport Water

If there was an emergency at your home, could repair crews access your backyard quickly? Without a side drive or a drive-through garage, teams have to enter via your neighbours’ properties. And every minute of delay could mean more damage to your house and fittings. Designing a house? Westernport Water suggests a 2.5m-wide driveway or drive-through garage. Freecall 1300 720 711

Friendly local team & great service

Home delivery available

Building materials & equipment Plumbing supplies Paint service

Outdoor & beach furniture

Camping & leisure products Home & kitchen wares

Mon-Fri: 7:30am–5pm Sat: 8am–3pm Sun: 9am–2pm 83–85 Settlement Rd Cowes T: 5952 5633 E: island@bowens.com.au coast 155

building + renovation feature Flooring and blinds

155 Thompson Avenue, Cowes Ph. 03-5952 1488 Fax. 03-5952 1348 Furniture and beds

22-24 The Concourse, Cowes, Phillip Island 3922 www.southcoastfurnishings.com.au

Furniture

Homewares

Floor Coverings

interior - exterior - packages

vases - cushions - rugs

carpet - vinyl - timber

Bedding

Window Coverings

mattresses - beds - manchester

interior - exterior - motorisation

showroom/office 22a cashin st inverloch 3996 tel 03 5674 6247 • fax 03 5674 6249 email invint@bigpond.net.au • www.invisageinverloch.com

THE BEST INNOVATIVE IDEAS, EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE, & QUALITY PRODUCTS AT COMPETITIVE PRICES

Blinds & Drapes

External Awnings

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manual & motorised roller blinds & roman blinds timber, pvc & aluminium venetians timber & polyresin shutters pleated blinds panel glides

folding arm conservatory vertical roller shutters bistro blinds

Interior Design & Decoration - residential & commercial - interior & exterior concepts

no obligation free advice, measure and quotes for all your window covering needs

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Renovating +Interiors

Invisage

PKB Tiles

Operating since 2003, Invisage Interiors and Quality Window Furnishings specialises in the supply and installation of internal and external window coverings, and selection and specification of colours and finishes for residential and commercial projects. The experienced and qualified team provides clients with utmost professionalism, and offers full service from free advice, measures and competitive quotations for all window coverings, including external awnings.

Established in Cowes in 2001, this locally owned and operated outlet supplies quality tiles for commercial, trade and residential clients. Paul was one of the leading tilers in the area, and, now retired from tiling, he uses his knowledge to give you the best, most up-to-date advice at the right price!

South Coast Furnishings With two great locations, this local team will provide all your contemporary interior solutions. The Cowes store has all your flooring and window furnishing needs covered, while the showroom in The Concourse showcases contemporary tastes and arrangements to spark design ideas with prices that are sure to please. Open seven days.

HOT TIP FROM SOUTHCOAST FURNISHINGS Get the latest look in interior window coverings.

Patterned roller blinds are now available. Try the Bricos range of sheers & blockout fabrics. Curtains & curtain fabrics bonded onto roller blinds can give more options in terms of colour & pattern.

Roller blinds have been the fave of many for a couple of years, but with these patterned variations, there is now a decided visual difference between basic PVC fabric & something more distinctive.

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Specialised joinery solutions The only Certified Kitchen and Bathroom Designer in Gippsland

Kevin Holden 0458 520 347

PO Box 789, Wonthaggi

PKB Tiles Showroom 11 The Concourse, Cowes Victoria 3922 phone 03 59 521 999 fax 03 59 521 246 mobile 0412723348 email. pkbtiles@waterfont.net.au

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Harvey Norman

Carpet Call

Fit out your home with all the latest designs and technologies at Harvey Norman. Browse their superior range of whitegoods, stoves and ovens, TV and home entertainment systems, and electricals. An extensive range combined with professional service and quality advice from a friendly, local team. Open seven days.

The experts in the trade of flooring. Carpet Call Wonthaggi has all your flooring needs covered, including carpet, timber, laminate, vinyl and floating floors, as well as rugs. We are the flooring retailer that puts you, the customer, first.

National Tiles

Dollar Curtains & Blinds

Visit this state-of-the-art showroom in Wonthaggi for all your tiling needs. National Tiles’ market knowledge, attention to detail and expertise extends to tile, stone and laminate timber flooring for domestic and commercial projects.

The team at Wonthaggi understands that selecting an interior solution for your residential or commercial application is a big investment. With over 45 years experience in the industry, they are the complete window covering specialists, assuring you the highest quality materials, design, manufacture, service and installation.

Woodwork Solutions

Ready Set Grow

Kevin Holden has over 33 years’ joinery experience and is the only Certified Kitchen and Bathroom designer in Gippsland. Specialising in unique timber solutions for any purpose including custom yacht interiors, Kevin is a qualified Member of HIA Kitchens and Bathrooms and was the Technical Director of the world’s biggest joinery company.

If you are finishing your home or garden, don’t forget to visit Ready Set Grow, who source and stock a great range of lifestyle furniture and decorations, and homewares that you won’t find anywhere else.

Create your outdoor room with stylish and comfortable suites, and choose from a variety of relaxing and stunning water-features for your landscape.

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THE TRADIE’S HARDWARE STORE! Specialising in industrial hardware, Loe’s supplies hire equipment, aluminium pool fencing, Stratco fencing, concrete reinforcing, power tools, safety equipment, and embroidery on all our safety clothing.

37 McKenzie Street Wonthaggi 3995 Phone 03 5672 1628 Fax 03 5672 3745 website www.loeshardware.com.au Email sales@loeshardware.com.au

Seedlings • Herbs • Plants • Water Feature • Stone + Timber pots • Outdoor • Furniture house and garden gift ware

151 B Thompson Ave Cowes coast 160

p. 5952 2726

e. rsgrow@bigpond.com

building + renovation feature

Homewares Homewares make a home your own. Signature pieces and themed furnishings will add impact and personality to your space, and our coast has a huge selection of outlets stocking the latest and greatest in decore. If you are stuck for choice, seek advice from the store’s own interior experts.

South Coast Furnishings, Cowes p. 156

Finding the Grain, Cowes p. 166

Harvey Norman, Wonthaggi p. 170

Beemo, Cowes Arcade p. 100

Nordic Designs, Wonthaggi p. 57

Southern Bazaar, Inverloch p. 51

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Contemporary & innovative landscape designs. mob: www: email:

0401 669 927 jamesrosslandscape.com.au info@jamesrosslandscape.com.au

Landscape Design

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Consultancy

Coastal Planting

Project Management

building + renovation feature

Pools Landscaping +Suppliers

Compass Pools Compass Pools has built Victoria’s largest self-cleaning pool display, and you’re invited to come for a swim at their place!

They’re Victoria’s largest outlet for fibreglass pools and one of the biggest and most awarded in Australia, with most sales coming from referrals by delighted customers. If you’d like to know more just ring 1300 764 270. They’re open 7 days a week.

Pool Safety Is Crucial This Summer As the weather warms up, make sure you check your pool barriers to ensure • gates close automatically • gate latches are working • there are no objects to climb on within 1.2m of the pool barrier.

• any windows or doors that open into the pool area have the required guards in place.

Remember that all inflatable and above-ground pools that are capable of holding more than 300mm (12 inches) of water require an approved pool barrier.

For more information log onto www.basscoast.vic.gov.au or call 1300 BCOAST (226 278).

Loe’s Hardware

Island Landscape & Design

Sunplus Solar

Make your pool safe this summer. For the professional or serious DIY handyman, Loe’s Hardware has a full range of hire equipment, pool fencing, power tools and more.

There is great benefit in starting with a landscape design or master plan for your outdoor area. You’ll save money in the long run and achieve the desired outcome for your garden. A well-designed outdoor area is a fantastic way to appreciate our stunning coast.

Whether you opt for features such as a firepit and seating, or a pavilion area for BBQ and entertaining, you and your family will enjoy your place a whole lot more, and also add value to your property: it’s a win - win!”

Green Energy means a green Earth, and the solution is solar energy! Do away with old technology and make our world a better place by installing solar power. Sunplus Solar has all your solar solutions. Begin your transition with a solar hot water system.

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ISLAND GARDEN SUPPLIES DISPLAY GARDENS NOW OPEN 886 Phillip Island Road, Newhaven, 3925 Ph: 5956 7397 Fax: 5956 7929

Sand, Pavers, Blended Soils, Screenings, Rocks, Pebbles, Sleepers, Barks, Mulches, Path and Driveway Toppings & Mesh and Trench Reinforcement, also PHILLIP ISLAND PRE-MIXED CONCRETE. We also have a large range of beautiful Garden Ornaments and Pots.

Give your property a facelift.

After

All aspects of Concreting Rendering & Landscaping

Before

LANDSCAPE&CONCRETECONSTRUCTIONS

Mobile: 0420 380 577

Email: trowelworks@hotmail.com

Servicing Phillip Island • Bass Coast • Gippsland coast 164

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James Ross Landscape Design

Mojo Contracting

Trowelworks

Specialising in contemporary, sustainable design and coastal landscapes, James’ construction background also allows him to offer project management to benefit his clients and allow the design process to flow through to the completion of the project.

A passionate landscape designer, James has worked on high-profile projects both internationally and locally.

These professional arborists are proud to service Phillip Island, San Remo and beyond.

They specialise in awkward access areas, confined spaces and tree and stump removal.

With 15 years’ full-time experience in the amenity tree industry and Certificate 4 in Horticulture/Arboriculture, they have the experience and equipment to do the job the job safely, professionally and efficiently.

An affordable option when your property needs a facelift, Trowelworks can significantly increase value and appeal to your home.

Render the house, style a driveway and landscape the garden - all with one team, who will even source and select feature rocks direct from the quarry, and work with you to get the maximum impact on any budget.

Island Garden Supplies

Bowens Hardware

Van Steensel Timbers

Offering quality garden products to the public and trade for over 35 years, Island Garden Supplies has everything you need from bark, sand and soil to pre-mixed concrete. Be inspired by their garden displays.

Bowens not only has all the timber, materials, equipment and tools for your build or renovation, they also stock quality paint brands with a colour matching service, bathroom and plumbing supplies, doors, garden equipment, and homewares.

The friendly team in Grantville stocks a range of water tanks and building materials for all your building projects. Their staff provide friendly, professional service and advice.

Has your property lost its Mojo?

Tree & Stump Removal Tree Pruning Cabling Dead Wooding Tree Reports On Site Mulching Garden Clean Ups Garden Maintenance Mulch & Firewood Supplies

Ph/Fx.

5952 5542 | Mobile.

0427 052 173 | Web.

mojocontracting.com.au

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Cool Down this Summer with your local Bass Coast Daikin experts.

Don’t sweat another Summer! Contact the expert team at Bass Coast Refrigeration and enjoy a perfect climate all year round.

RTA: AU11737

Creating hardwoods Creating masterpeices masterpieces from recycled native hardwoods

Mark: 0418 355 148 Mark: 0418 355 148 Nick: 0421 867 476 nzdavis1@hotmail.com www.findingthegrain.com.au Factory 3/10 Industrial Way Cowes Phillip Island Finding Finding the the grain_v1.indd grain_v1bc.indd grain_v1.indd 11 1

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building + renovation feature

Property

Stockdale & Leggo Inverloch & Wonthaggi

San Remo Realty

Stockdale and Leggo Inverloch, Wonthaggi, Cape Paterson and Grantville are a highly-awarded team. Specialising in Bass Coast Real Estate, they are passionate about the region and extremely knowledgeable about the benefits of living and holidaying on the best piece of coastline in Australia. Stockdale and Leggo is a powerful brand well recognised and respected in Melbourne and interstate.

Let the ladies at San Remo Realty make your coastal lifestyle a reality.

With years of local experience, they are the ‘San Remo experts’ and have a proven sales record. They’re dedicated to providing superior customer service and honest Real Estate advice. Whether buying, selling or just getting a feel for the local market, the girls are more than happy to help you. As members of the Professionals network they are committed to a code of conduct that seeks to serve all customers with the highest standards of professional ethics and integrity.

Alex Scott Phillip Island

Harcourts Mornington

Mr Alex Scott established his company in the pioneering districts of Gippsland in 1886. Built on a strong foundation of honesty and integrity, the company continues to enjoy a long association with generations of loyal clients. We can help you with buying, selling, renting or holiday accommodation. Visit us at our brand new office in Cowes.

This experienced team takes the headache out of property management. Their expert staff have all the systems in place to ensure your rent is paid on time and that you minimise costs and maximise income. That’s the Harcourt way.

Climate +Air con

Bass Coast Refrigeration

Coastal Refrigeration

Colin and Caroline are a husband and wife team dedicated to servicing Gippsland’s refrigeration and air conditioning needs. Colin is a fullyqualified refrigeration and air conditioning engineer. Their local team of five fully-qualified engineers and one plumber/air conditioner installer ensures they always have the solution for your needs.

Let Rick take care of all your refrigeration and air conditioning needs.

He caters for domestic and commercial jobs and offers an after-hours breakdown service.

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Offices located at Wonthaggi, Warragul and Traralgon • Building Permits

Tel: 03 5672 4655

• Building Inspections • Building Regulation Advice

Fast Building Permits Victoria wide Building Code & Regulation consultancy Owner Builder reports Online lodgement of building permit applications Suppliers of HIA stationery, contracts and specifications Members of the Building Practitioners Board of Victoria Members of the Australian Institute of Building Surveyors Members of the Housing Industry Association

Coastal Refrigeration & Airconditioning Rick North is a fully qualified refrigeration & airconditioning technician with over 20 years experience in trade as well as installation.

Rick also provides after sales service.

Servicing Phillip Island & surrounding areas.

Commercial & Domestic Refrigeration & Airconditioning.

Sales, Installation & service of all major brands.

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Contact Rick North Ph: 5956 6301 After hours commercial breakdown

building + renovation feature

Lifestyle

Seagrove

Phillip Island’s premier environmentally-sensitive estate, Seagrove is superbly located in Cowes just 700m from a sandy, safe swimming beach and within walking distance from shops, restaurants and cafÊs.

Seagrove has been recognised in the prestigious Urban Development Institute of Australia Awards for Excellence as setting a new benchmark for environmentally-sensitive coastal living. The generouslyproportioned home sites average well over 700m2, offering more space for quality homes, outdoor entertaining and our island lifestyle.

Land in the new Boobook release is now selling from $153,900.

Broadbeach Inverloch

Your tree change by the sea, Broadbeach Inverloch is a prestigious lifestyle resort. This self-contained coastal community has everything at its doorstep. Short-term, holiday accommodation, permanent living and retirement options. Facilities include pool, wellness centre, spa, gym, cinema and more. Enquire today.

Shearwater on the Island Enjoy your piece of island life on Phillip Island with the newest land release at Shearwater on the Island. The Pavilion 1 Release offers a stunning sense of lifestyle, community and family featuring parks, playgrounds, BBQs and architecturally-designed shelters. A social sanctuary designed with lifestyle in mind.

WhyteSands This new development offers more than you imagine. WhyteSands, a new environmentally conscious residential development, is perhaps the last opportunity for those looking to create for themselves an affordable holiday lifestyle featuring the best Phillip Island has to offer.

It includes wetlands, a central park, and broad tree lined streets in a magnificent setting with the ocean on one side and a rural outlook on the other. Imagine enjoying city breaks and school holidays from the comfort of your own beach retreat?

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For all your electronic needs

Kitchen equipment, air conditioning, entertainment, technology and more!

Home Delivery

OPEN 7 DAYS 37 McKenzie Street, Wonthaggi, Vic. 3995 P: 03 5672 1490 F: 03 5672 2907

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coast property

Your dedicated lifestyle property guide featuring homes, builders and real estate on the coast.

Looking to nest by the coast?

Coast property and building and renovation feature will get you started.

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coastal property lisitings

Thinking of a seachange? Talk to our coastal real estate specialists!

AREA

ADDRESS

EPR

AGENT/CONTACT

PG NO.

Cape Paterson

42 Nardoo St, Cape Paterson

POA

Stockdale & Leggo Kylie Stevenson 0466 081 690

174

Cape Paterson

12 The Pinnacle, Cape Paterson

$390,000+

Stockdale & Leggo Kim Ross 0418 806 037

174

Corinella

Corinella

$430,000

Call 0430 720 772

193

Cowes

Seagrove Estate

From $135,000

1800 61 61 06

2 173

Cowes

WhyteSands Ventnor Rd

From $139,000

Alex Scott & Staff, Phillip Island 5952 2633

Cowes

Shearwater on the Island

POA

Alex Scott & Staff, Phillip Island 5952 2633

4

Dalyston

64 Daly St, Dalyston

$352,000

Stockdale & Leggo Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

174

Inverloch

Broadbeach Inverloch

POA

Ross Splatt 5674 6291 or 0409 595 079

178

Inverloch

1/35 A’Beckett St, Inverloch

$790.000

Stockdale & Leggo Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

174

Inverloch

2B Pier Rd, Inverloch

$720,000

Stockdale & Leggo Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

174

Inverloch

3 Garden Crescent, Inverloch

$690,000

Stockdale & Leggo Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

174

Inverloch

27 Venus St, Inverloch

$825,000

Stockdale & Leggo Russell Wilson 0409 005 524

174

Inverloch

Lots 8 at 60-62 Surf Pde, Inverloch

$475,000

Stockdale & Leggo Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

174

Kilcunda

7 Warren Parade Kilcunda

$695,000

Stockdale & Leggo Carol Christensen 0427 046 666

174

Kilcunda

Lyndarah H’stead 35 Mitchell Rise,

POA

Stockdale & Leggo Kylie Stevenson 0466 081 690

174

San Remo

Bridgeview Apartments & Penthouses

POA

The Professionals, San Remo 5678 5141

172

Wonthaggi

2735 Korumburra Rd Wonthaggi

$650,000+

Stockdale & Leggo Lynn Pendergast 0432 464 964

174

Wonthaggi

10 Jean Dennis Rd Wonthaggi

$570,000

Stockdale & Leggo Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

174

Wonthaggi

3 Sussex Ct, Wonthaggi

$438,000

Stockdale & Leggo Carol Christensen 0427 046 666

174

Wonthaggi

4 Morey Street Wonthaggi

$229,000

Stockdale & Leggo Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

174

Wonthaggi

Thomas Park Estate, Wonthaggi

From $122,000

Stockdale & Leggo Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

174

Woolamai

175 Mackays Rd Woolamai

POA

Stockdale & Leggo Kim Ross 0418 806 037

174

Love the Coast, Live on the Coast

Introducing Leanne and Lachlan Shop 2, 129 Marine Parade, San Remo Phone: 5678 5141 www.sanremorealty.com.au coast 172

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Inverloch Office Stunning brand new designer townhouse

Location, Location, Location

• • • •

• • • •

High quality throughout 3 bedrooms 2 bathrooms Double garage• just steps from the beach, cafe & shops

2B Pier Road, Inverloch Contact Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

1/35 A’Beckett St, Inverloch Priced from $790,000 Contact Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

Prime Position • • • • •

Price $720,000

High on the hill with water view!

3 Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms Large garage Stone benchtops Short walk to town, beach & facilities

3 Garden Cres, Inverloch Contact Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

4 bedrooms 4 Living areas Great deck Close to beach, cafes, & yacht club

• • • •

Price $690,000

27 Venus St, Inverloch Contact Russell Wilson 0409 005 524

3 Bedrooms 2 Large living areas Outdoor deck Large 1/4 acre close to town & beach

Price $825,000

Wonthaggi Office Vacant lot amongst quality homes •

• •

Stunningly designed home • • •

•

Opposite surf & inlet

beach Generous size 639spm2 approx Protective covenants to

enhance your investment

Lots 8 at 60-62 Surf Pde, Inverloch Contact Euan Wightman 0409 133 735

Lot 8 $475,000

64 Daly St, Dalyston Contact Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

Only 2 years old 3 bedrooms Undercover alfresco entertaining area 10m x 10m shed

Price $352,000

A new lifestyle awaits you

Coastal dream above the ocean

• • • • •

•

• •

5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms Large 36 sq home Powder room 1 acre block close to town

10 Jean Dennis Rd, Wonthaggi Contact Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

Price $570,000

Wonthaggi

Cnr Murray & Bilson Sts

5672 1477

Inverloch

2a A’Beckett St

5674 3977

Cape Paterson

Shop 3, 2-6 Market Pl

5674 8208

Grantville coast 174

Shop 1, 1503 Bass Hwy

5678 8700

Contemporary architect designed home Spectacular ocean view 4 bedrooms

7 Warren Pde, Kilcunda Priced from $695,000 Contact Carol Christensen 0427 046 666

Luxurious Living • • • •

Cheerfull, light & bright

3 Spacious bedrooms 2 bathrooms 2 living areas large workshop

3 Sussex Crt, Wonthaggi Priced from $438,000 Contact Carol Christensen 0427 046 666

• Large block • Modern kitchen • Good size living area

4 Morey Street, Wonthaggi Contact Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

Price $229,000

Glen Gyle Homestead

Thomas Park Estate

• • • •

• •

Character filled home 5 Bedrooms 41/2 acres 2 Large sheds

2735 Korumburra Road, Wonthaggi Price $650,000 plus Contact Lynn Pendergast 0432 464 964

Great location Close to shops, GolfCourse and Wetlands Native Reserve

Price $122,000

Thomas Park Estate, Wonthaggi Contact Lisa Simpson 0402 103 733

Cape Paterson Office Lyndarah Homestead

Beautiful & private Woolamai Hills

• • •

•

• • • • • •

35 Mitchell Rise, Kilcunda Contact Kyle Stevenson 0466 081 690

Sophisticated home upon 3 acres Breathtaking ocean views Beautiful neighbouring

countryside Private grounds with established trees & garden beds Price POA

175 Mackays Rd, Woolamai Contact Kim Ross 0418 806 037

5 Star Location • Only one street back from the beach • Large corner block with dual access • 3 bedrooms plus back yard bungalow • North facing deck • Potential ocean views 42 Nardoo St, Cape Paterson Price POA Contact Kyle Stevenson 0466 081 690

2 secluded homes 17 Acres & 2 dams Veiws of Westernport bay Suits 2 families Developer/Investors Permit for additional 5 Eco cabins Priced $750,000 plus

Beach side location •

•

•

12 The Pinnacle, Cape Paterson Contact Kim Ross 0418 806 037

Stunning townhouse 2 x storey Great investment with rental return Minutes to shop, tavern & beach

Priced from $390,000

www.stockdaleleggo.com.au/wonthaggi www.stockdaleleggo.com.au/inverloch www.stockdaleleggo.com.au/grantville

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promotional feature

“We wanted to provide maximum opportunities for residents to enjoy the superb natural environment, especially the prolific native birdlife.�

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Seagrove . . . a walk in the park When David Jobe was designing Seagrove Estate on Phillip Island, he used his carefree Phillip Island childhood with its wide open spaces for inspiration. .

That’s why 10% of Seagrove, a short walk from the beach in Cowes, is dedicated to open space. “We wanted to provide maximum opportunities for residents to enjoy the superb natural environment, especially the prolific native birdlife,” says David. A network of three parks linked by stylish bridges and pathways ensures plenty of room to run, walk, sit and relax.

Seaberry Creek Park is the largest of the network of three parks, and has a bridge link through the open space to ensure the wetland is central to the experience of the site.

Boardwalks hover above the wetland and a series of walking trails links the open spaces with plenty of informal spaces which are perfect for flying a kite, exploring the rocky waterways or simply sitting and taking in the view. Willoughby Park has a simple curved promenade skirted by a vegetated swale that forms the backbone of the landscape design. A recycled power pole forms the ‘shaft’ of a striking propeller-inspired structure to provide shade and shelter, and overlooks an informal grassed play-space, wrapped behind by a low seating wall retaining an extensive planted mound. Seagrove Park was designed around more than 60 mature eucalypts of high conservation significance.

These hollow-bearing trees provide important habitat for wildlife such as birds / and possums.

Another key design aspect is recreating a sense of community, family and appreciation for the environment common to the Phillip Island of David’s early years. Seagrove’s parklands make this easy with picnic shelters, solar-powered barbeques and children’s playgrounds. There’s also a pair or bronze egret sculptures. The endangered Great Egret is a species of state conservation significance and the bird behind Seagrove’s brand.

A coastal lifestyle is reflected in Seagrove’s informal, contemporary style: after all, the white sands and azure water are only 700 metres away. Bold geometry, with large radii and simple, elegant structures, complements the organic shapes of the streets, which in turn respond to the natural contours of the land.

The environment is paramount at Seagrove. Over 2,000 indigenous trees, 18,000 indigenous mid- and ground-storey plants and 32,000 wetland plants were incorporated into the landscape design. There’s also energy-efficient street lighting, underground gas, and a 23 million-litre wetland that works in concert with smaller ‘rain gardens’ located on every street. This means that storm water is up to twenty times cleaner before it reaches the bay of Western Port. Surface runoff from Willoughby Park is directed onto a raingarden surrounding a remnant Swamp Gum that forms a focal point in the south-east corner.

Residents also receive a year’s complimentary membership to Urban Landcare. This includes a free site visit where Landcare gives garden advice on weed control, species selection, landscaping and design ideas, garden sustainability and water-wise plantings.

Residents also receive a voucher for 30 indigenous plants from the local ‘Barb Martin Bushbank’. Indigenous plants are adapted to local climate conditions and rainfall and encourage wildlife habitat. Every home has a 4500-litre rainwater tank, which saves a total of over 10 million litres of clean drinking water each year.

For a copy of Seagrove’s complimentary sixteen-page environmental guide, call 1800 61 61 06 or visit www.seagrove.com.au

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www.qod.com.au

5 Lindsey Close Inverloch

Your tree-change by the sea Prestigious Lifestyle Resort just opposite the beach! Self-contained coastal community in a pristine setting with everything at your doorstep: Catering for short term holiday accommodation, permanent living & retirement, surrounded by coastal landscaped gardens & wetlands with outdoor & indoor leisure facilities including walking tracks, tennis court.

• Health and Wellness Centre (qualified masseurs, beauticians & hairdressers) • Spa • Steam Room • Fully Equipped Gymnasium (qualified international trainers) • Heated Indoor & Outdoor Pools • Gold Class Cinema • Conference facilities

Great Investment Opportunities now exist Apartments & Townhouses & independent living units to choose from offering a great rate of return.

For more information Call 5674 6290 or

email: enquiries@broadbeachinverloch.com.au

The creation of well-known restaurateurs Greg and Sue Roylance.

Slow cooked Asian curries, Contemporary Australian fare, Indoor & alfresco dining, Coffee & cake all day.

Fully licensed.

Opportunities now exist for: Holiday investment – get in quick and save on stamp duty & Independent Retirement living Modern, spacious designs, View the floor plans today. Pristine setting just minutes from the beach

This fully licensed restaurant and café provides fine dining and friendly service for all.

Available for private & corporate functions for enquiries & reservations call: 5674 1199 coast 178

www.broadbeachinverloch.com.au

promotional feature words kate lindsay photos warren reed &christina prochazka

a tree-change by the sea Broadbeach in Inverloch is rapidly gaining a reputation...and it’s not hard to see why.

Perfectly self-described as “A Tree-Change By The Sea”, this prestigious lifestyle resort offers something unique to the Bass Coast, and while it is already breathtaking there is still so much more to come, with the $90 million project about to commence another stage.

Nestled into what is referred to as “the Inlet Side” of town, the humble entrance to this lifestyle resort gives little away as to what is on offer once you enter. Aiming to provide a self-contained coastal community in a pristine setting, Broadbeach manages to do much more than that.

It can now cater for short-term holiday accommodation, permanent living or wonderful investment opportunities, and that’s just on the property side of things. Its top-rate facilities – which are open to the public – include a health and wellness centre, fully-equipped gymnasium with qualified trainers, heated indoor and outdoor pools, a gold class cinema and conference facilities, as well as the already renowned Manna Gum Restaurant, and all within a short stroll to the beach.

Manager of the facility Ross Splatt believes the best thing about Broadbeach is that it provides something for everyone. “We’re certainly not exclusive. We are really encouraging people just to come down and simply have a look at this fantastic facility. There is so much on offer, and people are genuinely surprised at what we have here once they come through the gates.”

Surrounded by coastal landscaped gardens and wetlands, Broadbeach has taken special consideration of the environment, and has embraced environmentally responsible living through cleverly architect-designed buildings which complement and enhance the outdoor setting.

The Manna Gum Restaurant is the creation of Greg and Sue Roylance, who are no strangers to providing sensational hospitality. They offer slow-cooked Asian curries and contemporary Australian fare, with both indoor and alfresco dining in a fully-licensed facility. “The restaurant is really kicking goals. The repeat business is unbelievable, and people who come here are really amazed. They just love it. They want to come back and they generally do,” explains Ross.

The beautifully fitted-out restaurant can seat up to 120 people, and has already been used to host a variety of functions. It works in well with the conference area, which is soon to be extended to accommodate up to 200 people, and the theatre.

The Health and Wellness Centre cannot be forgotten, with its fully subscribed membership a testament to its popularity.

Broadbeach continues to evolve, with the commencement of a new precinct which will include the construction of another 12 units and 62 hotel apartments. Expressions of interest are also invited for Precinct 3, which will have independent living units with freehold title for the over 55’s. “It’s a really exciting time for everyone. There are wonderful opportunities on many different levels, and we are just encouraging people to come and find out more about this wonderful facility,” says Ross.

Broadbeach Inverloch can be found at 5 Lindsey Close. For more information you can phone 5674 6290 or email enquiries@broadbeachinverloch.com.au

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aroundtown what’s goin’ on round your place

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Photos Lou Curtis-Smith, Holly Parker & supplied

extraordinary looking to the

It was the view from the neighbour’s rooftop that sold Peter Kurczewski on the site for his ultimate family dream home…

words sue webster photos christina prochazka

Peter Kurczewski climbed the scaffolding on a neighbouring house to take in the view from the Corinella block. In one direction, the rise beyond the jetty looks like a classic seaside hamlet. In the other, there’s a sweeping view of coast to Grantville and, above it all, a huge dome of sunlit sky. You’d wait a long time to get views as good as this.

Peter and his wife Joy had lived in their Melbourne home for 38 years before they chanced upon this block that gave them water views that could never be built out. They packed up and left behind all their memories of Melbourne. Almost all… the billiard table that had been a vital part of family life came too. And that meant designing a room big enough to accommodate it. The table is the centrepiece of a remarkable entertainment hub, a white-tiled multi-functional space that includes a table-tennis table, a TV area and two of three kitchens: there’s a mirror-image pigeon-pair of kitchens - one inside, one outside on the patio.

Running off this central, ground floor entertainment area is a separate, custom-built home theatre. It is equipped with an industrialsized screen and state of the art surround-sound equipment. The recliner chairs have cup-holders - and the floor vibrates. You want more cinema experience? There’s also a genuine popcorn machine and slushie fountain.

But for a truly dramatic experience, visit the smallest room. This is the sort of place that puts the POW! into powder room: there’s a basin that wouldn’t look out of place on the launch pad at Cape Canaveral.

The ground floor footprint includes two bedrooms, double garage and a workshop that promises to become a major time-magnet for Peter.

For the moment, however, his pride and joy is the heating and cooling system. The complex split-systems give zoned temperature control … and come with panels of switches to excite any

tech-head. Special bulkheads were built into the ceiling to accommodate the pipework and gadgetry. “And you can shandy the power inputs so you’re not overtaxing the system,” says Peter, proudly.

Peter and Joy chose an architect to design their home and translate their grand ideas into grand designs that would complement the scale of the building. “The architect suggested we get the large open-space area engineered, adding a big RSJ to brace the structure and give it stability against the high winds,” said Peter. Then they selected San Remo-based firm Home Design & Construction to ‘fine-tune’ the house and act as builders for their dream home. “We worked in conjunction with the architect during the house construction and are proud of the relationship we developed. It was a large house and there were some challenges in the actual construction, so it was pleasing to work through the process efficiently with such a great result,” says the company’s Ben White. We also consulted with them on their more personal needs, like interior design and colours,” says Ben. And Joy’s plans for the décor were very precise. “Black. I like black. I didn’t want bone or cream. That would have been ordinary,” she says.

Time to head upstairs: that’s where Peter’s vision unfolds spectacularly. A double-glazed wall of glass opens up the entire skyscape. Light pours into the space. The pair decided against tinted glass because they didn’t want to compromise the clarity of light. Two very, very lucky cats curl up in the sun.

This room seems uncannily spacious and it takes a while to notice that the doors are taller than usual. It puts the scale of the room into proportion. There are other clever design elements. Bi-fold windows above the sink area fold right back to reveal a servery. Sliding doors leading onto the balcony pull back completely, expanding the entertaining area seamlessly. >

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Entertaining is something the Kurczewskis can handle.

Dominating the kitchen is a 3-metre-long bench, and their walk-in pantry would do a commercial kitchen proud. “It’s so we don’t run out of food. It’s a long way to the supermarket,” said Joy. The cooking equipment is similarly big. There’s an induction cooktop, a big pyrolytic oven and a special angled rangehood that means Peter doesn’t bang his head when leaning over pots.

The kitchen is the venue for a traditional get-together that the Kurczewskis share with their adult daughter and son. They invite the kids down “to make new family memories down here” with a monthly family meal.

Leading off this area is the main bedroom, a sumptuous hideaway with a walk-in robe and ensuite bigger than some inner-city apartments. There’s a private balcony overlooking the water.

The 48-square house holds a commanding corner position and has undeniable ‘look-at-me’ qualities from the seaward aspect. But some of its most intriguing aspects are unseen: the scaled-up doors adding the correct sense of scale, the cunningly-hidden split-system airconditioning. More clever touches? The front door boasts no hinges, but a pivoting pin that allows it to open flush to the wall. Outside, a 5500-litre tank feeds the toilets and there’s a heat exchange system for the hot water – thoughtful elements that help contribute to the energy-efficiency of the house, which boasts a five-plus star rating.

Amid all these techno inspirations and sleek lines, the Kurczewskis have not forgotten the touches that make a house a home. Also, they’ve called their new domain ‘The Swamp’. Peter recalls: “When I told my son we’d bought the land, he asked if it had water views. I said yes. Then he asked, ‘Can you swim there?’ And I said, ‘No, it’s got black sand and reeds. You’d have to swim between the trees’. And he said: ‘What? You’ve bought a swamp!’” If that’s the case, then swamps sure have come up in the world.

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Architect or Draftsman?

When designing your dream home, you may wonder which is the right design path to choose.

Peter and Joy chose an architect and then took his plans to Home Design & Construction to do the construction and also assist with the internal finishes. “Architects provide a full set of plans and you can go into construction from there,” says Ben. “It’s generally considered that with an architect there’ll be more flair and individuality to the design.

An architect will go into far more detail and really tailor the house to your needs. That doesn’t mean that you won’t get a great result with a draftsman. It just comes down to your budget, your requirements and who you feel comfortable with.

We can provide a full range of services from concept to completion, ranging from architect consultation to drafting your own design. We also have a new range of plans that have taken all we have learnt from many different designs and put them into ‘ready to go’ packages. Often people don’t want to wait for approvals etc - they just want to get building!” homedesignandconstruction.com.au

cross the

Moors

Luxury accommodation for couples in tranquil Silverleaves

11A Chale Court, Silverleaves Cowes, Phillip Island 3922

59 522282

susie@acrossthemoors.com.au www.acrossthemoors.com.au

Semi abstract paintings inspired

by Diana’s surroundings.

Commissions welcome Open most weekends - please call to confirm Diana: 0408 341 898 or 5956 7370 email: dianab@waterfront.net.au 83 Lantana Road, Cape Woolamai

ARTY FARTY SCULP TU RE STUDIO

across the moors.indd 1

24/11/10 2:58 PM

ART BY As seen in coast winter 2010

Josephine Allen Russell Kent

Josephine Allen

21 second ave, Cape Woolamai

Classes available for adults and children in mosaic design & ceramic sculpture

Josephine Allen

sales & appointments

Call Sian on 0418519181 or 59566377

www.artyfarty.com.au

Russell Kent

www.islandinfluence.com.au phone. 03 5956 8594 coast 183

www.coastmagazine.net

Russell Kent

coast directory

A

Shearwater Studio

coast directory

angela newberry

a twenty-year love affair with the australian landscape

15 January - 6 February 2011

Monday to Friday 10am- 5pm, Sat & Sun 12noon-4pm Gippsland Art Gallery 68-70 Foster Street, Sale, Victoria 03 5142 3372 www.wellington.vic.gov.au/gallery

www.coastmagazine.net

6 April

Exhibition moves to the studio 46 Berrys Creek Road, Berrys Creek, Victoria 3953 Open by appointment 03 5668 8213

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* Remaking fashion * trollbeads * Original one off clothing, gifts & homewares * Lalo treasures: hand painted resin.

Featured * Inimatable style with quirky touch

Resort Wear Resort Wear specialising in Plus Sizes

Affordable Prices

Karin Booth Retail Therapist

open every day

akers eyewear

Beautiful Designs

Juwita Moon Outlet located in Flix @ Chapel Shop 1/ 74 Chapel St Cowes (opposite Coles carpark) Open 7 days 11am–8pm 5952 6922 or 0422 395 168 kerrynkutny@hotmail.com

1SOUL Streetwear & Body Jewellery

We have grown!

Visit our great new location & browse our huge showroom stocking a range of quality brands, prescription glasses & sunglasses...

Eye examinations are bulk billed. Contact lenses, veterans affairs, behavioural optometry.

69 McBride Ave, Wonthaggi, 3995

p. 5672 1965

Insight Elwood Stussy Freshjive Mooks Mossimo TUK Shoes Colour Contacts Body Jewellery Swimsuits 141 Graham Street, Wonthaggi (03) 5672 5338 coast 185

www.coastmagazine.net

services

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137 Marine Parade, San Remo Ph/Fax 03 5678 5944

coast directory

1 Bridge St Foster 3960 Phone 5682 1200 Email nerelle@essentialbodybasics.com.au Web essentialbodybasics.com.au

Make-up•Hair•Beauty

Hairdressing specialising in colour, styling & special occasion.

Beauty services including waxing, manicure, pedicures, rejuvenation facials, non surgical face lift & body sculpture, special occasion make up.

Pre-natal belly painting

Spa treatments including full body exfoliation spa treatments, mud wraps, hot stone massage & therapeutic massage

Contact Ally on 0402 117 280 www.make-upandbodyart.com Yoga Worskshops with

Lance Schuller MAXINES Have opened a GRAND NEW STORE 55-57 McBride St, Wonthaggi Ph. 5672 3889

Jewellery, summer fashions, handicrafts & homewares

Don’t forget our CLEARANCE STORE 104 Graham St, Wonthaggi Ph. 5672 4108

www.coastmagazine.net

MAXINES also at 220 Commercial Rd, Yarram 1/121 Jupiter Boulevard, Venus Bay 335 Brunswick St, Fitzroy & Maxines Family Emporium, Main Rd, Kongwak (open every Sunday)

e ch A rar

ance to join this international ly acclai med teacher.

Yoga Tree Elsternwick $50 3 hour Masterclass 7 Jan 2011 at 6am - 5 Horne St, Elsternwick Phillip Island Weekend Workshop $250 7 – 9 January 2011 - Newhaven Hall, Cleeland Rd, Newhaven The Yogaroom $50 3 hour Masterclass 10 Jan at 6.30pm - 4/15 Kenji St, Mornington

Classes are for beginner & advanced levels To register please contact Patti Hosking pattihos@hotmail.com www.inspyayoga.com

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414 Berrys Beach Rd, Phillip Island Cellar door: Thurs–Sun 11am–5.30pm Open daily, school & public holidays Phone:(03) 5956 8465 Mobile: 0419 523 996 phillipislandwines.com.au enq@phillipislandwines.com.au

Watermark.indd 1

20/10/09 3:49:15 PM

coast directory

A Five-Star James Halliday Winery

www.coastmagazine.net

Mallani Wines.indd 1

4/2/10 3:16:37 PM

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coast directory

GRANTVILLE Your one stop Curry Shop Authentic South African Cuisine

TAKE AWAY

Come in and meet, Darrel, Michelle and Tara, new owners enjoying the real seachange

Hours Closed Tuesday Mon-Thurs 4pm–9pm Fri-Sun 12pm–9pm Holidays 12pm–9pm

Take Away or enjoy a unique dining experience under the stars in our country courtyard dining huts - weather permitting licensed and BYO . All Halal food available. all cards accepted Specialty curries; crab prawn fish and biryani Curry Leaf Takeaway Phone 5956 6772 Shop 9 Vista Place Cape Woolamai, Phillip Island

Wed 11am–8pm Thurs 11am–8:30pm Fri-Sat 11am–9pm Sun 11am–8:30pm ph: 5678 8535 Shop 3/4.1524 Bass Highway Grantville

c a f e

&

f o o d s t o r e

www.coastmagazine.net

Freshest local seafood on the Island Local fresh produce with seafod straight fron the boat, Island grazed beef and lamb and in-house bakery. Accommodation available.

Waterfront dining with panoramic bay views 17 The Esplanade Cowes, Vic.

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Ph (03) 5952 6226

• Modern Australian food • Gluten Free Available • Fantastic Foreshore Views • Open for breakfast and lunch • Phillip Islands best breakfast Shop 3 & 4/17 The Esplanade Cowes phone: 5952 2560 email: mad.cowes@bigpond.com

proud & passionate about gippsland produce open 7 days from boxing day brekky & lunch 8.30am to 4.30pm dinner from 6pm fri & sat

89 Whitelaw St Meeniyan, Victoria t 5664 0010 e eat@moosatmeeniyan.com.au w www.moosatmeeniyan.com.au

Shop 6 Smith Street Warragul 3820 Ph 03 56 232 777 www.mangowood.com.au

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• • • • •

24/11/10 2:58 PM

Fresh local seafood Fully licensced Backpackers accommodation Opposite main beach Live music in summer

day and night. Open for Dinner 7 days a week.

Fully licensed. Lunches Saturday, Sunday and public holidays, Before & after penguins, Childrens menu, Special events

105 Beach Parade, Sandy Point

5684 1448

1215 Phillip Island Tourist Rd, Phillip Island

p. 03 5956 7371

Email: restaurant@waterfront.net.au coast 189

www.coastmagazine.net

Spectacular Ocean Views Open 7 Days in Summer for breakfast, lunch & dinner

coast directory

• Funky relaxed gallery dining • Fair Trade • Function Catering • Fresh flavour packed food daily • Totally gluten free

coast directory

Dear people at Woolamai pizza Your pizza is delicious We wish it would rain pizza’s We think you should be open from 1.00am to 10 pm You people are fantastic at making pizzas . . .

Woolamai Pizza

Over 32 varieties

Fab Fare + Funky Ware

Woolamai Pizza, Shop 1, 2 Vista Place Cape Woolamai tel: 59567000

Woolamai Pizzav4.indd 1

Open 7 Days until 6pm Ph: 5658 1987

27/11/10 10:31 PM

99 Commercial St Korumburra

L&J TUDDIN restorations

ANTIQUE & DECOR GALLERY

New & Gently Used Quality Goods

ANTIQUES / / ARTIFACTS / / DECOR / / BEADS

'Browsers Always Welcome'

www.coastmagazine.net

Over 20 years experience. Private restoration available. Antiques to contemporary.

The Antique gallery is located between the Inverloch Motel and Inverloch Nursery.

Open Fri-Sun 10am-5pm. Public & School Holidays or by appointment.

31 Main Street Foster Ph: 5682 1381 Weekdays 10am-5pm Sat 9:30am-4pm Sun 10am-4pm

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RESTORED FURNITURE FROM EUROPE & CHINA

37 Powlett Street, Inverloch Tel/Fax (03) 5674 3982 Email ljrestore@live.com.au

island landscape + design

Matt Crooks . Smiths Beach . Phillip Island. 0419 356 222 t. 5952 3838 e. info@islandlandscaping.com.au www.islandlandscaping.com.au

SMITHS BEACH

VAN STEENSEL TIMBERS BUILDING MATERIALS & WATER TANKS

CONSTRUCTION & DESIGN

www.coastmagazine.net

FRIENDLY & EXPERT ADVICE HUGE RANGE OF WATER TANKS • TIMBER • HARDWARE

Custom built beach homes Steve Demos 0417 946 878

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Inspiring Inspiring Inspiring Inspiring Inspiring

• PAINTS • TOOLS

CNR. CORINELLA TURN OFF & BASS HWY, GRANTVILLE (03)56788552

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coast directory

Wilsons Promontory and surrounds Accommodation Booking Service

www.promcountry.com.au

Distributors for South Gippsland

“FUEL BY THE TANK OR TANKER FULL” LEONGATHA DEPOT

PH.

03 5662 2217

A/H

0418 595 346

100 places to stay.

In & around all South Gippsland towns on the way to the Prom...

• Fish Creek • Foster • Inverloch • Korumburra • Leongatha • Meeniyan • Mirboo North • Port Albert • Port Welshpool • Sandy Point • Toora • Venus Bay • Walkerville • Waratah Bay • Yanakie • Yarram SUMMER SPECIALS - BOOK WITH US & GET FREE FUEL AT EVANS PETROLEUM GIPPSLAND

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BOOK ONLINE: Spend $500 or more, mention Coast magazine & receive a $25 fuel voucher

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BOOK ONLINE: Spend $1000 or more, mention Coast magazine & receive a $50 fuel voucher Offer valid from 1st December 2010–31st March 2011

FISH CREEK, FOSTER, INVERLOCH KORUMBURRA, LEONGATHA, MIRBOO NTH TOORA, WONTHAGGI & YARRAM COWES

Castrol Lubricants available

we spend so much time making our advertisers look good...

...it doesn’t leave much time for us!

www.coastmagazine.net

Call us and we’ll do it all; Consultation, Coast Photography & Graphic Design

Call Taylor 0432 273 107 ads@coastmagazine.net www.coastmagazine.net

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We take the headache out of property management.

We don’t stop until you have the best result.

It’s a race we run each day - it’s the Harcourts way.

part of the view

• We have the systems, the technology & most importantly the people.

• We understand the importance of your rent being paid on time.

• We minimise costs while maximising your income.

Call our rental department & experience the Harcourts Mornington difference NOW. Harcourts, Suite 2/1a Main Street, Mornington Ph. 5970 8000 sue.blaikie@harcourts.com.au or harcourts.mornington.com.au

Foreshore location beautiful bay views park setting track to swim beach stroll to jetty, store boat ramp, bowls + more!

$430,000

Funky beach house lots of character

open plan upstairs 3 bedrms, wet rm, loo powder rm, tank + mains ug power, inverter + more!

0430720772 or 0419351029

15 minutes before Phillip Island from city

Simply Blooming Gorgeous FLORIST

coast directory

Corinella - Victoria’s secret fishing village

www.coastmagazine.net

Flowers • Workshops • Giftware • Photography

71 McBride Avenue Wonthaggi M. 0414 460 839 T. 5672 1708 F. 5672 5154 E. blooming_gorgeous@live.com

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www.coastmagazine.net

directory Accommodation

Pyramid Rock

24

Across the Moors

183

Sculpture in the Vineyard

112

Coachman Motel

74

Fashion

The Island Accommodation

46

01 Soul

185

Prom Country Accomm

192

Chatters

100

Quest Apartments

58

Haze

67

RACV Resort

10

Hunter & Minx

60

Silverwater Resort

13

Molly Moo + Tilly Bear

36

Toorak Manor

74

Jean Depot

60

Juwita Moon Resort Wear

185

Antiques

Kudos

185

South Gipps & Tyabb Antiques 78

Maxines

186

Artists & Galleries

Sketa

65

So! Me!

70 64

coast directory

where to stay, eat, shop – fashion - builders – property – gardening & green – live the dream

L&J Tuddin Antiques

190

Angela Newberry

184

Anita Stepano-Ross

36

Twiggy’s Shoes, Sorrento

183

Gardens & Green Living

Arty Farty Gallery Celia Rosser Gallery

84

Compass Pools

196

Cheryl Petersen Galleries

98

Green Heart Organics

184

Gecko Studio Gallery

86

Island Garden Supplies - Donmix 164

Lacy Jewellery Studio & Gallery 6

Inverloch Marine

116

Studio 41

Islantis

46

Professional Services

Loch Village

78

Chrisp Pictures

192

Mt Eliza Chamber of Commerce 92

Gippsland Building Approvals

168

Mt Eliza Traders

Meehan Design

138

Phillip Island Chocolate Factory 102

Purple C

17

Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit 104

TJ Building Consultants

154

43

Property & Retirement

Phillip Island Nature Park

93

121

Rhyll Trout + Bush Tucker Farm 102 Sth Gippsland Tourism Assoc

193

PI Paddle & Surf School

46

Alex Scott, Phillip Island

173

Broadbeach Inverloch

178

FKP Shearwater

4

Trades & Hardware

Harcourts Mornington

193

Bass Coast Refrigeration

166

Corinella Private Home Sale

193

Bowens Hardware

155

San Remo Realty

172

Coastal Refrigeration

168

Seagrove Estate - Sustainable Dev. 2

Evan’s Petroleum

192

Stockdale & Leggo

174

Loes Hardware

160

173

Trowelworks

164

Whytesands Restaurants & Cafes

Van Steensels Timbers

191 158

Goldsmiths Gallery

112

Island Landscape & Design

Archies on the Creek

8

Woodwork Solutions

Gooseneck Pottery

100

James Ross Landscape & Design 162

Big Wave Cafe

46

Wineries

Island Influence Gallery

183

Mojo Contracting

165

Cafe Lugano

184

Mallani Wines

187

Manyung Gallery

89

Ready Set Grow

160

Café Swiss

80

Phillip Island Vineyard

187

McClelland Gallery + Sculp. Park 94

Simply Blooming Gorgeous

193

Carmie’s Kitchen

137

LOCH TO FOSTER DRIVE

Mingara Gallery

57

Sunplus Solar

144

Claypot Curry House

125

Angela Newberry/Lyrebird Winery 112

Mosaics by the Bay

101

Hair, Health & Beauty

Connells Bakery

137

Café Swiss

80

Oak Hill Gallery

98

Akers Eyewear

185

Curry Leaf

188

Celia Rosser Gallery

84

Ride the Wild Goat

86

Ally de la Rosa

186

Esplanade Hotel

134

Coal Creek

80

Saraghi Art Space @ Café Lugano 184

Amcal Chemist Cowes

118

Grantville Pantry

132

Denis Hawkins

82

Shearwater Studios

183

Ashley Brooke Hair Design

114

Grantville Takeaway

188

Edney’s Hyundai

84

Stockyard Gallery

184

Body Essence

58

Harry’s on the Esplanade

188

Essential Body Basics

186

Builders, Architects, Designers

Crossover Cycles

118

Heather’s Craft, Wool and Café

190

Evans Petroleum (BP)

192

Beaumont Concepts

152

Essential Body Basics

186

Infused

17

Gecko Gallery

86

Brewer Homes

142

Koonwarra Day Spa

82

Island Quality Meats & Seafood 138

Gippsland Natural Meats

86

Burke Homes

140

Outer 2 Inner

114

Kilcunda General Store

135

Gooseneck Pottery

100

Coldon Homes

154

Patricia Hosking Yoga

186

Koonwarra Store

82

Heather’s Craft, Wool and Café

190

148

Phillip Island Medical Group

110

La Provincia

125

Jean Depot Leongatha

60

Ecoliv

152

San Remo Pharmacy

70

Mad Cowes

188

Koonwarra Day Spa

82

Eric van Agtmaal

146

Who Gives a Haircut

90

Manna Gum @ Broadbeach

178

Koonwarra Store

82

GJ Gardner

148

YMCA

116

Mangowood Gluten Free

189

Krowera Olive Oil

187

Home Design & Construction

29

Homewares + Interiors

Moos @ Meeniyan

189

Lacy Jewellery Studio & Gallery 6

Hotondo Homes

146

Carpet Call

195

Palms at Kahloa

131

Loch Village

78

Inner Space Design

153

Dollar Curtains & Blinds

195

Phillip Island RSL

46

Moo’s @ Meeniyan

189

Langford Jones

170

Finding the Grain

166

San Remo Bakehouse

131

Prom Country Accomm

192

Tibbits + Merrill Architects

191

Harvey Norman

170

Sandy Point Café

189

Main Street Revalations

190

Metricon

33

Heathers Café & Craft Wool

190

Taylors Waterfront

189

Ride the Wild Goat

86

Pod Trading

162

Invisage

156

The Red Elk Bar

132

So! Me

70

Smiths Beach Constructions

191

Main St Revelations

190

Verde

92

South Gippsland Antiques

78

Entertainment, Markets & Festivals

National Tiles

195

Watermark @ Silverwater

187

Sth Gipps Info Centres

193

Art + Soul

52

Nordic Designs

57

Wonthaggi Club

136

Stockyard Gallery

184

Baker Boys Band

90

PKB Tiles

158

Woolamai Pizza

190

Cowes Night Market

96

Darren Brown Design

191

Simply @ Home

100

Tourism , Travel + Leisure

Inverloch Food and Wine Festival 96

South Coast Furnishings

156

Amaze n Things

108

Inverloch Jazz Festival

96

Southern Bazaar

51

Bass Coast Info Centre

113

Kongwak Market

110

Jewellery

Coal Creek

80

Life Aquatic Comp

184

Beemo

100

Destination Phillip Island

104

Phillip Island Long Lunch

104

Denis A Hawkins

82

Edney’s Hyundai

84

coast 194

Huge range of tiles Phone: 5672 3215 www.nationaltiles.com.au

Expert Advice Huge range of carpets Phone: 5672 1861 www.carpetcall.com.au

Endless Choice

Huge range of window finishings Phone: 5672 4535 www.dollarcurtains.com.au

Exceptional Quality Showroom 120–128 McKenzie St Wonthaggi coast 195

coast 196