26 minute read
Alistair Flower - In the Front Bar
focus_contributor.
in the
FRONT BAR
with ALISTAIR FLOWER
MANAGING DIRECTOR OF FLOWER HOTELS
GEOFF
CONNOR
RUGBY LEAGUE ENTHUSIAST & CEO OF THE HASTINGS LEAGUE
Geoff, you’re a well known local in the Wauchope / Hastings area, how long have you been calling Wauchope home?
Well I’m not really a local, I came here when I was about 12, about 1972 I think. My family is originally from Yarrahapinni, Mum and Dad moved to Sydney for about 18 months and then relocated to Wauchope. It’s funny how the term ‘local’ has changed, once upon a time you weren’t a ‘local’ unless you were 3rd generation ha-ha.
You’re known for the work you do with the Hastings League. Tell us what your role is? And how did you get involved?
I started out playing footy in the league, I’ve actually played 25 seasons across a few different clubs. I went across to play for Byabarra, I was one of the senior players. I ended up as president of the Byabarra Bulls, and then I started to get involved with the Hastings League management.
I’ve been a part of the management of the Hastings League since 1993, and in 2002 I took on the presidency role. The Hastings League is one of the longest standing Rugby League competitions in Australia (outside the NRL). It’s been running since 1920, and we are really proud of that. Now I’m the CEO, I look after the draw, making sure players are cleared and insurances are organised, that kind of thing.
How have you seen the League change in the last 20 years?
It’s had its ups and downs, that’s for sure. At one stage we had up to 12 or 13 sides, it’s always a rollercoaster ride. We’ve got 9 sides at the moment and the competition is strong. We have recently signed the Flower Hotels as the League’s major sponsor, which is exciting. We are keen to kick off a strong 2022 season.
Why do you keep turning up after 20 years?
That’s a complex question ha-ha – it’s a big job, though I’m very very lucky – out of the board I think we are all life members. We all enjoy it, it’s a team effort. We have a few young blokes coming through, so the future looks strong for the committee.
Aside from your volunteer role with the Hastings League, you are also the Chairman for the Lank Bain Trust Committee. What’s your role there?
Bain Park was donated to the community
by Lank Bain. The council bought the sporting grounds, but they built a community committee so the community still have a say in how it’s utilised and operated. We are the middle man, they talk to us and we talk to the individual clubs. We help make decisions that are fair for the community.
How do you manage
e Hastings work and family league is one around your community of the longest commitments? standing Rugby League competitions Owning my own business gives me the fl exibility to do the in Australia (outside volunteer work I love. the NRL) I own Oxley Tyres, I’ve chopped and changed careers quiet a few times. I started out as a Mechanic, once I fi nished my trade I’d had enough. I actually went on to own a seafood run (hawker’s license) for a while. As for family, my only daughter is a paramedic in the Army, I’m very proud of her, but she is based away.
Lastly, what is the best thing about the Hastings Region?
We’ve got everything at our fi ngertips – beach, bush, hinterland. The climate is perfect, there is no better place on earth.
PORT MACQUARIE
LONGVIEW FARM
A UNIQUE WEDDING DESTINATION ON THE MID NORTH COAST.
Focus speaks with proprietors Luke and Leanne on their stunning award-winning rustic farm wedding venue in the Manning Valley hinterland.
Hi Luke & Leanne. Tell us about what makes this destination so special?
Thanks Sarah. This is an 80 acre riverside property with 1.2km of private river frontage. It has been a festival venue since 1999. We are a boutique family-friendly venue with over 20 years experience hosting special events. I think the main thing which makes the destination so special is that everyone can relax together in a festival-style beautiful retreat.
What are some of the features on offer?
There are so many, including on-site accommodation in the world-famous Rotating House, deluxe glamping, camping ground, spacious open-sided rustic barn for the reception, decorations and furnishings, dance floor, pro AV system, grassed lawn games area, picturesque ceremony locations, 80 acre property and 1km of pristine river frontage. Proper camping amenities, hot showers. 500-odd pieces of props etc for hire, cool room built in, natural tree arbour archway on the riverbed and incredible sunsets for your photos.
What sort of packages can you arrange for wedding couples?
We can tailor the perfect package for your special day. From the ceremony right through to our add-on inclusions, the choice is yours ... it’s all possible here at Longview Farm. We also include wedding planning and event runners on your special day to ensure friends and family can fully immerse themselves in your wedding experience.
“What a magical place to get married. We
Every aspect of had the best day and the service we couldn’t have had a more perfect location. received from Luke Everyone was bowled and Leanne was over by the place and fantastic from our we hugely appreciated initial booking to our the effort absolutely wedding day. everyone put in to pull off an incredible day.” - Maryanne & Nicholas “We are so glad we chose Longview Farm for our wedding venue. If we could give more stars we would! Every aspect of the service we received from Luke and Leanne was fantastic from our initial booking to our wedding day. Longview Farm was stunning and being able to stay for a whole weekend made our wedding feel like a holiday where we were able to relax with our closest family and friends. - Lauren & Dean.
Acoustic Pure
Mid North Coast duo act Pure Acoustic showcases the talents of Phil Matthews, a Conservatorium trained classical guitarist, with a voice that impersonates so many favourites from Michael Bublé to Jimmy Barnes. With 20+ years performing across Australia working with artists such as Tommy Emmanuel, Phil has developed his own unique finger styling, taking on songs such as Lady Gaga’s Poker Face and Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody in all its glory on one acoustic guitar. Partnering with multi-talented harp blowing, soul singing, eye catching, box bashing percussionist Elke Matthews, our duo covers all the favourite classics from across the ages. We have a reputation for being the ‘singing jukebox’. We like to give our audiences the music they want and test their knowledge of pop culture along the way. With a repertoire of classic hits from across the ages so vast, we are sure to play your tune! Pure Acoustic perform almost everywhere. We specialise in private functions and corporate events. You can catch a Pure Acoustic live performance almost every weekend at a live music venue across the Mid North Coast, check out our Facebook events to keep up to date. We provide professional sound and lighting equipment at all our shows, along with something a little different to most. We have an online jukebox request system, allowing our audience to request a song from 2000+ classic hits, straight from their mobile devices to the stage for a live acoustic rendition. We love music and we love our audience, we engage with guests for song choices and that interaction helps us choose the right setlist for a great time at any occasion.
elope NIC BODLE Mid North Coast
After a period of great disruption to the wedding industry, Nic Bodle, talented photographer of Fox & Kin, saw a movement towards smaller more intimate weddings...
Nic decided to put together a team of local vendors that together could provide complete wedding packages for those that were wanting to bypass the stress and time involved in planning a wedding and just get on with celebrating their love with those dearest to them... without sacrificing on luxury and style!
Hi Nic. You have many years experience as a wedding photographer, and more recently started Elope Mid North Coast, what made you come up with this idea?
With all the disruption to the wedding industry in the past couple of years *cough Covid*, more and more couples are rebelling against the idea of weddings as these huge, extravagant events with hundreds of people they don’t really know, a lot of money spent and a pretty big impact on the environment. I’ve always been an advocate for elopements and intimate weddings, as they have less environmental impact on the earth and a greater focus on the act of being married – and on the love two people share for each other. So when the pandemic brought the wedding industry to a standstill, I saw the opportunity to jump in and offer a service that I’m really passionate about – a quick, inclusive and earthfriendly elopement package that supports local vendors with similar values.
How did you go from the initial idea to having a team of vendors ready to make a couple’s small wedding dreams a reality?
I spoke to a lot of people about their ideal luxury elopement package, or what was missing from their own elopement – often it’s things like flowers, good food or live music. So I made it my mission to bring those services together for the ultimate inclusive elopement experience that feels just like a wedding but without all the guests. Bringing the team together was easy as they’re all good friends of mine and we work together a lot. I know they’re reliable, professional, like-minded and the best in the biz!
What can Elope Mid North Coast provide for couples looking to elope or have
...for those who a small intimate are fond of the wedding? We offer a fully finer things, and who inclusive experience for want the complete couples who don’t want wedding experience a big wedding, but still with the intimacy of want to treat themselves an elopement and and have an incredible the footprint of a day. Our Epicurean picnic. Collection is for those who are fond of the finer things, and who want the complete wedding experience with the intimacy of an elopement and the footprint of a picnic. It includes all planning and paperwork, a custom ceremony, photography coverage, live music, florals and a styled reception with a three-course meal on location, wherever you’re getting married! You can contact us at www.elopemidnorthcoast. com to learn more and grab a copy of our Booking Guide.
Can you tell us about the team you have brought together?
Our stellar team of seven includes: me (Nic) the photographer and planner; Fred – our
wonderful celebrant (you might know her as Alison Bartlett); Josh, aka Lttle Kng, an incredible live musician; Alice our magical florist from Euflorial; Mikhayla – our talented stylist from One Day Weddings and Events; and Ellie & Brandon from Coastal Harvest, who are an amazing catering team who provide a portable kitchen, onsite chef and waitstaff. We’ve got you covered so you really can just show up, get married, and enjoy yourself!
What has some of the feedback been like so far?
Absolutely phenomenal! Couples are excited at the prospect of having an option to spoil themselves with all the luxuries that they thought they’d have to miss out on if they eloped. We have couples actually travelling from out of the area to the Mid North Coast so they can work with our team. People love the fact that they can have one point of contact for everything so they’re not trying to manage multiple vendors themselves and they don’t need to worry about forgetting anything because it’s all done for them. It’s amazing to see the level of enthusiasm we’re receiving from people planning their elopements and intimate weddings!
What are some of the more challenging aspects of taking on planning someone’s wedding?
I honestly love planning so much. Spreadsheets and PDFs are my love language. But sometimes planning comes to a halt when communications break down between vendors. Luckily with our team, we have fantastic communication structures set up so we are constantly in contact with each other and nothing gets lost or forgotten in the planning process.
What is it you love about the wedding industry and working with couples?
Without a doubt, the sense of joy in the air. It’s an opportunity to celebrate something that we often don’t celebrate enough in life – our love and connection to those dearest to us. I love the friendships that I form with couples as we plan their wedding, and their reactions when they see the photos of themselves totally wrapped up in a moment of bliss with their love.
What have been some of your favourite or most interesting weddings to date?
The weddings and elopements that stick with me and really affect me emotionally are the simple, quiet ceremonies in nature, with only the couple and a handful of their loved ones. There’s less fanfare and formality and more focus on the act of being married and the connection between two people. Some of my favourites have been couples getting married barefoot standing in the river, or on
It’s an opportunity to celebrate something that we often don’t celebrate enough in top of a mountain. life – our love and I always encourage connection to those couples to kick their dearest to us. shoes off and stand barefoot for their ceremonies as I think that connection to the earth really grounds them and brings them back into that moment and that place.
What are you looking forward to in 2022?
We’re working with so many amazing couples this year in some of my favourite spots on the Mid North Coast. We really are spoiled with the locations available to us here so I’m looking forward to getting out into the rainforest and onto the beaches and seeing the magic this team pulls together! You can follow us at @elopemidnorthcoast to keep up with the latest!
BRIDAL & FORMAL
NIKKI SMITH
Nikki Smith is the new proud owner of RSVP Bridal and Formal in Vernon Street in the heart of Coffs Harbour. We wanted to chat to her about 2022 and the buzz around weddings this year!
Nikki,
congratulations on being a new business owner – tell us about your experience in the bridal gown industry?
Thank you so much. I started working for RSVP Bridal around 9 years ago when my youngest daughter started primary school. I gained some invaluable experience whilst working with a great team, and when the previous owner decided she was ready to sell RSVP, I saw it as the perfect time to take on the business of my dreams – I’m a lover of all things sparkly and beautiful. I wake up every morning and can’t wait to get in there! Every day is a different day and a bit of a dream come true really.
What do you love about your role in helping brides choose their dream gown?
I’m here for the bride! The day they walk into the store with their ‘entourage’ is a very big day for them. Each bride is unique and some have an idea of what suits them, and some have no idea. I find it quite fascinating working it all out, that’s the fun part. We try different gowns of all shapes and styles, we accessorise with veils and headpieces, the bride’s family and friends get involved and have a bit of a fun, and we generally end up where we need to be – with a beautiful gown for a beautiful bride.
It’s so special being part of someone’s big day, it’s very fulfilling and satisfying, and for me it’s all about the experience.
Can you take us through the steps of choosing the right outfits from colour schemes to trends to body types?
From what I’ve experienced, a bride generally comes in with and idea of the colour schemes for her wedding. That may be because she has gone with her favourite colour, or with a colour that suits her venue. Although, some brides wait until they find their wedding gown before they make their final decision.
I’ve found to ‘mixnot match’ has been a trend over the past few years, meaning bridesmaids have a mix of different styles, but in the same colour. This has been popular, particularly where there are a few bridesmaids of different sizes and body shapes.
Satin has been a trend more recently, with
Satin has been a trend more recently, with charmeuse and velvet charmeuse and velvet making an appearance making an appearance as well, although the as well, although the ever popular chiffon is soft and pretty and is ever popular chiffon is available in a rainbow soft and pretty and is of colours. available in a rainbow We also have of colours. mother of the bride/ groom dresses available in a wide range of sizes. As well as party dresses for guests.
How important is it to prepare your wedding outfits in advance? What timeline would you suggest?
For a bride seeking a stress-free approach to their wedding, I would recommend ordering 6-9 months before the big day. That way the dress of your dreams will arrive in plenty of time for any alterations that may be required. As discussed when ordering, most brides will generally need a hem, and any tweaking to ensure the dress looks like it was made for her – maybe in the bust, or the waist, or adding straps etc. We have a fabulous ‘gown mechanic’, Donna from ABC Stitches, who we have always recommended for alterations.
What’s the best way to find you?
RSVP Bridal & Formal is located at 9 Vernon Street, Coffs Harbour.
Our contact number is 6652 7000.
To avoid any disappointment, please be sure to give me a call to book an appointment.
focus_interview
DESSERT FIRST
Martene George has always loved to bake, and a er baking for family and friends for a number of years her creative - and delicious - designs started ge ing more and more interest, so she started Dessert First taking special occasion custom orders, and has now moved into her very own commercial cooking space!
Hi Martene. Has baking
always been something you enjoy?
It certainly has! I’ve always enjoyed baking and creating sweets from a young age… for as long as I can remember.
When did the idea for Dessert First come to mind, and what was the process of getting it started?
After hobby baking for family and friends for years, I started thinking that maybe this hobby I love could become a career I would love. Getting a small business started isn’t easy, it took a lot of time and effort. After fi nishing my commercial cookery qualifi cations, I was working three jobs while baking small orders from my mum’s kitchen, mostly for friends by word of mouth. Eventually though, my baking orders grew and I dedicated more time to my own baking jobs, and spent less time at my other jobs. I picked a business name, and slowly but surely I was able to purchase more equipment and branded packaging and the things I needed to make my small start have more of an impact. Social media was imperative for helping me market and sell my goodies, and through hard work and long hours after early mornings watching dough rise, I have got to where I am today… my own commercial space in Port!
Do you mostly take special orders or are your treats also available at shops or stalls?
Most of my work is custom orders for
A er hobby baking for family and friends for years, I started thinking that people’s special events… and I am busier than ever, booking orders months in maybe this hobby I advance! love could become Although there has been interest from local a career I would cafés and businesses to stock my sweets in love. their stores it’s not something I am currently offering, but I am considering it for 2022. I did run incredible doughnut and cookie days, direct to the public, every Friday straight from my shop for the past 6 months. Doughnut days went off with a bang! The support from the community each and every week was mind blowing and I am beyond grateful. Because they were such a hit, doughnut days will return monthly throughout 2022 and for signifi cant dates, and I will have the original goodies plus new
Martene GEORGE
exciting products and fl avours that I am keen to share with everyone. Watch Dessert First’s social media pages for dates, so you do-nut miss out. ;)
What are some of your favourite creations to date?
Aside from my beautiful custom cakes which are always designed with my clients’ ideas in mind and always look amazing, I am proud to have brought the New York style cookie to Port. My NY cookies are delicious as they are, or as a dessert covered in ice cream!
You now have your own commercial space in Port, what was it like for you moving into a commercial kitchen?
Yes, it was this time last year that I secured my very own commercial kitchen. Dessert First HQ is now located at 31 Uralla Road, Port Macquarie. It was easily the largest step in my business and career to date. Out of all my achievements, this was the most challenging, toughest and most testing of them all. Yet, so rewarding!
After settling into my fi rst year, I can say it was the best move I made! I have experienced a huge amount of growth for both me personally and my business.
My commercial kitchen has enabled me to double my baking load yet halve the cooking time, maximising my fullest potential. I am very excited to see where this year takes me. I have so much planned so keep your eyes on Dessert First’s social pages to see where we go.
What are some of the more challenging aspects of your work?
You’d think I would say refraining from eating all of the delicious cookies and doughnuts would be the most challenging, but being a perfectionist whilst maintaining my time management can also become challenging. If my work is not 110% it will not go out the door. I will re-ice, repipe, re-decorate or start again to meet my own professional standard. I have high expectations of both myself and my brand, which I am very proud of.
Your creations are always so beautiful, where do you get your inspiration from?
Thank you so much! I have always had a very creative mind, even from a young age. I have consistently had the ability to invent and develop original ideas. Many of my clients come to me with their ideas, colours and themes and then I put my own spin on them to keep the design unique and personalised for each customer.
What are your hopes and dreams for your business moving into the future?
I plan to continue growing and expanding Dessert First into its fullest potential. Switching my focus to my online store, specifi cally my postal gift range. Our fondant cookies and New York cookies are now available Australia wide. You can order birthday gifts, thank you gifts, you name it and we’ll post them to all your friends
Many of my and family all over the clients come to country. Sounds like a me with their ideas, pretty sweet idea ;) It colours and themes didn’t seem fair to keep and then I put my own all these incredible spin on them to keep the design unique and tasting sweets here, when the rest of nation can enjoy them too!personalised for each How can people customer. check out your work
or get in touch?
Check out our delicious creations on our Facebook and Instagram social media pages and follow along to keep up to date with our indulgent specials and new products. To get in touch jump online to our website www.eatdessertfi rst.com.au where you will fi nd our custom order forms to fi ll in for cookies and cakes, completely customisable to suit your occasion. Or if you are interested in something a little sweeter or have a question, simply send us an email info@ eatdessertfi rst.com.au and we will get back to you!
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