WRAPRALLYUP

Photos by Nishimachi

The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally 2024 was held on 9 to 11 August and has concluded with spectacular action. The fight for outright victory was within seconds as the field entered the final stage at the Boisdale Hillclimb Track.

Rally leaders Harry Bates and Coral Taylor in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris needed to have a perfect run to maintain the lead. Scott Pedder and Glen MacNeal were hot on their heels but pushed too hard. They hit a tree, which tore the left rear suspension and driveshafts, dragging the wheel behind them.

This handed second place to Lewis Bates and Anthony McLouglin in their Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris as they posted a clean drive to maintain the gap to the next place, Eddie Maguire and Zak Brakey in their Maguire Motorsport Skoda Fabia.

Fourth place overall and first in the ARC MainFix Production Cup was Molly Taylor and Andy Sarandis in their Subaru Impreza. The Toyota Gazoo Racing World Rally Japan team did an amazing job to drive to third place. Their rally began with Nao Otake and Hideki Takeyabu crashing in Thursday’s testing session, which had the team rebuild the front of the car and install a new engine, sent from Sydney overnight.

The winner of the two wheel drive cup was Maffra driver Nick Seymour and Matt Whitten in their Wilmour Motors Ford Fiesta. They placed sixteenth overall in this fourth round of the national championship.

The rally began with the BSR Automotive Rally Show situated at the Port of Sale on Friday evening. One thousand people took the opportunity to meet Australia’s best teams and check out their cars. It was an event in itself with Heyfield Pizza and Takeaway and Neirbos Eats providing great food, and Sonax and Racer Industries displaying their fine products for purchase.

The Mayor of Wellington Shire Council Ian Bye officially welcomed all attendees and competitors. He flagged away the field as they prepared for the next day’s competition.

Seven thousand people attended The Middle of Everywhere Gippsland Rally. On Saturday, spectators saw the speed of the rally cars at the spectator point just north of Cowwarr Weir. Pedders Rally Central at Gordon Street Recreation Reserve in Heyfield hosted the teams servicing their cars with crucial repairs and performance adjustments.

Kennedys Flat hosted one of Sunday’s spectacles and the Boisdale Hillclimb Track hosted close to two thousand people to witness the final stage of the rally. In the final dash to the finish, some drivers pushed their cars past their limits, which contributed to the spectacle.

The organising team sincerely thanked everyone who helped make this event possible. Over 250 volunteers saw the event run to schedule and it was recognised as one of Australia’s best-run motorsport events.

Who would have thought that growing strawberries in the middle of a cow paddock would be such a raging success?

Nicole and Brendan Saunders are dairy farmers at Mewburn Park just outside Maffra. Originally from New Zealand they both grew up on small farms and loved visiting what is an institution in their ho nd, the strawberry farm. After establishing themselves on their farm on the rich, fertile river flats of the Macalister River at Maffra Brendan suggested they should grow strawberries and perhaps have a little shack selling them. Though initially resistive Nicole then came on board in a very big way! They looked at a couple of the smaller operations in Victoria and visited one of the larger operations in New Zealand that had been running for many years. Much fact finding and discussion went into their final decision to open their own berry farm on a part of their property. They began with passion and big dreams!

Their vision was a concept, which would encompass all ages and abilities and that is exactly what they have achieved. They realised there was a gap in the market for a local family friendly experience that also catered for everyone, young and old, couples, families or friends. It was to be a zero food miles experience where customers could interact with where their food comes from and enjoy fresh and delicious local produce.

The majority of the ingredients in the on-site café come from within a 100 km radius of the Berry Dairy. Their own Mewburn Park grass fed beef is used in the café menu and part of their providore range. Their own milk, pasteurised, is also used in the café and available to purchase. They have a signature ice cream, made on site using their own strawberries and premium ice cream, soon to be their own.

The eco credentials inherent in the whole philosophy of the Berry Dairy are beyond compare! They use no plastic packaging, all takeaway cups and lids are biodegradable and all water used is recycled. The café has solar panels, a native tree shelter belt and their own beehives. These initiatives will be expanded in the future.

After setting up all of the infrastructure from scratch “The Berry Dairy” opened their first season in November 2023 with a licensed café featuring locally sourced produce, pick your own strawberries, playgrounds for the kids, a farmyard petting zoo and a providore shopfront. The location, set in their dairy farm, is so easily accessable. It is well sign posted, just outside Maffra and a short detour from the Gippsland rail trail. They even have tractor parking for their neighbours!

This year they have hand planted 24,000 strawberry plants, these will last for two years before they are replaced with new plants. There are several different varieties planted, sourced from Toolangi in Victoria.

Opening a new business is a leap of faith but Nicole and Brendan were overwhelmed with the support and custom they achieved in their very first season! The Berry Dairy quickly became a popular go to place for visitors, so much so that to avoid disappointment they suggested people make a booking through their social media, walk-ins are still welcome. Throughout their first six month opening season they had 26,000 visitors, an astonishing number for a new enterprise. Their hard work and effort were justly rewarded.

It is a very popular venue with families who can enjoy time with their young ones in a safe environment; there is a securely fenced playground; also families have the benefit of seeing animals close up in the petting zoo. Special times are organised for mums with newborns.

Visitors have found it to be a welcoming place to relax and have a coffee or even to pick some strawberries. There is a meeting room that can accommodate up to 15 people, which local organisations have used for meetings, book clubs, birthdays parties or other small celebrations. They can host up to 45 people in their marquee, even providing a unique venue for a memorial service!

Catering such as freshly made scones, sliders, chips, wedges, locally sourced share boards and especially the dessert menu are extremely popular. A stunning range of local beers, wines and a premium cocktail menu are a fantastic addition to their signature shakes and smoothies, something for everyone!

The innovations continue with classes in Strawberry cocktail making available and the ultimate indulgence, a dessert sharing board. They have planted strawberry plants on special elevated beds that are wheelchair and elderly accessible or for anybody who has difficulty reaching down to the lower beds.

It is so impressive to see the innovations, thoughtfulness and positivity that are evident in this new venture. Nicole and Brendan are rightly proud of their fantastic Berry Dairy and love to share it with everybody. Not ones to rest on their laurels the creative new ideas will continue to flow in the future.

The new Berry season opens on the 1st November 2024 and runs 7 days a week for six months.

It is an experience that you will not only enjoy but also return to again and again.