North by North-East April/May 2016

VOL 6 EDITION 2

APR/MAY 2016

North

by NORTH-EAST COUNTRY LIFE IN NORTH-EAST VICTORIA

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North

by NORTH-EAST

Contents Editor: Glen Rohan

18

Colleen Reynolds

26

Meet the Burtons

34

Tolmie Sports Day

36

Maurie Pawsey

44

Library reshuffle

52

The funghi forager

58

Vibrant Beechworth

Art Director: Lynnda Heard Designer: Nicola Tilbury Contributors: Pat O’Bryan, Louise Munro, Joe Blake, Lynnda Heard, Dr Douglas Norman, Ian Dunn, Gaynor Matthew, Colette Geier, Cass Jasper, Julia Foletta, Dr Jacinta Kelly, Brian Dixon, Natasha Lobban, Kelly Timms Photographers: Lynnda Heard, Nicola Tilbury

ADVERTISING Kelly Timms - Advertising Manager 0417 869 608 | kelly@northbynortheast.com.au Shirley O’Connor 0437 351 239 | shirley@northbynortheast.com.au Property: Glen Rohan 0407 200 031 | glen@northbynortheast.com.au Distribution, Subscriptions, Events: (03) 5779 1290 | admin@northbynortheast.com.au Contact NNE: (03) 5779 1290 | 3 Eisners Lane, Mansfield Lynnda Heard 0407 103 035 | lynnda@northbynortheast.com.au

She’s the friendly person who greets tourists and knows all the answers at the Mansfield Information Centre.

She also knows life’s ups and downs.

The Burton family celebrate 100 years of owning the Euroa supermarket and share their memories of growing up in the township.

It was another huge event in Tolmie for the annual sports day when visitors came from far and wide.

The Pawsey name is synonymous with Alexandra where Maurie and Marida are known for their immense work within the community.

There’s change afoot for libraries in the Alpine and Mansfield shires along with the cities of Benalla and Wangaratta. Gaynor Matthew reports.

Published by Glen Rohan for RL Media Pty Ltd, ACN 081 735 891, of Mansfield Euroa Road, Merton 3715 Tel: (03) 5779 1290 All material appearing in North by North-East is protected by Australian copyright laws.

Any reproduction or adaption of any material in whole or part is not permitted without prior authorisation from the publisher. The publisher does not take responsibility for any statements or errors and omissions made by any editorial or advertising material published in this magazine.

North by North-East invites contributions on subjects of interest to residents, businesses and visitors of the Murrindindi, Strathbogie, Mansfield, Wangaratta, Benalla, Indigo and Alpine districts. Please forward to edit@northbynortheast.com.au. Please be aware that North by North-East is unable to accept responsibility for the safe custody or return of any material whether typescripts, photographs, transparencies, artwork or computer discs.

ON THE COVER Marjorie and Corey Haring from Wangaratta love cruising in the northeast on their Harley Davidson.

Photographer LYNNDA HEARD caught up with the couple in Myrtleford enjoying the festival.

More pictures from Myrtleford on page 24.

Myrtleford’s Franka Norris talks about the tradition of food foraging, especially collecting mushrooms.

Franka’s skills will be on show at the La Fiera festival.

The town of Beechworth is fast becoming a ‘must visit’ destination for keen shoppers.

April&May

2016

Property 124 Country Farms, lifestyle properties and

gorgeous homes fill the Property pages in this edition.

80 86 92

Horse health Veterinarian Dr Jacinta Kelly advises on vaccinations for horses in the north-east region.

Hitched Photos from three local weddings grace our popular section in this edition.

Just amazed

98

Food and Wine

114

Picture it all

118

So much on

Resident chef Colette Geier talks with Simon and Maggie at Longwood’s Ridge Grove Olives; wine writer Ian Dunn samples whites from Billy Button in Beechworth, Pat O’Bryan tries out Harry’s Fork and we look at a food and wine festival in the King Valley.

Gallery operators combine to inform all of the growth of art in the north-east.

The list of happenings is full to the brim with events for Easter, April and May.

Tracey and Dean Shipley take us for a stroll through their garden maze at beautiful Goughs Bay.

84

Tennis at Euroa

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

11

NNECOUNTRY

Festivals across the north-east

W

e bring this edition to you after working through a recordbreaking hot week in March. It’s not the sort of record most of us would want as the days have been stifling and the nights very hot for sleeping. Thankfully the weather passed and it looks like the north-east is now heading into what many think is the best time of the year.

All too often we forget about the importance No doubt that’s why so many our insect friends are to us in the country. This areas have festivals at this time. In magnificent spider has called this part of the this issue we look at the Jamieson shed his home and he/she is welcome.

Autumn Festival on page 14. Our events listing section starting A bit like the Burtons, in Alexandra on page 118 also has a number of the name Pawsey means a large festivals scheduled over the next few contribution to that community. Julia months including Beechworth’s Golden Foletta has the story of Maurie and Horseshoe Festival over the Easter Marida Pawsey who came to the area to weekend. retire in 1989.

While on Beechworth, we’re proud to Soon across much of the northsay we have an excellent feature on the east – Alpine and Mansfield shires, and delights of that historic town. Starting on the cities of Benalla and Wangaratta – page 58, it’s well worth a read. councils will be changing the way our In Mansfield, Colleen Reynolds knows libraries operate. Gaynor Matthew has just about all the delights of that proud that report on page 44. town. She is one of the people greeting At Myrtleford we meet Franka visitors at Mansfield’s information centre Norris whose fame is her ability to and she has an interesting life story. See forage for food in surrounding forests. page 18.

Understandably, she specialises in For just on 100 years the Burton mushrooms and readers can go on the family has looked after the needs of hunt with her. Read her story on page Euroa families with what was a general 52. store and is now a thriving supermarket.

The family’s story starts on page 26.

We look at the Bright Festival, the

Myrtleford Festival, the Tolmie annual Sports Day, the Three Tenors at Mansfield racecourse and Euroa’s ever popular tennis tournament.

Louise Munro writes of her husband catching up with new technology on his smart phone and resident vet Dr Jacinta Kelly advises on vaccination for our horses.

In the Food and Wine section, Colette Geier talks with a couple who have made a success of growing olives on their Longwood property. Wine writer Ian Dunn has the good fortune to try much of the range of white wines from Porepunkah’s Billy Button Wines and we look at preparations for the ‘Fit for a King’ wine festival in the King Valley.

There’s a special feature on galleries starting on page 114 and we visit some outstanding properties for sale in our Property section starting on page 124.

Welcome to one of our biggest editions ever. And thank you for your support; we hope you enjoy this April/ May edition.

Glen Rohan Publisher and editor

Six days of fun - the Italian way!

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Jan Wealands wins the White Lotus weekend Jan Wealands from Yea has organised two subscriptions to NNE – one for herself and another for her father in Melbourne. Last month, her own subscription paid a big dividend.

Jan is the winner of the subscription prize valued at $500 of a night for two at the wonderful White Lotus Spa resort in Narbethong. According to Jan, her husband Russell is very excited and

Four months to collect firewood

T

he weather is cooling and the warmth of a wood fire is very appealing, but there are laws regulating both the amount of firewood you can collect from roadside reservations and even where you can collect it from.

Collecting wood falls within its own season which is from March to June in 2016.

Anyone is permitted to collect a maximum of two cubic meters per person per day, while a limit has been set on any home with a maximum of 16 cubic meters per household per financial year.

As to where you can collect firewood well there are designated collection areas you can gather firewood from. This is to ensure the protection of cultural and environmental significance sites.

It is the responsibility of anyone collecting wood to check where these designated collection areas are.

In cooler weather the dangers of fire can be just as dangerous as in summer and it is also your responsibility to check weather conditions. Strong winds and

flash flooding are also dangerous for those intent on filling their boot with firewood.

For the best results from the wood you collect, store green wood correctly for 12 months before you burn it and remember that it is prohibited to fell a tree to collect firewood.

According to DELWP and Parks Victoria – “Staff will be patrolling parks, forests and reserves to ensure people are doing the right thing while collecting their firewood. Concealed cameras will be used in some areas.”

To collect firewood from roadsides you also need to have permission from your local council. It’s important to understand that VicRoads does not allow firewood collection on roadsides it manages. In State Forests roadside collection of firewood is only allowed in designated areas.

For more information go to: www. delwp.vic.gov.au/firewood or call 136 186. Maps are available on the web site showing where you may collect wood.

NNE

planning the weekend away that may even involve driving through the Black Spur to try a restaurant in Healesville or at one of the nearby wineries.

Congratulations to Jan and a big thank you to the White Lotus Spa Resort.

Turn to page 97 for details on how to win this issue’s prize – a skincare pack valued at $385 from Mansfield’s own Rustic Hyde Skincare Australia. NNE

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NNECOUNTRY

Val Kirley’s 2015 Gold Nugget Throw

A big day planned for Jamieson

All roads will head to Jamieson on the Saturday before ANZAC Day for that town’s fabulous Autumn Festival.

BRIAN DIXON looks at some of the highlights Pictures:FREDDIE LEONG

I

t is appropriate that ‘The Gold Nugget Throw’ is the event which most marks and identifies the third Jamieson Autumn Festival, to be held on the Saturday of the ANZAC day weekend. .

Jamieson was founded in 1861, a decade after gold was discovered in Victoria in 1851. The township arose out of commercial development of the supply trade, supporting the rapid development of reef mining at Woods Point and Gaffney’s Creek.

People come from all over Victoria to

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Jamieson for the Autumn Festival and for the last two years The Gold Nugget Throw event has been won by Craig Barley from Woori Yallock.

‘The Gold Nugget Throw’ event sees prizes awarded in all categories including children under 14 years. For their $2 entry fee, the successful competitors take home a piece of Jamieson history.

It’s a trophy hand-crafted from the giant 150-year-old Sequoia trees from the Jamieson Police Paddock, planted by early settlers.

The ‘Gold Nuggets’ are stored and

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transported in a strong box and they are usually delivered to the event by horse and cart, with a police escort.

In addition to ‘The Gold Nugget Throw’, the festival will have interactive demonstrations and workshops on blacksmithing, gold panning, bush cooking, fly fishing, fly tying, painting, pottery and more. There will be static and working displays of Classic, Custom and Sports cars, vintage engines and tractors, vintage bikes, Cole Clarke Guitars, Photographic and Art exhibitions. And the ever popular Cow

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Lauriston School students performing in the Jamieson Memorial Hall

Poo Lotto will again be held On the main stage and various locations around town, free entertainment will be provided all day by musicians, bush poets, dancers, singers and various buskers. There will be a Trash and Treasure Market and food including Mingo’s renowned Paella.

The local museum and gallery will be open and five artists will be exhibiting in the Memorial Hall, along with the Jamieson Craft Group.

Five artists – Julie Guppy, Claire Hirst, Susan Gibson, Michael Britter and Freddie Leong – are exhibiting

their work in the art show on Saturday and through to Sunday, at the Jamieson Memorial Hall.

To finish off the day, at 4pm the much anticipated Hay Bale Race will be contested. This is where the local Fire Brigade team will try to win back the Perpetual Trophy, held for the last two years by the Courthouse Hotel team. The Hay Bale Race sees two teams of three members, push large round bales of hay, over a measured course. And, of course, often the rules are misinterpreted.

Adding atmosphere throughout the town will be music, song and poetry

recitals on street corners, in front of buildings, at the river side settings and on the stage in the main marquee.

Members of the band, Pans of Fire are also scheduled to play.

A guided Walk among the Significant Trees of Jamieson will also be part of the festival.

Entry to the festival is free because it is entirely volunteer run with generous financial support from the Mansfield and District Community Bank. If the last two years are any guide, Jamieson will be the place to be on Saturday April 23. NNE For more detailed information see the Jamieson website www.jamieson.org.au

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und raising for schools is always an ongoing struggle and it is wonderful when schools find a novel way of increasing those all too elusive funds. At the Moyhu Primary School on Sunday, February 28, they held what is now their annual event ‘Show us Your Wheels’, which is a display of cars open to all types of vehicles.

The following weekend at the Beechworth Primary School, organisers held a Show and Shine on the Saturday.

Luckily they have a large stretch of land next to the school, otherwise the cars would never have fitted.

An added bonus to the owners who attended the car displays was that both schools are in picturesque locations – making it all the more enjoyable for the owners to have an excuse to travel to North-East Victoria. NNE

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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The positive attitude of Colleen Reynolds

18

APRIL / MAY 2016

Colleen Reynolds is in the perfect job for someone who loves the Mansfield area.

She works at the tourist information centre advising visitors to the town. However, there is much more to Colleen than just being a helpful adviser. She tells NNE some of her story.

Pictures: NICOLA TILBURY

C

olleen Reynolds loves Mansfield which is just as well as her smiling face is what greets thousands of visitors to that town each year. Each one of them wants information and Colleen knows just about everything about the area.

However, Colleen’s cheery face masks a life that has been a mix of highs and lows, one where she still has her battles.

A child of the ‘50s, Colleen was raised and schooled in Essendon and went on to become a primary teacher when she was 20. She loved to snow ski and was a constant winter visitor to Mt Buller. It was on the mountain where Colleen met her future husband, Michael Reynolds whose parents ran the general store through the snow season.

Some years later, Colleen and Michael married and the mad Bomber supporter moved to Mansfield where she continued teaching. Two children followed – Nicholas now 32 and Emily 30.

The couple built their own home near the Mansfield golf course and while they realised Emily was autistic, life was pretty good. They water skied and snow skied, and Michael was open to many business opportunities.

“Michael was a real entrepreneur; saw an opportunity and went for it,” says Colleen.

They took over the store at Buller and then went into a milk bar at Mansfield at the same time.

The couple saw an opportunity in wholesaling fruit and vegetables serving Buller and the Mansfield area. Business was doing well as was their life together. Then in 1990, life took a dramatic turn when Michael was diagnosed with a brain tumour.

Friends and family immediately rallied around.

“Mansfield has a wonderful community support system,” says Colleen.

“A whole army of people came in to help when Michael was diagnosed.”

Michael survived another nine years and when he died in 1999, a grieving Colleen was left with two teenagers. Both needed support, but Emily, of course, had special needs.

Colleen was not one to sit around and feel sorry for herself. She was u

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

19

NNEPEOPLE

“

“Mansfield has a wonderful community support system. A whole army of people came in to help when Michael was diagnosed”

already serving on the shire’s sport and recreation committee and she now threw herself into the campaign for an indoor pool for Mansfield – a campaign that despite some strong advocacy over the last 17 years is still to convince the money people at the council.

Swimming is well recognised as one of the better ways to maintain fitness for people such as Emily, let alone others with physical or mental disorders. Little wonder that Colleen, now president of the group, is still fighting hard for action on the yearround pool.

“It’s one of my hobby horses,” she says.

Recognising the importance of physical well-being also explains why Colleen is on the shire’s Action Mansfield committee which encourages all forms of outdoor activities in the area.

“I spend too much time indoors working on committees,” she admits. “But Mansfield is such a beautiful place and we should be outdoors trying to enjoy it.”

Preparing for life after Michael, the couple had sold the fruit business and so began a series of different jobs for Colleen where she couldn’t work more than 25 hours a week or risk losing the carer’s pension.

She worked with the Mansfield kindergarten and did a spell with a pharmacy before finding her natural place to be – at the information centre where she has been one of the public faces since 2008.

Colleen boasts that the centre deals with more than 50,000 visitors a year.

“We’re the main reservation site for Mt Buller,” she says.

“Winter is busiest – we put on up to six extra people.”

The centre is her home from home because Colleen is very good at advising visitors about the area the loves.

This after all is the woman who still “loves going to Buller. I’ll go there at the drop of a hat,” she says.

“It brings back shades of the good times I had there in my u youth.”

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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The beauty of Mansfield

Colleen still skis, but doesn’t get to do it as much as she’d like to as “I’m usually working.”

However, Colleen loves to go exploring and checking out all the area has to offer.

“I take Emily out for drives. I make sure I know what things are like.”

So Colleen knows about the best camping places, which roads are better that others and when the rivers or the lake are offering the best fishing opportunities.

She’s no slouch either on where to eat and which motels and hotels best suit the visitor’s needs – not that she gets to enjoy then much on her budget and the need to look after Emily.

Understandably, the costs of caring for a young adult like Emily are very high and Colleen looks forward to the day when the National Disability Insurance Scheme comes into play in the Mansfield area – predicted to be October 2017.

Colleen also recognises that she isn’t getting younger and that Emily will still

22

APRIL / MAY 2016

have special needs when Colleen won’t be there.

It’s part of the reason she and other parents in similar circumstances in Mansfield are trying to organise a house where their adult children can stay – hopefully with a professional carer.

The group has found a four-bedroom home they believe is ideal for its size and location and are seeking an “angel” to purchase the property and rent it to the adults in need.

And yes, that’s another group that Colleen is involved with – the Mansfield Support Group for Children with Special Needs.

Colleen makes no apologies for being involved with so many groups.

“I try to get involved with projects that will benefit the community,” she says.

And as for the housing project, Colleen says, “I’m just trying to get things right for people like her (Emily).

“I realise that council can’t do everything, but with community support, if we all work together, we can achieve

much.”

After some time away, Colleen’s son Nicholas in back in town and helps when he can.

“He’s a great support for me,” says Colleen. “It’s wonderful having him back in Mansfield.”

Nicholas became engaged earlier this year and is a bit like his dad in that he’s prepared to have a go at most things.

Colleen proudly tells that he completed an arts degree specialising in theatre production and has a number of local jobs including carpenter, jack of all trades and being a tour guide.

“He’s lived in Melbourne for some years,” Colleen says, “but his heart is in Mansfield.”

With his positive attitude to life, there’s little doubt that Nicholas will get on in Mansfield.

Not unlike Colleen who says of her situation, “It’s been a pretty varied life, but I just love Mansfield.” NNE

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NNEPEOPLE

Burton Store in 1925 and below in 1927

26

APRIL / MAY 2016

One hundred years of Burtons

One of the better known family names around Euroa has to be Burton. LYNNDA HEARD talks with the family matriarch Marjory Burton and her two sons, Andrew and Colin, who now run Burtons IGA

T

he warble of Magpies wafts in the breeze through the wire door into Marjory (Marj) Burton’s home in Euroa. From the French doors you see across the manicured lawn to the Seven Creeks and its native parkland.

“The boys grew up playing on the creek,” she says. “I remember the creek flooding up to the house.” The lively Marjory Burton formerly Craven, has lived in Euroa all her life and happily shares her memories. On the walls and the shelves of the comfortable sitting room sit family photos. One of the photos is of Alexander Burton in his World War I uniform, one of three Victoria Cross winners from the Euroa area. There’s also the official letter

informing his family of his death.

“Andrew holds most of the family memorabilia; he was always interested in history and especially since he returned from his trip to Gallipoli” says Marj.

Andrew is one of Marjory’s two sons, Colin born in 1951 and Andrew in 1955.

As Marj continues to explain some of the photos, Andrew appears with a large cardboard box filled with photos and documents detailing the Burton history.

The Burtons have been involved in the history of Euroa since 1905 when Alfred Burton arrived to manage the local general store owned then by Mr A Miller.

Eleven years later, Alfred eventually purchased the store which became what is today and it has stayed since then in the family hands. Many changes have

taken place since 1916, but this Euroa family has remained strong and worked together while sharing a love of the town and its community.

Marj was born in Euroa as a Craven in 1925; her father came from Scotland while her mum Martha Halsall was a local.

“Dad died when I was four and a half-years-old from tetanus; they didn’t have vaccinations for tetanus then. There were no pensions then and it was very difficult for mum with three children,” explains Marj.

“Mum remarried a widower with three children and we moved to Strathbogie to farm. I was at school for three years at Goorambat before we returned to Euroa. I continued my studies at Euroa u NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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“

There was hardware, animal products, furniture and racks filled with timber; nothing like it is now”

An early family photo.

Pictured: back - Colin. Left to right - Leanne, Josie and Andrew. Seated are Bruce and Marj

and went on to train as a bookkeeper,” Marj proudly explains. “And I passed with honours.”

It was while working as the bookkeeper at a garage in Euroa that she reacquainted herself with Bruce Burton, her future husband.

“Bruce used to come into the garage and I knew him from school. We also met at the local dances held in Euroa and a group of us used to go to Melbourne to the St Kilda town hall to attend balls. I had a great life after marrying Bruce.”

Marj stopped working after she married, but still helped with the books 28

APRIL / MAY 2016

from the store at night. Bruce followed his father Claude who had followed his father Alfred as owner of the Burton Store.

Marj quietly sits and reflects on her younger days, not that she sits very often. She admits to only giving up regular bowls last year, but still played a game of bowls last week which she says she enjoyed very much. She also likes a walk and regularly strolls to the store to catch up with the family.

Bruce was born in Euroa while his grandfather Alfred, or Mr Burton as Marj respectfully refers to him, came from

Kyneton to Euroa in 1905 to act as joint manager with a Mr Whale in the Alex Miller and Co store.

“The store was altogether very different then. There was hardware, animal products, furniture and racks filled with timber; nothing like it is now,” Marj recalls.

“Andrew and Colin have made many changes to the store since they took over,” says Marj. As have all the Burtons during their ownerships.

“I started at the store after school back in 1971,” says Andrew while Colin joined Andrew after the retirement of

Marj at the Burton Store with grandsons Glen and Dean 2016

their father Bruce in 1985.

Colin and Andrew were born in Euroa and attended the Euroa primary and secondary schools and then onto boarding school at Caulfield Grammar.

Andrew recalls. “It was alright, but very different. I enjoyed boarding school and finished years 10 and 11 there. After I finished year 11 I went straight into the store.”

Marj laughs and tells of Colin’s early experience of boarding school.

“He wrote to me on his first day. In the letter he said, ‘Shoot me, this is the worst day of my life’,” she says.

Colin did not shoot himself and stayed and completed years 10, 11 and 12 and did eventually enjoy boarding school and went onto Melbourne University where he achieved a Bachelor in Commerce and a Diploma in Education.

“I applied to teach in any region apart from Gippsland and I ended up in Moe,” Colin smiles and shakes his head.

“I enjoyed the High School I taught at, though I did end up teaching in Shepparton before entering the store.”

Leaving teaching and coming in with Andrew was not a problem for Colin especially with the Commerce Degree behind him.

For Colin and Andrew, it sounds like growing up in Euroa was a lot of fun with sport playing a large part in their lives. The Sevens Creeks area provided a great time for young lads.

“There was bamboo growing on the water’s edge and we used it as poles to swing on; we had rope swings on the trees over the water and we would catch yabbies,” Andrew says.

“We used to know the creek so well; it was so deep. Now the sand builds up to the point that you can walk across the creek.”

Sevens Creeks used to be so deep that you could dive from the top rail of the bridge into the creek and you could swim from the Butter Factory to the rocks, according to Colin and Andrew.

“The fishing was good and then there was golf,” says Colin. “And I played tennis every night and there was footy two or three nights a week in winter.”

The family spent time on the snowfields though Marj admits that she was not very good at it. Water skiing at Bonnie Doon was a family favourite.

“Andrew water skied from the age of five,” says Marj who commenced water skiing when she was 35.

“We skied at Bonnie Doon every weekend over summer” says Colin. But it u

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Burtons Store in 1956 with the first self serve Leanne and Andrew Burton

was a different Bonnie Doon back then.

“At first there was nowhere to stay so we camped at a friend’s farm where at night we would spotlight for rabbits and foxes. One night we shot about 40 hares; they were so thick on the ground.”

The Bonnie Doon Aquatic Club was formed and the Burtons were able to keep a caravan and boat next to the lake.

The Euroa golf course was another family event. Andrew admits that he hadn’t been on the course for years.

“We used to work at the store until lunch on Saturdays, then all head to the golf course and play – sometimes until it was dark and then head into the clubhouse for drinks,” says Andrew.

Tennis tournaments throughout the district were also family times. Having three sportsmad men in her family meant that Marj also became sports minded. As she puts it, “If I didn’t do what the boys did, I would be at home alone.” Being part of the fun meant Marj cooked all week so she could feed the family over the weekend’s activities.

Colin and his wife Josie (formerly Josie Armstrong from Boho South) have lived on their property just out of Euroa for the past 40 years.

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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Josie and Colin Burton

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APRIL / MAY 2016

diverted and it declined for a few years; happily it came back;” says Colin. However, he laments the lack of industry in the area.

“There has also been a change in agriculture from the traditional fat lambs and wool to cropping and cattle.”

Colin also speaks about the influx of horses into the area, where once there were only working horses the area has now become renowned for its thoroughbreds.

Colin and Josie have two sons; Glen works in the store and is married to Marnie. They have two children Bethan and Alexander.

Timothy lives in Melbourne with his wife Paula.

Being a grandfather is good according to Colin as “you get to give them back when they don’t behave,” he laughs.

Andrew is married to Leanne formerly a Mackrell, from Strathbogie and they have two sons Dean and Rowan. Dean works in the store and with wife Natalie has two sons Zac and Angus.

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Rowan has his own earthmoving business in Euroa and with his partner Christie has a son Quinton.

Grandchildren are a joy for Andrew and he loves having the kids around. They are often at the farm on the weekends and as they live in town he sees them quite a bit, especially in the store.

Marj’s life, as she says, “has been great since being married to Bruce and living in Euroa”. Bruce died in 2010 from skin cancer, but 111 years after Alfred Burton arrived in Euroa and 100 years since the store became Burton owned, the family is still thriving and very much loving working and living in Euroa.

As Marj puts it, “I’ve been overseas for holidays and the best thing is stepping out at Tullamarine and heading home.”

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Life-long connection with Alexandra Maurie and Marida Pawsey have been active in the Alexandra community for many years.

Maurie, particularly, has been a driving force in the development of the town’s aged care facility, Kellock Lodge. JULIA FOLETTA reports.

O

n any given morning you are more than likely to catch Maurice Pawsey, better known as Maurie, in Alexandra’s main strip, Grant Street.

Displaying his now characteristic sideways gait, Maurie’s usually been on a mission, maybe map or plan in hand, doing something for someone or some community organisation.

For many years Maurie scooted around town in an old Subaru Brumby from his farming days or was led by his somewhat delinquent beagle, Toby.

Maurie’s association with the Alexandra district goes back a long way. It began with family holidays back in 1939. His relatives Mavis (Austin) and Yutha (Broderick) ran a guest house in Eildon on the Goulburn River in the building that had been the administrative headquarters for construction of the first Eildon Dam in 1914.

It wasn’t that long before Maurie’s father Ray purchased 140 acres on Connelly’s Creek at Acheron with plans to build and retire there with Maurie’s mum Madge.

However, Ray died quite young at 53. With Madge, the family kept the Acheron property for some years as a family and friends holiday getaway. They undertook a few building projects and chased sheep around. The house was burnt down in the 1969 fires and after the family rebuilt the place they sold all but one acre to a neighbour in the 1980s.

Maurie and his wife Marida were living in Melbourne but in 1989, they chose a house on four acres with Acheron River frontage at Taggerty as their place to retire and be part of their chosen community.

That wish to be involved in the area saw Maurie soon become engaged in the development of Alexandra’s aged care facility, Kellock Lodge.

Back in 1990 Danny Hogan, then Kellock board secretary and the Pawseys’ Taggerty neighbour, had suggested to the board that Maurie be invited to fill a board vacancy.

In 2015, some 25 years later and including 15 years as chairman, Maurie retired from the board of management, but not from the place he now calls home.

Back in 1990, Kellock Lodge had 28 single bed sitters and two more for staff bedrooms, a kitchen and a dining room. But Kellock needed to grow to fit increasing community needs.

Maurie jumped in to assist and his expertise, experience and support was invaluable. He had also brought with him 19 years of banking experience and 26 u years of building administration at Melbourne University.

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Maurie and Marida’s wedding day

been around $14 million, with nearly $12 million coming from Kellock’s own funds, fundraising, community support, the Alexandra Opportunity Shop and wise financial investment and management.

Maurie takes little credit for the centre’s growth.

“The success of Kellock cannot be attributed to any one person, but to all the board members over the years, dedicated staff and a supportive fundraising community,” he says.

Born in Coburg in 1928 Maurie was the eldest of three boys. He left Coburg High School after completing leaving Certificate (Year 11). Having no idea what career to pursue he joined the Bank of Australasia (now the ANZ) to later qualify as a Certified Practising Accountant.

Maurie was becoming somewhat disenchanted with banking and heard of better opportunities at Melbourne University, which was planning a new

In Maurie’s time on the board Kellock Lodge grew from a low level aged care hostel with 29 beds occupying 6500 square metres of building area to a large complex over 17,000 sqm with 60 staff and 50 Ageing-in-Place beds, including three respite beds and a village of 14 Independent Living Units (ILUs). Seven ILUs were completed in 2009 and seven more in 2015.

And since 2013 Maurie and Marida, have lived in one of those units.

Maurie’s final official duty at Kellock was a report to the board in February this year when he signed off on the now complete ILU project.

To date capital expenditure has

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medical faculty building to accommodate a huge increase in medical student numbers.

He started work there in 1964 as the project officer for the university’s new medical centre. He quickly moved up the ranks to become head of the Property and Buildings Department then Deputy Vice-Principal (Property) before he retired in 1990.

In his various roles at the university, Maurie had the good fortune to more than 120 university campuses and organisations throughout the USA, the UK and Europe, resulting in affiliation in 1989 of Australasian university facilities managers with the American professional group the Association of Physical Plant Administrators (APPA).

The Australasian Group was AAPPA and Maurie became its inaugural president long since honoured for his service by the annual Maurie Pawsey Scholarship that provides opportunities for recipients to undertake a study

“

tour of tertiary institutions in the USA and attendance at a leadership course conducted by APPA. On retirement Maurie received the University of Melbourne Gold Medal for exceptional service to the university as a whole. There was also a shared award from the Royal Institute of Architects –the Bronze Medal for Urban and Environmental Design – for landscaping of the university grounds. The design included paving and tree planting and brought connectivity to the many and varied campus buildings.

“While the University of Melbourne campus has the smallest area per capita of any of Victoria’s universities, I think it’s the nicest,” Maurie says.

In his Coburg days, Maurie’s family had a long association with Holy Trinity Anglican Church. Young Maurie was a great sportsman and community asset, involved in his church’s basketball and tennis clubs and the YMCA. This led to state basketball teams, treasurer of the u

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Cartoonist Jeff Hook liked what he saw in Maurie

Victorian Amateur Basketball Association for 30 years and life membership of that association.

Indeed it was through their church and youth activities in Coburg that Maurie Pawsey met his future wife Marida Wookey in the 1950s.

Marida had attended Coburg schools before becoming a tailoring cutter, a rare job these days. But young Marida needed to fulfil her long term ambition to see Britain and Europe. She spent a year working in London, then youth hostelling around Britain and then onto Europe. On her return she took a job near Maurie in administration at Melbourne University.

They married at Holy Trinity Coburg in 1959. While living in their first home in Reservoir, sons Andrew then Russell were born. Mark and Catherine arrived after they had built in Doncaster East.

They became involved in establishing St David’s Anglican Church in the newly developing suburb and at Donburn Primary School where Marida ran the canteen and Maurie was school council president.

With four children and a husband whose career made big demands and involved quite a bit of travel, Marida had her hands full.

“We had four children in six years. It was my choice: I wanted four children close together,” Marida says.

“Friday was a cooking day. After school about seven or eight boys arrived on the doorstep to enjoy cakes and biscuits. The good thing was we knew 40

APRIL / MAY 2016

where they were and who they were. They’re still mates and still talk about the Friday afternoon teas,” she adds.

In Taggerty, Marida was a member of a local fundraising group, the Black Range Auxiliary.

“We have both been involved in community activities in Taggerty and Alexandra, which ultimately resulted in my 2004 OAM,” Maurie says.

From their Taggerty base the couple gardened and travelled both overseas and within Australia, often with close friends and Rotarians, Ted and Lyn Norris and John and Vera Bassett.

“Once we camped at the base of Ayers Rock, the year before Azaria Chamberlain disappeared. We saw plenty of dingoes,” Marida says.

Eventually the huge trees and garden maintenance at Taggerty, coupled with regular travel into Alexandra, got the better of them. They found a lovely old weatherboard with courtyard and garden in Alexandra. In time, that too, with its sloping block and magnificent garden, became too much. So five years later, staying in Alexandra, they downsized again.

In 2013 the Kellock Lodge Independent Living Units were looking like a good option; they put their hands up to be residents and moved in, a move they don’t regret.

Maurie also had a long association with Rotary, beginning with his 1975 nomination to the Doncaster Club.

He transferred to the Rotary Club of Alexandra where he was president from 1999 to 2000, receiving three awards – the Paul Harris sapphire pins – in 2010, 2011 and 2012 principally for his post 2009 bushfire contribution.

For Maurie and fellow Rotarian John Sharwood, raising money to purchase land for the modern addition to the Alexandra library was a highlight.

“Rotary’s community activities

included four years of bushfire recovery after the 2009 fires and I chaired that committee for three years. Our involvements included local business vouchers and 20 rural sheds from Bayside Builders for affected residents,” Maurie says.

Married now for 56 years, the Pawseys have been long time supporters of their local Anglican church. All up, Maurie has been a church warden for nearly 70 years.

“When we had Acheron, we all used to troop into Alex at Easter and Christmas,” Marida says.

“It’s been a very full and active life for both Mari and I,” says Maurie. “Mari is the family historian and spends much time at the computer chasing family histories. My own activity was delayed by a five week hospital stay and open heart surgery in 2015,” Maurie says.

Maurie may have retired from the Kellock board, but is sure to maintain an active interest.

“We hope to continue a limited travel itinerary including visiting far spread members of our family from Melbourne to Geelong to Brisbane and Wodonga.

“We have six grandchildren, three in Victoria and three in Queensland.

In 2013 we held a Pawsey reunion in Alexandra with descendants of ourselves and my two brothers. Forty-five attended.

“We love our garden and enjoy the company of small native birds, parrots and the people around us. We have good neighbours and we all get on. As one resident says, There’s not a nark amongst us!”

Apart from awards already mentioned, some of Maurie’s additional honours include: 2006 Murrindindi Shire – Redgate Riding Citizen of the Year; 2004 Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for service to the communities of Taggerty and Alexandra; 1993 APPA (USA) Meritorious Service Award. NNE

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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New chapter for north-east public libraries

According to the High Country Library Corporation, more than 61,000 people are served by corporation operated libraries in the north-east, with 24,498 or 40.13 per cent of the population signed up as library members. Local councils recently decided to accept the corporation’s advice that it should be dissolved and that libraries should once again come under the councils’ direct domain. Library user GAYNOR MATTHEW reports u Wangaratta Library

u

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L

ibrary users across the northeast may notice changes in their libraries from July onwards.

Councils will have the benefit of shared resources and services while having greater control over how library services meet the particular needs of their communities.

The change affects Alpine Shire Council and its three libraries at Bright, Myrtleford, and Mount Beauty, the Rural City of Wangaratta, Mansfield Shire, Benalla Rural City and outreach visits to Devenish, Gundowring and Woods Point.

Last year the board of the High Country Library Corporation (HCLC) resolved to dissolve the corporation after an efficiency and services review found that there were operational strains, particularly financial. They also found some operational process inefficiencies, different priorities of member councils and that library users were looking for more services, resources and community connections through their library.

The review found that library services are highly valued in local communities and, rather than considering dropping or culling library services, it suggested reassessment and refreshment of those services. It also recommended that the value of the library’s role in providing traditional services and its role as part of a broader community resource should be recognised, strengthened and emphasised.

Member councils endorsed the resolution and opted for the shared service model recommended by the review.

Fresh from his long-term role as chief executive officer at Mansfield Shire, David Roff was appointed by HCLC last October in a temporary chief executive role to transition library services back to the four member councils and set up the 46

APRIL / MAY 2016

new shared service model.

“I am happy with progress, with a number of concurrent projects running,” he told NNE. “The staff across the branch network and within headquarters have been terrific getting on with the job and contributing ideas as we review processes.”

Councils will shortly readvertise library staff positions and current staff have been told they will be able to apply first for the jobs, which may be altered from current arrangements in the transition.

Libraries are competing with other services for their share of the available resources and councils are having to be smarter and more creative as they implement changes to libraries in the 2016 to 2017 financial year, especially with the state government imposed ‘Fair Go Rates’ system capping council rates to the level of inflation, 2.5 per cent, from July 1.

Interchangeable staff between council, visitor information centres and libraries is a cost saving option councils have already announced. In the Alpine Shire residents of Mt Beauty met last November to consider a proposal by the council to shift the town’s library into the visitor information centre. This option was overwhelmingly rejected by the 80 people present, who favoured substantial library renovation in its current location.

Wangaratta Council’s Community Wellbeing Director, Jaime Carroll, spoke last September to members of the Friends of the Wangaratta Library Action Group, saying, “Where it makes sense to utilise the skills and abilities of team members in the library to promote and support council activities, then this will occur.” Similarly, she said, library staff could benefit from “marketing, human

“

Interchangeable staff between council, visitor information centres and libraries is a cost saving option councils have already announced”

home station

Mansfield Library (above) and Wangaratta Library

resources, finance, maintenance and information technology support as well as customer service and program delivery”.

The changes prompted the spokesperson for Friends of the Wangaratta Library Action Group, Claire Russell, to write to the local newspaper saying: “They are library staff, and they have specific expertise, as the visitor information staff have specific expertise. It would diminish both services if you have the expectation that people are going to be generalist.”

The group’s submission to Council said that: “Our library’s functions, services and collections are closely cross-linked in important tangible and intangible ways with the social, cultural, and economic interests of the town … As such, we consider that our library is a vibrant cultural centrepiece and should be accorded a much higher profile than it is given in your Masterplan. If its present high standards of excellence and attractions are nurtured and actively promoted to locals, businesses and visitors as a must-see, something for everyone, free and inviting space, everyone will benefit.”

The group also noted that ‘Dollars, Sense and Public Libraries © 2011’, a technical report and landmark study of the socio-economic value of Victorian Public Libraries by State Library of Victoria, found that “Victorian public libraries contribute significantly to community welfare. Indeed, the benefits contributed by public libraries outweigh their provisioning costs by a factor of at least 1.8 and arguably to a factor in excess of 5. This represents a sound return on u

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Euroa Library

community investment and provides a compelling case for further investment.”

David Roff addressed some of these issues. “The brief is to implement the new model of operation whilst retaining standards, which does mean that the way we do things may be a little different.

Library branches will be managed by councils, with those councils employing staff experienced in libraries. There will be mechanisms set up to allow for up-todate material on trends and so on, to be provided to libraries,” he said.

“As far as vision is concerned, councils are required to prepare a Four Year Council Plan after each election (before the October election in Wangaratta), which provides an ideal opportunity in the next 12 months for libraries to be better integrated into council operations.

Each council will have its own process for developing this plan. Feedback from places we have visited is that closer and more positive alignment with councils has occurred.”

To provide more rigorous arguments 48

APRIL / MAY 2016

for library funding and to guide strategy, the Australian Public Library Association Alliance (APLA), the peak body for public libraries in Australia, has commissioned a review due out in June this year. It seeks to document a set of standard outcome-focused indicators that demonstrate the social, cultural and economic benefits of public libraries to place them in line with other local government services.

In David Roff’s opinion, this review “would strengthen the data which would assist in making decisions, (for instance) the role of libraries in community engagement and early childhood learning”.

According to a recently released paper produced by the State Library Victoria and Public Libraries Victoria Network, 16 per cent of Victorian children of pre-school age are developmentally ‘vulnerable’ or ‘at risk’ in the domains of language and cognitive skills. The report, ‘Reading and Literacy for all: a strategic framework for Victorian Public

“

If a child is a poor reader at the end of Year 1, there is a 90 per cent chance that they will still be a poor reader at the end of Year 4”

Libraries 2015-2018,’ says that children who start school behind, typically stay behind: If a child is a poor reader at the end of Year 1, there is a 90 per cent chance that they will still be a poor reader at the end of Year 4. The report says that public libraries have a unique role in supporting and promoting reading for pleasure and addressing Victoria’s low literacy levels.

Wangaratta Library staff member, Jasen Smith, runs several age-specific reading programs partnered with Gateway Health and Maternal Child Health. Jasen is studying for his Diploma of Library Information Services.

“I really hope that when we transfer over to council that these kind of programs are carried on and recognised as important and given funding because children and parents need a specialised literacy person in their lives,” he says.

“Some of the Rhyme Time babies when we first started out around six or seven years ago are now in primary school and their reading levels are off the charts. One example is that the

mother of one of our clients has just reported that she is in Prep and reading at a Grade 2 level, so it goes to show that early introduction to literacy does give the kids a boost.”

Nearly half of the Victorian adult population cannot read fluently.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics in 2012 up to 46 per cent of Victorians did not have the literacy skills they need to cope with the complex demands of everyday life and work in a knowledge-based economy. One in five young adults cannot find work in Victoria, which has 16.1 per cent statewide youth unemployment, 21.4 per cent in the Hume Region in the northeast, according to the Victorian Council of Social Services (ABC News, July 4, 2015).

In an effort to raise public libraries on the federal government agenda, the Australian Library and Information Association is developing a national vision and framework for public libraries. It wants to secure an appropriate level of funding to reshape

the public library system for the 21st century, support Australia as a reading nation, and provide all Australians with access to quality information.

Of the four councils asked to supply a long term vision for their library, Benalla Rural City alone responded to NNE with a statement from Mayor Cr Justin King saying, “The vision for the Sir Edward ‘Weary’ Dunlop Learning Centre has always been one of providing an inclusive space where people can learn, access services and training opportunities and build community connections.

“As well as a high quality lending service, which will continue to benefit from ongoing relationships with the former High Country Library Corporation Network, the Learning Centre will continue to respond to local needs for social, literacy and training opportunities.”

Benalla seem to have taken some of Sir Edward’s words to heart: “… it’s only when you are put at full stretch that you can realise your full potential”. NNE

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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NNEPEOPLE

Franka Norris will provide one of the main attractions of Myrtleford’s La Fiera Festival; she is a funghi forager and will lead visitors through nearby forests to gather mushrooms.

Pictures and story: LYNNDA HEARD

T

he La Fiera Festival in Myrtleford is a celebration of all things Italian and Franka Norris is a first generation Italian whose contribution to the festival is what to many is a lost art. It’s food foraging, especially for mushrooms as Franka is a passionate mushroom person.

Franka is an ardent romantic when it comes to walking in the forests and revelling in what the forests have to offer, but hastens to add that she’s not a qualified mycologist or mushroom specialist. “Every day I take walks in the bush and I love it,” she says.

For Franka with her strong Italian background, it is all about family and continuing the traditions taught to her by her father. After the Second World War her family in southern Italy foraged to feed the family as food was hard to come by.

“My dad, Angelo and his father would head to the Calabrian mountains for porcini mushrooms and other foods. When dad arrived in Australia in 1954 he came to this area and it was the valleys, the Ovens, King and Kiewa, I think that reminded him and other Italians of their home country,” says Franka, in part explaining the large Italian presence in Myrtleford.

“In the forests they found foods similar to Europe and felt more at home,” she adds.

Collecting food became a family outing for Franka as a young girl.

“I remember foraging with the family on Mother’s Day; we would have a huge family picnic and collect chestnuts. We would take baskets into the forest and fill them with mushrooms. It was great fun for us, but Mary, my mum, had to work as she had to feed all of us at the end of the day.”

Franka remembers foraging trips on the way u 52

APRIL / MAY 2016

Teaching the old ways of food foraging

Franka and Don and their vegetable garden

NNEPEOPLE

to Lakes Entrance to go fishing. “We collected food on the way there and back. We would stop on the side of the road and pick wild asparagus with my brother Adrian and sister Josephine.”

Franka and her husband Don Norris have been together 30 years and have two children, Michael 23 presently at Bendigo University majoring in linguistics and Hannah 19 studying at Swinburne after winning an Alpine Woman’s Group Scholarship.

“The kids come home for mushroom season and salami season,” says Franka.

The Norris family has strong connections to the region, Franka is from Myrtleford and Don is from Everton and works at Brown Brothers in Milawa. In 2001, Franka and Don purchased Franka’s parents’ home next to the Ovens River in Myrtleford.

Franka’s parents had moved to Lakes Entrance to be near the sea and be back in the area that has been very special to them when they were young.

“Mum and dad eloped to Lakes Entrance to marry. Mum’s dad did not want to let her go. She was the eldest of ten children and at 16 she was looking after babies and working on the farm,” says Franka. “We are spoilt by mum and dad who bring fresh fish and garden supplies when they visit.”

Franka’s knowledge of mushrooms and her love of foraging were made known to Maeve O’Meara, host of Gourmet Food Safaris.

“Maeve approached me to be her guide for her High Country tours across the three valleys and into the forests. I have worked with Maeve for five years,” says Franka. “Dad and mum come up from Lakes Entrance to help during the tours.”

Well known restaurants in the area have also worked with Franka including Simone’s and Tani (both at Bright) and the Provenance in Beechworth.

Whether it is at La Fiera or on a food safari it is important for Franka to make people feel comfortable about eating wild mushrooms and to remove the fear of foraging.

Don shares Franka’s love of food and for food sustainability.

“We raise our own pig for salami making,” said Don. “The last pig was a large white crossed with a Bircher and we always name them after friends; the last one was called Nutty. We use the traditional method of butchery and use everything, the nose, ears, trotters, nothing is wasted.”

Don’s ‘baby’, as Franka refers to it, is his walnut liqueur; they also make their own wine and red wine vinegar all without preservatives from local family grapes. “As a family we shop very little,” says Franka explaining that they grow most of their fruit and veggies or barter other foods for products they need. Their cellar is enviable and is filled with bottled tomatoes, preserves and meats hanging to dry.

Eating seasonally and locally is important according to Don who is a keen fruit and veggie gardener.

“The figs are finishing and the oranges are coming. When we

“

We would take baskets into the forest and fill them with mushrooms. It was great fun for us”

pick mushrooms it’s essential that we don’t pick every single one. You only pick what you need to leave some for others and for the animals to share,” says Don. “On one of the walks I do through the forest there was an heirloom apple tree growing; it produced the most beautiful apples. Local authorities pulled it out because it wasn’t a native,” tells Franka. “How sad is that; there must be room to find a balance.”

On the La Fiera Festival Mushroom Forage day, Franka searches for four types of mushrooms in the pine radiata forest surrounding Myrtleford. They are Lactarius deliciosus or Saffron Milk Cap, Suillus Luteus or Slippery Jack, Suillus Granulatus or Weeping Bolete and the Tricholoma Terreum or Grey Knight.

“The Yellow Stainer mushroom, a field mushroom that is different to the common field mushroom and grows in lush conditions is an immigrant mushroom that grows near pine trees. It must have come in on timber brought out from Europe, the mushroom spores must have been in the roots,” says Franka.

“Then there is the native Honey fungus, a mid-winter mushroom that grows on eucalyptus trees and looks like the European version. Dad picks 15 types of mushrooms when he goes foraging.”

Don likes to remind people that the mushroom is the fruit of the plant – which is beneath the surface – and to be careful not to rip them out of the ground.

“You should always use a knife and cut the mushroom and leave the roots behind,” he explains.

Franka admits to not eating mushrooms at night as they can give heavy dreams to some people while some mushrooms react with alcohol. According to Franka in Europe there are mushroom police who test mushrooms for people to ensure that they are edible.

“People are eager when foraging and I want them to feel comfortable, not to be fearful of gathering food.”

It is all part of Franka’s need to help people learn to share her and her father’s traditions. “I like to think that we are educating the next generation” she says.

“I can never go out in the wild without a pocket knife in my pocket just in case,” says Franka.

It seems that almost everything Franka and Don need is in the forest and what they can’t find, they grow at home.

The foraging walk with Franka will be one of the attractions at Myrtleford’s La Fiera festival, which starts on Tuesday, May 17 and concludes on Sunday, May 22. www.lafiera.com.au. NNE

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

Beechworth a vibrant

destination

for all tastes

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Image from iStock

Pictures: NATASHA LOBBAN and LYNNDA HEARD

T

he ‘clop, clop’ of horse hooves on cobblestones can still be heard in the streets of Beechworth.

You’ll often find locals dressed in period costume and with a tale to tell of bushrangers, ghosts and horseshoes made of gold.

But the popular tourist town is also home to a thriving retail trade, supported by fine food and wine.

Beechworth Chamber of Commerce president Elizabeth Mason says the shopfronts are very close to full – a remarkable feat for what was once a poor institutional town.

“It used to be quite a dark and spooky institutional town, with Mayday Hills and the jail,” Ms Mason says.

“We’re a very young tourist town compared to Bright.”

What was once seen as a disadvantage for the town – regulations that didn’t allow for street and building upgrades – perhaps unintentionally preserved its colourful history.

It’s a history that Beechworth is now proud of and intentionally highlights.

“Our slogan is preservation and progress,” Ms Mason says of the chamber.

Ms Mason’s business, The Finer Things of Life, is one of the shops that’s flourishing. u

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

“When we first came here, the bakery was the only successful business,” she recalls.

“I felt Beechworth was just on the cusp of blooming.”

And she was right.

“We have a nice compact shopping precinct, with a centralised shopping area,” she says.

“There are a lot of very established and also new businesses. And lots of cafes.”

Ms Mason’s family have had links to the town for more than 150 years.

“My great great great grandfather William came here at the beginning of the gold rush in 1853,” she says.

He was a shopkeeper too.

His daughter, Ms Frances Masterton, her maternal great great grandmother, lived in the home with the first cement slab in the town. Very fine living in its day.

“As a seven-year-old girl she played with her siblings on the site of the jail as it was being built,” Ms Mason laughs.

“One night they got locked in.

“She used to joke that she was the first woman locked in Beechworth Jail.”

The future of that site remains in limbo.

In early March, those who recently bought the jail pulled out of the deal before settlement.

Ms Mason says the site was “sacred land” and home to burial sites and an old quarry – she hopes its history can

60

APRIL / MAY 2016

be preserved in whatever happens to it next.

Visitors to Beechworth like to take home mementos of a beautiful place, so say shopkeepers of the town’s boutiques.

Children are best to behave, threatened with banishment from the famed Beechworth Sweet Company if they don’t.

Beechworth Emporium and Dalcheri offer more shopping delights for visitors.

At the Ardent Alpaca, Frances McDonald says the store was started by a husband and wife team about 15 years ago, and when they retired it was sold to Australian Alpaca Fleece Limited.

“We have really beautiful alpaca things,” Ms McDonald says.

“You can get really rustic alpaca items and that’s good too, but what we sell is really fine quality alpaca items.”

And when the shopping is done, there are many options to rest your feet and whet your whistle, including the Hibernian Hotel where’s there’s always a cold beer and a great selection of wines.

This time of year the leaves are starting to turn, casting a golden autumn glow on the streets of Beechworth.

Those seeking the cool refuge of altitude from summer heat with soon make way for visitors seeking snow.

The shopkeepers will remain open as always – rain, hail or shine – waiting for their next customer to ply with fine things and memorable food and wine.

NNE

59Ford FordStreet Street 59 Beechworth, Beechworth, 3747Vic. Vic. 3747 Ph 03 57281981 1981 Ph 03 5728

NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

Bakery still cooking up a storm

M

arty Matassoni was just 13 when he approached Tom O’Toole for a job at Beechworth Bakery.

He was short and scrawny, so the head baker challenged the teen to lift a bag of flour to prove he could

be useful.

Skinny on the inside, but determined within, Marty has gone from strength to strength since proving his worth with that first challenge – in fact, he’s now the managing director of the company and a partner in the business too.

Back then, he was paid $5 an hour to stack fridges, crack eggs, and do whatever he was told after school.

It wasn’t easy work and he admits he indulged in a little dreaming of what it would be like to be the boss instead of the afternoon boy.

Mr Matassoni’s parents ran a shoe store opposite the bakery, so it

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was an obvious choice for the teen who wasn’t at all fond of school.

He left at 16 – as soon as he could – to start a full-time apprenticeship at the bakery.

“I was much better off coming to work and getting up early and it didn’t interrupt my social life,” he says.

“It taught me how to work hard.

“I loved it and still do.

“I still work in the bakehouse; I go in at 3am and help out.”

Mr Matassoni went overseas for a while and was then lured back to set up the Echuca bakery in 2001, when he took on the head job and became a partner in the business.

“We have six bakeries now, with 250 staff and a turnover of $15 million retail sales,” he says.

The business started as a small shopfront, but has expanded many times.

Since 1984 it’s expanded at the rear as far as they can, upstairs and three buildings wide.

“We’re growing, we’re still only 32 years old,” Mr Matassoni says.

Customers’ palates also continue to evolve.

“Most popular is our plain pie, vanilla slice and donuts, but our most signature lines are Ned Kelly pies, bee-stings and snicker-doodles,” he says.

“And they want a good coffee.

“Where years ago they’d come in and get a cake and coffee was the second part of it, now they come for your coffee and they’ll have cake with it.”

Mr Matassoni insists that the bakery’s best products are its staff – and that he’s not alone in rising up the ranks after starting young.

He says most of the company’s managers started as teenagers and worked their way up.

“There’s so many of those success stories,” he says.

“I want our people to feel their contribution really matters and that they

exercise their bragging rights to friends, family and anyone else who will listen.

“It was this culture of ‘anything’s possible’ that saw me, as a 23-year-old, take on the management and shareownership of our second bakery in Echuca.”

Mr Matassoni has certainly risen to the top of his game and there’s many more staff set to taste success at Beechworth Bakery in the future. NNE

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

The tasty side of Beechworth

T

he Beechworth Pantry dedicates an entire wall to take-home goodies at the eatery.

Local products feature in the selection of preserves, sauces, teas and sweet treats, but they also take you on a journey around Australia.

It was opened in 2003, when the only other café in town was the bakery.

At the time Ian Fetherstonhaugh was employed locally and his wife Robyn was looking after their small children.

The Harvest Festival inspired them to think about making local food available all year round – like a never ending farmers’ market.

“We thought ‘why can’t we get these things in Beechworth all the time?’”

Robyn says.

And with backgrounds in hospitality, they forged ahead, working hard to start their business.

The Fetherstonhaughs had both worked in hospitality departments in the health care sector and met while working on an industry committee.

The importance of dietary choice was a lesson learnt while working in the healthcare sector.

Robyn managed the dietary department at the children’s hospital in Melbourne many years before the general public understood about allergies and diabetic diets.

Children required all kinds of diets to treat conditions and give them the best chances.

She also worked for the Peter McCallum Cancer Centre.

“At the time it was the only hospital in Victoria that had an al carte menu,” 64

APRIL / MAY 2016

Robyn says.

It allowed patients undergoing treatment to choose what they felt like eating depending on how well they were that day.

“We had to get nutrition and food into them,” she says.

“It was a really great place to work.”

She also worked in cutting edge fields at Cabrini Hospital, where she installed a café for the general public, well before that was the normal thing.

For the Fetherstonhaughs, quality remains the secret to their success at Beechworth.

“Everything except the pies is made on the premises using the best ingredients,” Robyn says.

“We try not to use processed food at all.”

Even stocks are made on site.

But Robyn’s love is baking, and testament to this the cakes in the showcase look fantastic.

“I love to cook anything with lemon in it,” she says.

Moving to Beechworth was far from being handed a lemon, but the Fetherstonhaughs have made sweet ‘lemonade’ with The Beechworth Pantry.

NNE

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

Bringing gold back to the mining town

V

anessa Abbott’s heart is golden – and fearless. She moved from the other side of the country to run Beechworth Gold 12 years ago and hasn’t looked back.

Her vivacity and enthusiasm contrast perfectly with the heritage of the building and its links to the history of the town.

The old Bank of Victoria building, situated in the heart of the cobblestoned streets of Beechworth, still boasts the vault that held gold and valuables safe when stage carriages stopped over on their journey between Melbourne and Sydney in the late 1800s.

Much of the gold held in the impenetrable walls was alluvial, but at the time gold nuggets were also being found.

“That’s why we have a great collection of nuggets,” Ms Abbott says.

Holding what appears to be a small nugget, but is valued at $10,000, it’s easy to be drawn to the weighty allure of gold and beautiful things. u

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APRIL / MAY 2016

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

Pat and Graham Abbott started Beechworth Gold International Jewellery Emporium in 1996.

“Dad went all around Australia to find a beautiful gallery to house beautiful things and it just evolved from there,” Ms Abbott said.

The Abbotts run a wholesale jewellery business back home in Perth, where Ms Abbott grew up.

But the draw of a new adventure in Beechworth was strong and she jumped at the chance when the opportunity to head east came up.

“Mum and Dad wanted to retire and I thought, ‘sea-change’, so I came to beautiful Beechworth,” she says.

She quips that she thought there was a beach at Beechworth, loving to share the well-worn joke.

“I came here and I love it,” she says.

“It was a bit scary, but also a lot of fun.

“I didn’t know a soul, but luckily I have beautiful staff who have become great friends.

“And reliable and devoted staff mean that I can travel.”

Ms Abbott spends a lot of time travelling the world to secure interesting gems and pieces for Beechworth Gold’s customers.

She has settled in the town and has bought and renovated an Art Deco home which she loves.

“I wouldn’t be able to afford a house like that in Perth,” she says.

“It used to be owned by the Zwars who owned the tannery in town that used to make the leather for Holdens in Australia.”

Ms Abbott also met her boyfriend in Beechworth.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she says.

Next she wants to complete a goldsmithing course to create more local beauty for Beechworth and all its visitors. NNE

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

Beer: Beechworth’s export product

Y

ou can find Bridge Road Brewers’ beer across the globe, a feat that still amazes the founder of Beechworth’s craft brewery.

From starting in his parents’ shed to now brewing 10,000 litres a week, Ben Kraus’ teenage self could never have imagined how far beer would take him in life.

And being able to do so in his hometown, is the froth on top of the beer.

Mr Kraus was set on a path of wine making when his true passion – for brewing – ignited.

He had studied viticulture and winemaking in Australia and then spent wine vintages in Germany, Austria, France and Italy.

“In between working and travelling, I discovered beer in Europe,” he says.

“When I came home I didn’t enjoy the beer in Australia as I once had, as the level of beer in Europe is so much better.

“I decided changing that would be a more exciting career than wine.”

More overseas lessons and study followed and in 2005 he set up shop in Beechworth.

“My parents were good enough to let me use their shed, which is 500 metres down the road from where we are now and established the brewery there with a bar and a small bottling line,” he says.

Then it was on to the current site in Ford Street that continues to expand.

His parents Joe and Elizabeth remain on hand to help out.

“Mum works behind the bar and Dad fixes stuff around the place and he has a bar tab that never runs out,” he says.

It’s nice to be home with his family – and he’s raising his own in Beechworth too.

Mr Kraus met his wife Maria Frischmann in Austria and they have two children Lily, 5 and Maurice, 3.

“I don’t think coming back to Beechworth was my original goal, but after travelling a lot I saw lots of nice places and appreciated what was on offer here in Beechworth,” he says.

“There’s no beach, but you can’t have everything.”

It’s the slower pace and seasonal delights that attracted the seasoned traveller.

“I don’t like busy streets, but I’m also into wine, food, coffee and being able to have nice things,” he says.

“Beechworth has all those things, but it doesn’t have the clatter.

“And I’m into being outdoor and riding my bike.

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“You can ride straight away, you don’t have to drive somewhere first.”

He says that it takes just three hours from home to the Sydney CBD via Albury Airport.

“When I go to the city to do sales calls, it makes me appreciate Beechworth even more.”

Last year he travelled to the US to promote his beer there and it’s also available in Singapore and the UK. “We’ve had beer in Norway, Denmark, Belgium, all over the place,” he says.

“They all have Beechworth on them.”

Mr Krauss has also collaborated with brewers in Austria, Italy, Norway and Belgium.

“You could find a beer with our logo is being brewed in Belgium at the moment; I collaborated with them on that beer and they are still making it,” he says.

The brewery is called Destruisse, meaning Ostrich, in a town called Ost Bwletren.

“We did the same thing in Norway with Nogne O in 2006; we made beer together, liked it and kept it.”

So how does his beer stack up against the Europeans?

“It’s pretty different, we use a whole lot more hops,” Mr Kraus says.

“Austria and Germany are quite traditionalist when it comes to beer because they’ve been making it forever

and they are a lot more conservative.

“I watch what is happening there and a few years ago craft beer breweries didn’t exist there and now they are popping up everywhere.

“Surprisingly enough Italy probably leads Europe in progressive craft beer; they do things differently, they are really challenging the status quo.

“I think that’s because they didn’t have brewing tradition, it was more of a wine country.

“They’ve got some really cool stuff.”

But Mr Kraus’ favourite remains his own Beechworth Pale Ale – after all why have your own brewery if you can’t make what you love? NNE

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NNE VIBRANT BEECHWORTH An NNE Promotional Feature

ABOVE: Cooper from Yackandandah has his caricature done Chrissie from Ruffy, Barbara from Terip and Paula from Creighton’s Creek

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APRIL / MAY 2016

History set in magnificent gardens Mayday Hills, Beechworth Stay at the Gatehouse, Linaker Hotel or the George Kerferd Hotel Dine at the Linaker Hotel or the George Kerferd Hotel Tour with the Asylum Tours Have fun with the Archer’s Aim Oak Avenue, Beechworth (stay on Camp Street and travel up the hill) www.gkhotel.com.au/linaker/ Ph (03) 5728 2618

T

he gardens are magnificent, the buildings filled with history and beauty, where once there seemed only despair, now there is charm, fun and laughter, a place to lay your head after an exhausting day of enjoying yourself and dining out.

The history of Mayday Hills as a former Lunatic Asylum come hospital is one of sadness; built in the 1860s and closed in 1995 Mayday Hills could have become a desolate area. but it is far from that.

Today the Mayday Hills Village is 11 hectares of gardens that are more than 100-years-old where the George Kerferd Hotel and Linaker Hotel offer a fine dining experience and excellent accommodation. And this is all just up the hill from the main streets of Beechworth.

In contrast to the relaxed atmosphere there are ghost tours and for the more active, archery. Families and forward thinking people are making Mayday Village their home as the buildings are acquired and transformed into timeless homes and businesses.

Take the time to wander through the village, dine and stay; base yourself at Mayday Hills and explore Beechworth, you will not be disappointed. NNE

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NNEFAMILY MATTERS

Young adults flying the nest Louise Munro’s column in the last issue of NNE about the challenge of having adult children at home struck a chord with writer JULIA FOLETTA. Julia tells of her experience

I

can relate to Louise’s account of her son’s bedroom (NNE February/March edition), but due to embarrassment and a feeling of ‘where did I go wrong?’ I rarely divulged its state to anyone. We just shut the door.

Funny how it didn’t seem to deter his girlfriends!

My daughter was a very different kettle of fish; tidy and organised to the point that I also wondered where I’d gone wrong.

We were living in Melbourne and she was spending so much time with her boyfriend I suggested her often vacant room could actually be earning me some money as student accommodation.

The institute where I was working often had requests for board from overseas students who had come to gain

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APRIL / MAY 2016

laboratory experience.

One of these students to arrive was Ingrid, a delightful girl from Germany.

Big blue eyes, pretty wavy blonde hair, great personality.

At this point you need to know that my son was smitten with Germany (and now possibly Ingrid) and desperate to speak the language. He’d previously taken a Christmas holiday job at a McDonalds in Germany just to get into the culture.

He and Ingrid spent many hours over beers on the balcony prattling on and exchanging knowledge of their native tongue. Fortunately, or maybe unfortunately, Ingrid still had a boyfriend back in Germany.

We were bereft when the time came for this joyful soul to leave.

Not long after that I decided to try living full time in my house at Buxton again, their childhood home. It was all set up. I was offered my old job back in Alexandra, resigned from the city job and told my son, now 26, I had decided to rent the Melbourne house out and move to Buxton.

“Looks like I’ll have to move out,” he said.

We found him a two bedroom flat in Hawthorn and fitted it out it with everything he would need and I wouldn’t – fridge, couch, bed, TV, kitchen gear, table – he was set up.

Some months later I got a call, “Thanks Mum, that’s one of the best things you could have done for me.”

After a few failed attempts at shared tenancy he placed an ad in The

Age stating ‘Germans welcome’. He got Simon (pronounced Zeemon), a graduate in finance, sent out to Australia for several months by his company in Germany. They got on well.

When Simon’s time was up and he went back to his family near Frankfurt, he then invited my son to come and live with them and look for a job.

We’d emptied the flat and my son came down with the ‘flu. I was left to me to scrub and clean. He got his bond back!

My son lived with

Simon’s family for two years and I stayed there when I visited.

Now he’s settled comfortably in Frankfurt with a delightful German girl.

He adheres to the house rules for order.

Meanwhile the delightful Ingrid is married with two sons and my son visits them on occasions.

My daughter married too; their first child is on the way. Presently they have a very compact and organised home.

Maybe they’ll come back for the Barbie dolls, Lego, model tanks, doll’s house, story books and text books, heavy metal CDs, dress ups and childhood memories. Maybe I’m the curator for the next generation.

Maybe they never really leave home.

NNE

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NNEFAMILY MATTERS

Shock! Man conquers technology (almost) LOUISE MUNRO has been pleasantly surprised at her husband’s quick adaption to modern technology. All she has to work on now is his swearing at the new smart phone 76

APRIL / MAY 2016

I

recently updated my iPhone 4 to a 6 and the old boy resigned himself to the fact that his antiquated Nokia – the one with a severely cracked screen, that had survived a sheep dip and been run over by a tractor – had possibly served its purpose. Yes, it was time for him to enter the modern world of technology and become a rightful owner of a smart phone.

When he made this statement I cringed and wanted back up from the kids when the time came to visit the phone store. You see my old boy is a

little old fashioned and doesn’t like coming off looking a little clueless. But, he has allowed himself to get somewhat left behind with technology and he probably is a little touchy on the subject as the kids and I have been known to frequently take the piss.

Due to me being more practiced with technology, it seems whenever we have conversations about this topic or I am showing the old boy how a program works, he always comes off feeling a little inadequate and vulnerable, an unsettling feeling for him. Nine times out

of ten this will lead to having a blue!

I do quickly remind him though that when he waffles on about cattle prices, lamb joining percentages and wool test results that I don’t sulk or crack the sads that I haven’t a clue on these topics.

“No”, the old boy quickly responds.

“Your eyes just glaze over with total boredom.” Okay point taken.

Lucky for me this process all happened relatively easily when we were in Melbourne visiting our eldest and his wife. The old boy asked his son if they could go phone shopping. Inside, I was NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

77

NNEFAMILY MATTERS

“

The old boy proclaimed he hadn’t seen her since Grade Six and she was his first kiss”

having a little gratitude dance, having our son as a third party would be ideal.

I was proud of our eldest son who took charge and assertively communicated with the store assistants.

And by the way, has anyone else noticed they are usually, young, hip, and gorgeous looking creatures? These stores also have music blaring from unseen speakers and large screens displaying music clips. For middle aged people like the old boy and me, it feels like you are entering a hip night club, only reserved for young, stylish people.

But, now I was feeling a little vulnerable.

I watched the old boy’s body language and could tell he too was feeling way out of his natural habitat, which is usually in a paddock on a four wheeler. He stuck closely to his son and allowed him to take charge, mostly because he told us later he couldn’t hear a damn thing anyone was saying, most of the time!

No smart phones were harmed in the writing of this article; it just left poor Siri slightly confused, but the old boy is learning how to communicate smarter!

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Anyway, phone and some accessories bought, but not the case. Our eldest son led us out to the mini stores that sell phone cases and covers. Apparently these little stalls sell them at a cheaper rate and it was almost out front of the large phone store. Go figure. Thank God for adult children to educate and guide us through this up-to-the-minute minefield.

Back at our son and daughter-in-law’s home the old boy got hooked up to the modern world with his son’s assistance, whilst I had a chat and cuppa with our daughter-in-law. OMG, this process was turning out pain free, or was I speaking too soon?

As I drove home, the old boy in the passenger seat had his head in his smart phone, having fun getting busy requesting Facebook friends and eagerly announcing what his nieces and nephews were getting up to.

You see up until now I was the one with social media accounts and would show the old boy pics and activity of what our friends and relatives were posting. He would spend so much time browsing through my phone and reading all comments and checking all their likes, which frustrated the hell out of me, sometimes resulting in me screaming, “Can ya get your own smart phone please?”

Past car trips I have caught up on Instagram and Facebook activity, due to not having great coverage at home (but don’t get me started on that issue) and the old boy had just become cross as we weren’t conversing. Driving on

Maroondah Highway the roles totally reversed and I got the giggles. It seemed really weird seeing the old boy pore over his new gadget. Keen on one-upmanship, I couldn’t help myself and suggested to him that whilst it can be a bit of an anti-social device, he didn’t hear me whingeing that he wasn’t talking to me.

Call it karma, but when he did talk, he enthusiastically announced he got a friendship request from a girl he used to go to school with. The old boy proclaimed he hadn’t seen her since Grade Six and she was his first kiss. “Gee thanks for that piece of info,” I scowled.

It’s been nearly a month now since we have had our new phones. There have been several instances where the old boy has worked out glitches, like perfecting the slide motion to answer his ringing phone and getting highly excited with his usage of emojis (smiley faces and other pictures) with his texting. We have also advised him that the practice of using direct profanity at his phone will not get it to work easier or faster! Siri won’t recognise those words and it just makes the poor dogs skulk away, thinking they have done something wrong.

All in all, it’s a work in progress and the old boy is getting there. I still can’t help but smile when he sends me a text on a Friday arvo with emojis of the following: A thumbs up, smiley face with a wink, a glass of beer and slice of pizza.

The interpretation means, “Don’t worry about cooking dinner tonight, I will take you out for beer and pizza.”

Lucky I’m up with old boy ‘smart’ speak! NNE

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We are general insurance brokers We are general insurance brokers with 30 members of staff, and we with 30 members of staff, and we are able to assist with any form of are able to assist with any form of insurance need. insurance need.

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Our firm was launched in 1989.

Our firm was launched in 1989.

All of our senior people have spent All of our senior people have spent multiple decades in the industry. multiple decades in the industry.

We Weknow knowinsurance. insurance.It’s It’sbeen beenour ourbusiness businessfor for aavery long time, and we are one of the largest very long time, and we are one of the largest privately privatelyowned ownedinsurance insurancebrokers brokersininthe thenation nation With experience, integrity and all the With experience, integrity and all the right underwriter distribution channels, right underwriter distribution channels, we provide advice and guidance to help we provide advice and guidance to help you make informed decisions. We are you make informed decisions. We are efficient and responsive in everything we efficient and responsive in everything we do and we always have your best interests do and we always have your best interests at heart, which is why we offer flexible at heart, which is why we offer flexible payment arrangements. payment arrangements.

the field. It’s this depth of experience the field. It’s this depth of experience that makes such a big difference to you. that makes such a big difference to you.

Griffiths Goodall Insurance Brokers Griffiths Goodall Insurance Brokers is a member of both the National is a member of both the National Insurance Brokers Association and the Insurance Brokers Association and the Insurance Brokers Network of Australia.

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Membership of these credible and Membership of these credible and accredited bodies ensures that we stay accredited bodies ensures that we stay We know insurance. It’s been our business ahead of changes within the industry We know insurance. It’s been our business ahead of changes within the industry for a very long time, and we are one of the and that helps us to provide first class for a very long time, and we are one of the and that helps us to provide first class largest privately owned insurance brokers advice and tailor-made service to you. largest privately owned insurance brokers advice and tailor-made service to you. in the nation. Our directors and key staff in the nation. Our directors and key staff have more than 100 years of continuous So give us a call now, and find out how we have more than 100 years of continuous So give us a call now, and find out how we experience in all facets of insurance and can help you. experience in all facets of insurance and can help you. our account executives are specialists in our account executives are specialists in Call or email us today for a no cost indication on this comprehensive and competitive policy option.

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22 Welsford Street, Shepparton, Victoria 3630 | T. 03 5821 7777 22 Welsford Street, Shepparton, Victoria 3630 | T. 03 5821 7777 F. 03 5822 2916 | E. admin@ggib.com.au | www.ggib.com.au F. 03 5822 2916 | E. admin@ggib.com.au | www.ggib.com.au Griffiths Goodall Insurance Brokers Pty Ltd (ABN 52858454162)(AFSL 237533) are licensed to apply for, acquire, vary or dispose of a general insurance product on behalf of a retail or wholesale client. Any advice given on this advertisement is general only andGriffiths may notGoodall be right Insurance for you. ToBrokers decide if anLtd insurance product is right for you237533) please carefully readtotheapply relevant Product vary Disclosure Statement and our Financial Services Guide.ofThese are or available onclient. requestAny from our office.

Pty (ABN 52858454162)(AFSL are licensed for, acquire, or dispose of a general insurance product on behalf a retail wholesale advice given on this advertisement is general only and may not be right for you. To decide if an insurance product is right for you please carefully read the relevant Product Disclosure Statement and our Financial Services Guide. These are available on request from our office.

NNEANIMALS

Guarding against disease in horses With so many lifestyle properties carrying a few horses, it is important that owners are aware of the diseases that can be readily vaccinated against.

Dr JACINTA KELLY from the Alexandra Veterinary Clinic reports

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APRIL / MAY 2016

“

The type of vaccinations owners should give depends on the horse’s individual risk of contracting a particular disease”

I

n the 17th Century, a man by the name of Edward Jenner developed the first vaccination. He was able to demonstrate that people exposed to pus from blisters caused by the cowpox virus were generally immune to the similar but more serious smallpox disease. Interestingly, it is from this event that the word ‘vaccine’ itself was devised, coming from the Latin word ‘vacca’ meaning cow.

Since this time, many vaccines have been developed and are used in both veterinary and human medicine for the

management and prevention of disease.

Vaccinations work by stimulating the immune system to produce antibodies.

These antibodies are then ready to help fight certain pathogens should an animal be subsequently exposed. This efficient response helps prevent and/or limit the severity and duration of disease.

Vaccines can also be used in response to a disease outbreak to reduce disease transmission.

In equine medicine, a variety of vaccinations are available to horse owners. These vaccines have been

developed against diseases that are highly contagious, have a large economic impact, carry a high mortality rate or, as with Hendra virus, have a potential risk to human life. The type of vaccinations owners should give depends on the horse’s individual risk of contracting a particular disease. Two common vaccinations used in North-East Victoria cover strangles and tetanus. Owners in this area may also be interested to know about the recently approved Hendra Virus vaccination. u

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NNEANIMALS

In some situations the vaccine can be given every six months where the risk is considered high.

Tetanus: Clostridium tetani

Strangles: Streptococcus equi (S.equi)

P

eriodically in Victoria outbreaks of Strangles occur. Strangles is a bacterial infection of the upper respiratory tract. It is highly contagious and commonly spread amongst groups of horses that are kept close to each other. Although the clinical signs of the disease usually develop within a week, incubation can last for up to three weeks. Care must therefore be taken and new horses should be quarantined for three weeks before mixing with others on the property.

Horses with strangles typically present with a nasal discharge, high temperature, coughing, a reduced appetite, show difficulty eating and develop enlarged glands in the neck which will sometimes rupture externally.

Infection can persist for months.

During this time horses should be isolated. Strangles may be treated using a combination of antibiotics, antiinflammatories and nursing. More severe forms of the disease however can occur and carry with them a poorer prognosis.

Strangles vaccination can commence at three months of age. An initial course of three vaccinations given no less than two weeks apart is advised. A booster injection can then be given annually.

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T

etanus is another bacterial disease that can cause serious illness, even death, in horses. The bacteria typically infect horses through deep wounds. Clinical signs develop within weeks of infection and include progressive contractions or cramping of muscles with observable changes such as leg stiffness, erect ears, a stiff tail and difficulty eating. Treatment is intensive and involves numerous medications. Vaccination for tetanus can start from three months of age. A minimum of two tetanus vaccines should be given as an initial course, followed by an annual booster. After this time the vaccine should be given at least every five years.

At the time of injury, horses may be given a tetanus antitoxin (Equivac TAT). This is a short-term preventative (lasting up to three weeks) used in previously unvaccinated foals or horses.

The tetanus antitoxin is commonly given in conjunction with the usual tetanus vaccination in order to extend protection.

For convenience, vaccination for strangles and tetanus can be given together using a 2 in 1 (Equivac 2 in 1).

Hendra Virus

H

endra Virus was first identified in 1994 in the Brisbane suburb for which it is named after. The virus has

only been found to occur in Australia (in Queensland and Northern NSW) and since its discovery has been responsible for the death of four people and numerous horses.

It is understood that horses catch the disease through contact with infected flying foxes urine, faeces and foetal fluids. Horses that are infected exhibit a range of respiratory and/or neurological clinical signs. Humans can then become infected from close contact with these diseased horses. The risk of Hendra to public health, due to its high mortality rate, has recently prompted the development of a vaccination.

The purpose of the vaccine is to protect horse owners, vets and those affiliated with horses from catching the virus, to reduce the overall incidence of Hendra and to reduce the risk of the virus mutating and potentially becoming more readily spread between horses, humans and other species. Since its release, the vaccine (Equivac HeV) has now been fully registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).

In Victoria, although geographically distant from known outbreaks of the disease, it is still important that owners are aware of Hendra and its potential risk. Owners may wish to vaccinate their horses if they travel north for events.

Owners should also keep in mind that horses transported from Northern NSW and Queensland may be incubating the disease in transit without showing initial clinical signs. Therefore, sudden illness in any horse recently purchased from or near known regions of Hendra should be reported.

Should you have any queries regarding treatment of your horses, please contact your local vet. NNE

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NNEPICTURED

Everyone was a winner at Euroa tennis

Nic Sutherland (left) from Hawthorn and Charlie Howcroft from Hawthorn may have looked sharp but their game was off

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Melinda Harrington from Melbourne looked every inch the professional

Two players under a handicap (above) Heather Camm, Julie Harrington and Suzanne Camm from Euroa.

T

he grass courts were in superb condition considering the weather and not one of the courts was empty on the Sunday morning of the three day Euroa Tennis tournament in March. Tennis players of all shapes and sizes, at all levels and from all over Victoria were pouring into the Euroa Tennis club for the annual Labour Day holiday weekend tournament.

Some took it more seriously than others, but all were having a great time. NNE Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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NNEHITCHED

Guests came from near and far

C

laire Allerton from Brighton and Fergus Barnes from Ringwood couldn’t think of anything nicer than to have their wedding at Claire’s parents’ country property ‘Ibeka’.

The property is beautifully positioned on the bank of the Delatite River in Gough’s Bay and the bride and groom’s special day in March last year saw guests arrive from near and far. Claire’s parents Gill and John were delighted their best friends Gael and Greg Culhane came all the way from South Africa (Greg was the best man in Gill and John’s wedding back in 1979), as did John’s cousin, Douglas. Other relatives made the journey across from New Zealand and many came from interstate.

Rebecca Vincent from Hitched in the High Country ran the day beautifully accompanied by Mansfield Party Hire for the marquee, Edith and May for the amazing flower arrangements, The Baker Boys for entertainment and Maryanne Egan as the celebrant.

Fergus’s aunty Jill prepared the wedding cake while family friend of the Allertons, Larry Picker, provided the cars.

Adding a sentimental touch to the day, Claire’s ‘something old’ was a bangle bought by Claire’s mum’s grandmother for when mum was born in 1956 back in Scotland. NNE

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APRIL / MAY 2016

Claire and Fergus

Pictures courtesy: Glass Slipper Photography

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A lucky sixpence for her shoe T

he babbling creek and chirping birds of Mount Buffalo National Park made for the relaxed setting Kristel and Paul HobleyBlack had always dreamt of for their special day last October. With the bride and groom insisting their 50 guests completely enjoy the wedding and feel part of the day, they decided on no groomsmen or bridesmaids, requested guests did not take photos during the ceremony and asked for no flower arrangements.

Paul had organised a small bouquet, but Kristel was so relaxed she left that behind. However, that didn’t matter when Eldorado celebrant Roxanne Bodsworth made the bond official with Kristel and Paul both completing a reading about what marrying meant to them.

Guests came down the mountain for the reception at the Snowline Hotel in Harrietville.

Hair and beauty treatments were organised by Bright Coiffure, while Sam Martin from The Loaded Basket/Coral Lee Bakery in Bright produced a stunning banana cake – fitting as the couple fell in love over a banana cake many years ago.

An English tradition of a lucky sixpence from the 1950s for the bride’s shoe was sent over by Kristel’s cousin Lindsey. The ‘something old, something borrowed’ items were beautiful earrings Kristel’s sister had gifted her from India and ‘something blue’ was another gift from her sister of a small bracelet. With Kristel’s family coming from France and Paul having lived in the North-East all his life, it was fitting that the couple showed the beauty of the North-East in spring to the guests. NNE

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Kristel and Paul

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NNEHITCHED

Wedded at the Lovicks T

he Lovick’s property ‘The Hideout’ along the Howqua River, provided the picturesque location Kimberley Marsden and Daniel Robertson were seeking for their laid back, relaxed, rustic style wedding last year.

The 110 guests not only enjoyed the catering from Megan Knapp, but also her creative touch along with Lisa Dennis from Edith & May Flowers and Kimberley’s mum, Andrea who helped bring this vision to life.

Stacey from Mrs Sweets Cakes supplied the wedding cake, celebrant Livia Vidotto calmed the nerves during the ceremony, Andy and the team from Davon’s Hair Room provided the stunning hair styles while long time friend Caroline Makin from LinaJane Beauty provided the make up.

Lifelong friends Hannah Dolling (Maid of honor) and Kristi Millott joined up with James Marsden (Best Man) and Daniel Richards for the formalities.

Good friend and DJ Tim Dudfield provided the entertainment and best man James provided the car.

Mansfield dressmaker Jennifer Duncombe produced the most stunning dress that matched perfectly with Kimberley’s engagement ring that was handed down by her grandmother. Kimberley had the two little sapphires on the side removed and replaced with diamonds and made earrings from the sapphires for her wedding day. NNE Photographs courtesy: Nea Leydon Photography

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NNEGARDENS

The Shipley’s amazing maze

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APRIL / MAY 2016

G

ardens and their creators come in all shapes and sizes; all of them are important regardless. Tracey and Dean Shipley with endless energy and ingenuity have constructed an amazing living structure, a garden full of adventure.

How did you both get into gardening?

A love of gardening and a creative eye for detail, are just some of the qualities required to establish a garden maze. The ability to work hard and show immense determination are also essential. Tracey and Dean Shipley have applied all these skills in the creation of their High Country Maze in Goughs Bay just out of Mansfield.

They talked with CASS JASPER

“My mum, Barbara Hodges from Mansfield, always had a beautiful garden and it was her that started me gardening. I learnt a lot about gardening and to love gardening,” says Tracey. “I really didn’t like it that much when I had to rake leaves though,” she admits.

“I am not really into gardening,” says Dean. “I’m more into creating things. Tracey is the one who makes the garden look nice. I make the space and Tracey makes it pretty.”

“We work well together in the garden,” says Tracey.

What inspired you to create a maze garden?

“We visited Ashcombe Maze on the Mornington Peninsula after a wedding. It was lovely,” says Tracey wistfully. “While there I turned to Dean and said that we should do a maze of our own.”

“After we decided that we would do our own, we visited heaps of mazes all over Victoria; we talked to the owners and did a lot of research. It was important to learn what trees were best to use in hedging and what trees not to use.

“Our kids were a great source of learning too, they showed us what worked and what didn’t; if they were having fun it worked and if not, don’t do it,” says Tracey.

“I am inspired by people who have done wonderful things in their garden and feel that I can do it myself.”

What is it you like about gardening?

“It’s my downtime to be in the garden,” says Tracey. “Working in the garden relaxes me, I can go into my own head space and just create. The garden is a place for me to be creative. I can forget what time it is and can find myself working in the dark. Creating the topiaries is great fun.”

“I enjoy trimming the hedge,” says Dean.

What is your favorite plant?

Dean straight away replies, “The Chinese elm; I only wish we had planted more of them. Our eldest son, Ben, brought it home and gave it to us. He paid $10 and it looked like it was on its last legs. Look at it now. It’s beautiful, both the tree and Ben have grown beautifully.”

Tracey says, “I love the roses, they repeat flowering all year except in winter. The colour of the flowers, you just can’t be replicate it.” u NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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NNEPICTURED

Favourite implement when working in the garden?

Tracey’s are her secateurs and gloves.

“I have battery operated trimmers that I use on the hedge; I used to use scissors. It’s an old habit from being a hairdresser so scissors always felt comfortable,” says Tracey.

“Dad bought me a pair of battery trimmers, which I now use first on the topiary and hedge and then I still use scissors to do the fine detailed work.”

Dean has an ongoing love hate relationship with his petrol driven hedge trimmers.

Don’t enjoy in the garden?

Favourite reference?

“I enjoy reading through magazines and I especially like Better Homes and Gardens and the ABC gardening magazine,” Tracey says. “I get ideas from them that I can make myself. It’s a challenge I enjoy.”

Tracey and Dean agree that they both dislike picking up hedge trimmings.

“We are not keen on raking either,” says Tracey. “We mulch most of the leaves, it’s only the Plane Tree leaves that we don’t. We rack them up and put them in the chook shed and let them break them down.”

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APRIL / MAY 2016

option 1

Do you have a vegie garden?

“Yes, we moved it this year to a new area and are making it into a ‘Friends of the Maze’ garden. People will be able to come in and share in the work and in the produce. Should be ready next season,” says Tracey.

The future?

“We’ve just built a structure for kids’ parties and functions and we will be growing more shade areas in the maze and adding a games garden room with mini golf,” says Tracey. “More for families to enjoy.”

Tracey and Dean have been asked to be part of the television program ‘Better Homes and Gardens’ due to appear on April 29.

“We were very flattered,” says Tracey.

NNE

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NNEPICTURED

Picnic in the Park

Pictures: NEALE HEARD Lachland and Lucy from teh Mansfield Produce Store

John Huber from Mansfield

M

irimbah at the base of Mt Buller was all about food, music and wine on Sunday 13 March it was a picnic.

Under the many marquees and trees families and groups of people stretched out their legs and relaxed. Rugs and camping chairs were mandatory.

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Locals and visitors alike spent a day in the warmth of the early days of autumn in the mountains. All had a great smile on their faces. NNE

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NNEPRODUCERS

Tree-changers make success of olives

W

This Longwood couple went from their busy Melbourne life to their country dream. Now they alternate between the north-east and Italy with olives playing a major role.

COLETTE GEIER reports Pictures SIMON FERGUSSON 98

APRIL / MAY 2016

hen life gives you lemons, positive people make lemonade, but people with vision like Maggie Gardiner and Simon Fergusson don’t just make lemonade, they start producing a whole range of lemon based products and go into business.

Maggie and Simon do in fact use home grown lemons in their range of boutique produce, but metaphors aside, the couple’s true skill lies in making the most of every situation and creating a product and a life that is really something special.

Ridge Grove Olives, based between Longwood and Ruffy at the base of the Strathbogies, began as a way to fill an empty nest, but has grown into something much more. Not only has it added to the rich pool of quality boutique producers in the area, but it has transformed the lives of its owners in the process.

Back at the dawn of the new millennium, researcher Margaret and her partner freelance cameraman Simon were living in Richmond when they were faced with a conundrum. All their children had left home, they’d downsized to a smaller home u and they suddenly had nothing, but work to keep them occupied.

NT XTO ROUT U B

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Mansfield’s latest addition to the good food scene, Harry’s Fork is perfect for a hearty breakfast, a filling lunch or dinner, or a coffee with our range of house made cakes and pastries.

Fresh, innovative food and beverages.

B r e a k f a s t & L u n c h Thursday to Tuesday D i n n e r Thursday to Saturday 2/26 High Street, Mansfield 03 5775 2220 www.harrysfork.com.au H O S T Chris Redmond

enjoy a beautiful, relaxed lunch with seasonal local produce, fresh air, great people, local wine and a location that will have you wanting to return and relive the day ... the store is comfortable, rustic and at the heart of the country community

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NNEPRODUCERS

Whiling away the hours in trendy cafes just wasn’t cutting it so the pair decided to find a weekender – just a little place not too far from Melbourne where they could have a garden and some fruit trees and get away from the hustle and bustle.

It was quite by accident that several months later they found themselves staring into a real estate agent’s window in Euroa at an advertisement for 40 acres in the hills.

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APRIL / MAY 2016

“It’s no more work than one acre,” suggested Simon and before Maggie knew what was what, they were on their way to see it.

Coming off the highway, as soon as the white unpaved road started snaking its way up the hill they were hooked. It reminded the Italophile pair of country roads in their beloved Umbria and Simon and Maggie were sold before they’d reached the front gate.

With only two small dams on the

property, water was paramount so the first thing they did was start buying water tanks and they didn’t stop until every inch of runoff was caught and they had a holding capacity of 250,000 litres.

Without access to a reliable water source, grapes were not an option so in 2001 the couple planted 400 olive trees, Frantoio and Correggiola from Italy, Kalamata from Spain and Priola which came from cuttings of very old plantings at Mt Prior in the state’s north.

The history of the Priola variety is something of a mystery. The story of the original plantings has been lost and their DNA is quite different to any of the known varieties in Spain, Italy or France.

In 2007 Maggie retired from corporate life, swapped her power suit for an apron and set about establishing their new brand. Her life of shoulder pads and frequent flyer miles was replaced with slaving over a hot stove and it all happened without a hitch.

“We’re pretty adaptable,” she says – and seeing her now, it’s hard to believe Maggie hasn’t been a farm girl all her life.

Although Simon continued to freelance, the couple gave up life in Melbourne and moved to Ridge Grove permanently. They built a new house with magnificent western views out over the plains to Nagambie and beyond and created a sustainable home, completely off grid.

All power comes from solar panels and the olive grove is watered using only water collected from roof runoff.

Maggie and Simon work as a fantastic team, but their roles in the olive business are quite defined.

Picking is a collaborative affair (usually involving a large group of friends and family) and then the roles are split. Simon is in charge of brining table olives and Maggie looks after the value adding.

As well as extra virgin olive oil and

““

I still work when they ring me; I just don’t chase it anymore”

four varieties of table olives, Maggie produces a range of marinated olives, flavoured vinegars, salts, sauces, spice mixes and fruit pastes plus other seasonal products when produce abounds.

From 2006 to 2013 Maggie and Simon spent their weekends selling their wares at every market from Violet Town to Tallarook and across to Mansfield until they had built enough of a retail clientele to forgo the market stalls and indulge in the sleep-in.

Ridge Grove Olives is an example of what can be achieved with a few books, plenty of Google searches and tonnes of patience. In 2011, Simon and Maggie’s olives won first place in the table olives category of the prestigious Golden Olive Awards. Not only was it quite unexpected, but it was the first

time in the history of the competition the award had gone to a variety other than Kalamata.

Despite the success in both their new endeavours and their previous incarnations, Maggie is quick to point out their achievements are due to their flexibility rather than their preparation.

“We’re not good at planning things,” she says. “We’re reactionary,” which goes to show there’s more than one road to success.

For table olives, the fruit must be carefully picked to avoid bruising and it is then rinsed in fresh water for almost a fortnight before it is stored in a brine solution to pickle. Simon has created a method to suit his own tastes which focuses on plenty of crispness and just a hint of the initial bitterness.

Like all artisan produce, there is a u

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A natural relaxing atmosphere to catch a couple of fish, you can also take home some gourmet goodies from the excellent selection of regional foods, wine, cheese, smoked trout and salmon, including famous Smoked Trout Pâté.

With prior notice a sample platter for groups visiting the farm can be arranged for your enjoyment.

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NNEPRODUCERS

It’s all hands needed at picking time

degree of alchemy to processing olives and when asked how long they take to cure, Simon smiles wryly. “Till they’re ready,” he says.

When he’s not brining olives, Simon Is likely to be behind a camera filming the tennis, car racing or any manner of event. Although no longer fulltime, as Simon puts it, “I still work when they ring me; I just don’t chase it anymore.”

Simon’s career in television is a definitive case of how to turn a weakness into a strength. A classic example of ADHD, despite his intelligence, Simon hated school and couldn’t get out of there quick enough. He begrudgingly spent a year at Dookie Agricultural College before enrolling in a photography course in Melbourne.

A chance call in 1969 from his loving grandfather coupled with a large streak of bravado on Simon’s part set him on his future path. “The ABC is looking for a camera technician,” his grandfather said. “You should apply.”

The advertisement called for qualifications and experience (neither of which Simon had) but he had tenacity and a gregarious nature and that, history 102

APRIL / MAY 2016

tells us, was enough to secure him the position.

“I was very polite,” smirks Simon.

“But it’s a different story now.” A recent camera operator’s position attracted over 2300 applicants for a single position. “Back then I’m not sure if anyone else even applied for the job,” he says.

Starting with the likes of ‘Bellbird’ and ‘Countdown’, Simon has since worked on thousands of TV shows and commercials though he confesses much has changed since his early days with the ABC. “It was pretty wild back then; there’s not a lot I remember about it – for exactly that reason.”

Some things remain, however; Simon has worked on SBS’s ‘RocKwiz’ since its inception and he’s quick to point out the average age of the crew is 62, the majority having worked together on ‘Countdown’ in the early 1970s.

Rather than detracting from the couple’s life, Simon’s camera work offers them both another opportunity.

Much like the olive business. As Maggie puts it, “We’ve managed to integrate working with having a good time.” When

work takes Simon off around the globe, Maggie goes along for the ride and uses it as a way to explore or catch up with friends and family.

In 2014, the couple did what many of us dream about, but few actually do; they bought an Italian summer house in a little village east of Rome and now forgo the bitter high country winters.

Just 10 days after the last of the olives have been harvested and pressed for oil, the couple pack their bags and head off to Italy to discover and research new (or very old, depending on how you look at it) ways to pickle and preserve the best of the summer’s bounty.

Simon and Maggie have harnessed the true value of change and reinvention and continue to relish the process and the growth it brings.

Even during the winter when this pair of snow birds has flown north, Ridge Grove Olives and their other produce is available via their web site, good food stores and definitely The Weekend Local in Euroa, Mitchelton Winery at Nagambie and Maygars Hill Winery in Longwood East. NNE

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THE PLACE TO MEET, THE PLACE TO EAT ALL DAY BREAKFAST & LUNCH FRESH JUICE, SMOOTHIES & MILKSHAKES COFFEE ICE CREAM HAND CRAFTED PIES, PASTRIES & CAKES

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OPEN 7.30AM TO 4.00PM 7 DAYS A WEEK NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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Making the most of olives

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Longwood Chef COLETTE GEIER has gone all provincial on us and is spouting the advantages of self-sufficiency Picture COLETTE GEIER

ecessity may well be the puritanical mother of invention, but desire is definitely the Sugar Daddy of acquisition.

Put these two characters together for long enough with a bottle of red and some Barry White in the background and you end up with me, a wily lateral thinker driven by desires.

There are plenty of people like me out there; I was just given a head start honing these skills having grown up in the bush with not a lot of the folding stuff. I learned to sew because I like pretty dresses and I learned to cook because I like to eat well.

Unfortunately here lies the juxtaposition; I now have a wardrobe full of pretty dresses I’ve made that I can’t wear because I eat too well. Yes, it’s a first world problem, but I’ve worked out a solution; I make more dresses. It’s the only realistic answer.

Much like dressmaking, learning to produce items which one normally buys has four main benefits: you save yourself money, you can make an item of better quality, you can modify the item to your exact tastes and most importantly you get to feel smug as hell that you can do something most people can’t.

This is, however, where the examples of sewing and cooking diverge. I’ve been sewing for 35 years so I’m quite good at it now, but although I’ve been cooking for just as long, 35 years experience is not necessary to be good at it.

If you’ve got a decent recipe and a few receptive taste buds you can cook almost anything, but you don’t see every second man on the street whipping up his own jeans.

I don’t mean to dampen your enthusiasm if you do mean to take up sewing later in life, after all, it’s not rocket science, but I do recommend you have some kind of formal linguistics training before trying to decipher a paper dress pattern for the first time.

Enough about sewing, this is about food and this is where I get all evangelistic about why you should make your own tapenade. First of all,

Olive tapenade it’s so much cheaper to make than buy, it’s really simple and quick and as I mentioned before, you can whip it out at your next soirée and give yourself a big pat on the back for being so fabulous.

The other good reason to make your own tapenade is we live in olive heaven.

This region produces some of the best table olives in the world (not to mention the best capers) and although you might have to buy imported anchovies, your food miles are a fraction of what they would be buying a mean little jar of imported tapenade. Yours also will taste so much better and you won’t have to be sparing with it.

Although people have been making this stuff since before the birth of Christ, unless you’ve lived in Italy or France, chances are you’ve never tasted really good tapenade (unless, of course, you’re mates with the likes of Maggie Gardiner from Ridge Grove Olives and in that case you’re just spoilt). It’s like the difference between fresh pesto and the store bought variety; there’s no going back once you’ve had the real thing.

Tapenade is not just for smearing on bread or using as a dip; it’s immensely versatile. For a very simple pasta dish, stir it though spaghetti like you would

pesto and top with some parmesan.

Add tapenade to garlic bread mixture or better yet knead it though bread dough for delightful olive bread. It can be added to vinaigrette to make olive dressing or add it to fresh mayonnaise for an olive aioli.

Stuff button mushrooms with it and bake for an easy tapas or stuff it under the skin of a chicken for a roast chook with a twist.

This is also your chance to get a bit creative with a recipe; you can use any variety of table olive you have handy and if you want to go really crazy, add some chilli or lemon zest or whatever lifts your skirt!

Now all your good local table olives won’t be pitted so do yourself a favour and buy an olive/cherry pitter. They are only a few dollars and turn the laborious job of pitting olives into a whole lot of fun.

The other beauty of tapenade is its shelf life. Considering most of the ingredients are naturally preserved and the garlic has antibacterial properties, providing you cover it with a little extra oil and keep it in the fridge, your new creation will last for ages. NNE

1 ½ cups of pitted olives 1 tablespoon of capers 1 tablespoon of anchovies 1-2 large garlic cloves A good slug of olive oil plus an extra slug to cover.

Put capers, anchovies and garlic in a food processer with enough oil to form smooth slurry.

Add the olives and a little more oil and blend to the consistency you desire. If you like it smooth, make it smooth, if you like it chunky, pull up earlier.

Pour into a clean dry container with a lid, tap to remove any air bubbles and pour 3-4 ml of oil over the top to seal it and stop it spoiling. Keep refrigerated.

Aussie Wine Month Meet the Makers

Discover your local wineries during Aussie Wine Month this May. Paul Evans - Winemaker

Sonja Herges - Vigneron

OPEN Wednesday - Sunday, & public holidays 11am - 5pm TASTE the highly awarded Sangiovese, exemplary reds & crisp whites STAY for delicious produce platters (available on weekends & public holidays) 182 Shannons Road Murrindindi T 03 9730 2883 | M 0432 435 180 E wine@sedonaestate.com.au www.sedonaestate.com.au

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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NNEFOOD AND WINE

A white delight

Wine writer IAN DUNN has been slaving over a number of excellent white wines through the hotter months. He was particularly taken with the offerings from Bill Button Wines

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recent meal of fish and poultry provided a great opportunity to savour the latest range of Billy Button white wines.

These are made by Jo Marsh who is a passionate believer in the produce of the Alpine valleys east of Myrtleford, so the grapes she has used are from such regions as Porepunkah, Whorouly South and Buffalo Creek. And the growers of these grapes are, it seems, simply replicating what their forbears would have done in Italy. As an example, we are informed that the Arneis is from the Antonello Vineyard, or the Friulano from the Bungamero and Dalbosco Vineyards (all in the Alpine Valleys) respectively.

Let the growers do what they do well, and then engage a high quality winemaker to do her stuff and the outcome can be terrific, especially in an excellent year which was the case in

2015 in the North-East.

Those invited to share in the tasting on the night arrived some time before I was there to open the bottles. No matter, the tasters had taken matters into their own hands. There was animated discussion about the subject matter with all tasters more or less exclaiming that they loved the wines. In retrospect, I was lucky to get a glass or two!

I will start with the Riesling, a wine which really is an outlier, in the sense that it was the only wine not sourced from the Alpine Valleys. Jo Marsh in fact declares that when she had access to these grapes from Whitlands, in the King Valley, she decided to break her own rules. It is important to note that the grapes, from the Croucher Vineyard, are grown at 800 metres above sea level.

I do not know if this vineyard regularly produces grapes of such u

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Friday & Saturday noon to 9pm Sunday & Public Holidays noon to 6pm

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A stop without the hassle of a detour

A short stroll off the highway, over the railway line and you will find yourself at Violet Town Hotel. Stop for lunch, dinner, a quick drink or stay in one of our self contained rooms.

U MA NDER NA NEW Rob GEMEN & Su T e

Also offering TAB and function room.

Stop and enjoy the Violet Town Hotel experience when you are next travelling through.

11am till late every day - 16 Cowslip St, Violet Town - Ph: 5798 1264 - www.violettownhotel.com.au

MORE THAN JUST A CAFÉ 88 GRANT ST, ALEXANDRA Open hours – 6am till late P (03) 5772 1433 M 0423 732 287

treat yourself

come in for a warm pie or pastry

treat yourself all day breakfast 7 days a week

cakes, & specialty come inslices for a warm pie orbreads pastry coffee tea all day & breakfast cross buns 7hot days a week cakes, slices & specialty breads coffee & tea hot cross buns

Come in and visit our cheerful staff in the ‘Hub’ of Alexandra Home style food • Eat in or take away Quality Antico Coffee natio na winn l award in cakes g pies, & bre ad natio na winn l award in cakes g pies, & bre ad

mawson’s bakery café trading hours mon-fri 6.30-5.30 sat-sun 6.30–3.30

mawson’s café 19bakery binney st, euroa 5795 2425

see our facebook page for trading hours

trading hours mon-fri 6.30-5.30 sat-sun 6.30–3.30 see our facebook page for trading hours

19 binney st, euroa 5795 2425

NNEFOOD AND WINE

quality, but the resulting wine is a beauty.

One of the tasters thought that she scented kerosene when the bottle was first opened, but by the time I had a sip, it was just exquisite. If it can be regularly produced at such a level we have another outstanding Riesling. Since tasting this wine I’ve had the pleasure of drinking a Crawford River and two excellent Clare Valley specimens. I would rate the Billy Button as their equivalent.

So far, everyone was in their comfort zone having all consumed some excellent Riesling. But the tasters now had to consider a Malvasia, an Arneis and a Friulano. It was here that discussion became very animated! All liked each of the wines and we agreed that this was the order in which they were best drunk, with the Friulano retaining more sugar than the others. In fact, it was consumed with gorgeous ripe peaches and nectarines and the combination was excellent.

Jo Marsh

A number of producers do offer an Arneis and I’ve tasted it several times at very good restaurants. The Italian families of the King Valley tend to produce it. I recall many years ago an occasion at which both Arneis and the more widely produced Marsanne was offered and opinion was divided. Arneis is dryish. One could detect pear upon first tasting, whereas another claimed it was pineapple! What can be said is that if the Billy Button Arneis was served with, for example, a whole schnapper or cooked chicken there would be very little left after a short time.

I don’t believe I’ve previously tasted a Malvasia which incidentally was second only to the Riesling in tasters’ preferences. This has considerable substance with good fruit; it’s not a flippant young thing to be scoffed down.

Ms Marsh gives all of her wines a name.

The Malvasia is “the Mysterious”; it was certainly a mystery for the tasters and after a little research I learned that in the areas near Rome where it is grown, it is more an assortment of grape varieties.

Whatever, it is excellent!

The contrast between these most interesting offerings and the mass produced wines we commonly drink, could not be greater. Ms Marsh makes very small quantities from these specialised vineyards. 110 dozen of the Arneis, 130 Malvasia, up to 253 of the Riesling. Each batch of grapes is treated individually.

For this reason alone, let alone the great quality, the price of $25 per bottle is reasonable.

If we gather a group of friends with the appropriate food and open a bottle of each variety, it will be a fascinating, but happy experience. NNE Billy Button Wines www.billybuttonwines.com.au

Good year for Philip Lobley Some time ago I commented upon some wines of Philip Lobley from near Glenburn. He managed to make a decent Pinot Noir in 2011 – no mean feat!

I recently attended a very pleasant race meeting at Yea and there was Philip selling a pretty fair quantity of his wine including a Pinot and a Nebbiolo.

I’d recently had a modest win on Race Three which prompted me to try a glass or two.

I first tried the Pinot Noir 2013 ($28.50). It showed just what can be done with this variety in a great year which 2013 was. And the Nebbiolo ($32) of the same year was excellent.

Extremely interesting, not as brown in the glass as is often the case, better fruit shining through. I was starting to enjoy myself when I realised Race Four was imminent. I dashed to the ring and found that the bookies were offering 10/1 on an aged gelding named ‘Noble Rot’. I invested $10 and the good old boy duly saluted.

So I returned to Mr Lobley’s stand flush with funds and determined to purchase a bottle of each of the reds, only to find that the Nebbiolo was sold out. I bought a bottle of the Pinot, but was troubled by the remaining cash in my pocket. Regrettably I then learned that “One for the Road” was going around in the last race and you can imagine the rest! Mr Lobley deserves stern criticism for not offering more of the first rate Nebbiolo!

When we drank the Pinot Noir that evening, the Deft Palate enjoyed her share until told that she was drinking ill gotten gains from gambling!

Philip Lobley Wines www.philiplobleywines.com

You can order copies of images that are taken by North by North-East magazine by contacting our office via email at admin@northbynortheast.com.au or online at northbynortheast.com.au.

Trophy Winning Red Wines

Photos are available for purchase as hard copy or digital. Selected artwork may also be purchased.

Mob 0402 136 448 53 Longwood Mansfield Road Longwood East 3665 Victoria jenny@maygarshill.com.au

www.maygarshill.com.au

MAYGARS HILL

3 Eisners Lane, Mansfield 3722 03 5779 1290 | admin@northbynortheast.com.au

THE GIDDY GOAT Licensed Café

Opening Hours: Thursday to Sunday 6am - Breakfast & lunch

Ph: 5773 4223

J

53 Longwood Mansfield Road, Longwood East 3665 Victoria Australia Tel 61 3 5798 5417 M 0402 136 448 vineyard@strathbogieboutiquewines.com www.strathbogieboutiquewines.com

ts Lazy Breakfas

Relaxed Lun ches

Great Food Cheerful Service Funny Looking Staff Eat In or Takeaway

eals Homemade M

Yarck Cottage

B&B. Overnight & Holiday Accommodat ion • No minimum nights • Sleeps 14+ people • In middle of town • Right on Rail Trail • Within a stone’s thr ow of eateries • Supplied meals to cottage available 1 Wrights Road, Yar ck Victoria Phone: Sonja 0409 004 887 or Andrew 0408 599 677

6606 Maroondah Hwy. Yarck

www.yarckcottage.c

om

ALL DAY MEALS AVAILABLE

PING JUMBUC M U K 24 Tarcombe St, Euroa

RESTAURANT Ph: 5795 1181

Tues - Fri 9am till Late | Sat - Sun 10am till Late Light Meals & Snacks | Coffee & Cake Lunch & Dinner | Licensed Restaurant

Delicious, authentic & Italian Pasta made fresh in-house Take home meals Family menu Image: Jamie Durant

Breakfast & lunch Fully licensed Open 8am - 5pm Thur - Sun | Open 7 days during school holidays & public holiday Mondays

134 Great Alpine Rd, Myrtleford | P 03 5752 2310 | www.luposkilncafe.com.au

NNEFOOD AND WINE

A boost to Mansfield’s epicurean scene It was a March evening, perfect for dining outside.

PAT O’BRYAN chose Harry’s Fork on the corner of Collopy and High streets in Mansfield

Harry’s Fork Breakfast & lunch Thursday to Tuesday Dinner Thursday to Saturday 2/26 High Street. Mansfield 5775 2220 www.harrysfork.com.au

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nder the wide verandah around the restaurant, tables were laid with fine glasses and cloth napkins on simple timber tables. We loved the large basket of knee rugs in case the weather changed and you wished to linger without going inside.

With the heat we’d been having early March, we certainly were not going to need the rugs. The night stayed warm and so was the welcome we received from our waitress. With a smile and polite greeting we were seated and brought a cold bottle of still water immediately. It was greatly appreciated.

We were quickly told the specials of the day, but it was the menu options we chose.

The hot day had reduced our appetites and we each decided on only a main course though the choices were many and varied.

Starters included avocado salad with cured graviachs ($15) and calamari and citrus salad ($14) or available as a main ($27). Main courses varied from baked salmon with seasonal greens topped with squid, lemon and capers ($30) to the slow roasted lamb shoulder with prunes and leek and root vegetables ($28), to a grilled 350g Scotch fillet ($36).

We went for the grilled spatchcock ($27) and the spaghetti marinara ($33) loaded with crab, oysters, mussels, fresh fish, clams, calamari with garlic, wine and cream.

The wine list has a good offering of wines with almost all of them from North-East Victoria, which is great to see. Also good is that about a dozen are available by the glass. NNE wine writer

Ian Dunn had been praising the area’s Barbera to us so we settled on a glass each of the Dal Zotto Barbera from the King Valley ($9.50 each). We had to agree that it is a good drop.

The service from our waitress was excellent; service is so important to helping create the right ambience for a good evening out. A place might have the best of food, but if the service is lousy I just want to get out of there.

Thankfully Harry’s Fork owner Chris Redmond has gathered around him some terrific people.

He’s also done well with the food.

The spaghetti was fresh and the garlic in the sauce was obvious – the way I like it – while the cream was only just there, again the way I like it.

The generous serving of spaghetti was covered with fresh seafood. Love the look and the taste of those little clams with their shells laid open exposing their small delicate morsel of flesh. Provided with this dish was a good helping of parmesan cheese. It was a more than pleasant dish and even though I couldn’t finish all the pasta, I did ensure that I demolished all the seafood.

The spatchcock came with a baked potato in its skin and a side order of a mixed green salad which was lightly dressed. The chicken was moist and beautifully cooked, but my friend thought it a bit heavy handed with the soy marinade – complained it made it messy to eat with his fingers. I must add that he managed to demolish it all and made good use of the finger bowls of water thoughtfully provided – as I did after handling my shellfish.

Often it’s those little touches that remind you of a good evening out – cloth napkins, great service, finger bowls, chilled water – the small things that can seem to be minor in the overall act of dining, but are just as much a part of the experience as the meals themselves.

It was an enjoyable dinner. I’ll have to go back for breakfast soon. NNE

Taste, Taste,explore explore&&feast... feast... like likea aKing!

King! th th th th Saturday 1111 and Sunday 1212 June Saturday and Sunday June

New release wines • Italian inspired food New release wines • Italian inspired food LiveLive music • Kid’s activities music • Kid’s activities PARTICIPATING WINERIES PARTICIPATING WINERIES BROWN BROTHERS • CHRISMONT • DAL ZOTTO BROWN BROTHERS • CHRISMONT • DAL ZOTTO DARLING ESTATE • •LALA CANTINA • MERKEL • PIZZINI DARLING ESTATE CANTINA • MERKEL • PIZZINI POLITINI • SAM MIRANDA • SYMPHONIA • FRANCESCO POLITINI • SAM MIRANDA • SYMPHONIA • FRANCESCO

TheThe KingKing Valley, Australia’s littlelittle Italy,Italy, Valley, Australia’s where heritage andand passion fusesfuses withwith a a where heritage passion landscape andand climate thatthat mimics the the greatgreat landscape climate mimics regions of northern Italy.Italy.

Approximately a a regions of northern Approximately 3hr 3hr drivedrive fromfrom Melbourne.

Melbourne.

www.winesofthekingvalley.com.au www.winesofthekingvalley.com.au

NNEFOOD AND WINE

Preparations are already underway for the King Valley’s fabulous weekend of wine, food and music.

Mark down the weekend of June 11 and 12 for a great time

Fit for a

king& &queen queen king

andeveryone everyoneelse else and

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Queen’s Birthday Weekend

11-13 June 2016 View over 300 artworks by local, intra and interstate artists crafted in a diverse range of mediums and styles

T

he motto for the ‘Fit For A King’ weekend is taste, explore and feast like a king! It would be difficult to do little else once you start heading along the King Valley Road from Milawa, through Oxley, Moyhu, Edi, King Valley, Whitfield and ending up at Cheshunt.

To find a region to escape to for a weekend, where the weather is irrelevant is a real find. The King Valley wine region is perfect for June. If the sun is shining there is the outdoor cellar door gardens to lounge about in; if it is raining you have the cellar premises to stay warm and dry in.

The enjoyment of food, wine and music is not reliant on heat or cold; it only requires a willingness to relax and partake on whatever level of feasting takes your fancy.

There are those whose sole purpose is to visit every winery in the King Valley, then there are others who have their regular haunts they look forward to returning to. Another lot are seeking out the places that they have yet to experience.

Some families have already booked into the local caravan park and the array of bed and breakfasts spotted throughout the King Valley are also being booked. So don’t leave your planning too late.

Prepare now for a wonderful weekend – not just a day – of revelry and great tastes in the majestic King Valley of North-East Victoria. NNE

Exhibition Open 10am-5pm Adults $3 Gala Opening Friday 10 June 7.30pm Gala tickets $28 all inclusive Join our judge Dianne Mangan when she announces the winners.

Savour premium King Valley wines and delicious canapés.

King Valley Cucina - 4515 Wangaratta-Whitfield Road

Bookings:

www. kingvalleyartshow.com.au

Visit the Y Water Discovery Centre, in the beautiful township of Yea, and discover the magic of the Yea Wetlands.

• • • •

The Centre offers: Educational and fun activities for all ages School group programs Guided tours of the Yea Wetlands A visitor information centre and gift shop featuring a range of locally made products, books, maps and more Come visit and discover one of Victoria’s best kept secrets.

Open 9am – 5pm, 7 days a week (closed Christmas Day & Good Friday)

2 Hood St, Yea | 5797 2663 info@ywatercentre.com.au www.ywatercentre.com.au

NNEARTS

Galleries Quirky • Quality • Creativity This little Curiosity/Gift Shop & Gallery oozes creativity, and is a place where treasures abound, waiting to be found.

Secondhand • Handcrafted • Art

74 Grant Street, Alexandra (Entry through the Barber Shop)

Open 7 days 10am - 4pm Cindy Ferguson 0419 517 045 rusticsimplicity@hotmail.com www.rusticsimplicityblog.wordpress.com

FEATURING Contemporary + traditional paintings Works on paper Art glass, sculptures + much more

OPENING SOON 24 Highett St, Mansfield Contact Richard Watson M 0418 579 633 E ibroxfineartgallery@gmail.com

56 Ovens St, Wangaratta. Vic. www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au 03 5722 0865 Open: Mon-Tue 12 -5. Wed-Fri 10-5. Sat-Sun 12-3

34 High Street, Yea Phone 0478 58 34 34 Fri to Mon 10-4 (or by appt) For exhibition information: www.gallery34.com.au info@gallery34.com.au www.facebook.com/gallery34yea

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Art Retreats at Drawing • Charcoal Pencil • Scratchboard Pastel • Life Drawing Watercolour Pencil Acrylic and much more...

OPEN 10-5 FRIDAY > SUNDAY AND PUBLIC HOLIDAYS

Full catering and accommodation provided

4 HIGHETT STREET, MANSFIELD TELEPHONE MIM 1300 783 446 www.mansfieldartgallery.com.au

For all enquiries please call

Sue Schreiber

0438 139 045

sue@katzart.com.au • www.katzartdesigns.com

Photography Gallery

Landscapes & Wildlife of Murrindindi Donovan Wilson

Ph 5963 4316

49 Darwin St, Marysville streamlinetrees@optusnet.com.au

“

“Galleries offer a special place or venue where you don’t have to spend a cent and yet you can have a wonderful experience”

Dreamcrossed: The Imagined Body Until 17 April 2016

Vincent Fantauzzo: 30/30 Project Until 25 April 2016

Colour and Movement Until 22 May 2016

www.benallaartgallery.com.au Image: Jacqui Stockdale, Rama-Jaara The Royal Shepherdess, 2012, C type print

BENALLA ART GALLERY BOTANICAL GARDENS BRIDGE STREET, BENALLA VIC 3672 OPEN 10am - 5pm (closed Tuesdays) T. 03 5760 2619 E. gallery@benalla.vic.gov.au

NNEARTS

Find that special piece at our galleries

W

ith the abundance of talented artists in the north-east region it is little wonder we have such a collection of galleries to view the myriad of works produced here. To be able to wander through a gallery and to be able to admire the works free of charge is always rather special. The quiet feel of the gallery compared to the opening night of a showing with the crowd chattering offers a different perspective of gallery space.

Sometimes a collection may not be your piece of cake, but you can still find something that just stands out or takes your fancy for no particular reason.

History hangs from the walls that can inspire or offer a reflective moment.

Seeing those little red ‘I’ve been sold’ dots next to the works on display can be frustrating if it was something you were interested in, but spare a thought for the artist who is going to be very pleased with this exhibition.

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That usually means more oils and brushes to buy, more clay and frames, more canvas and glass and the cycle continues.

Strolling through a gallery – be it to take in the latest exhibition or to escape the heat or cold – to consider purchasing or to cast your eye over and absorb makes no difference.

Galleries offer a special place or venue where you don’t have to spend a cent and yet you can have a wonderful experience. They are well worth supporting. NNE

Cornelia Jane - When she was the artist in residence at Benalla Art Gallery

Some country escapism Hartley’s Grange by Nicole Hurley-Moore, Arena Allen & Unwin, 300pp, $26.99 Reviewed by Joe Blake

A

friend of mine once wrote three Mills and Boon books in six months – in his spare time.

They gave him a formula and he stuck with it, bashing out thousands of words every day without really thinking. It wasn’t high-class fiction, but love always sells. So well, in fact, that Australia has a huge literary industry tied up in Rural Romance. The writing is good, there’s an interesting backstory, and, after a few twists and turns, the girl gets her (inevitably good-looking and tough) man.

Lily is a successful fashion designer in Melbourne with a handsome, exotic photographer boyfriend until she hasn’t; in one terrible day the job disappears and she discovers the bloke is cheating with one of his models. There’s only one option, so Lily heads back to the country town where she grew up, and the safe haven of her older sister. On the way, she crashes her car and is rescued by Flynn, of the good-looks and toughness mentioned above, who is all heart as he helps her continue her journey.

Both Lily and Flynn have been damaged in childhood. He was dumped by his mum and left with a horrible gran who did her best to destroy any confidence he might have had left; she had issues with her father which led her to leave home very early. They’re both wary of commitment, but there’s definitely a spark of attraction between them. They run across each other regularly – this is a small town after all – but don’t take things any further. In the meantime, there’s plenty to do.

Lily has inherited a shop in the town, and goes about renovating and setting it up as an outlet for her fashion skills. The builder is a bit keen on her, but there’s no chemistry there for Lily. The plot thickens when somebody starts to target her;

the shop is vandalised more than once and a car pushes her off the road while she’s running. Flynn has a sheep farm just out of town and lives in the stately stone house that he inherited as a ruin, then restored and modernised. He nearly loses it all in one dramatic day when a bushfire sweeps through. In all of these complications, Lily and Flynn are drawn together more and more, supporting each other through their crises and realising that they’re meant to be.

There’s something uplifting about this book: it starts with two people

who’ve been thrown by the the things that happened when they were very young, and ends with happiness. They have a few advantages – looks, inherited wealth, youth and talent – but they use all of them to make things work. I have to admit to being a bit sceptical at the beginning, but in the end I was convinced that there is a place for such escapism. It’s not Shakespeare, but in a sometimes grim world it’s good to feel the spirit of optimism that radiates from a novel such as this. NNE

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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Happenings

April&May

Festival in Bright

The following events are listed as a free service & were believed to be correct at the time of going to print. Readers should check details in case of changes & for further details.

Markets Every Saturday Mansfield Produce Swap 10am –12pm. Free. Swap excess produce grown or made at home or preserves. 120 High St

Myrtleford Central Market 9am – 2pm. Farmers’ produce & local artisans.

10 Clyde St (rear entrance from Myrtle St) 0427 272 777

Every Sunday Wangaratta Market 8am – 1pm. Trash & treasure, fresh produce. Avian Park Raceway.

Newman St. 0427 215 258

Fourth Saturday of month Myrtleford Flea Market 8.30am – 12pm.

9am – 3pm. Queen Victoria Park Sydney Rd 5728 2968 kchivers57@hotmail.com

Wangaratta Farmers Market

Benalla Lakeside Quality Craft & Produce Market 9am – 2pm.

Local produce & food products. Apex Park.

Clements St. wangarattafarmersmarket@gmail.com

Violet Town Community Market 8.30am – 1pm. Handmade goods, music, organic produce, plants. No dogs. Recreation Reserve, Tulip St. market@violettown.org.au

Second Sunday of month First Saturday of month Autumn Seasonal Market at Pfeiffer Wines (APRIL ONLY) 9am-3pm 167 Distillery Rd. Wahgunyah (02) 6033 2805

Beechworth Farmers Market 9am – 12pm. Fresh local produce. Church Grounds Cnr Ford & Church Sts. 0408 859 282

Mount Beauty Community Markets 9am – 2pm. Homegrown produce, new & used goods, craft. Hollands St & Kiewa Cres. 5754 4097

Nagambie Lakes Community Market 9am – 1pm. Make, bake, sew & grow.

Jacobson’s Outlook & Blayney Reserve 0475 885 047 www.nagambiemarket.com.au

Tatong Village Market 8am – 1pm. Make it, bake it & grow it. Rain, hail, frost or shine. No dogs. Tatong Tavern grounds.

5767 2192 www.tatongvillagemarket.com

Yea Country Market 9am – 1pm.

Local growers, producers. Trash & treasure.

Live entertainers, delicious food. Yea Railway Park, Station St. yeamarket@gmail.com 0411 433 702

First Sunday of month Chiltern Market 10am – 2pm.

Local produce, arts & craft. 0431 821 347 Lake View House, 18-22 Victoria St

Tallarook Farmers’ Market 9am – 1pm. Mechanics Institute, Main Rd, Tallarook clivehines@hotmail.com

Alexandra Market 9am – 1pm. Stalls, refreshments, train rides.

Alexandra Timber Tramway. 7 Station St. market@alexandratramway.org.au 0427 509 988

Mansfield CWA Craft & Produce Market 10am – 2pm. Locally homemade goodies.

CWA Hall, High St, Mansfield 118

APRIL / MAY 2016

Fawkner Drive, Lake Benalla Foreshore. benallamarket@gmail.com

Eildon Lions Easter Market (Mar 26) 8am – 2pm 100+ stalls Moore Park. Main St. Eildon. 5774 2674

Mansfield Bush Market (Mar 26)

Avenel Produce & Craft Market

9am – 2pm. Food, produce, craft & wares. www.mansfieldbushmarket.com.au

9am – 1pm. Grow it, bake it and make it!

Jubilee Park Queen St. 0468 586 069

Mansfield Farmers Market 8.30am – 1pm.

Median strip High St. 0417 319 879

Benalla Lions Club Carboot Sale Fawkner Drv Car park. $5 per site. pandmpoels@bigpond.com

Marysville Community Market 9am – 1pm.

11 Murchison St. www.marysvilletourism.com

Rutherglen Farmers Market 9am – 12.30pm. Local produce. 1800 622 871 info@rutherglenvic.com

Third Saturday of month Bright Market 9am – 1pm.

Handmade, organic, recycled, ethical. Howitt Park.

0457 953 586 www.brightchamber.com.au

Euroa Village Farmers Market 9am–1pm Fresh farm produce. Rotary Park, Kirkland Ave. 0456 723 331 www.euroavillagefarmersmarket.org

Moyhu Farmers & Community Market 8am – 12pm. Local produce, plants, artisans.

Lions’ Park, King Valley Rd, Moyhu. www.moyhufarmersmarket.com.au

Yackandandah Monthly Produce Swap 9.30am. Fruit, preserves, plants. Yackandandah Community Garden. William St. 0477 417 445

Yarck Country Market 9am – 1.30pm. Local produce.

Yarck Hall, Maroondah Hwy. 5773 4304

Third Sunday of month Second Saturday of month

Beechworth Country Craft Market

Local produce, trash & treasure, plants. Old School Museum, Elgin St. 5727 1417 or 5752 1963

Flowerdale Community Market 9am – 1pm. Flowerdale Community Hall, Yea–Whittlesea Rd. alron27@bigpond.com 5780 1223

Mansfield Lions Craft Market 8am – 1pm.

High St median strip. 5777 3760

Yackandandah Lions Club Market 9am – 1pm. Wellsford St. 0418 122 921

Molesworth Easter Bazaar & Clearing Sale (Mar 26) 9am – 5pm. Trash & treasure.

Molesworth Hall & Recreation reserve. www.molesworth.info

Nagambie Lakes Community Market (Mar 26) 9am – 1pm. Jacobson’s Outlook.

High St. Nagambie 0475 885 047 nagambiecommunitymarket@bigpond.com

Taggerty 4 Seasons Market (Mar 26) 9am – 1pm Taggerty Hall. Taggerty–Thornton Rd. Taggerty. 0421 351 571 taggertyprogresscommittee@hotmail.com

Fourth Sunday Bonnie Doon Country Market & Car Boot Sale (Mar 27) 8.30am – 1pm.

Community Centre. Arnot Street. 5778 7722 bdccentre@bigpond.com

Harrietville Historical Society Bush Market (Mar 27) 8am – 1pm. Tavare Park. 5759 2699 Kinglake Produce & Artisan Market 10am – 3pm. info@kinglakemarket.com.au 5786 1976

9.00am - 1.00pm

Bonnie Doon is kick-back central!

Bonnie Doon has a proven ability to provide genuine stress relief for jaded city people. The small town is situated in North East Victoria on the edge of Lake Eildon. It is best known as a holiday/weekend destination for water-skiers, fisherman and boat enthusiasts.

Fabulous array of stalls on offer by local producers, growers and makers, as well as eclectic trash and treasure stalls, all enhanced by local entertainers and delicious food and snacks.

For more information contact Barb 0411 433 702

Arnot Street, Bonnie Doon Phone: 03 5778 7254 info@bonniedooncaravanpark.com.au

www.bonniedooncaravanpark.com.au

HELD ON BITUMEN IN ALEXANDRA’S MAIN STREET

celebrating logo freepik.com

FREE ENTRY

FRIDAY & SATURDAY • LIVE MUSIC FRIDAY NIGHT • TRUCK DRIVERS MEMORIAL SERVICE SATURDAY 2PM • 20TH YEAR SPONSORS’ DINNER SATURDAY NIGHT

SUNDAY • LIVE MUSIC • MAJOR AUCTION • VICTORIAN WOODCHOP TOURNAMENT • EXHIBITIONS & TRADE DISPLAYS • MAJOR QUILT DISPLAY • CHILDREN’S AMUSEMENTS • SHOPS OPEN GORDON SIMPSON 0409 577 212 ANDREW EMBLING 0418 266 038

NNEHAPPENINGS

Shire Libraries

Galleries & Museums Alexandra Timber Tramway & Museum

MAG. Mansfield Art Gallery

Banksia Gallery King Parrot Valley Country Retreat 26 – 66 Wentworth Rd, Strath Creek 0457 590 022

Mansfield Historical Society

Station St, Alexandra www.alexandratramway.org.au

4 Highett St. Mansfield 1300 783 446 www.mansfieldgallery.com.au

Benalla Art Gallery Botanic Gardens

Mansfield Railway Station 175 High St. Mansfield

Benalla Costume & Pioneer Museum

132 Breakaway Rd, Acheron www.marianrennie.com.au

Bridge St, Benalla www.benallaartgallery.com 14 Mair St, Benalla benhist@vicnet.net.au home.vicnet.net.au/~benmus/

Benalla Migrant Camp & Aviation Museum

Samaria Rd, Benalla benallamigrantcampexhibition.blogspot.com.au

Bright Art Gallery

Mountbatten Ave, Bright www.brightartgallery.org.au

Bruno’s Art & Sculpture Garden

51 Falls Rd, Marysville www.brunosart.com

Chambers Gallery

113 High Street, Broadford www.mitchellshire.vic.gov.au

El Dorado Museum

136 Main St, Eldorado www.eldoradomuseum.com

Marian Rennie Gallery

Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA) 546 Dean St, Albury (02) 6023 8154

North East Artisans Community Gallery 88 – 90 Bridge St, Benalla www.facebook.com/NE.Artisans

Old Courthouse Gallery

Crn. Emily St & Tallarook St, Seymour www.seymourartsociety.org.au

Old Post Office Seymour

50 Emily St, Seymour www.artsseymour.com.au

Robert O’Hara Burke Museum Loch St, Beechworth www.burkemuseum.com.au

Rustic Simplicity @ The Shear ‘N’ Sheds

Gallery 34

74 Grant St, Alexandra www.rusticsimplicityblog.wordpress.com

Great Alpine Gallery

The Farmers’ Arms Hotel Museum

Highlands Hillcrest Gallery & Studio

The Gallery

34 High St, Yea www.gallery34.com.au Great Alpine Rd, Swifts Creek www.swiftscreek.net Hillcrest, RMB 6020 Old Highlands Rd, Highlands dennisspiteri@active8.net.au

Ibrox Fine Art Gallery

25 Kirkland Ave Euroa. 5798 9548

225 Kirbys Flat Rd. Yackandandah

The Sheila Inc Design Centre

52 – 54 Binney St, Euroa 0400 753 715

24 Highett St. Mansfield 0418 579 633 Ibroxfineartgallery@gmail.com

Violet Town Community Hall

John Dermer Gallery

Wangaratta Art Gallery

Kerrisdale Mountain Railway & Museum

Wangaratta Historical Society

225 Kirkby Flat Rd, Yackandandah info@johndermer.com.au 7523 Goulburn Valley Hwy, Kerrisdale www.kerrisdalemtnrailway.com.au 120

APRIL / MAY 2016

“Four Sisters’ Exhibition April 8 -10 ONLY 56 Ovens St, Wangaratta www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au Ford St, Wangaratta wanghistsoc@hotmail.com www.wanghistsoc.org.au

Volunteer to help at your local library.

Call 1300 374 765

Alexandra Grant St 5772 0349 Beechworth Cnr Albert Rd & Harper Ave

1300 365 003

Benalla Nunn St 5762 2069 Bright Ireland St 5755 1540 Euroa Binney St 1300 374 765 Flowerdale/Eildon/Marysville/Strath Creek 5772 0349

Kinglake Kinglake–Whittlesea Rd 5786 1522 Mansfield Collopy St 5775 2176 Myrtleford Cnr Standish St & O’Donnell Ave 5752 2038

Nagambie High St 1 300 374 765 Violet Town Cowslip St 1300 374 765 Wangaratta Docker St 5772 4211 Yea The Semi Circle 5797 2209

Cinemas & Performing Arts March Events (Easter onwards) April Events Benalla Performing Arts & Convention Centre 57 Samaria Rd www.bpacc.com.au

Good Friday March 25th – Easter Monday March 28th

Saturday April 2nd

Chiltern Star Theatre

Mansfield Easter Art Show

Family friendly on the Great Victorian Rail Trail – Yea and Alexandra 0418 378 806. www.rotaryalexandra.org.au

Main St 5726 1395

Euroa Community Cinema

Shire Building, Bury St www.euroa.org.au

Mansfield Armchair Cinema

1 Chenery St www.the–mac.com.au

Swanpool Cinema

2386 Midland Hwy www.swanpoolcinema.com.au

Violet Town

St Dunstan’s Hall High St

Wangaratta Cinema Centre

Gala opening Thursday, March 24.

Masonic Hall. Highett St. Mansfield www.artsmansfield.com.au

Cycle Dindi – over the hills & not too far away

Falls Creek Easter Festival – Falls Creek www.fallscreek.com.au

Wangaratta Artists Society Unframed Easter Sale - 23-30 March www.visitwangaratta.com.au

Myrtleford Lawn Tennis East Tournament www.myrtlefordtennis.com.au

Friday April 8th – Sunday April 17th Friday April 8th – Sunday April 10th

1st Floor, The Co Store Complex Cnr Ovens & Reid sts. www.wangcinema.com.au

Easter Saturday March 26

Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre

Ringer Reef Winery, 6835 Great Alpine Road, Porepunkah. Picnic in the vineyard. No byo.

Free event. 5756 2805 www.visitvictoria.com

Buffalo Stampede Run up Mt Buffalo

Yackandandah Memorial Hall Complex

Saturday April 9th – Sunday April 10th

High St. www.yackandandah.com

Easter Saturday March 26th – Easter Sunday March 27th

Australian Classic Movie Nights

Brown Brothers Easter Festival

Climb & downhill bike ride www.tmb.org.au

33 – 37 Ford St www.wangarattapac.com.au

Wangaratta Players Inc 4D Evans St 0427 522 318

Chiltern Star Theatre hotson@westnet.com.au

th

Picnic in the Vineyard with Live Music

Milawa 10am-5pm Family festival www.brownbrothers.com.au

Autumn Easter at Pfeiffer Wines

Gig Guide Open Mic Every Tuesday from 7.30pm.

Commercial Hotel, Alexandra

Open Mic 1st Sunday monthly 5 – 9pm.

Hotel Nicholas, Beechworth

Beechworth Ghost & Paranormal Tours Most nights. 1300 366 231

Live Music at Bright Brewery

Sundays. www.brightbrewery.com.au

A gathering of family & friends, food, wine, music.

167 Distillery Rd. Wahgunyah (02) 6033 2805

Open studio – Wendy Jagger

Studio Kanderfield. 36 Dundas Crt. Masnfield. www.wendyjagger.com

Easter Saturday March 26th – Easter Monday March 28th Beechworth Golden Horseshoes Festival Grand Parade Easter egg hunt www.beechworthgoldenhorseshoes.com.au

Easter Steamfest 11-3pm Trains running

Buxton Hotel Motel Live Music

7523 Goulburn Valley Hwy Kerrsidale www.onlymelbourne.com.au

Everton Hotel Open Mic Session

Easter Sunday March 27th

Last Sunday of each month buxtonhotel@virtual.net.au 5774 7381 2nd Sunday monthly 2pm. 5727 0232

Red Hot Summer Tour Bonnie Doon Hotel

The Flowerdale Hotel

www.redhotsummertour.com.au

Bracket & Jam 3rd Friday of the month.

11am-4pm 175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

2pm First Sunday monthly. 5780 1230 Dinner 6.30pm, music 7.30pm. Book 5779 1404 Mansfield Regional Produce Store. www.theproducestore.com.au

Music on the Deck @ Gapsted Wines

Pizzini Easter Sunday Family Day

Easter Monday March 28th 116th Molyullah Easter Sports

3897 Great Alpine Rd, Myrtleford www.gapsted.wines.com.au

www.molyullah.net

Wangaratta Ukelele Band

Wooragee Primary School 1011 Beechworth Wodonga Rd. Wooragee www.woorageeps.edu.au

First Thursday monthly Vine Hotel, Wangaratta North. www.facebook.com/WangarattaUkuleleBand

Music Night at The 2 Cooks Cafe 4th Friday monthly 6 – 9.30pm 577 Whorouly Rd, Whorouly. www.the2cookscafe.com.au

Yackandandah Old Time Dance 2nd Saturday monthly Yackandandah Public Hall www.uniqueyackandandah.com.au

Wooragee Easter Market

Thursday March 31st Learn to Dance

7.30-9.30pm Senior Citizens Hall.

Harper Ave. Beechworth 0429 942 016

Thursday March 31st – April 3rd Man from Snowy River Bush Festival www.bushfestival.com.au

Violet Town Honeysuckle Festival

Recreation Reserve www.euroa.org.au Australia’s first sky-running event www.buffalostampede.com.au

Team Mount Beauty Gravity Enduro

Sunday April 10th Chiltern Cancer Cruise, Car & Bike Show

Martin Park, Alliance Street, Chiltern between 9am – 2pm. All donations go to the AlburyWodonga Cancer Foundation. Come along, bring a friend and enjoy yourself. 5726 1515

Friday April 15th – Sunday April 17th Great Alpine Pick Weekend of live music Harrietville. www.greatalpinepick.net

Saturday April 16th Lake Moodemere Estate Sunset Dinner Series 6-9.30pm Rutherglen wine@moodemerewines.com.au

Saturday April 16th – Sunday April 17th Come home to Chiltern

12 noon. Heritage Festival. www.chilternvic.com

Saturday April 23rd Murray to Mountain Rail Trail Cycle tour 12 – 5pm Beechworth

Jamieson Autumn Festival

10am-4pm Family day. www.jamieson.org.au

Wandiligong Nut Festival

Markets & family day. www.brightvic.com

Saturday April 23rd – ANZAC Day Monday April 25th Annual ANZAC Weekend Tree Clearance Sale 9am – 5pm. Over 1000 potted trees & shrubs 325 Howqua River Rd, Howqua 5777 3340

Saturday April 23rd – Sunday May 1st Bright Autumn Festival

Bright City Centre www.brightautumnfestival.org.au NORTH BY NORTH–EAST

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NNEHAPPENINGS

April Events (cont...)

May Events

Sunday April 24th

Saturday May 14th – Sunday May 15th

Ride the Ranges Euroa

Cannoli Making with Nonna

3 distance cycling rides - Euroa region www.ridetherangeseuroa.org.au

9am. Politini Wines. 65 Upper King River Rd. Cheshunt www.politiniwines.com.au

Day on High Mansfield Wine, food, music. High St. Mansfield www.mansfieldwinemakers.com.au

Saturday May 14th Heavens Above

Autumn Wild Edibles Forage & Lunch 11am Wandiful Produce. Morses Creek Rd. Wandiligong. Wild mushroom & edible weeds wander & lunch. www.openfoodnetwork.org.au

ANZAC Day Monday April 25th ANZAC Dawn Services are being held through North-East region

Thursday April 28th Comedy Festival Roadshow Rutherglen Memorial Hall (02) 6033 6306 www.rutherglenvic.com/events/

Thursday April 28th Comedy Festival Roadshow Rutherglen Memorial Hall (02) 6033 6306 www.rutherglenvic.com/events/

Friday April 29th – Sunday May 1st

www.aussiewinemonth.com

Saturday May 7th Wangaratta Speedway

6pm. 55 Shanley St. Wangaratta Sth www.speedwaywangaratta.com.au

Sunday May 8th

Mother’s Day Benalla Pony Club Equathon & Olympic Pentathlon Qualifier www.benallaponyclub.org.au

Mothers Day Luncheon

Holmesglen at Eildon. Bookings 5774 2631 www.holmesglen.edu.au/eildon

Friday May 13th – Sunday May 15th

Winemaker & astro-photographer by night 6.30pm Baileys of Glenrowan www.baileysofglenrowan.com.au

Masters State Rowing Regatta Regatta Centre, Nagambie www.rowingaustralia.com.au

Sunday May 15th RSPCA Million Paws Walk

Botanic Park. High St. Mansfield

Bake Like a Boss

9am-12 Sourdough baking Café Derailleur. Wangaratta www.cafederailleur.com.au

Tuesday May 17th – Sunday May 22nd La Fiera – A Celebration of Italian Culture Myrtleford www.lafiera.com.au

Saturday May 21st – Sunday May 22nd

Patrizia Simone Country Cooking School

Cannoli Making with Nonna

10am. 18 Riverside Ave. Bright. www.simonesbright.com.au

9am Politini Wines. 65 Upper King River Rd. Cheshunt www.politiniwines.com.au

Saturday April 30th – Sunday May 1st

Friday May 13th – Sunday May 22nd

Friday May 27th

Drive back in time

High Country Harvest

Benalla & District Classic Car & Motorbike Tour

Mount Beauty Music Festival 45 acts & 120 performances www.musicfestival.org.au

Display of 220 vehicles over 25 years. Beechworth www.beechwortholdcranksclub.com

Program available www.victoriashighcountry.com.au

9am-5pm Benalla Art Gallery. Bridget St. Benalla 0429 356 156

Friday May 27th – Sunday May 29th Scratchboard Retreat for Beginners & Enthusiasts

Flowerdale Estate. Strath Creek www.katzartdesigns.com

Saturday May 28th RuffArtZ: Season of Saturdays. 8pm

Melbourne Guitar Quartet. Ruffy Community Hall ruffartztickets@gmail.com www.ruffycommunity.com.au

Saturday May 28th – Sunday May 29th Old Hume Highway 31 Group

Rediscovering the Old Hume Highway Rally www.oldhumehighway31.com.au

40th Historic Winton

Historic motorbike racing www.historicwinton.org

Sunday May 29th Cannoli Making with Nonna

9am Politini Wines. 65 Upper King River Rd. Cheshunt www.politiniwines.com.au 122

APRIL / MAY 2016

Don’t forget mum A better venue for a special lunch is always hard to find, so book lunch for mum on Mother’s Day at Holmesglen at Eildon.

Champagne, a three course meal and views will be on offer. On this particular Sunday don’t leave it to the last minute to book. www.holmesglen.edu.au/ eildon

Organise those plants Winter is the time to plant and who has remembered to order or purchase their trees?

Here are some suggestions; for semi mature trees and plants try Howqua River Trees who are having a clearance sale on the ANZAC Day weekend at 325 Howqua Road, Howqua.

For native tube stock contact the Euroa Arboretum at Euroa Main Road, 76 Hume Highway, Euroa.

For those around Wangaratta head to Park Lane Nursery at 95 Park Lane, Wangaratta, to fill the trailer.

If you are around Buxton, there is the Buxton Nursery at 2600 Maroondah Highway, Buxton.

Wherever you chose to purchase your plants, don’t forget winter is over before you know it.

Fancy a nut?

Nutty for nuts? Then head up to Wandiligong, just past Bright and join in the celebration of everything that involves nuts, especially chestnuts.

On Saturday, April 23, Wandi erects the market stalls and heats the open fires to roast the chestnuts. www.brightvic.com

Culture and Ruffy At the Ruffy Community Hall, the Melbourne Guitar Quartet will be performing in the RuffArtZ season of Saturdays for 2016. The quartet is scheduled for Saturday, May 28.

Book your table for a group or for two, but remember to book. www.ruffycommunity.com.au

NORTH BY NORTH–EAST

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NNEPROPERTY

Stone beauty on banks of Delatite

T

hirty acres with your own frontage to the Delatite River at Goughs Bay is always going to tickle the property taste buds, but when you throw in a magnificent stone house, splendid horse facilities and a great garden, then you really have something special.

‘Ibeka’ has been built to take in the views of the Delatite rushing along about 150 metres from the home. It has a wide veranda on the north and east sides that includes a large spa from where you can take in the views.

Inside, the house makes good use of timber with polished floorboards and high cathedral ceilings of timber. The large living room has a grand Phillippe Chiminee fireplace set in the stone 124

APRIL / MAY 2016

chimney. Double glass doors open to the veranda and the feeling is of light and warmth.

There’s plenty of room for dining near the well fitted kitchen with wide benches and lots of storage space.

Downstairs also sees the main bedroom with a spacious ensuite bathroom with shower and toilet. Both the bedroom and the bathroom have timber ceilings and the bedroom has double doors to the veranda.

Also downstairs is a laundry with second toilet.

Upstairs sees another living area – currently used as a pool room – with two attractive attic-style bedrooms boasting dormer windows and handsome timber ceilings that follow the sloping roofline.

A main bathroom with ornate tiled floor services this area and has a lovely claw-foot bath with overhead shower.

Surrounding the house is an interesting garden with stone paved pathways and a rock-edged fish pond near a flat stone paved area beside the house shaded by mature trees.

Closer to the river is an enviable set-up for horses with a sand covered ménage and excellent stabling that includes a large tack room.

Rolling lawns and park-like trees lead down to the river bank, which in hotter months looks so inviting. Apparently there are a few good swimming holes in this stretch and the Delatite is also known for its trout fishing. It looks the ideal spot for parties and it’s not surprising to learn

“Double glass doors open to the veranda and the feeling is of light and warmth”

that this part of ‘Ibeka’ has been used for a recent wedding reception (see page 86).

As well as the main house, there’s also a guest studio with its own kitchen and bathroom. It looks ideal for a teenager who wants their own space.

‘Ibeka’ is the special sort of place that you don’t see coming on the market too often. It’s well worth considering. NNE

AT A GLANCE ‘Ibeka’ 441 Goughs Bay Howes Creek Road, Goughs Bay 3 bedrooms plus studio.

Approx 12.15 hectares (30 acres) Price: $1.5 million plus Agent: Noble Knight Mansfield 5775 3033 NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

125

BOOROLITE– –‘MANSFIELD ‘MANSFIELDPARK’ PARK’ BOOROLITE ACRES WITH ESTABLISHED VINEYARD HUGE DAM 5050 ACRES WITH ESTABLISHED VINEYARD && HUGE DAM

Beautifullyrenovated renovated3 bedroom 3 bedroombrick brickhomestead homestead Beautifully 2 bedroomcottage, cottage,multiple multiplepaddocks paddocksandandnew newshed shed 2 bedroom Sealedroad roadaccess accessonly only15 15minutes minutesfrom fromMansfield Mansfield Sealed

GOUGHSBAY BAY– –‘PANORAMA’ ‘PANORAMA’ GOUGHS ACRES WITH VIEWS LAKE EILDON BULLER 9090 ACRES WITH VIEWS TOTO LAKE EILDON && MTMT BULLER

squarehomestead homesteadwith withhigh highceilings ceilings& spotted & spottedgum gumfloors floors 6060square 5 bedrooms& study, & study,3 car 3 cargarage, garage,huge hugeshed shed(25.2m (25.2mx 7.5m) x 7.5m) 5 bedrooms 2 minutesto toboat boatramp rampandand15 15minutes minutesto toMansfield Mansfield 2 minutes

PIRIES– –‘WAIRERE ‘WAIREREHOMESTEAD’ HOMESTEAD’ PIRIES THE PERFECT FAMILY RETREAT VERY PRIVATE SETTING THE PERFECT FAMILY RETREAT ININ VERY PRIVATE SETTING

0 acreswith withmeticulously meticulouslyrenovated renovated4 bedroom 4 bedroomhomestead homestead 202acres Self-containedguest guestcottage, cottage,fully fullytiled tiledpool poolandandtennis tenniscourt court Self-contained EdnaWalling Wallingdesigned designedgardens, gardens,magnificent magnificent100100year yearoldoldtrees trees Edna

PIRIES– –‘BILLONGALOO’ ‘BILLONGALOO’ PIRIES 100 ACRES WITH LIGHT FILLED FASHAM DESIGNER HOME 100 ACRES WITH LIGHT FILLED FASHAM DESIGNER HOME

Spectacularviews viewsfrom fromevery everyroom... room...even evenfrom fromthethetennis tenniscourt court Spectacular HugeAmerican Americanbarn barnwith with3 phase 3 phasepower powerplus plushayhayshed shed& 3& dams 3 dams Huge Easyaccess accessto toLake LakeEildon, Eildon,MtMtBuller BullerandandMansfield MansfieldHigh HighStreet Street Easy

NNEPROPERTY

128

APRIL / MAY 2016

“At the top is a home that looks like it’s come out of a story book”

A piece of magic in Merrijig

G

lenroy Road, Merrijig, is about seven kilometres of dirt road that winds past old established farms and newish lifestyle properties set to take in the wide views.

By the time you reach the end of the road, the altitude is about 850 metres and the views are just wonderful. At the top is a home that looks like it’s come out of a story book, being built of stone over two levels and on about 20.2 hectares or 50 acres.

From here, it feels like you can almost reach out and touch Mt Buller, it’s so close.

The home has been built in two stages, which explains the two living areas. Some of the interior walls are exposed stone, which when combined with the roughly adzed beams of rescued timber from the original Echuca wharf give the house a magical feel.

Situated on a relatively level piece of land, the house is surrounded by lawn with numerous exotic and native trees giving the grounds a parklike look.

The earlier part of the house is a large lounge room with verandas on two sides and a mezzanine bedroom with another downstairs near the bathroom and laundry. The original kitchen was

beside the lounge and is now storage and an alcove for an office and a music area.

The newer part of the house matches well with the original and has a spacious living and dining area and a grand country style kitchen all flooded with natural light.

A wide Ilve gas stove could cater for many and a combustion heater in the living room would warm this section with ease. So too will the hydronic heating installed throughout the house.

In the heat of summer, the thick stone walls keep the interior at a much more manageable temperature.

Past the kitchen is a really large bedroom that opens out to the rear veranda. There is also a walk-in dressing room and an ensuite bathroom with huge shower area and a spa bath.

Outside is a pergola with a young grape vine starting its travels over it. In time, it will be great shade for a stone paved area that even now looks like the place to be for a drink or two. Already, the Rosellas and King Parrots think it’s okay.

Solar power that feeds into the grid keeps the costs down and with crown land bordering on two sides, this breathtaking property offers considerable privacy. As said earlier it also offers amazing views. NNE

AT A GLANCE 3 bedrooms, 20.2 hectares Price: $1,350,000 Agent: Clark & Co 5779 1700

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

129

NNEPROPERTY

Restored and extended in Alexandra

T

he 104-year-old house at 6 Johnston Street, Alexandra, has long attracted its admirers.

Located opposite the town’s showgrounds, ‘Athlone’ was built in the Federation style around 1912 and little

AT A GLANCE ‘Athlone’ 6 Johnston Street, Alexandra Four bedrooms.

Price: $600,000 plus Agent: Landmark Harcourts Alexandra 5772 3444 Belinda Hocking 0418 115 574

expense was spared.

You could say the same about the house now having been beautifully restored and extended a few years back.

It now offers four bedrooms, an office and two living areas along with a terrific kitchen.

The house nestles into an established garden dominated by a very tall Liquidambar set in manicured lawns.

A winding path from the street leads up to a wide veranda on three sides of the house. There’s a formal entrance or the more generally used one into the kitchen and family area. The family room was part of the extension and it features a brilliant ‘Cheminees Philippe’ fireplace that allows use as an open fireplace or as an enclosed combustion heater.

The dining area could host a dinner party for 16 and the adjacent kitchen, with the right person in charge, looks like it could cater for a similar number.

A standing height cellar is fitted with a drainage pump and awaits the new owner’s wine, salami making or both.

From the dining area there’s another sitting room with a wall of dark stained cupboards.

A wide hall with central archway goes past the bedrooms and the main bathroom that comes with a big bath, timber walls and ceiling.

All the bedrooms are a good size, but the main room is rather good with a heritage listed bay window providing views of the front garden. The room has an open fireplace and timber ceiling.

Perhaps more attractive to most is the walk through dressing room and the ensuite bathroom.

The formal entrance is at this part of house and consists of a beautiful leadlight glass door surround with the heavy timber door also boasting leadlight in the upper portion. An adjacent formal lounge has an ornate pressed metal ceiling and another open fireplace with a handsome timber mantel. This room opens via double doors to the office, which could easily become another bedroom.

To the side of the house is a semienclosed sunroom that would be perfect for the kids or as an extra casual dining room. A double garage has a roller door to the front and double doors at the rear to allow a vehicle into the courtyard when necessary. There’s also a handy garden or work shed.

The house is equipped with zoned evaporative cooling and there’s ducted gas heating split into two zones.

This beautifully presented property has stood the test of time since 1912.

It looks more than able to get through another 100 years. NNE

5775 5775 3033 3033 10 10High HighStreet StreetMansfield Mansfield

‘IBEKA’ ‘IBEKA’ Delatite Delatite River River frontage frontage

AArare rareopportunity opportunitynow nowexists existstotopurchase purchasethis thisspectacular spectacular3030acre acreproperty propertywith withmagnificent magnificentpark parklike likeDelatite Delatite River Riverfrontage. frontage.This Thisprivate privateand andfastidiously fastidiouslycared caredfor forproperty propertyfeatures featuresaacharming charming2 2story storystone stoneand andcedar cedar residence perfectly positioned toto overlook the pristine meandering river below. residence features 22 sep living residence perfectly positioned overlook the pristine meandering river below.The The residence features sep living areas, 33 bedrooms, two bathrooms, towering timber lined cathedral ceilings, solid hardwood kitchen with granite areas, bedrooms, two bathrooms, towering timber lined cathedral ceilings, solid hardwood kitchen with granite bench benchtops, tops,imposing imposingslate slatePhillippe PhillippeChiminee Chimineeopen openfire fireplace, place,surrounding surroundingunder underroof roofentertaining entertainingdeck deckwith with large largespa, spa,overlooking overlookinglush lushcolourful colourfulgardens gardensdown downtotothe therocky rockyriver riverrapids. rapids.Guests Guestsare areprovided providedfor forininluxurious luxurious separate self-contained accommodation. property is is ideal for horses and includes large, high quality stables, separate self-contained accommodation.The The property ideal for horses and includes large, high quality stables, machinery shed, workshop and track room, excellent 60m x 19m sand arena and stock years, numerous paddocks machinery shed, workshop and track room, excellent 60m x 19m sand arena and stock years, numerous paddocks with withhorse horseshelters, shelters,abundant abundantwater watersupply supplywith with2 2dams damsvery verygood goodbore boreand andaa2 2mega megalitre litreriver riverwater waterlicence. licence.

www.nobleknight.biz www.nobleknight.biz

Rural and Residential Specialists

HARRIETVILLE

NANS OF GREEN GABLES - HOME AND B&B

• Only 500 mtrs to the Ovens River & 20 minutes to vibrant Bright • Over 5 acres of established landscaped garden • Supurb fully renovated & extended 4 bedroom / 2 bathroom home • Double glazing throughout home & cottage as well as alpine insulation • Established maze alongside picturesque water lily pond • 6 water storage tanks for all your domestic, stock & garden requirements

$795,000

• Only 40 minutes to Mt Hotham ski resort • Rare conifers & plentiful nut & fruit trees • Mt Beauty hardwood floors & Victorian ash kitchen • Separate 4 year old 2 bedroom cottage • 2 ml pumping licence from the ovens river INSPECTION A MUST

Mansfield - 5775 1444 Danni Schneider 0414 690 479 165 Mt Buller Rd Mansfield dschneider@ruralco.com.au

www.ruralcoproperty.com.au

Definitely Absolutely Uniquely Stunning

MERRIJIG

A remarkable property in arguably one of the most picturesque settings in the district.

Bordering Crown Land on two sides, the 50 acres has an unbelievable outlook of mountains from Mt Buller to the Paps. The site chosen for the home and sheds is sheltered and just magnificent. Surrounded by a remarkable mix of mature oak trees, established fruit trees and native trees, the house retains great liveability while being totally individual. Extensive use of local stone in the original construction, massive recycled hand adzed timber beams, lots of windows and raked ceilings; there is nothing not to like here. Open plan kitchen with enormous Ilve stove, large living/dining area, plus second separate lounge with huge rustic stone open fire, three large bedrooms, two bathrooms, all with loads of character. Studio/workroom and stables under shed roofline. Solar power connected to grid and hydronic heating add to the picture that an inspection will reveal. Ideal for bird and nature lovers and with a myriad of walking and riding trails over the back fence.

$1,350,000

Andrew Clark Catherine Pigdon Karen Fearon-Brown Glenn Martin

Sales 0428 574 439 Reception Property Management Sales 0427 752 619

Call in to see the Clark & Co team at 18 High St, Mansfield www.clarkco.com.au

TOLMIE TOLMIE

HOBBY HOBBYFARM FARM&&ENTERTAINERS ENTERTAINERSDELIGHT DELIGHTALL ALLIN INONE ONE

OFFERS OFFERSOVER OVER$450,000 $450,000

On Onaasealed sealedroad roadonly only15 15minutes minutesfrom fromthe thetownship townshipofofMansfield Mansfieldlies liesthis thisdelightful delightfullow lowmaintenance maintenancehobby hobbyfarm farmwith witheverything everythingyou youneed needtoto set setup upboth bothhome home&&business. business.The Theperfect perfectbalance balancebetween betweencountry countrywarmth warmth&&city citychic, chic,this thishome homeon onjust justunder under99acres acreshas hashad hadall allthe thework work done. done. The Theinternal internalneutral neutralcolour colourscheme schemeisiscomplemented complementedby bycarpeted carpetedbedrooms bedroomsall allwith withtheir theirown ownreverse reversecycle cyclesplit splitsystems systems&&the theopen open plan planliving livingarea areahas haseasy easycare carelaminated laminatedtimber timberfloor floorboards. boards.The Theexpansive expansivekitchen kitchenisisan anentertainer’s entertainer’sdelight delightwith withgas gascook cooktops, tops,electric electricoven oven &&dishwasher. dishwasher. Warmth Warmth&&ambiance ambianceare areprovided providedby byway wayofofaawood woodfire fireCoonara Coonara&&more moreinstantaneous instantaneousheating heating&&cooling coolingisistaken takencare careofofby by aacentral centralsplit splitsystem. system.NBN NBN&&Foxtel Foxtelhave havebeen beenconnected connectedtotokeep keepyou youentertained entertainedwhilst whilstyou youare arenot notoutside outsideabsorbing absorbingininthe themountain mountainair. air.

The Thebathroom bathroomisisboth bothbright bright&&practical, practical,with withthe theluxury luxuryofofaaspa spabath bathtotobubble bubbleyour youraches achesaway. away.Outside Outsidethere thereisis100,000 100,000litres litresofofwater waterstorage storage tototake takecare careofofall allyour yourdomestic, domestic,plant plant&&stock stockrequirements requirementsas aswell wellas asaa22bay baycarport carportleading leadingon ontotothe theentertainers entertainersdeck. deck. There Thereyou youwill willbe be truly trulyimpressed impressedby bythe thenew newentertaining entertainingarea areawith withaahalf halfsunken sunkenswim swimspa spa&&outdoor outdoorbathroom bathroomcomplete completewith withclaw clawfoot footbath bathwhich whichboth bothlook look over overthe thelay layofofthe theland. land. The Theproperty propertyisisfully fullyfenced fenced&&divided dividedinto intotwo twopaddocks paddockswith withpressure pressurefed fedtroughs, troughs,aaholding holdingyard yardwith withaashed/chook shed/chook play playyard yard&&productive productiveveggie veggiepatch. patch.The Thehigh highcountry countryisisbeckoning beckoningyou youtotocome comeand andlive livethe thedream. dream. Be Bequick quickas asthis thisone onewon’t won’tlast lastlong. long.

Mansfield Mansfield- -5775 57751444 1444Danni DanniSchneider Schneider0414 0414690 690479 479 165 165Mt MtBuller BullerRd RdMansfield Mansfield dschneider@ruralco.com.au dschneider@ruralco.com.au GO

• • 24 24fully fullyserviced servicedallotments allotments

B GU ORB S UTR ST

20

2 2 • • Sizes 4378m2 Sizesfrom from1376m 1376m2toto4378m

2 (2150m20 ) (2150m2)

18

(4132m218 ) (4132m2)

21

(1375m221 ) (1375m2)

19

(1977m219 ) (1977m2)

• • Beautiful Beautifulrural ruralsetting settingwithin withinwalking walking distance distancetototown towncentre centre • • Landscaped Landscapedreserve reservewith withwetland wetland

14

(3170m214 ) (3170m2)

22

(1375m222 ) (1375m2)

13

(2280m13 )

17

2

(2700m217 ) (2700m2)

23

(1375m223 ) (1375m2)

(2280m2)

11

(2340m211 ) (2340m2)

Landscaped Landscaped Reserve Reserve

15

10

(2460m215 ) (2460m2)

(2307m210 ) (2307m2)

ARMSTRONG ST

BARNES ST

BARNES ST

16

(2610m216 ) (2610m2)

24

2 (4378m24 ) (4378m2)

ARMSTRONG ST

12

(2340m212 ) (2340m2)

• • Easy Easyaccess accesstotoSevens SevensCreek Creek walking walkingtrack track

PRICES PRICESFROM FROM$105,000 $105,000 3

5

(1500m2)3 (1500m2)

2

(1500m2)2 (1500m2)

Wetland Wetland

4

(2905m2)4 (2905m2)

1

(1490m )1 2

(1490m2)

E RD HB O GI E RD S T R AT HB O GI O A -A - S T R AT E U RU E RO

MARYSVILLE MARYSVILLE

(2300m2)5 (2300m2)

6

(2370m2)6 (2370m2)

9

(1590m2)9 (1590m2)

8

(1590m2)8 (1590m2)

7

(1565m2)7 (1565m2)

Euroa Euroa- -5795 57952240 2240 Steven StevenJeffery Jeffery0427 0427595 595760 760 31 Railway Street Euroa euroa@ruralco.com.au 31 Railway Street Euroa euroa@ruralco.com.au

“CROSSWAYS” “CROSSWAYS”HISTORIC HISTORICCOUNTRY COUNTRYINN INN

CONTACT CONTACTAGENT AGENT

Established Established1920’s, 1920’s,this thischarming charmingcountry countrymotel motelisisset setininthe theparklands parklandsininthe theheart heartofofthe thevillage villageon onthe theSteavenson SteavensonRiver.

River.The Theentrance entrancereception/ reception/ bar barhas hasaamatchless matchlessatmosphere atmosphereleading leadingon onone oneside sidetotothe thefunction functionroom roomwith withstage stageand andspacious spaciousrestaurant restauranton onthe theother otherside. side.Ambiance Ambianceofof open openfires firesand andwood woodfire fireheaters. heaters. Alfresco Alfrescodining diningon onthe theveranda verandaboasts boastsaastunning stunningoutlook. outlook.Large Largecommercial commercialKitchen Kitchenand andhuge hugecool coolroom. room.

Main Mainbuilding buildingwith withmanagers managersliving livingquarters quarters22bedrooms bedroomsand andaastudy. study. Guest Guestaccommodation accommodationhas hasbeen beenrecently recentlyrenovated/updated renovated/updatedand and includes: includes:55Log LogCabins, Cabins,11xx22Bedroom Bedroomunit unitand and11xx22bedroom bedroomcottage. cottage.An Anawesome awesomevenue venuefor forweddings, weddings,functions functionsand andoutdoor outdoorentertaining. entertaining.

Alexandra Alexandra- -5772 57721110 1110 Nik NikPatek Patek0409 0409936 936210 210 78 78Grant GrantSt StAlexandra Alexandra npatek@ruralco.com.au npatek@ruralco.com.au

www.ruralcoproperty.com.au www.ruralcoproperty.com.au

NNEPROPERTY

Enviable lifestyle and income

H

arrietville is the prettiest of towns close to Bright and nestled in the valley below Mt Hotham with the beautiful Ovens River rushing through on its way to Wangaratta. Settled in the 19th century as a gold mining town, it is rich in history and attracts more than its share of visitors seeking accommodation.

‘Nans of Green Gables’ offers the best of both worlds. It is a fabulous place to live and it also has a sought-after twobedroom cottage available for holiday letting.

The property is more than two hectares (five acres) of landscaped gardens on the Great Alpine Road with the main home fully renovated a few years ago and offering luxurious living with four bedrooms.

There’s a formal entrance into the original living area, but most will come off the veranda via double glass and timber doors into the hub of the house – its country style kitchen and dining area.

This is a friendly space with polished Mt Beauty hardwood floors and a modern Victorian Ash kitchen separated from the meals area by a free-standing bench with cupboards. Generous windows provide great natural light and timber wainscoting along the walls help with its

134

APRIL / MAY 2016

warm feeling.

That timber panelling is a theme repeated through much of the house and helps provide continuity between the original building and its newer additions.

Past the dining area is the second living area that opens on the other side to another wide veranda.

All the bedrooms are a good size, but the main room is somewhat special with a door to the veranda and a tonne of space for its own sitting area. Exposed beams and timber ceilings feature prominently in most of the original rooms.

The original lounge is huge and boasts soaring ceilings and a timber staircase to an attic style bedroom with a dormer style window and sloped ceiling following the line of the roof. Kids will love it.

And then there’s the cottage. This comes with verandas at front and back with access from the kitchen and the living area. It has two double bedrooms and a bathroom complete with spa bath, laundry facilities and separate toilet.

The spacious living and dining area is adjacent to a well-equipped kitchen with lots of natural light.

Much work has been carried out in the garden that includes a lily pond and

a maze guaranteed to keep the kids amused for ages. There are numerous nut and fruit trees along with some rare exotic trees including some rare conifers.

The overall effect is a Garden of Eden.

Average annual rainfall in these parts is more than 1000 mm so the garden grows well naturally. Additional water comes via the considerable storage tanks and if there ever was a problem the property has pumping rights for two megalitres from the Ovens River that is only about 500 metres away.

The property allows now for extremely comfortable living in a spectacular location. It has the added benefit of also providing income should new owners continue with the holiday letting of the cottage. NNE

AT A GLANCE ‘Nans of Green Gables’ 2178 Great Alpine Road, Harrietville 4 bedrooms plus 2 bedroom cottage.

2 hectares approx Price: 795,000 Agent: Ruralco Mansfield, 5775 1444 Danni Schneider 0414 690 479

landmarkharcourts.com.au landmarkharcourts.com.au

On Ongreen greenbackground background

NARBETHONG NARBETHONG--PROMINENT PROMINENTCOMMERCIAL COMMERCIALFREEHOLD FREEHOLD

AVENEL PERFECTIONON ONFOUR FOURACRES ACRES AVENEL--PERFECTION

What Whataabusiness businessopportunity opportunityfor forthe theTree TreeChanger Changerwho whowould wouldlike liketoto operate operatetheir theirown ownbusiness businessand andenjoy enjoythe thebenefits benefitsofofcountry countryliving. living.

Located Locatedatatthe thefoot footofofthe theBlack BlackSpur Spuralong alongthe thebusy busyMaroondah Maroondah Highway Highwayenroute enroutetotoLake LakeMountain Mountainininwinter winterfor forcross crosscountry countryskiing skiing and andLake LakeEildon Eildonininsummer summerfor forwater waterskiing. skiing. The Thelog logcabin cabinconsists consists - -refurbished refurbishedsit sitdown downcafe, cafe,takeaway takeawayfood foodgeneral generalstore, store,ski skihire hire&& clothing clothingand andfuel. fuel. The Theproperty propertyisiszoned zonedrural ruralactivity activityzone, zone,land landsize size approximately approximately 3206sqm 3206sqm with with detached detached three three bedroom bedroom residence residence atat rear, rear, open open living living design, design, double double carport, carport, fully fully fenced fenced rear rear yard. yard.

AAwonderful wonderfulbusiness businessventure venturefor forfamily familyororcouple couplelooking lookingfor forcountry country style styleliving. living. Inspection Inspectionby byappointment appointmentonly. only.

The Thelove lovethat thathas hasgone goneinto intothis thisproperty propertyisisobvious obviousas assoon soonas asyou you meander meanderup upthe thesuperb superbtree-lined tree-lineddrive driveand andthe thehome homecomes comesinto intoview. view.

Living Living and and formal formal dining dining with with aa northerly northerly aspect, aspect, large large kitchen kitchen with with adjoining adjoiningfamily/meals family/mealsarea, area,copious copiouscupboards, cupboards,an anelectric electricstove stoveplus plus the thebonus bonusofofaawood woodfired firedstove stovewhich whichdoubles doublestotokeep keepyou youwarm warminin winter though there is also a reverse cycle split system air conditioner winter though there is also a reverse cycle split system air conditioner as aswell. well.All All33bedrooms bedroomsare arehuge hugeas asisisthe thebathroom, bathroom,there thereisisaasecond second shower showerand andtoilet toiletand andmassive massivelaundry. laundry.Internal Internalaccess accesstotothe thedouble double garage garagewith withremote remotecontrol controldoors doorsand andthe thelarge largeworkshop workshopalso alsomakes makes aabrilliant brilliantwine winecellar! cellar!Superb Superbshedding, shedding,well wellfenced fencedpaddock, paddock,glorious glorious gardens, gardens,stunning stunninggazebo gazeboand andmagnificent magnificentshade shadetrees. trees. The Theperfect perfect hobby hobbyfarm farmororeasily easilyadaptable adaptabletotoaasuperb superbequestrian equestrianproperty. property.Amazing!

Amazing!

$400,000 $400,000- -$440,000 $440,000 Judy JudyRichards Richards0419 0419527 527923 923

$470,000 $470,000 John JohnStringer Stringer0418 0418575 575156 156

ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA 5772 57723444 3444 56 56GRANT GRANTSTREET STREET

EUROA EUROA 5795 57952868 2868 13 13BINNEY BINNEYSTREET STREET ALEXANDRA ‘ATHLONE’ ALEXANDRA––‘ATHLONE’ One OneofofAlexandra’s Alexandra’soriginal originalhomesteads, homesteads,built builtinin1912 1912still still holds holdsallallthe thecharm charmofofyesteryear. yesteryear. Positioned Positionedon on1/3acre, 1/3acre, this thismagnificent magnificentVictorian Victorianhome homeisisfull fullofofperiod periodfeatures features with with traditional traditional large large entry entry hall, hall, 14ft 14ft ceilings, ceilings, ornate ornate cornices, cornices,press pressmetal metalceiling, ceiling,cast castiron ironopen openfireplaces fireplacesand and leadlight leadlightfeatures. features. This Thisrare rarehome homeoffers offersspacious spaciousliving living with with33oror44bedrooms, bedrooms,informal informaland andformal formalliving livingareas areasand and home homeoffice. office. The Themaster masterbedroom bedroomisisjust justaadelight delightwith with cast castiron ironopen openfireplace, fireplace,beautiful beautifultimber timberfeature featureceiling, ceiling, historic historicbay baywindow windowand andwalk-through walk-throughrobe robetotoensuite. ensuite.

Well Wellappointed appointedtimber timberkitchen kitchenwith withquality qualitystainless stainlesssteel steel appliances. appliances. Year Yearround roundcomfort comfortwith withducted ductedevaporative evaporative cooling coolingthroughout, throughout,ducted ductedgas gasheating, heating,coonara coonarawood wood heater heaterand andaaunique uniqueFrench Frenchdesign design“Cheminees “ChemineesPhilippe” Philippe” which whichdoubles doublesas asaacombustion combustionwood woodheater heaterand andopen open fireplace. fireplace. The Thesemi-enclosed semi-enclosedoutdoor outdoordining diningroom roomisis ideal idealfor forthose thoseBBQ BBQdinners dinnersand andinformal informalentertaining. entertaining.

There There isis dual dual car car accommodation accommodation and and storage storage space space ininthe thehuge hugedouble doublelock-up lock-upgarage. garage. Lovely Lovelyestablished established gardens gardenswith withautomated automatedwatering wateringsystem. system. Respectful Respectful renovations and meticulous up-keep provide comfortable renovations and meticulous up-keep provide comfortable period periodstyle styleliving. living.

Inspection InspectionStrictly StrictlyBy ByAppointment Appointment $600,000 $600,000PLUS PLUS Belinda BelindaHocking Hocking0418 0418115 115574 574

ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA 5772 57723444 3444 56 56GRANT GRANTSTREET STREET

NNEPROPERTY

Large building blocks in Yea

John Houghton’s

ELDERS INSURANCE Wangaratta

We want to save you money

Ask one of our team for a comparison quote - for all your insurance needs

FARMS - BUSINESS PERSONAL business r u o y r fo te o u q s u et L lose!

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John Houghton 0407 303 691 Stephen Fulton 0435 803 979 Carmel or Cos (03) 5722 1400

By locals For locals Elders Insurance Wangaratta (03) 5722 1400 136

APRIL / MAY 2016

C

onsidering the huge acreage of farming land around the place, it might seem odd that there’s not much vacant residential land available in the Yea area. The town is only about an hour and a half to Melbourne so in many ways it’s as close as some of the city’s outer suburbs. And, of course, travel is so much easier, the air is clean and the community is a real one.

So a development called ‘Yea Views’ just past the Yea High School in Racecourse Road makes a lot of sense. And being in Racecourse Road means the properties are not just handy to the school. There’s also the obvious racecourse where they conduct about four meetings a year and, best for some, the excellent Yea golf course. The blocks are also close to the town shops and cafes in the main strip.

The land is reasonably flat with each lot more than a decent size. The blocks start at 4000 square metres with the biggest block more than 7800 square metres. That means the smallest block is at least five times the size of the average new home site in the ‘burbs.

There are views of nearby hills and all expensive services are already on each site. That’s underground power, town water and sewer.

Prices start as low as $159,000 and with three of the 17 lots already sold, there should be some building starting soon.

AT A GLANCE ‘Yea Views’ Racecourse and Lawrances roads, Yea Vacant blocks, minimum size 4000 sq metres

24 Rowan Street, Wangaratta 3677

Prices: From $159,000 Agent: D.A. Robinson (Yea) 5797 2500

NNESpecialists Airconditioning / Refrigeration

Electricians

MANSFIELD CLIMATE CONTROL ‘Professionalism First’ Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Services Installation, Maintenance & Repair of all air conditioning & commercial refrigeration products.

Split systems, ducted split systems, multi head systems, all thermostat controlled systems, fridge display cabinets, glass door display fridges, freezer rooms & coolrooms, mobile cool/freezer rooms including all brands & models.

Dean & Elisa Grining

0457 638 153 / 5776 2103 ABN 73 692 375 242 Lic No: L096428

Builders

ALL TYPES OF BILLY MAHONEY ELECTRICAL WORK ELECTRICAL Rec No. 15385 Mobile: 0417 331 979 Ph/Fax: 5779 1796

bmahoney@mansfield.net.au

Domestic • Commercial • Rural Undergrounds • Industrial Phone Points

Servicing Mansfield district

Financial Solutions

New Homes Commercial Building Extensions & Renovations

Andrew Stace 0419 002 072 Mark Newman 0419 422 894 A/H 5774 2545 F 5772 3030

stacenewmanbuilders@hotmail.com 365 Goulburn Valley Hwy Alexandra

Concreter

SHED SLABS | DRIVEWAYS | FOOTPATHS | CARPORTS • Specialising in Exposed Agg & Coloured Concrete • 5 Tonne Tipper & Bobcat Hire

JAMIE TIMMS Concreter

Phone: 0458 052 689 highcountryconcreting@virtual.net.au

Earthworks

For All Your Financial Planning Requirements • Superannuation • Family Protection • Retirement Planning • Income Protection Michael Holmes, CFP Matthew Holmes, Dip FP Jeffery Meyland, Dip FP Suite 1 / 47 Ovens St, Wangaratta VIC 3677

www.financialmv.com.au Garden Supplies

Ph: (03) 5721 4855

Mansfield Garden Supplies Open 7 Days a Week • Deliveries Available • Sands & Soils • Mulches & Barks • Gravels • Stones • Pots • Giftware • Bali Huts • & more!

175 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield 5779 1108

sales@mansfieldgardensupplies.com.au

www.mansfieldgardensupplies.com.au

Health Food

Water Bores

“Drilling the area since 1976”

Competitive quotes & sound advice Graham Brennan 0409 362 289 Andy Brennan 0409 362 291

northwest.drilling@bigpond.com

www.waterbores.net.au

Everything to do with a healthier you Open Mon - Fri 09.00 - 5.30 Sat 09.00 - 1.00 1/61 Ovens St, Wangaratta > Ph 03 5722 4945

Vitamins > Grocery > Bulk Foods > Personal Care > Sports Supplements > Household > Allergy Alternatives > info@olivehealth.com.au > www.olivehealth.com.au

Electricians ELECTRICIAN

Rec No 12906

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

Fine food and health...

• Organics • Wellness products • Wholefoods • Eco skin & body • Eco cleaning products • Gifts & homewares • In house nutritionist consultations

• Everything electrical • Domestic • Commercial • Undergrounds • Electrical Design • Trenching • Solar Installations

Ph 0418 543 310 etecelectrical.com.au

Open 7 days P: (03) 5752 1946 E: villagetraderat53 53 Standish St, Myrtleford

@gmail.com

To advertise - Kelly 0417 869 608 or kelly@northbynortheast.com.au | Shirley 0437 351 239 or shirley@northbynortheast.com.au

NNESpecialists Hospitality Supplies

Ultrasound

Everything for the top chef & the home cook • Packaging • Disposables • Crockery • Glasses

• Utensils • Knives • Chef uniforms • Baking trays

• Cleaning products • Bulk chemicals • Catering supplies • Commercial equipment

• Griffiths Coffee, Chai Tea, TeaDrop Tea • Free local delivery

New look, new location | 211 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield Visit our showroom | Open 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday Phone: 5779 1660 | www.m-h-s.com.au | sales@m-h-s.com.au Kitchens

Sound Imaging Ultrasound

SOUND IMAGING

Andrea Whitaker Accredited Sonographer CONSULTING AT 45 Station Street, YEA & 20 Cooper Street, ALEXANDRA At Sound Imaging we aim to make the experience of having an ultrasound as stress free as possible.

We provide prompt availability of appointments with generous appointment time allocations to ensure maximum diagnostic quality.

Appointments: P: 03 5736 0426 F: 03 9012 4299 M: 0417 369 225 soundimaging @bigpond.com

Upholstery Quality is never an accident

Topstitch Upholstery & Antiques Traditional antique restoration General upholstery Custom handmade sofas

Custom Built Kitchens 3D Kitchen Design Creative Design & Quality Granite & Reconstituted Stone Laundries | Vanities | Wardrobes

Ian McCormick

0409 146 465 sales@murrindindikitchens.com 38 Johnston St, Alexandra

36 Oliver St YEA 5797 2992 stichers@iinet.net.au www.topstitchupholsteryandantiques.com.au

Trade Qualified, over 30 years experience

Plumbing

Vet Services

Travis Capp

Lic. No 37388

Plumber & Gasfitter Your plumbing specialists

*New Homes * Roof & Gutter * Sewer & Septics * High Pressure Sewer Jetter * Blocked Sewers * Wood Heaters * Pipe & Cable Locator * Drain Camera * Water Tanks * Solar HWS

Excavators, Post hole, Rock breaker, Trencher & Tip truck hire 0419 553 803 tcplumbing@bigpond.com

D VETERINARY C FIEL LIN S IC AN M

Caring For Your Pets

All Animals All Hours

265 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield

www.mansfieldvet.com.au

24hr Emergency Service - 5775 2055

Property Services

TLC

PROPERTY SERVICES

A FULL RANGE OF SERVICES

Cleaning • Garden Maintenance • Painting Chimney Sweeps • Spouting • Carpentry Work

0417 223 712

tlc@mcmedia.com.au www.tlcpropertymaintenancemansfield.com.au

Alexandra Veterinary Clinic

Dr Doug Norman B Sc (Hons), B.V.Sc (Hons)

Dr Jacinta Kelly B.V.Bio, B.V.Sc (Hons)

Clinic Hours by appointment Phone. 5772 1600 Mobile. 0408 576 456 49 Bayley Street, Alexandra 3714

Tree Services

Professional tree care services for Mansfield & North East Victoria • Tree pruning & removal • Stump removal • Branch chipping • Mulch supplies • Qualified climbers & arborists • Consultancy & tree reports • Complete insurance • Obligation free quotations Call Al Seaton 0438

751 932

Office hours Mon - Fri 8am-1pm 5775 1935 Lot 3 Crosbys Lane, Mansfield

138

APRIL / MAY 2016

info@highcountrytrees.com.au www.highcountrytrees.com.au

Grow your business Contact our Advertising Account Representative in your area, call the office on 5779 1290 or email admin@northbynortheast.com.au

Advertise HERE

SKILLEDPEOPLE

In Alexandra to stay

W

hen your dad is a plumber and teaches sheet metal work at your school and your uncle Gordon Dickson is a plumber and your great grandfather Harry Dickson was also a plumber, it’s not hard to guess that your future might be in plumbing, which is exactly what happened with Travis Capp in Alexandra.

Born in Portland, Travis came to Alexandra when he was just five after his dad Trevor Capp accepted a teaching position at the secondary school.

After completing Year 12, Travis moved to Melbourne where he completed his plumbing apprenticeship in Carlton where he stayed for six years.

He came back to attend a friend’s wedding and that’s where Travis met his future wife, Mandy Morse from Eildon.

“I didn’t really know Travis at school,” says Mandy. “We met at the wedding in 1997. I caught the bouquet.”

Travis was clearly smitten and six months later the couple bought a home in Eildon where they became engaged.

“He said that if he could afford to, he would marry me tomorrow,” says Mandy. As it turned out, it wasn’t tomorrow, but two years later that

Travis and Mandy married at St John’s in Alexandra and celebrated the day at Eildon Waters.

After working for another firm, Travis felt he needed to set up his own business so the couple started Travis Capp Plumbing.

“We purchased the work shed in Alexandra seeing the opportunity to grow the business and we lived behind the shed, in the unit, for a couple of years until we were able to buy this home in Alexandra,” says Mandy.

The business has steadily grown and Travis now employs five plumbers and works across the entire Murrindindi area on “anything and everything” to do with plumbing.

Travis is committed to training and over the years about 15 apprentices have learnt their trade with him. As part of their training, Travis also ensures they understand the importance of excellent service.

“You have to do the right thing for our customers. These are the people who come back to you,” he says. Travis even insists of his people turning off their mobile phones during meetings as he feels strongly that listening to people is very important.

In Travis and Mandy’s opinion, Alexandra has everything.

“It’s close to Melbourne, but not too close and it is a small town where

you get to know everyone,” says Travis.

Then there is the wealth of recreational opportunities which they make full use of including water skiing, motor-bike riding, football, cricket and netball.

“The community is full of good people and things have changed. New successful businesses have taken over from past businesses that have closed.

There are new job avenues opening and Alexandra is still growing,” Travis observes.

As a family the Capps see living in Alexandra as very much part of their future. Their two children, Breeanna 14 at the secondary college and Nathan 12 at the primary school, are involved in a range of sports and activities.

With Mandy and Travis it’s all about family time and sharing in activities such as time on the lake in their boat or travelling in their caravan every chance they get. “When we first started the plumbing business we didn’t take holidays; now it is important that we do,” they say. They admitted to looking forward when retired to being a couple of grey haired nomads.

For the moment though, Travis Capp Plumbing and the Capp family is happily staying put in Alexandra. NNE Travis Capp Plumbing 0419 553 803 tcplumbing@bigpond.com

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Nestled in the King Valley of Victoria’s majestic High Country, Chrismont is an inspiring destination for lovers of contemporary wines, Italian food & breathtaking scenery

Cellar Door

taste a diverse collection of modern Mediterranean and classic European varietal wines

Restaurant

blending the seasons with inspirations from Chrismont’s northern & southern Italian culture

Larder

offering housemade flavours to create your own antipasti or dessert plates at home

Functions

the ultimate destination to create lasting memories with your own private function

PRODUCERS OF LA ZONA K I N G VA L L E Y

Conferencing

state-of-the-art facilities with custom designed spaces for hosting corporate events & meetings

Guest House

contemporary accommodation set amongst the vines – an ideal retreat to relax and unwind

Restaurant & Larder: Daily from 12 noon (daytime only) Cellar Door: 10am-5pm, seven days a week (Closed Christmas Day) 251 Upper King River Rd, Cheshunt, King Valley, VIC (03) 5729 8220 reservations@chrismont.com.au visit www.chrismont.com.au