North by North-East February/March 2016

VOL 6 EDITION 1

FEB/MAR 2016

North

by NORTH-EAST COUNTRY LIFE IN NORTH-EAST VICTORIA

Country medicine Preferring bush training

Molesworth couple Successful break from city

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Say goodbye to Summer Dinner Saturday 27th February

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Upcoming events:

Mother’s Day Luncheon Sunday 8th May

Christmas in July Dinner Saturday 23rd July

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North

by NORTH-EAST

Contents Editor: Glen Rohan Art Director: Lynnda Heard Designer: Nicola Tilbury

16

Delights of Marysville

20

Tree changers

34

Content with his lot

42

From a fairy tale

46

Designing spaces

Contributors: Pat O’Bryan, Louise Munro, Joe Blake, Lynnda Heard, Dr Douglas Norman, Ian Dunn, Gaynor Matthew, Colette Geier, Cass Jasper, Julia Foletta, David Catherall, Kelly Timms, Gemma Brett 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

Our man from the UK returns with his memories of the beauty of Marysville and the magnificent Steavenson Falls.

Judy and Brad Watts talk about their fast track to farming and living in the small yet vibrant community of Molesworth.

Mansfield’s Graham Irvin tells why he’s happy with the move from Scotland.

Contact NNE: (03) 5779 1290 | 3 Eisners Lane, Mansfield Lynnda Heard 0407 103 035 | lynnda@northbynortheast.com.au

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 This unsuspecting billy goat on a Euroa farm provided perfect inspiration for our cover shot.

See Dr Norman’s rundown on these popular animals on page 58.

Picture: LYNNDA HEAR

Visiting Narnia is how overseas visitor Gemma Brett describes the small hamlet of Merton after her recent stay.

Beechworth’s Ken Woodman is creating wonderful educational facilities for the young.

February&March 2016 54

Family matters

58

Popular goats

64

Louise Munro yearns for some quiet time after the return of adult children for summer.

Veterinarian Dr Doug Norman provides answers on living with goats.

Wonderful wetlands World Wetland’s Day is in February and North-East Victoria has two world class areas in Yea and Winton.

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70

Food and Wine

90

So much on

Colette Geier looks at hop growing and the coming Hops Festival, while Pat O’Bryan samples the food from an old tobacco kiln at Myrtleford. With wine, Ian Dunn tastes offerings from Tar and Roses at Nagambie.

The list of happenings in our region is a must to find out what is on and where.

Hitched We look at weddings across the North-East.

96

28

Country Property Farms and gorgeous homes fill the Property pages of this issue.

Country doctor Home is in Gooram for Pip Murray, while work is in Wangaratta, however, the travelling is worth it.

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

11

NNECOUNTRY

Wretched signs and roadkill

D

espite this world of social media and incredible advances in communication, it will come as no surprise that our wildlife still can’t manage our simple road signs nor recognise the danger of tackling a car or truck travelling at 100kmh. Which could explain why our roadkill shows no sign yet of abating.

If we could warn drivers, especially the non-locals, to stay alert as there may be some native fauna crossing the road at some stage of their trip, it would help to reduce the roadkill.

We seem to have signs for just about everything imaginable along our roads. We are warned of tricky bends, of roadworks that often never eventuate, of resting spots and even trees close to the road – even though they’re most unlikely to jump out in front of us.

One of the more frustrating signs has to be on the Melba Highway just south of Yea where a sign warns us of an experimental barrier in the centre of the road. Like, as if we don’t exactly see the wretched thing.

But I digress.

The obvious question is why don’t we have more signage to warn the unwary of the various four-legged beasts we’re probably about to share the road with?

If not enough of us care that much about the animals, perhaps we could emphasise the costly damage to our vehicles when we run into a wombat or kangaroo.

12

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Mansfield’s Graham Irvin is one person who can speak with authority as to the cost of those repairs; he earns his living from fixing the damage. Read his story on page 34.

Someone else whose profession sees too much trauma as a result

of accidents is Pip Murray who is doing her internship at Wangaratta Hospital. Raised around Euroa, Pip had no hesitation in seeking a country placement to complete her medical training. She tells her story on page 28.

Another professional, Beechworth architect Ken Woodman is doing some great work with local schools. He tells why he chose the North-East to practice on page 46.

Some recent visitors from the UK were fascinated by our wildlife and

thought the area they stayed in was fairy like. Read Gemma Brett’s account of being in her ‘Narnia’ on page 42.

Similarly, Englishman David Catherall writes of his memorable hours exploring Marysville and nearby Steavenson Falls.

He is a big fan of the area. See page 16.

Among others who love the region are Judy and Brad Watts who, with no farming experience whatsoever, came up from Mt Martha to manage a farm at Molesworth. This remarkable couple now fit in like a glove. Read their story on page 20.

By now if you’re thinking we’re biased in promoting our beloved region of North-East Victoria, you’ll be right; we most definitely are. But then again, if you’re living here, most likely you are as well.

So read on. There is so much more in this February/March edition of North by North-East.

We hope you enjoy it.

Glen Rohan Publisher and editor

Our happy winners Jim and Renate with the Ros Ritchie wines

N

NE caught up with our most recent subscription prize winners Renate and Jim McKenzie between Christmas and New Year to hand over a dozen bottles of Ros Ritchie’s finest wines.

Jim and Renate live in Doncaster, but try to be at their house ainSawmill most weekends and holidays.

Coming on different ships, both Jim and Renate migrated as small children with their parents to Australia in 1949. Jim came from Scotland (and still keeps a bit of an accent) and Renate came from Lithuania.

Nine years later, they met and were married in 1961.

After NNE caught up with the couple in Mansfield, Jim and Renate wrote a letter.

Just a wee note to say how nice it was to meet you and to say thanks again to you and your wonderful magazine and to Ros Ritchie and her lovely wines.

As Renate said to you, she at first thought it was a hoax when Kelly rang as we are unaccustomed to winning prizes!

We look forward to enjoying the wines with friends and family, and your magazine as always.

Hoping you and all enjoy ‘Hogmanay’, and best wishes for the year ahead.

Thank you Jim and Kind regards, Renate and Jim Renate.

You too can be a PS – with apologies to Rabbie Burns: subscriber winner.

We are nae awa’ tae bide awa’ See page 89 for this We’re nae awa’ tae leave yus issue’s offer of a We’ll be back at Mansfield/Merrijig soon For the pleasures people and places give us! pampered escape. NNE

Hearing voices in Strathbogie Shire

E

uroa is to be the venue for a ‘cultural extravaganza’ on Saturday February 27. The group ‘Strathbogie Voices’ has held a range of successful community seminars throughout 2015 and will be continuing the events this year with ‘The Great Leap Forward’ series commencing with an afternoon of ‘Storytelling Our Country’.

Stories have been a huge part of all cultures and more so today when it seems we are all too busy and have no time to listen. The afternoon will consist of a panel of local indigenous and nonindigenous women who will be talking about their experiences – and about their rivers, hills landscapes and country.

The afternoon will also include story-telling with words, sketches and finger painting.

Following the stories there is to be summer twilight hawker’s market in the Seven Creeks Park and a showing of the films, ‘Here and Near’ and ‘Food from Faraway’ at the outdoor cinema.

Strathbogie and its stories past and present will be the focus of the afternoon. This story telling session will be held in the Flour Mill, Kirkland Avenue, Euroa.

For more information see the web site, strathbogievoices.com.au or call Kate Auty on 0429 122 833 or Shirley Saywell on 0427 246 900. NNE

CLEARING SALE

Molesworth’s

9.30am at Recreation Reserve

38TH CHARITY EASTER BAZAAR & CLEARING SALE

Items for sale by auction: Motor vehicles, household goods, leisure, machinery & workshop, antiques, equestrian, poultry Auction & stall sites available

EASTER SATURDAY 26TH MARCH, AT 9.30AM

LOCAL PRODUCE & BAZAAR

For further information & bookings contact

At the Molesworth Public Hall, a wide range of local handcraft & produce for sale

Les Ridd 5797 6252 or 0427 310 213 lesridd@mcmedia.com.au

Visit our website at www.molesworth.info

Food & refreshments available at the site Proceeds to local & district charities & amenities NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

13

NNECOUNTRY Pictures: KERRYN TAYLOR

Mavis Bartle Telephone Switchboard

Wangaratta postcards displayed at Shrine A Wangaratta exhibition of textile postcards honouring our defence forces attracted such a response that last September, the Shrine of Remembrance took on the collection that is still on display.

GAYNOR MATTHEW reports

Dawn Fleet Anzac Landing

N

Kate Martin Knitted Code Description 14

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

o-one was prepared for the response when an invitation was sent out to textile artists across Australia to participate in the 2015 ‘Connecting Threads to Postcard Project’ and certainly no-one anticipated where the project would end up.

Expecting only about a dozen people to take part, organising members of the Wangaratta Textile Arts Association were surprised to attract commitments from 40 people, each wanting to undertake the daunting task of creating one postcard a month for 12 months.

“We had them from South Australia, all over Victoria and New South Wales mostly and we ended up with 520 postcards altogether.

This exceeded our expectations and we were overwhelmed,” said President Kerryn Taylor.

The ‘Postcards’ idea was the association’s way of contributing to the nation-wide 2015 ANZAC Centenary tributes. They were to be exhibited in the Bainz Gallery at the Wangaratta Library as part of the biennial ‘Wangaratta Stitched Up Textile Festival’ last July.

Participants were asked to create 12 postcards according to a monthly theme. These themes – flowers, maps, home, badges and medals, flags, transport, Christmas, communication, service men and women, fashion, souvenirs, and memories – commemorate the original Anzacs and all Australian service personnel, in all conflicts and peacekeeping operations, over the last 100 years. Artists could opt to work individually or as a group to share the work and were invited to share information about techniques and materials, to tell a yarn, share a memory, or to write a message to a loved one on the reverse side.

When the postcards came in, Kerryn said they realised that it was not just the visual impact of the work that had value.

“So many people had put so much thought and research into their own family history and we were getting these amazing family stories so we photographed the front and back of each postcard and compiled a photo catalogue book of the work to preserve them.

“When we assembled the exhibition we were stunned at the reaction to it. Library staff said there were noticeably more comments made than usual about the exhibition and more people stopped to talk to each other while viewing the exhibits,” she said “then we contacted the Shrine of Remembrance to tell them of the project response and they asked to see some samples and were so impressed they asked if they could use them in a running exhibition choosing an interesting mix and match with their items.

So now they have been displayed in the visitor area at the Shrine since 11 September.”

The exhibition at the Shrine will continue until February 29 this year. NNE

The postcards can be viewed on www.stitchedupfestival.com and www.shrine.org.au/ Exhibitions/Temporary-Exhibitions/Wish-you-were-here

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15

NNECOUNTRY

Steavenson Falls.

Picture: David Catherall

Marysville through fresh eyes Visitor from England DAVID CATHERALL reminisces about the delights of Marysville last spring

D

uring April, 2014, I finally made the trip from England to Australia that I had been wishing to do for some 40 years (that gives you some idea of how ancient I am). The reason was to carry out some research into my family history and, in that respect, the trip was a success. In other ways too it was an even greater success and even though I had found most of the information I needed, I managed to persuade my wife that I needed to make a second trip. That was in October 2015.

During my first visit I came across Marysville one morning on my meanderings through the region. I mooched around the town and went into a shop selling antiques from the area and was told the sad story of the horrendous fire which had devastated the town in 2009. On my second visit in 2015 I made a decision to revisit the town and this time, by good luck, it was on the occasion of the first Jazz and Blues Weekend. What a cracking time that was for me.

It was a steaming hot day (the Saturday) for me, though for people who live in the area perhaps it was just ‘normal’. Whatever, I meandered up and down Murchison Street and was delighted to hear music coming at me wherever I walked. Eventually I sat myself down outside a cafe where a guitarist was playing.

It was obvious from most of the people sitting outside in the sunshine that they were there, like me, just to

listen to the music. However, I decided to give myself a treat – a very large milk shake. Don’t you find it amazing that at times, something which you have not done, or something you have not eaten for years and years will suddenly bring back a flood of memories? The milk shake did it for me. I was taken back to a place called Blackpool on the Lancashire coast with my parents. I must have been five or six at the time and it was the first time I ever had a milk shake.

The music, however, took me back just 10 years to a Blues and Jazz Festival held in a small hill town called Colne in Lancashire. The weather was quite different; on Colne it was very cold and wet, but the sound of music coming drifting at me from side streets and cafes and restaurants was just the same. On this visit to Marysville it was Joe Talia playing outside the Fragas Cafe which did it for me. I sat and smiled and tapped my feet, and occasionally hummed along to the music. What a wonderful memory to look back on as English winter storms threaten to drown my garden.

The afternoon was wearing on a little, so jamming on my new hat against the sun, I walked off to Bruno’s Sculpture Garden on Falls Road and for over an hour lost myself in his stunning figures peeping at me from around logs and trees or just sitting, like me, in the sun and enjoying it. What a talent I found there. Such scarily lifelike figures you will struggle to find anywhere else. I defy you!

Having spent some time leisurely

wandering around the town and listening to music I felt the need for height, so took myself off to Steavenson Falls some three kilometres outside of the town.

Let me quote you from the Marysville Tourism web site repeated in a small brochure I collected from their office: “An easy 700 metre walk takes you to an awe-inspiring view of one of Victoria’s highest waterfalls. Plummeting 84 metres, the falls have been a favourite since the 1860s.”

By the time you get to my age you would imagine that I would have learned better wouldn’t you? Nothing which is almost straight up and down, 700 metres or not, is easy! But it was enjoyable, very enjoyable. As I came to the end of the first path not far from the car park I stood to admire the falls way above my head and caught my breath, then pushed on.

Six years ago, before arthritis and assorted other defects started to take over my body, this would have been a ‘walk in the park’, sadly now it is more difficult, but not impossible.

It was spellbinding to walk along pathways almost under the total cover of overhanging trees and bushes. To see these phenomenal trees, these bushes which caught at my sleeves was a novel experience for me, accustomed as I have always been to walking in forests of native European trees, which believe me, are very different.

The path rose up in an almost alpine mode, turning back and forth on itself from time to time and giving me views u NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

17

NNECOUNTRY

“

“It was spellbinding to walk along pathways almost under the total cover of overhanging trees and bushes”

‘The Bushwalker’ statue by local Marysville’s sculpture Bruno Torfs

of where I had been just two or three minutes before. At one point the hillside to my left fell away in a sheer drop away from the stony path showing me just what it was I had come to see, the valley dropping away from the top of the falls and the summit of the falls themselves, 18

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

with glimpses of the dramatic pool I had passed some time before.

The head of the falls was beautiful.

No other word is so accurate and yet inadequate to describe the end of my walk. The noise of the water bouncing off the rocks and between the walls of

the valley was almost unnoticeable as I sat on a large rock in the centre of the falls, once the young couple who had been sitting there when I first arrived had taken themselves off down the hill. I can understand fully why they had walked up there and had sat gazing into each other’s eyes as only young lovers can.

They took the hint though and moved off to leave the falls to me, alone.

So peaceful, so colourful, so many birds circling high above me and darting from tree to tree; it was with some sorrow I peeled myself off the stone and regained the path to take myself down again. Strangely enough, the walk down was a lot easier then the walk coming up.

Over the next week or so during my stay in the Murrindindi area I made further visits to Marysville and explored it a little more. Whatever I saw and heard and found during those subsequent visits though, the first visit I made to the falls and the town will always be the ones which I tell people about when they ask me, “So, what’s Australia like then?” NNE

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NNEPEOPLE

Lovingthe the 20

country style style country

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

With no farming experience between them, Judy and Brad Watts made the complete lifestyle change eight years ago to become farm managers at Molesworth. LYNNDA HEARD finds they have slotted in brilliantly and are now an integral part of the area u NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

21

NNEPEOPLE

“

“John was very sneaky as he asked us up in spring so everything was lovely and green”

Judy and Brad’s daughters (left to right) Jordan, Nickki, Sophie and Emily.

Picture supplied by Judy and Brad

E

ntrance to Judy and Brad Watts’ place, ‘Binbilla’, is across a rickety wooden bridge over what is a dry creek in summer. The pretty, grey painted timber house in amongst the thick abundance of trees looks like it could come from a fairy tale, but it’s anything but small. In fact, it’s full of warmth and people, four dogs and a cat.

From the moment you meet Judy and Brad you feel at home, comfortable enough to reach across the bench in the kitchen and put the kettle on. The large family room with its large windows overlooking the paddocks and mountain range has just emptied of visiting family members who have returned to their tents alongside the Goulburn River running through the property.

“Living on a farm has been a very steep learning curve since we arrived here on 27 December, 2007,” says Judy.

“Especially as calving started as of 1 January, 2008.”

Neither Judy nor Brad had farmed before and had no experience whatsoever.

When the Watts moved from Mt Martha they had four young girls Emily,

22

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Sophie, Nicky and Jordan the youngest at five. They had gone to Mt Martha seeking a semi-rural life style and had found that after four years there was no difference to the urban life they had left.

While full-time mothering, Judy had her hands full using her Diploma of Horticulture from Burnley for gardening part-time and Brad had been trying to settle in as a production manager.

In Melbourne, Brad had worked for buisness man John Clements as his production manager and was very surprised when John approached him to become farm manager of his 405 hectare (1000 acre) property ‘Cremona Park’ on the Goulburn River at Molesworth.

“When I explained that I knew nothing about farming he told me that I would learn, and that he just needed someone he could trust,” says Brad. “My first reaction was ‘not interested’, but that night I tossed the idea around with Judy and we decided to at least look at the place.”

Brad’s background was in secondary teaching and management, not in rural pursuits.

“John was very sneaky as he asked us up in spring so everything was lovely

and green,” Brad smiles. “Judy and I saw the place then pottered around the river at night by torch light and fell in love with it.”

It was short courses, seminars and advice from John and the locals that saw Brad starting to learn about farming.

“The Goulburn Broken Catchment Management Authority (GBCMA) ran a soil care group involving about 10 property owners which has been a great source of knowledge and then there are those special people like Les Ridd, my neighbour and Cathy Olive who was with the local DPI (Department of Primary Industry) that were and have been fantastic,” says Brad.

Les Ridd lives down the road from Brad and popped in when they first arrived and offered his help. As the years have gone by Brad is now able to return the favour and is able to help Les when in need.

“They are a lovely family and I really have benefitted from his help. It’s great now to sit and share stories with him” says Brad.

After Brad started managing ‘Cremona Park’, the opportunity to buy into Binbilla with John presented u

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Brad and Judy

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itself for Judy and Brad, an opportunity they embraced. ‘Binbilla’, is 101 hectares (250 acres) and where the Watts live. This now gave Brad two properties to manage.

With help from Cathy Olive, Judy and Brad have planted over 20,000 trees on the two properties.

Not to be left sitting under a tree reading a book, a dream that Judy holds dear, Judy found herself working for the Upper Goulburn Landcare Network (UGLN) and as a veterinary nurse for Yea vet Anthony Dredge.

“Anthony came out to look at a cow for us and I asked him if he knew of any jobs for a veterinary nurse,” says Judy. “He said, ‘yes at my clinic’.” So Judy quickly had a part-time job and found she had another set of skills to learn.

But learning is something the couple is doing constantly. Brad says farming is one continuous learning process that that does not cease until you stop farming.

“I find a lot of my education comes from direct involvement and observation. You know when there is something wrong, if the cows won’t go through that gate there is a reason.

Farming requires a lot of patience and you need to be always watching the animals, the weather, and the soil. If you don’t have soil you don’t have grass and then you don’t have a farm.”

While initially unsure about farming, Brad now admits he loves it.

Brad works closely with John’s son Rob and the friendship he has with Rob and other local farmers is very rewarding. And even though he enjoys his own company he does look forward to the opportunity to catch up on the latest issues with locals and to share experiences and information.

Judy may not have been a farming girl, but she did come from a country town, Benalla.

“I lived in town, so no farming background” says Judy.

“I went to FCJ College in Benalla and Galen College in Wangaratta for years 11 and 12. My mum, Shirley McGill, still lives in Benalla along with three of my brothers John, Chris and Tony; Mark is in NSW and my sister Helen lives in the Northern Territory.” u

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“

“There are so many different ways you can get involved in the community” After school Judy headed to Melbourne where she met Brad.

“I played cricket with Judy’s house mates and one night knocked on their door,” says Brad. “When Judy answered it, I looked straight at her and said to myself, ‘yes’.”

The couple became grandparents in December last year.

Judy’s part-time job with UGLN is as a facilitator in the Yea office.

“When I moved up to Yea I met Cathy Olive through her partner Steve who is captain of the Whanregarwen CFA where Brad is a member,” says Judy. “It was Cath who approached me to apply for the position.

“It’s a challenging job and there is always something different going on which makes it very enjoyable. The various Landcare groups involved with the network are inspirational and my role

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

is flexible and autonomous,” says Judy.

Combined with her role as vet nurse, Judy now works full-time.

The Yea community is the perfect fit for Judy and according to Brad she is always one of those people who gets involved.

“When we moved to Yea eight years ago the kids were all still at school age, which makes it easy to fit into the community,” says Judy. She is currently president of the School Council at the high school and had a similar role at the primary school when the kids were there.

Judy only has praise for the local schools, “Yea Primary School was fabulous with a dynamic staff that work hard and at the high school, they are wonderful. It is amazing what the teaching staff achieve with the resources that they have. They work

with challenging kids with the ‘Big Picture’ program, which involves family engagement.

“There are so many different ways you can get involved in the community,” says Judy. “And if you feel unwelcome, it’s that you haven’t tried to get involved.”

Brad has fully embraced the rural life and farm work.

“Farming is a variety of work; every year, every month is different. At the moment it’s calving and weeds control, especially blackberries.

“I came into farming with no traditional ideas as I had not farmed before and so had no background and therefore no habits, bad or good,” says Brad.

“I love the combination of generational farming methods with what you learn at the latest seminars and courses. It’s great to be able to pick and

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chose which pieces of information and methods that suit me; it’s exciting. You learn that every farm is as different as the farmers that farm it. Add to that fire, flood, snow and grass hoppers; we have had the lot since moving here.”

The CFA has provided Brad with a social life and kept him busy in the fire months. He has also joined the Molesworth Bazaar and Clearing Sale committee. People from far and wide come to this huge clearing sale held on Easter Saturday on the recreation reserve in Molesworth.

“The Molesworth Hall has just been renovated at a cost of about $400,000 of which $299,000 came from a State Government grant and the other $100,000 came from the Bazaar,” says Brad. “Considering the size of Molesworth that is a fantastic effort.”

There are not a lot of families in the small community of Molesworth, but Judy points out that they are only 10 minutes away from the township of Yea, which has given them a lovely balanced lifestyle being able to be on the farm while close to town. Judy is also a member of WHIM (Women Here In Molesworth) who meet regularly for book club evenings, which Judy admits consists of ten minutes of book talk, while the rest of the time is lots of laughing.

Brad and John run 350 Angus breeders over the two properties and are very pleased at the current prices they are receiving for their cattle.

“John and his wife Fay have had the property up here for about thirty years,” says Judy. “And they also have another property nearer to Melbourne which Brad also keeps an eye on.”

“Working with John has been great,” says Brad. “When it comes to changes to the farm and the methods, John and I negotiate. It’s important that I do my research before I talk with John; he has been involved in farming for a long time and I need to be sure of my reasoning. We work together on a strong basis of trust and respect.”

John’s son Rob lives at ‘Cremona Park’ and works with Brad on the properties. “They are a lovely family, like our extended family. John and Fay are like grandparents to our kids and we are very close to them and their other children Marlo and Paul,” Judy says.

“I love all the activity on the farm” said Judy. “With the Goulburn River running through the property we swim, the girls and I love to run and netball is a very family thing. All the girls play netball including me and Brad coaches.”

Before farming, Judy and Brad would often go camping with Brad’s brothers and sisters and all their children.

“What happens now is they come here for the holidays and generally camp on the river at the back of the house,” says Judy. “Nieces, nephews and their friends are all there, building wonderful childhood memories; I love it.” NNE

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NNEPEOPLE

The future of country medicine Raised in Longwood and Euroa, Pip Murray is completing her internship at Wangaratta Hospital. She tells why she has chosen the North-East for her calling rather than Melbourne. Story and pictures; LYNNDA HEARD

B

orn in Longwood, schooled in Euroa, training for her medical degree in Wangaratta and living in Gooram; Pip Murray is living her dream.

She is with the partner she loves, setting up a home in the country and working in medicine.

From her first introduction to sciences at primary school Pip was hooked. After finishing her secondary schooling at Euroa, Pip spent a GAP year overseas before attending Monash University.

“I applied to do a rural internship; I just wanted to come back to the country.

I felt that I had done all I wanted to do in the city at that stage and applied to go to either Gippsland or Wangaratta hospitals.”

At this particular time of training Pip would normally be rotating between, medical, surgical and emergency aspects of her course. Luckily she was accepted into Wangaratta Hospital and for the General Practitioner side of her training, to the Church Street Surgery also in Wangaratta.

“It was really great at the surgery, so 28

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

much so that when I went to the hospital I was less scared at making decisions, though there’s always mountains of paperwork.”

While Pip loves medicine, she has no passion for paperwork.

“What I wanted to do was veterinary science and early on I did do a placement with my uncle. I liked the medical side of veterinary science, but not the business side of it. The thought of being able to practice medicine without having to charge people and have Medicare take care of it was very appealing,” says Pip. “And I still can practice medicine and the sciences.”

For those wanting to always improve medical services in the bush, it is encouraging when you listen to Pip tell of young doctors anxious to work at hospitals such as Benalla and Wangaratta, and that they see a future in country Victoria.

“Growing up in the country is different to the city,” explains Pip. “In the city you don’t know many people, but in the country it’s the opposite. You have to look presentable even when you head

to the local store as you are sure to meet someone you know; there is definitely no PJs allowed.” It is hard to imagine Pip ever looking anything but presentable.

Pip’s parents are both teachers; her father Paul still teaches full-time at the Euroa Secondary College and her mum Anne has just retired.

“Mum and dad were both placed at Euroa at the same time after graduation and they met and stayed,” says Pip. “They have been at Euroa for 30 years.

“As a couple, mum and dad lived in the school house next to the Longwood Primary School. They eventually bought the house and they still live there,” says Pip. Growing up in Longwood and Euroa, the Murrays played a lot of sport.

“I had a horse and belonged to the pony club and cricket club where I played in the boys’ teams. My brothers were good at tennis, but tennis was not my game and I never graduated from junior level and couldn’t play in tournaments. Still there was always the opportunity to play socially and there was the social side of the club.” u

Pip Murray at home in Gooram

NNEPEOPLE

“

“As far as farming goes, we will be farming rocks”

Angus and Will are Pip’s brothers.

Will has finished an Arts Degree from Melbourne and is in America before heading back to Australia to hopefully do journalism. Angus finished year 12 in 2015 and is planning to head off to England for his GAP year before pursuing a paramedic’s course at ACU.

Hockey was Pip’s preferred sport and she has been playing for Euroa for 15 years.

“Mum is a life-time member in the club though she did her hammy last year.

I think she will still keep playing,” says Pip. While at Monash University, Pip

met her partner Jayme Sexton a mechanical engineer who shares Pip’s love of the rural life.

“We have bought a 35 acre property in Gooram and intend to live there. Jayme is still looking for work up here and at the moment he is the one who commutes to Melbourne for

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Jayme, Pip and Odin in Seven Creek Park, Euroa

work,” says Pip. During the 2015 fires in the Strathbogie area, the shack, as they affectionately refer to the building on the property, was in the path of the flames.

“The contracts were ready to sign when the fires went though; luckily the CFA saved it, so we signed,” Pip smiles.

“The shack and the property occupy all our spare time; we have been fencing for a whole year. We didn’t realise how hard it would be and our block is covered in rock. We manage to get about 200 metres done and collapse. I know that we should have used the contractor, but it has been really great fun to do

together. Mum and I have been part of Blaze Aid erecting fences on neighbours’ properties after last year’s fires.”

Their plans for the future of their Gooram property are to definitely have horses, grow veggies and be pretty much sustainable with solar power. Pip describes their future on the place as u

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being, “reasonably self sustaining, but as far as farming goes, we will be farming rocks.”

Their living arrangements are a bit scattered while trying to achieve their vision of both living in Gooram.

There is the shack on their property in Gooram, then Pip has her small place in Wangaratta when she is working while Jayme heads south when it’s time for him to work.

“In Wang my place is in town on the river and I ride a bike to work … the golden retriever shares the Wang residence with me,” says Pip. For Pip, it’s still the early stages of practicing medicine in the country, but so far her impressions are that the work is more diverse and that the environment in the hospital is friendlier than that in the city.

“Here you know everyone; you work closely with the team and interact with the community on a closer basis. People generally are more patient and friendly, unlike my experience in the city,” she says.

“There can be a feeling of stress and abruptness in medicine, yet up here people are helpful and I am not worried to ask a question. In Melbourne there were times that I was terrified to ask 32

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

questions because of the reaction I could get. Here people stop and listen to you.”

According to Pip, a definite advantage of doing her medical training in a country hospital is that the team you work with have pretty much been exposed to a diverse array of medical situations and that you will also be able to experience these learning opportunities sooner than those training in a city hospital. There is more chance to gain that valuable hands-on experience.

“There are draw backs too,” says Pip. “You do notice the isolation and the feeling that you can’t live too far away from the hospital; that is why (I have) the Wang house when I’m working.”

“During my General Practice training, other trainees brought in photos of where they were living and I took in a photograph of our shack to show people.

The general reaction was that they didn’t realise that Strathbogie was so nice,” she says.

Being a lover of most things in the area, Pip is a great ambassador and tells of her favourite parts of the region.

“There are the farmers’ produce markets in Euroa and Violet Town; I love markets. Down by the river in Wang is beautiful and the Jazz festival is great.

In Rutherglen, I have been to the chef’s dinner at the wineries and the winery walk-abouts are great fun,” she says.

“My favourite café in Wang is Café Derailleur and I enjoy the Watermarc for dinner. The strip along the river also has a few good spots.”

Pip also likes the country around Wangaratta.

“Jayme and I like driving around the area and the King River Cafe in Oxley is a stopping point. Last Christmas we went hamper crazy and did a road trip to all our favourite food producers, produce stores and wineries in the region; we had a fantastic time and the hampers were a great hit.”

Three more years of training will fully qualify Pip and one of her options is to return to Euroa as a GP. “Sadly the Euroa hospital is not publically funded and there are no public beds and no operational operating theatres, so Benalla and Mansfield hospital are my options. It would be great to see public beds in the Euroa hospital and have obstetrics facilities operational. The operating theatres are still there and the equipment, but …” she says.

Pip feels that the more the hospital in Euroa grows, the more it would

“

“People generally are more patient and friendly, unlike my experience in the city”

The shack in Gooram Picture: Pip Murray

attract a high percentage of people for employment – both skilled and unskilled. As she explains, she would love to live in a town the size of Euroa, but her partner’s skills are not as easily transferable. “Jayme is a highly qualified mechanical engineer who should be able to find work locally, yet he has been looking for a year and a half with no luck. It would be wonderful to see a town like Euroa producing something new.

There are situations when rural doctor’s partners have to retrain into other areas

such as teaching as their tertiary skill levels and qualifications can’t be transferred to a rural job.

“I was so definite about wanting to live in this area and so sure of Jayme loving it that it never crossed my mind that he would love it here too, but that he would not find work.

Luckily he loves it here and loves the community,” Pip almost sighs with relief.

So far Pip’s best memories while working as a doctor have been attending in the emergency department of the hospital and in obstetrics. As she reflects, “Delivering babies is a wonderful experience and every time the babies come out I still tear up. I can’t believe that people allow me to share their special day with them.” NNE

GOORAM The area of Gooram is a farming community in the Strathbogies about 15 kilometres south of Euroa.

It has a population of less than 200 with an average age of 50.

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NNEPEOPLE

Mansfield sure beats Glasgow After more than 46 years in Australia, Scotsman and car repair expert Graham Irvin knows where home is. He tells NNE, he wouldn’t go past Mansfield. Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

E

ver heard of a rabbit breaking a windscreen? Graham Irvin has.

But then again, he’s probably heard a lot of reasons – some true, some not – as to why someone’s car has been damaged.

Graham is the owner of High Country Smash Repairs in Mansfield and the tale about the rabbit is true.

“A woman came in the other week and said ‘a rabbit had broken my windscreen; it just fell from the sky’,” Graham says.

“It can happen. Must have been dropped by an eagle.”

As it turns out, wildlife is pretty good for business if you’re doing smash repairs in the country. Graham says, “In Melbourne, you rely on wet weather and traffic; up here, it’s wildlife.”

Animals alone, however, would not sustain the business unless it was also doing everything else well.

And Graham’s team of eight get it right. It no doubt helps that Graham’s a perfectionist. It comes from his

training as a toolmaker, the result of an apprenticeship from when he was starting out.

At school he had thoughts of trying for an engineering degree, but opted for the apprenticeship as he didn’t want to finish up spending too much time in an office. “Doing something with my hands seemed like a much better idea.”

Graham is one of those people who were always doing something with their hands. As a kid, he was the one pulling things apart to see how they worked.

He’s still doing it almost five decades later.

Born in Glasgow in 1956, Graham’s early years were tough. When he was eight, his father died. Five years later, his mother decided on a new start in Australia so Graham, his two sisters and mum took the long sea voyage and landed in Melbourne.

The family eventually settled in Glen Waverley and at 14, Graham had his first job – packing shopping bags after school

and Saturday mornings at Safeway after he told them he was a year older.

Graham was on a mission. There were things he wanted to buy in his new homeland, money was tight at home and so he needed to work. Some 45 years later, that work ethic still drives him.

Like most young lads, Graham wanted a car and with savings from his part-time job he bought an old Standard 8 when he was 17. Of course, it needed repair. A repaint was also in order and a little later Graham was lauded by his mates for the great job he had achieved to get the car on the road and looking great.

It wasn’t long before those same friends were bringing their cars to Graham’s place for similar treatment.

Without him realising, Graham’s die was cast.

All the while, Graham was still working part-time at Safeway where he had been given more senior roles.

He took over a team cleaning up stores overnight and on weekends, and when u

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NNEPEOPLE

Graham Irvin with his preferred mode of transport

it came time to leave school, Safeway asked him to become full-time. He thought it wiser to gain a qualification so chose the apprenticeship.

As a toolmaker, he worked in a stainless steel company and then went into a boiler-making business. All the while though, he was working on cars for his mates.

A good friend, Darryl Williams asked him to go into his panel repair shop at Ferntree Gulley. Graham rented some space to allow him to do his own thing fixing cars for friends and doing panel repairs for Darryl.

In his mid-20s, Graham started a bigger business in Dandenong and he bought a new car. It was a 1981 XD Falcon – a car he still has today. And yes, it’s in amazing condition.

Graham was married and working ridiculously long hours. Success was coming at a heavy price.

And that’s where his friend Darryl again came into the picture. Darryl had bought a place near Mansfield at Merton and Graham and his then wife used to visit.

They both really liked the area.

It was 1987 and things, as Graham 36

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

“

I do get a bit homesick when I hear the bagpipes”

says, were “just too busy.

In a lifetime of repairing cars, Graham I was working harder and has seen many changes. harder”.

“For instance,” he says, “Most colour He and Darryl decided matching is done by computer, but • Friendly, and professional staff to go intoknowledgeable, partnership in experience has taught me that it makes Mansfield – on therange site in andtoo many errors. prices Sometimes it works • Broad product competitive Dead Horse Lane where well, but nothing beats the expert eye.

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It’s not just the mix of the paint; it’s also Graham sold his and electronics • Stylish appliances how it is put for on.”home and business Dandenong operation Being the boss carries with it the to a couple of his then responsibility of paperwork, but these employees. “Best thing I days, Graham has his wife Kathy come ever did,” he reckons. a couple of days a week to help out.

After seven years On those days, the couple’s dog, a together, his business cute Maltese cross also settles in the partner Darryl decided office and, no doubt, helps sort out the to move to Queensland, customers. so Graham took over Graham still likes to get his hands his share and has been dirty. When Mansfield had all its running it ever since. electricity off for a day last November, “I didn’t think I’d still be here after 28 Graham’s was one of many businesses years.” He says. that gave staff a holiday. In Graham’s A few people from the time he was case, however, there was a small bonus. in Dandenong still bring their cars to “I charged up the compressor early Graham so he must know his stuff. When before we lost the power and then anyone goes there with their damaged worked quietly by myself with the tools,” car, Graham pops out of the office with he says. “It was really nice. I had no one his camera to carefully record the faults. asking me questions.”

He knows every term imaginable in ‘car Graham has three step-children from talk’ to describe the problem. The joy a previous marriage and now is step-dad when talking with him, is hearing him to Kathy’s four. explaining those terms in his delightful He is a past president of Mansfield soft Scottish brogue.

Rotary (2007 to 2009) and a few years He doesn’t miss Scotland that much ago with Kathy, helped form Mansfield’s and only revisited in 2006, though there ‘Third Hand’ group, which organises a is one part of that world that draws on fun run on Melbourne Cup weekend and his heart-strings. has other projects to raise money for “I do get a bit homesick when I hear causes such as Mansfield Hospital. the bagpipes at a parade.”

Although his work life is cars, Another thing that gets him Graham’s preferred mode of transport passionate is talking about insurance for work is a bicycle. “It keeps me fit. It companies. There are some good ones, doesn’t make sense to drive such a short he says, but some of the better known distance to work.” ones are the worst.

With his friend Darryl ensconced in “When a car is under warranty, it must Queensland, does Graham entertain any be repaired with new parts, not secondthoughts of moving there? hand,” he says. “Some companies want “Oh no,” he says. “It’s good for a you to use second-hand. It’s all about holiday in winter, but I wouldn’t move them saving money and it’s not good enough.” anywhere from here. I love it.” NNE

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Annette Boyd on her quarter horse in a typical relaxed frame

estern performance riders on their quarter horses competed late last year at the home of the Big Valley Quarter Horse Association in Benalla. The BVQHA’s includes ‘Improver’, ‘Amateur’ and ‘Open’ level of riders across all breeds of Western performance horses.They regularly hold competitions and training days.

Established in 1974, the BVQHA has experienced its share of ups and downs, but with a lot of dedicated support from lovers of Western riding, the association opened its purpose built Western Arena at the Benalla Racecourse.

The next competition is the 2016 Celebration Show held from February 12-14. www.bvqha.com.au NNE

A competitor with her horse in a working performance frame

Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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High art came to

O

pera with a lot of fun thrown in was definitely one of the highlights of the Yea Arts Carnivale held over the Australia Day long weekend.

Performances from ‘Opera in the Air’ were conducted from various high spots in Yea, including on top of the town hall in Yea’s High Street. Other locations included the Sedona Winery at Murrindindi, the Yea Racecourse and the historic Cheviot Tunnel.

The skies brightened for the opening night and local band ‘The Redgaters’ were in fine form, delighting the audience with some terrific music. As much as anyone would have wanted to attend every event and exhibition it was impossible as there was so much happening.

Congratulations to organisers for a wonderful event. NNE Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

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NNECOUNTRY

Back through the wardrobe to Narnia With apologies to author C.S. Lewis, GEMMA BRETT equates the area around Merton with the magical Narnia as she writes about her recent visit from her Shropshire home near Wales.

Pictures: GEMMA BRETT Neil Morris and Gemma Brett in Narnia aka Merton

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

J

anuary 2016 marks five years since we left magical Merton (and Australia) first time around, so it was more than about time to make a return! For five years we have continually spoken of our time in and around Merton, including the remarkable people we met – and still keep in contact with – the places we visited and the beautiful velvety views that encompassed us every day. The trouble is, people at home in Shropshire don’t really have a clue what we are going on about – or know what they are missing out on! Returning this time truly felt like we had slipped back through the wardrobe and into our own private Narnia.

It still astounds me how a place that is almost as far away from home as you can get has such strong similarities to home (albeit vast differences also). We travelled 23 hours on a plane to join those who love to drink tea as much as we English do! Just kidding, though Mansfield Shire does feel so much like home to us.

During our last visit in 2011, I wrote about the spirit of Merton with its closely bonded community and the things we had done such as working the sausage stall at the New Year’s Day picnic races or rescuing a sick koala from a local farm and it was clear this time around that the

“

“Basically, what I am trying to get across (while I sit back in the UK where it is one degree and snowing) is how enchanting the place you all get to call home is”

spirit of this place is still burning brightly.

This New Year’s Day we attended the races for a second time and thoroughly enjoyed the festivities – though thankfully we got the visitors’ experience and didn’t have to work a stall. At this point I also must mention/ acknowledge all the hard work that goes into producing the NNE magazine, particularly as the editor himself was clambering on table tops to get the best

Lake Eildon

photographs of the races for all to enjoy – if only his wobbling on the shaky table could have been successfully captured.

One thing that I still find fascinating about Australia is the wildlife. If only we could have kangaroos, koalas, wombats and possums at home. Well, maybe not the possums after the resident one we had on our roof for the entire two weeks – I think he/she owned a pair of iron boots and insisted running around

with them on at about 4 o’clock every morning! Though in all honesty I actually enjoyed that experience as we don’t have any possums on our roof here in England and I am also pleased to have finally seen one.

We visited the Mansfield Zoo this time and I was like an over-excited toddler at the concept of hand-feeding kangaroos and wallabies, I couldn’t believe how gentle they were. It’s a u

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NNECOUNTRY

shame the wombats at the zoo weren’t awake when we were there, though the ‘midnight safari’ that we found ourselves participating in on the way home from a dinner party one night meant we saw two wombats and a mob of kangaroos. When I say ‘midnight safari’, what actually happened was we got a lift home from a dinner party with the neighbours and my screaming excitement yet again at seeing a wombat out the window led them to driving around and searching for all present wildlife – boring to all of you I know, but an experience we really appreciated.

Other places that we visited during our short time back in Mansfield Shire was the Violet Town market where I picked up some bargains, the Dindi Naturals shop at Yarck (I love their soaps) and the Giddy Goat Café for what I considered to be the best cuppa around.

Bonnie Doon had to be done if only to experience the ‘serenity’ (yes we’ve seen it!) and Lake Nillahcootie. I have to say Lake Nillahcootie stole my heart a little this time; what a beautiful place.

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Initially I was a bit apprehensive in case there were snakes around – why is it everything in Australia wants to kill you – but then I braved it and went in. It was like walking on marshmallow once I got a few steps in. We only spent an afternoon there, but it was a truly happy few hours.

Basically, what I am trying to get across (while I sit back in the UK where it is one degree and snowing) is how enchanting the place you all get to call

home is and how privileged we are to have been a part of it once again, if only for a short time.

Within a few hours of getting off the plane we were accepted back by numerous residents and the dinner invites were flowing!

The visible pride each resident holds for the place where they live is something to truly be admired. You never know, maybe one day that could be us and our Narnia become reality.

NNE

At the races M

erton, believe it or not, was the place to be on New Year’s Day. A true country race meeting where the only thing in town, apart from a general store, a hall and CFA shed is the race track and a bunch of people who enjoy a great day out. NNE

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NNEPEOPLE

Beechworth’s much travelled architect

After exploring life in three continents, English architect Ken Woodman and his family decided to try living in Australia.

They chanced upon Beechworth. More than 22 years later Ken still likes to travel, but the historic town is definitely home. u GAYNOR MATTHEW reports Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Ken Woodman at his office/home in Beechworth NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

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NNEPEOPLE

“

People were constantly saying they wanted flexible learning spaces, but nobody really knew or understood what that meant”

B

ecoming an award-winning architect who designs spaces for learning in schools has not been a straightforward journey for Ken Woodman; nor has his decision to make Beechworth home.

Born 52 years ago in the Borough of Wirral in the north-west of England, Ken’s parents planted the seed to explore by taking him, his two elder sisters and his brother on frequent camping and caravanning trips around Europe. The thirst for travel seems never to have left him.

Even committing to the study of architecture at university did not stop Ken from travelling: “I went to the Oxford Brookes University at Bath, a sort of sandwich course of six months study and six months in the workforce and I started picking different countries to work in; South Africa for six months, a year in Vancouver, and then in the final year of uni I did an exchange in Washington DC,” he says. His seven year degree took eight years because he took a year off exploring the world, coming to Sydney in that time to work in 1990.

“I spent three years on a tourist working visa working in Sydney for a

couple of practices, kept on travelling and then went back to England and qualified. Then after about a year I wanted to go travelling and working abroad,” he laughs. “But I had reached 30 when you can’t get a working holiday visa.

“As I was married by then with a six-month-old child, we decided to migrate with a choice to go to Canada or Australia. I didn’t want to stay in the UK as I wanted to experience more of the world. We liked Australia, the attitude, the people, a kind of pioneering feel to it all, the can-do approach, and we loved the outdoors and walking so we came to Australia in 1992.”

Despite a firm job offer with an architectural firm that he had worked with previously in Sydney, the urge to travel before the family settled down was stronger and as Ken had already gone north to Cairns, Darwin and Timor on a previous trip, this time they came south into Victoria and arrived in Beechworth.

“We kind of liked it here and happened to go to a garage sale of an architect selling up. That evening we got a knock on the door at the caravan park and it was Bernie Jovaras saying, “I’m an architect and I’m looking for someone to

come and work for me.

“He offered me a job, which was great. We thought we wouldn’t have had a chance to come and live in a community like this, whereas we would always have a chance to work in the city (where) it’s not that hard.”

Ken says their decision had a lot to do with the area and the people.

“We really liked the town – I’d been walking around through the gorge and along the creek. We also went to see Pennyweight Winery and Stephen and Elizabeth were great; we spent half a day with them and had lunch. They told us what the town was like, saying it was a really friendly town with a lot of really interesting people – that it wasn’t some isolated backwater, and we thought we’d give it a go.

“I worked for Bernie for ten years which were great as I’d only ever been in one place for a year. I really enjoyed working for him and I learnt a lot. Then my former wife and myself went on a long service leave trip back to Europe spending five months travelling, this time with our two girls (Trini and Lettie) who were in years 5 and 6 at primary school.”

On their return to Beechworth, Ken felt it was time to do something else so u

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NNEPEOPLE

Foundation Centre, St Augustine’s Primary School Wodonga Picture: Juliet Plowman

Years 3/4 Centre, Mount Beauty Primary School Picture: Erin Hartwig

St Monicas Booktree. Years 3/4 Centre, St Monica’s Primary School Wodonga Picture: Juliet Plowman

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

“

I don’t think we should be replicating what was done 100 years ago, that’s inappropriate”

he designed and built a rammed earth house in Alma Road. They had also bought and renovated a house in High Street and next door built another rammed earth house his mother could use on her visits. This house is now Ken’s studio at No.42 Architects, the name of his practice. The office has a native garden and to reach the front door, visitors need to cross a small metal bridge. “It’s my drawbridge,” laughs Ken. “I can pull it up if I need a quiet time.”

Going into his own practice was a result of an invitation to do some work at Wooragee Primary School, where Ken’s two children attended.

“I was a bit nervous about it all, but I’d done a lot of work with Bernie on schools and design for learning. Then I was fortunately successful in getting a scholarship for a PhD at Melbourne University to study school spaces under ‘Smart Green Schools’ and my friend and current associate, educational planner Dr Ben Cleveland, was the teacher.”

But instead of focusing on sustainability, Ken became so interested in ‘learning spaces’ and educational theory that he concentrated on the relationship between space and learning, and children’s feelings of attachment or connection to particular places.

“People were constantly saying they wanted flexible learning spaces, but nobody really knew or understood what that meant ... or how flexible learning spaces helped. I looked at the meaning of flexibility and what people generally thought of when they talked about it, talking to students, teachers, architects and facility providers, whose ideas all seemed to differ. Students like movement, teachers like variety of uses, architects like space and facility providers want to be able to manipulate whole buildings.

“What’s happening now is that we are trying to bring people together in social arrangements that enable them to learn and to change their thinking.

There are two movements in particular which have taken some hold: the Montessori way is to provide opportunities for students to explore things on their own and there is an Italian movement called Reggio Emilia which puts the student at the centre of learning. Previously it was the teacher. Teachers are the inspirers really – inspiring children to follow interests at their own pace and helping them to find their own paths and interests. My designs are u supporting that education.

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NNEPEOPLE

One of the Beechworth gaol buildings

“Montessori is moving quickly with this; the Catholic system probably is moving quicker than the state because they have a bit more autonomy over their schools than the state system. At St Monica’s Primary in Wodonga they started their change about eight or even 10 years ago and I was lucky enough to start working with them. We are on our fourth building there and currently designing our fifth, and the buildings themselves have evolved. They’ve all been internal refurbs or additions, but the way we’ve thought about it changes as more people have come on board, as the rest of the school has seen what’s happened in these early adopters. For example, children’s behavioural issues have almost disappeared and that’s one of the things that principal Jacqui Partington promotes. When children were all sitting in a classroom looking to the front they had heaps of behavioural issues, but now they have next to nothing.”

For Ken, a flexible space is a series of differently scaled acoustic boxes or environments for different and everchanging purposes. This can mean a tiered space for lectures and then nearby small rooms laid out with group tables, white-boarded walls in some spaces to work out ideas, or maybe a fully couched area for more of a social environment, down to small four person booths.

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Ken says where the teacher used to control all the space, now it is moving towards the student controlling the space and teachers educating them in how to use it.

“They still have goals and targets, but it’s about respecting the individual child and giving them the responsibility for their own learning and therefore for their own space.”

Beechworth architecture

Ken’s experience more than qualifies him to give his opinion about architecture around Beechworth, an often hotly debated topic.

He says it’s wonderful that the town has such “stunning old buildings everywhere” and understands the desire to retain the heritage feel to the place.

However, Ken warns against the danger of “standing still, of freezing the place as a museum”.

“When these buildings were built one or two hundred years ago they built them bang up-to-date in a style which suited them at the time. I don’t think we should be replicating what was done 100 years ago, that’s inappropriate. I think we should be acknowledging what was built hundreds of years ago and respecting it and building something that is compatible with it.

“But if you are infilling on a vacant lot you have to be compassionate and

considerate of your neighbours, but you don’t replicate them because they are built in a certain age and style due to certain social requirements and we are in a different age and a different style. It could be just maintaining the façade if the rest of it is of no architectural value; but if the rest is a good standard and has some history to it I think definitely we should be retaining that.

“You have to take things on merit when they are presented and I don’t think it’s an appropriate thing to put guidelines in place, but we should be compassionate about our architecture.

We should not be thinking that it’s cheaper or it’s modern – we should be thinking more holistically about our streetscape and not standing still with it.”

So what are the ‘stand-out’ buildings for Ken Woodman?

“It would have to be Mayday Hills Mental Asylum,” says Ken. “And I like the old goal; it is solid, has presence and commands a position in Beechworth.”

However, to Ken there’s more to Beechworth than just historical buildings. As he says, “There is a wonderful community feel.

“I like being in the township; it has a real social feeling. I equate it to a game of American football; when you are walking around town you only have to go ten yards before you are stopped.” NNE

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NNEFAMILY MATTERS

Just the Two of Us

54

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

With family staying over the holiday period, LOUISE MUNRO has been yearning for order, space and some quiet time

P

lease, can the young, adult people in our home leave. I am over it, done, kaput. I do love my children, but the time has come for them to find greener pastures elsewhere. I want my house back, it has been invaded again by two creatures who eat and sleep at irregular times and breeze in and out like they own the place. There is extra stuff everywhere and I am feeling a little claustrophobic and craving my space to be, well just that! I am ready for our house to inhabit two people only, me and the old boy – just the two of us.

The middle son has been back for a while, two years exactly, but who’s counting. His bedroom is always messy and a bit smelly. You know that young man smell, a mix of deodorant and dirty socks that makes me almost gag every time I walk past, to slam the door shut to make a statement – which usually goes unnoticed. In his defence he does pick up on his mother’s body language when I am nearing the ‘tearing your hair out’ point and he does muck in to lend a hand like cooking dinner or grocery shopping.

The youngest, our daughter who is home again for summer break from uni, is unspeakably disorganised and untidy.

She does messy on a whole other level.

I realised I may have failed miserably as a mum until I visited her in a previous rental last year and commented on how tidy her bedroom appeared.

“Why don’t you do this at home?” I

questioned. She replied by telling me that in a share house the bedroom is the only room where she can escape, so she keeps it clean and organised. I tried not to take this statement too personally.

Our daughter, God love her, has at the moment taken over two bedrooms, obviously one standard bedroom is not enough! I feel she has no idea how many clothes she actually has, which in my book is far too many. However, she must believe she doesn’t as new outfits keep appearing on her back when she is ready to venture out to socialise. I suggested a cull of clothes and to bag them up for Vinnies. Her response was “yeah mum, sure”, which appears to be the standard response for most things these days. But no cleaning, culling or organising has taken place to date.

Home alone doing the housework, I was in a mood due to the slothish manner of my children and their lack of appreciation. I was vacuuming and my daughter’s shoe was on the floor. This shoe represented the proverbial icing on the cake that I grabbed and wildly threw, screaming out to no one in particular, “Pick up your stuff, for God’s sake!”

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responded by almost choking on his red wine, my son shook his head in dismay and my daughter announced that I was a little psycho.

In my defence a work colleague who has similar aged children was chatting to me about this particular topic. She informed me that she and her husband sometimes sneak off to spend a weekend at their holiday house on the beach, just to have a breather from their adult children. She exclaimed that boys are the worst; her son who is 32 has left home five times! I was left wide-eyed and gobsmacked. I sincerely felt her pain.

A friend who is a mother of four, young adult children recently rang all excited. From the sound of her voice, I thought she had won lotto; but no she breathlessly announced that they were now empty nesters.

“They have all gone, gone,” she enthusiastically told me. I let out a big, happy, contented sigh, which made the old boy look up from his paper to ask if someone had a baby. “No better.” I replied. “All their kids have left.”

As mothers we all dearly love our children and I know with this article I am possibly coming off sounding like I could do without them. Well no, I just want them to lead their own lives, in their own dwellings. The old boy and I could then visit, spend quality time with them and then return home, alone.

Our daughter is going back to uni this year and has acquired a rental with friends where they can stay indefinitely. When she initially announced this I wanted to celebrate with a bottle of bubbly, but my wise old boy advised me to hold off, just in case.

“We don’t want to mozz ourselves,” he stated. Good advice.

Our son is planning to work overseas for the next few years, but hasn’t applied for a visa yet. So again I am holding off any thought of celebrating.

Seriously though when they do go, I will miss them and possibly even all the mess and chaos that comes with these two young adults. But all I will have to do is walk through my home and notice the order and neatness that is only messed up if I or the old boy choose to; a totally good feeling – for a while anyway.

NNE

As seen in

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

No adult children were physically harmed in the writing of this article, just slightly mentally scarred. However, the old boy told them to take a spoonful of concrete and toughen up!

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NNEANIMALS

Good fencing vital for keeping goats

Depending on your background, you may call them capra, cabra, chevre or bakara, but in Australia it’s all goat to us.

Dr DOUG NORMAN from the Alexandra Veterinary Clinic gives some background and advice on keeping them.

Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

G

oats are believed to have been the first animals to be associated with man going back as far as 10,000 B.C. when domestication was thought to have occurred.

They have become the most useful food producing animal in man’s history being the first animals to milk for human use and their flesh being the most widely consumed meat in the world with very few religions having taboos that prevent goat meat consumption.

On a world-wide basis, more goat milk is consumed than milk from any other source. Current estimates are that there are more than 800 million goats in the world with most goats found in Asia and the Middle East. The biggest goat population is thought to be found in China – at least 170 million. The ancestry of most goats is thought to originate from the Bezoar goat- found in the mountains of Asia Minor and across the Middle East.

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Breeds

These days there are more than 300 breeds of goat in the world, generally bred for milking, meat and the fibre from their coats. The most common are: Dairy goats; Anglo-Nubian, Angora, British Alpine, Saanen and Toggenberg. For meat, we usually find the Australian Bush goat and the Boer goat, while for fibre, most prefer the Cashmere and Angora goats.

Many breeds have come about for specific usage such as dairy or meat types. Others have developed in specific localities and are named accordingly.

Understandably, cashmere fibre comes from Cashmere goats, the main producers being China and Inner Mongolia. The fibre which is actually hair, is softer than wool and is believed to be many times warmer than wool.

The fibre is fine in texture, strong, light and will absorb water faster than wool.

Mohair is produced by Angora goats and is the closet fibre to human hair in relation to colour, texture and natural highlights. South Africa is the world’s major producer and the finest mohair comes from the kids (baby goats). It is considered the most resilient fibre and is often combined with other fibres in clothing production.

Australian goat meat is traditionally produced from rangeland bush goats and Boer goats, while in the US, the Boer goat is the leading source of meat. Unsurprisingly, the largest producers of goat meat in the world are in fact the largest consumers, being China, India and Pakistan.

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the US and Taiwan. Goat meat is lower in fat and cholesterol compared to other meat sources.

The goat dairy industry is still small in Australia, but is growing as goat milk has some unique properties. Fresh milk is supplied as a health product to people intolerant of cow’s milk, or suffering from allergic or asthmatic conditions.

The popularity of goat cheese is also increasing as well as its use in yoghurt, ice-cream and soap. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenised and can be digested a lot faster than cow’s milk.

Practicality

The trend for subdivision and the development of small hobby farms has created an opportunity for people to diversify farm enterprise. Goats are 60

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

suitable for smaller farms and need less intensive management than traditional cattle and sheep operations. Goats are suitable for use on small acreage as long as some basic conditions are met.

Good fencing is very important. If there is not adequate fences, goats will roam onto neighbouring properties or pass between paddocks. They are genuinely inquisitive and will investigate any weakness in the fence line. They are particularly good at crawling under fences and I have seen goats use their horns to lift an electrified fence so it slides off their back without effect.

Most goats can climb, especially the young. Access to poles or angle strainer posts allow easy access. There are good articles on fence design on the internet; check Department of Agriculture website.

This affinity to climb is popular with most goats and mounds of dirt, hay bales or any raised object seem to offer a preferred viewing platform. Our neighbour’s horse was often seen to lie down at certain times of the day; the goat that was company for this horse would often climb on to the recumbent horse and stand on him for long periods.

Many years ago one of our clients professed to having bought goats for their remote farm. Unfortunately for the neighbour, the goats found the roof of his new BMW to be a perfect viewing platform – not a good outcome for the car or, as it turned out, the goats!

Goats are typically inquisitive animals that when feeding prefer to browse rather than graze. This occasionally leads them into trouble especially when they gain access to garden areas by escaping from their paddock. Many English and European bushes and trees can be poisonous to eat; vomiting, innapetance and bloat being one of the earlier signs.

A popular myth that goats would prefer to eat blackberries led to many animals released into infested paddocks only to find them scatter and seek food elsewhere. This eventually added to the wild population as many fences were

inadequate and once in the bush, goats can easily revert to a feral or wild state.

Only the cat can revert as quickly to a feral state.

Goats are very social animals and I have seen some unique bonds occur between them and their owners. This relationship has made keeping goats more enjoyable for many people. The natural life expectancy for goats is around 8 -12 years with some living to 15 years.

Disease management

Goats are more prone to internal and external parasitism when not managed correctly. Disease is readily spread if attention to pasture care and health management is not followed.

Unfortunately there is advice available that suggests goats can be managed without the use of chemicals or drenches. We have seen many cases through the clinic where people have tried this approach only to find their animals dying or on the point of collapse.

Worm burdens can be assessed by a process known as faecal egg count (FEC). Samples of faeces can be dropped off at your vet’s surgery or sent to a vet lab for this test. Goats we have tested where drenching is inadequate have returned counts of 1000 eggs per gram of faeces. Any level over 200 will have an impact on health. Talk to your local vet regarding drenching programs.

It is one of the most important processes on farm. At present there is only one drench registered for use in goats – Caprimec from Virbac Animal Health.

Other drenches may be used under veterinary advice, but they would be considered as off-label use.

Vaccinations should include a 5 in 1 (Clostridial) vaccine to be administered at least yearly (some areas require twice yearly).

For further information start with the government websites on goat production or discuss with your local vet. NNE

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C Not cars, but works of art

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ruising through the hills with bottles of polish and spare rags in the boot, vehicles of all sorts are often spied taking advantage of the scenic routes throughout North-East Victoria. For many of us it’s an all too quick glance to remind ourselves of the beauty of the area as we travel from A to B. For many that visit in their pride and joys, it can be their first trip; a chance to run in that rebuilt motor and generally do a ‘look at me in my fine vehicle’. Grins on the drivers’ faces show just how much fun they are having.

Late last year, Jeff and Leslie Nye showed off their 1951 Ford Twin Spinner ute that Jeff’s dad bought when new. Jeff and Leslie are members of the Wangaratta Veteran, Vintage and Classic Vehicle Club and restored the car five years ago.

In November, members of the Austin Seven Car Club were making the most of a weekend around Mansfield. Being the Cup Day weekend, members were able to enjoy the bush market as well as local sights.

Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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Winton Wetlands

Celebrate our wetlands

T

hey were called swamps, marshes and bogs, and over time they have been drained, dammed and deemed of no use. Now our wetlands are embraced as crucial to maintaining fresh water systems and providing habitat for an abundance of flora and fauna. They also happen to be wonderful places to visit.

Our wetlands are highly efficient natural water filtering machines. As water flows in and out of the wetlands, the vegetation traps sediment and filters pollutants. When our rivers swell and flood, wetlands help hold the excess water and slow the flood waters.

Wetlands are considered the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems often with magnificent indigenous bush and a plethora of native wildlife.

Our two major wetlands in the NorthEast are in Yea and Winton and thanks to dedicated people, both now boast invaluable information centres.

With World Wetlands Day celebrated on Tuesday, February 2, both Yea and Winton Wetlands are conducting activities that continue into the month.

At Yea, the Y Water Discovery Centre, guides are organising tours through the beautiful natural bush and floodplain areas. Walk across the cable suspension

bridge and watch for platypus, native water rats and native birds.

At Winton, they will be celebrating with a Shoot and Share Photo Competition. To win, you’ll need to take a photo at the wetlands and upload it on facebook by 5pm, February 22. Voting will close at 5pm, February 29.

However, whatever the season, our wetlands connect us with our environment and furnish us with pleasure. Grab a camera, hiking shoes or even a canoe and take advantage of what we have at our doorstep in North-East Victoria. NNE

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NNEHITCHED

Home is where the heart is Stephanie &Tim

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he fifth generation Strathbogie family farm ‘Aberdeen’ – home of the Thomson family – made the perfect rustic setting Stephanie Thomson had always dreamt of to say “I do” in front of her closest family and friends to fiancé Tim Swift.

Firstly, formalities were held at St Johns Catholic Church in Euroa before all 150 guests regrouped at the farm beneath the stunning clear roof and wall marquee supplied by GV Party Hire in Shepparton. Catering was organised by Golden Roast Catering in Wallan while entertainment came via DJ PA (Paul Allan) from Euroa.

Jo Burden from Wisteria Cottage in Euroa had the all-important job of hair while Stephanie’s sister-in-law Krissy Thomson took care of the make up.

Melissa from Blooms on Bridge in Benalla brightened up the day with her stunning flower arrangements while Ebony Bell from Euroa designed a beautiful three tier cake finished off with fresh flowers on a timber stand.

Stephanie has a love for playing the piano and in a quirky twist decided to place an old piano in a paddock near the marquee. It helped create a lot of fun.

Towards the end of the afternoon, the overcast skies that had cooled the guests, gave way to the most astonishing sunset to complete the perfect day. NNE Pictures courtesy: Bethanie Hemeter

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Kimberley & Chris

Blue Shoes in the Garden

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Pictures courtesy: Miss Hully Photography (Wangaratta)

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wedding day is always a perfect occasion to respect our family heritage.

When Kimberley Ashton wore her grandmother’s bridal locket, just as her mother had done on her wedding day, Kimberley’s choice of “something old, something borrowed” was truly homage to the women in her family. In a bold move, Kimberley also wore striking navy blue heels as her “something blue”.

Kimberley and groom Christopher Wisener married at the lush “Birchwood near Benalla” estate in October last year. The couple chose the intimate garden setting and their reception at the converted tobacco shed, Remel 185 (Whorouly) to again honour a long-standing family history of both growing up in the area.

Guests enjoyed a three-course feast provided by Remel 185 owners Ruth and Ed, followed by a stunning three-tier chocolate mud and red velvet cake made by a family member.

In a hessian walled, candlelit old tobacco shed, this couple embraced and gave a courteous nod to their rustic country roots. NNE

NNEFOOD AND WINE

Brewing up a storm in the North-East 70

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The High Country Hops Festival to be held in Beechworth in mid-March is a fair clue that they take their beer seriously in the North-East.

COLETTE GEIER looks at the hop-growing industry that just keeps growing Pictures: COLETTE GEIER

A

ustralia has long punched above its weight in beer consumption, but it is only now finding its feet as a beer producer and much of it is taking place in our own back yard.

Between hop production and craft brewing, our local producers are trail blazing and turning heads the world over.

Where local wine producers have been setting standards for generations, our top brewers are now taking it a step further by not only using locally grown ingredients, but primary produce designed for Australian conditions making their products something uniquely Australian.

The High Country Brewery Trail is a collaboration of Black Dog Brewery at Taminick, Bridge Road Brewers in Beechworth, Bright Brewery and Sweetwater Brewing Company in Mt Beauty; it encompasses a 150km trip from the plains to the high country passing right by the Rostrevor hop gardens at Eurobin.

Brewers involved in the trail have joined forces to create the ‘High Country Hops Festival’, now in its second year. It is held at Bridge Road Brewers in Beechworth on Saturday, March 19, and will showcase beers from each brewery as well as collaborative brews and many other local artisan products including Milawa cheese and Gundowring ice cream.

The Rostrevor hop gardens at Eurobin on the banks of the Ovens are a spectacular sight. The verdant fingers of the hop plants reach up to the sky like Jack’s magical beanstalk to more than six metres.

At this time of year the light green hop flowers emit a strong herbaceous scent adding to the unique spectacle of the hop gardens.

Hop production requires specific growing conditions including a cold winter and plenty of water, recognised by early farmers who grew hops in the Derwent River valley of Tasmania more than 150 years ago.

Without the modern preservation methods used to store hops, a counterseasonal harvest to the northern hemisphere offered an attractive export market for early Australian hop growers and after being trialled for several years, commercial quantities of hops were first planted in North-East Victoria in the 1890s.

The Panlook brothers were descendants of gold traders in the Buckland Valley and were the first to grow hops at Rostrevor, planting 50 acres in u 1895 alongside tobacco.

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“

“We’re keen to help foster the craft beer industry”

Bridge Road Brewery pretzels

The new century saw the erection of commercial hop kilns nearby and after a crop failure of tobacco in the 1930s, North-East Victoria became the largest hop-growing region on the mainland.

In 1988, the Rostrevor farm was bought by Hops Products Australia (HPA) a subsidiary of the German family owned Barth-Haas Group of companies, the world’s oldest and largest hop trader, which now owns 80 per cent of Australian hop production and is still expanding.

With recent acquisition of more land along the Buffalo River, local hop planting is set to double in the coming year from 200 to 300 hectares making 72

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

it the largest hop growing area in the nation.

Farm manager Allan Monshing knows more about growing hops than most.

This year will be his 43rd hop harvest and with his father and grandfather having managed Rostrevor before him, the Monshing family are now a true hopfarming dynasty.

Despite only contributing one per cent to world hop production, Australia has been setting the standard in hop breeding for more than 50 years.

The role of hops in beer is twofold; traditionally, they were used for their antimicrobial properties in brewing, but these days they are added primarily for

the bitterness and aromatics they impart, a sharp contrast to the sugary sweetness of malted barley.

Its bitterness comes predominately from a compound called alpha acid and the higher the alpha acid content, the smaller the quantity required to achieve the same bitterness.

In the 1950s Carlton and United Breweries produced a world-first by creating a hop cultivar with 10 per cent alpha acid known as Pride of Ringwood.

So named for its place of origin, Pride of Ringwood became synonymous with lager production around the world and is still the basis of the famous Fosters Lager.

With the expansion of Melbourne in the 1960s and ‘70s, the Ringwood hop breeding station was being affected by light pollution from streetlights so the operation was moved to Rostrevor at Eurobin.

In the late 1980s, HPA produced a new cultivar at Rostrevor with even higher alpha acid called Superpride, which remains the basis of large-scale lager production throughout Australia.

Where Pride of Ringwood could be likened to the hop version of the Granny Smith apple, Superpride has become our Pink Lady and much like the apple analogy, there are plenty of hop growers around the world who would like to have it as their own.

HPA is constantly receiving calls from international hop growers wanting a piece of the action but chief executive officer Tim Lord has been quick to make clear “that’s not one we’re ever going to share”.

The Rostrevor breeding program has continued to produce record-breaking hops with new cultivars bred specifically for North-East Victorian conditions containing up to 16.8 per cent alpha acid.

Having led the way in hop breeding for half a century, HPA has a strong

reputation for innovation and Tim stresses the role of quality and originality in the company’s future.

“The rich alluvial river plains, high altitude and cold winters provide the perfect conditions for producing exceptional quality hops and we’re keen to help foster the craft beer industry,” says Tim. The terroir enjoyed by Rostrevor and surrounding areas produces hops with unique aromatic qualities, attributes highly prized by boutique producers.

HPA currently exports hops to more than 2000 craft brewers across the world, yet only a handful have the opportunity to use them in their fresh green state.

Being highly perishable, hops are dried, pelletised and packaged to maintain freshness, but using hops picked straight from the vines creates a very different beer.

Known as wet-hopped beers, fresh hop brewing requires (much like tea or dried herbs) a higher percentage of hops and creates a more subtle result. The bitterness is replaced by mild and more aromatic flavours.

As well as wet-hopped beers, the High Country Hops Festival will showcase single origin hop beers much like single

the produce store food

wine

coffee

origin coffee or chocolate.

Each year Bridge Road Brewers make a series of single origin hop Indian Pale Ales (IPAs) utilising locally grown (and bred) cultivars that create a boxed set called ‘Beer School – Hops 101’.

Where the heavy resin flavours of Pride of Ringwood and Superpride have put Australian hops (and lagers) on the map, Bridge Road Brewers are helping showcase some of HPA’s new varieties concentrating on other parts of the beer flavour spectrum including floral, spice and fruit notes.

At the IV International Humulus (or hop) Symposium in the USA last year, HPA took out highest score for ‘overall liking’ along with two other HPA bred cultivars ranking in the top eight.

Considering the long wine traditions in North-East Victoria, it is not surprising much of the craft beer production has stemmed from wine making.

Ben Kraus of Bridge Road Brewers grew up in the North-East and studied viticulture at Dookie before taking off to see the world and find his calling.

After working in wineries in Italy and France, Ben lost his heart to his now fiancée Maria in Austria and found his passion for beer in his father’s u homeland.

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Owen Johnston of HPA

Ben returned home with Maria and started brewing beer in his parent’s shed in Beechworth.

Within a year Ben’s beers (coupled with Maria’s fresh baked pretzels) had outgrown the shed and they moved to their current location, the former stables at the back of the historical Tanswell Hotel in Ford Street, Beechworth.

The brewery produces 22 standard 74

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

brews with many other speciality brews for specific events or collaborations.

What started in the family shed has become a true family collaboration.

While Maria oversees the kitchen, Ben’s mother Liz has become brand ambassador at many local events and Ben’s dad Josef provides carpentry skills and feedback –“be it wanted or not,” Liz clarifies.

Bridge Road Brewers has been wholesaling bottled beer through major supermarkets since 2010 and is well known not only for its quality, but its eye-catching packaging. Much of this as well as the logo featured throughout the brewery were created by another member of the Kraus family, Ben’s sister, the talented Korrine Arblaster of Kore Graphics also in Beechworth.

Last year the High Country Hop Festival attracted more than 300 people to the Bridge Road Brewery and this year Ben and the other brewers involved are hoping to double the numbers.

Owen Johnston of HPA will be there to answer questions about the Australian hop industry and while the event is designed to provide a chance for locals to sample beers from all four breweries in one location, it is also an opportunity for the businesses involved to showcase their products to customers from over the world.

Accompanied by local entertainers for both the young and old, the High Country Hops Festival is sure to only get bigger and better and become a major feature in the North-East Victorian calendar. NNE

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Beer and Bangers – Bavarian Style Longwood Chef COLETTE GEIER releases her inner fraulein and blows the froth off a couple of coldies

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Lunch and dinner 7 days a week Live music last Sunday afternoon of the month Beer garden • Accommodation Bottleshop • Ice cold beer • Open fireplace Buxton Hotel - Maroondah Highway Buxton Phone 03 5774 7381 buxtonhotel@virtual.net.au 76

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eing hop harvest time it seems only fitting I prepare something with a beery theme and what’s better suited to beer than bratwurst?

I’m taking the association one step further, however, by not only serving them with a beer, but by adding some to the pot and I can assure you, it’s well worth the sacrifice (of the beer I mean, as well as the pig).

Fittingly, the history of bratwurst can be traced back to North-East Germany (much like myself), but unlike me, bratwurst translates as brat (chopped meat) and wurst (mixture); though put me in a leotard and I wouldn’t look dissimilar to a Bratwurst.

Designed as a fresh sausage in the middle ages, the original brats were intended to be eaten for breakfast straight after being produced, as they were prone to spoilage if left any longer.

I’ve been making bratwurst for several years now and it’s only now after researching the history it’s occurred to me to eat them for breakfast.

My search for a satisfying low carb start to the day has just reached a fabulous conclusion, but I might still save this recipe for dinner.

This dish was first made for me over an open fire on a cold autumn evening in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains and I can tell you it warmed my heart as well as my fingers.

Although the original sausage is from Bavaria, cooking them in beer is an American idea, but I have to concede, on this occasion they have done themselves proud.

It’s such an easy, obvious way to prepare sausages and the beer not only creates a delicious gravy, it brings down the cooking temperature and allows the links to cook more evenly without bursting their skins.

I like to serve them on a bed of mashed parsnip and potato; the sweetness of the parsnip contrasts beautifully

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Fit for a feast with the salt and hops and also provides a perfect way to soak up every last drop of beery, porky goodness.

It’s just a fancy way of making snags and mash, but what’s not to love about snags and mash?

This is probably not a recipe for a 40°c day, but as the days become shorter and the evenings become cooler, I highly suggest you sacrifice a local craft beer to the sausage gods and reap the rewards on your dinner plate. u

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NNEFOOD AND WINE

Beery Bratwurst with onion gravy Serves 4 This recipe is equally good with cider if you’re looking for a gluten-free alternative.

4 or 8 bratwurst (depending on the size of the sausages); 2 medium onions (sliced); 1 stubby of good quality beer (not chilled).

First of all remove a second beer (this time chilled) from the fridge, crack it open, take a long swig and feel the tension of the day melt away as the fresh hoppy goodness caresses your tastebuds.

Ok, now you’re ready.

Heat a large frypan and add a little olive oil. Toss in the onions and allow to colour before adding the sausages. Once the sausages are added turn them regularly until brown on all sides and then pour in the beer.

Turn down the heat a little and allow the liquid to reduce until it forms the consistency of gravy and the onions are totally caramelised.

Using a refrigerated beer will work; however, it slows down the cooking considerably and is a waste of a perfectly good cold beer.

Serve the sausages over mashed root vegetables of your choosing; top with the onions and gravy and be sure to match it with another beer, preferably one made close to home. NNE

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

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No draw-backs at Lupo’s

Everyone loves a good shed, but the Lupo family at Myrtleford have gone to great pains to show what can be done with a tobacco drying kiln. PAT O’BRYAN samples the food at Lupo’s Kiln Café and declares it to be ‘smoking hot’

S

cattered throughout the Myrtleford area are the distinctive corrugated iron tobacco drying kilns that were once filled with locally grown tobacco leaves that hung from wooden racks to dry.

It’s in one such shed that Michelle and Ermanno Lupo have created a wonderful café, which these days, of course, has to be a no-smoking zone. In keeping with the history, the Lupos have taken great pains to utilise much of the kiln’s past in transforming it to a family friendly eatery with an emphasis on family and children.

What was once a hot, dark, closed in shed has been cleverly converted into a light, open, quirky, welcoming café for breakfast and lunch. Set slightly 80

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

back from the Great Alpine Road on the Bright side of Myrtleford, the cafe has views out to the surrounding countryside and mountains. Off to one side of the café is a large fenced off playground while to another is an enviable kitchen garden whose fresh produce is used daily on the menu.

At the rear of Lupo’s is a sizable decking area with seating and umbrellas while inside the area is light and bright with a wood heater in the corner for those winter days.

“There are two lunch special quiches today,” Michelle explains in her friendly way. “There’s a quiche Lorraine and a roast pumpkin, caramelised onion and spinach quiche,” she says as she places menus, a bottle of cold water and glasses on the table. Instantly you are made to

feel comfortable and welcome.

Michelle and Ermanno have taken one of Myrtleford’s prominent historical landmarks and given it a whole new lease on life.

The menu is well honed and keeps to the Lupo’s philosophy of fresh pasta and dishes made the traditional Italian way. Lunch starters are bruschettas ($8) and an antipasto board ($25) of cold meats that include homemade salami. We chose two bruschettas; one of caramelised onion, baby spinach with feta and the other with cherry tomato, basil and garlic. Both were served on finely sliced, toasted sourdough that gave your mouth plenty of space to fit in the fresh toppings piled high and finished off with a dash of balsamic vinegar. Both u were very yum and very filling.

Trophy Winning Red Wines

Relax with nature

Mob 0402 136 448

Welcome to Jamieson Valley Retreat, located in the NE of the Victorian Alpine Region. Set on 25 acres, it offers 4 fully self-contained chalets.

The retreat boasts breathtaking scenery of the Australian Alps, with Jamieson River frontage and a natural spring fed lake to swim or fish in.

This is a peaceful and secluded retreat for those looking to unwind.

53 Longwood Mansfield Road Longwood East 3665 Victoria jenny@maygarshill.com.au

www.maygarshill.com.au

Jamieson Valley Retreat 36 Jamieson Valley Lane (Off Licola Road) Jamieson P: 5777 0510 info@jamiesonretreat.com www.jamiesonretreat.com M: 0400 599 546

MAYGARS HILL

53 Longwood Mansfield Road, Longwood East 3665 Victoria Australia Tel 61 3 5798 5417 M 0402 136 448 vineyard@strathbogieboutiquewines.com We have the BEST COFFEE in town, with LIGHT www.strathbogieboutiquewines.com

MEALS available in a cosy and relaxing atmosphere.

Not to mention our all day BREAKFAST on weekends, homemade CAKES and GLUTEN FREE options.

Outside CATERING and private FUNCTIONS are also available, so come in and see our friendly staff today!

OPEN 7 DAYS A stop without the hassle of a detour

363 DAYS A YEAR Weekdays 7.00am - 5.00pm, weekends 8.00am - 3.30pm

79 Grant Street, Alexandra | 5772 2122

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

THE GIDDY GOAT Licensed Café

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

Ph: 5773 4223

ts Lazy Breakfas

Relaxed Lun ches

Great Food Cheerful Service Funny Looking Staff Eat In or Takeaway

6606 Maroondah Hwy. Yarck

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

www.yarckcottage.c

om

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

81

NNEFOOD AND WINE

Left: Sue DeCarheil from Bright and Wendy Brookes from Porepunkah enjoying lunch on the balcony

Lunchtime menu options include a selection of fresh pasta dishes of ravioli, gnocchi and lasagna, the quiche of the day and beer battered flathead tails.

Pasta sauces on offer include bolognese, napolitana and burnt butter and sage.

You have the option of mixing freshly made pastas with the sauce to create your special dish. The additional sauces are mushroom, matriciana and basil pesto. The dishes vary from $17-22 for

a single serve or $38-50 for a family serving and the servings are very generous.

For lunch we chose a pasta, the fusilli broccolini with garlic, onion and bacon ($20) and a plate of gnocchi with bolognese ($20). The fresh fusilli with loads of equally fresh broccolini was light and tasty. More filling was the gnocchi with the rich bolognese sauce that was generous and beautifully

cooked. Each dish came with a slice of crusty bread, while placed in the middle of the table was a small bowl of grated parmesan cheese.

On the drinks list was an array of beers and cider ($6 to $8) and a small, yet well chosen selection of local sparkling, red and white wines available by the glass and the bottle ($7 to $8 a glass and $24 to $30 a bottle). Also on the drinks list are mixed spirits ($10) as

Fish For dinner...

Guaranteed!

Recreational fishing for beginners to the expert fly fisher Located in the picturesque Goulburn Valley, Eildon Trout Farm has fishing for everyone. You can choose from five ponds, with different challenge levels and sized fish in each pond.

A great day out and an excellent opportunity for team building, celebrations, birthdays and more.

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 PâtÊ.

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

Contact us for competitively priced wholesale and bulk ordering.

P: 03 5773 2377 460 Back Eildon Road, Thornton (Look for the green flags and the big trout!)

E: eildontroutfarm@activ8.net.au Check our website for specials and fresh recipes www.eildontroutfarm.com.au

Quality Bulls and Females Available Lease Options, Semen and Embryos Available For more information contact:

Caitlin Williams 0419 007 489 Thornton, Victoria

82

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Lupo’s Kiln Cafe

134 Great Alpine Road, Myrtleford 8am to 5pm Thursday to Sunday and public holidays Open school holidays seven days a week (03) 5752 2310 www.luposkilncafe.com.au

well as soft drinks and good old-fashioned milk shakes.

The breakfast menu goes to 11am and has house-made granola ($12), blueberry hotcakes with the lot ($12), free range eggs on toast ($9), smashed avocado with a poached egg if you wish and breakfast quiche ($11.50). There’s also a kid’s breakfast menu ($3$4.50).

Michelle and Ermanno provide a cleverly designed eatery where you can enjoy the rural setting of the Ovens Valley while your children can eat and then play safely in the expansive playground.

While the kids are distracted the adults can enjoy breakfast or lunch knowing that the food is made in-house with fresh ingredients by people who love their work and take pleasure in ensuring that you enjoy their food and their cafe.

Lupo’s carries a selection of freshly made pastas and sauces to take home for a fuss free, tasty singles, couples or family meal. NNE

Ermanno and Michelle Lupo

THE PLACE TO MEET, THE PLACE TO EAT

Made by Ros Ritchie with passion and skill Take home the essence of The High Country

ALL DAY BREAKFAST & LUNCH FRESH JUICE, SMOOTHIES & MILKSHAKES COFFEE Carefully crafted wines Handpicked from Carefully individual crafted wines vineyards in the cool climate Carefully crafted wines high country of Victoria Handpicked from individual

ICE CREAM HAND CRAFTED PIES, PASTRIES & CAKES

vineyards in the cool climate

Handpicked from individual Made with skill and highpassion country of Victoria

vineyards in the cool climate high country of Victoriaat: Available Marks IGA & Foodworks Supermarket Restaurants throughout region Made with skill and the passion Ros Ritchie PhoneWines Ros 0448 900 541 PO Box 210 Mansfield PO Box 210 Mansfield,Vic 3724 Victoria 3724 Australia www.rosritchiewines.com www.rosritchiewines.com

Ros Ritchie Wines PO Box 210 Mansfield Victoria 3724 Australia www.rosritchiewines.com

28 HIGH ST, MANSFIELD Ph 5775 2623

C A F E

SINCE 1972

OPEN 7.30AM TO 4.00PM 7 DAYS A WEEK

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

83

NNEFOOD AND WINE

Well balanced Riesling Wine writer IAN DUNN can now add another Riesling to his list of favourites from the North-East after tasting the Tar and Roses, Don Lewis, version

S

ummer started about two months earlier than it was entitled to. At least at our place near Yea we’ve had what seems like world record low rainfall. Verdant pastures have given way to grassless brown soil. Dams have emptied.

In this awful season one could easily develop more than a nodding acquaintance with beer. I’ve never been very partial to the various potions emanating from the Fosters camp, so I rejoice in the spread of micro breweries.

A Jamieson Pale Ale seems awfully good while grilling on the barbecue. And other locally brewed beers are also first rate.

This is but one of a number of healthy ‘localising’ developments in wine and spirits. Following a recent birthday I was thoughtfully given a bottle of Four Pillars gin made in Healesville. So far as I could tell on one tasting, it’s lovely. The Deft Palate has seized upon it with relish, to the point that I don’t even know where she is hiding it!

Just to show what can be done locally

with the right community attitudes, the state of Tasmania has, it seems, become the centre of distilling in the Southern Hemisphere with new gins and whiskies springing up everywhere; the latter excellent, but at very high cost.

All of this occurred to me when, during a stay at Point Lonsdale, we visited Athelstane House at Queenscliff.

The small menu featured locally caught flathead and calamari. But what bowled me over was the wine list with a very wide selection of various grape varieties and prices ranging from mid $20s to much more, but mainly about $40. Apart from a couple of sparkling wines, almost every offering was local. I use that term widely. Some were from across the Heads, others from the wider Geelong wine region. A lot of small, virtually unknown wineries were being given their chance to strut their stuff. It all created great interest, with knowledgeable waiting staff earning their tips.

A fair amount of fish was eaten during our sojourn at the coast. Fortunately

I took a bunch of the whites from our region, which I rate so highly including Rieslings from Ros Ritchie, Delatite and Antcliff’s Chase. One guest, when told he was to be eating flathead, pronounced that one “has to have Chardonnay with flathead,” so we produced a bottle of the latest Sedona, which pleased him so well he called for another.

A little variety is of course welcome.

I tasted recently, a 2015 Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio. I’ve never had strong views about this variety. Usually pleasant enough, but not a wine I would normally go looking for. This will now change.

Incidentally, if one is troubled by the distinction between Pinot Grigio and Pinot Gris, don’t be. It’s the same grape variety. Grigio is Italian. If you cross the border into France, especially in Alsace, it’s Gris. Different wine making styles are employed, but using the same grape variety.

The Tar and Roses wine, which is readily available, is made at Nagambie by one of the doyens of Australian winemaking, Don Lewis, previously Jimmy Watson award-winning winemaker at Mitchelton and his wine making partner Narelle King. Grapes are sourced from various local regions and the wine has a pinkish hue, which lead

EASTER SPECIAL Take your taste buds on an exciting journey Experience divine Cuvée chocolates by master chocolatier Deniz Karaca matched perfectly with Sedona Estate’s Reserve wines - a must treat for any adult chocoholic!

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

84

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Tar and Roses www.tarandroses.com.au Trust Wines www.trustwines.com.au

to one of the tasters swearing that she could taste strawberry. This wine was dry and both delightful and interesting, all the more so because one of the tasters was once wine critic for a noted inner Melbourne weekly journal where he took his responsibilities to taste as much wine as possible very seriously! He liked the wine greatly, and commented that he drinks Pinot Grigio with hot spicy food.

Whilst we considered this, he also pronounced that Gewurtztraminer is excellent with pork.

We also tasted the 2014 ‘Lewis’ Riesling, named after Don Lewis to commemorate 40 years of his making of Riesling. The wine retains slightly more sugar than the drier, more flinty versions.

I liked it immensely. The Deft Palate who is partial to a little flint, was not so sure. But I’m certain that this lovely wine will appeal to a broad range of white wine drinkers, especially to those who sometimes complain that Riesling is too dry. A few producers including Helm in the ACT and Bests at Great Western are producing Rieslings marketed as “offdry”. The Tar and Roses version is, by no means, as sweet as those. I think the balance is about right.

Don Lewis and Narelle King make a number of other wines under the Tar and

Roses label, including several reds, which I suspect are excellent but haven’t yet tasted. This is high quality wine making, producing wines at what I regard as a ridiculous price (about $20).

One should also consider the wines under the Trust label owned by Don Lewis and Narelle Ryan personally. These are produced largely from the winemakers’ own vineyard near Tahbilk. In the company of different tasters we drank an excellent well rounded 2012 Shiraz in which the high quality fruit dominates.

The 2012 is the latest version of a consistent highly regarded wine, often made in drought years. So often do droughts produce great red wine while reducing the volume.

Trust also produces an interesting (Crystal Hill) white wine blend using an old press and made from Riesling, Viognier, Gewurtztraminer and Savagnin sourced locally. We may not have done

it justice for, whilst perfectly acceptable, this one was opened in the company of the Tar and Roses Pinot Grigio and I must say that the Pinot Grigio was the preferred option.

The Trust Shiraz sells at $26, the white blend at $20. There might also be some earlier vintages of the Shiraz at a higher price. The Trust wines are sold at the Nagambie IGA, but also through their website. NNE dunn227@gmail.com

You voted us 4 out of 5 Accommodation - Food - Service

Obviously we’re good!

Beechworth - more than a destination!

Disabled Access - WiFi - 7 Days - Catering - Central

40 Camp Street, Beechworth Est 1868

5728 2028

www.hibernianhotel.com.au NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

85

NNEPICTURED

Story characters on parade

C

hildren’s Book Week may have been back in August, but sometimes there are those photos that just have to be used regardless of the timing.

The children, large and small, from the Mansfield Primary School had paraded through the main street dressed as their favourite book characters.

Who could resist? Our only regret is that we could not fit them in an earlier issue.

This year’s Book Week will again be late in August; from the 20th to August 26.NNE Pictures: LYNNDA HEARD

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Proudly written and produced by people who choose to live in this area. northbynortheast.com.au

Premier Regional Victoria Art Show Exhibition and sale of traditional artworks, photographic prints, woodwork and other local crafts Alexandra

Held in Alexandra Leisure Centre, Cnr Maroondah Highway and Hall St, Alexandra

Gala Opening Friday 25 March 7pm - Be first to view and buy

47th Easter Art Show www.rotaryalexandra.org.au

Saturday 26 March 10am - 7pm Sunday 27 March 10am - 5pm Monday 28 March 9am - 12noon

All proceeds to go to Rotary Projects Contact email: alex.easter.artshow@gmail.com

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

87

NNEARTS

Physics and life

W

hen ‘Rock and Roll I gave you all the best years of my life’ hit the airwaves in 1973, your reviewer could totally identify with the misery of the lyrics. Not that I had ever picked up a guitar or even sung in the shower. It wasn’t music that was the source of my frustration, but something almost from another planet: Physics.

When the Russians got their Sputnik into space in 1957, we on the other side of the Cold War were in shock. How could that backward mob beat us to it? We soon got into gear, promoting Physics as the ultimate subject for study at any level. In a way, the strategy worked; within 12 years an American was walking on the moon. It seemed worth spending all those billions just so we could prove the superiority of capitalism. In the meantime I, along with countless others, wasted my youth on a subject that was dry as dust and had no real human connection. This beautiful novel goes a long way towards changing that.

Ethan is 12 and he’s special. Besotted with physics, he’s also able to see things that no-one else can: patterns of light, movement of atoms … He’s an only child, and has no memory of his father, who left when he was a baby. His mum, Claire, does a wonderful job of bringing him up, but her task is made difficult because of Ethan’s learning difficulties; he took ages to learn to speak and all other milestones were similarly delayed. Now, though, he’s up to speed and can read better than all the other kids in the class. It’s just that he doesn’t fit in.

Ethan knows nothing about his father Mark, but one day his world is tipped upside down. He finds out that Mark has not only served time in jail, but that it was for hurting Ethan when he was very small.

To add to his consternation, Mark suddenly appears in his life and seems to be the dream father for Ethan. He’s gentle, loving and, even better, works as a physicist, so he knows the answers to every question Ethan ever wanted to ask. He also denies ever harming Ethan, whose relationship with his adored mum is turned sideways; he blames her for keeping secrets from him and for refusing to allow Mark into his life.

This wonderful book uses physics as the vehicle to carry the story, but it’s done in such a way that it adds to its brilliance. Suddenly, the science isn’t dry as dust anymore; it’s a living subject with huge relevance to life. At the end of 2015, the final TV episode of the Book Show discussed the five best books of the year. Only one Australian novel made that list; unsurprisingly, it was this one. None of those panellists had any background in science, but all thought it was a perfect choice. If you read it, you will too. NNE

88

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Relativity

by Antonia Hayes 358pp, Penguin Viking Reviewed by Joe Blake

Subscriber pampering If you’re a subscriber to North by North-East magazine you automatically go into the draw to WIN a ‘Massage Retreat’ for two at White Lotus Natural Health and Wellbeing in Narbethong. Located at the foothills of the beautiful Yarra Ranges forest, this is the perfect weekend for those in need of some rest and pampering.

The winner gets to stay in the beautiful self-contained twostorey cottage, ‘The Treehouse’. This Massage Retreat will include everything you require for the ultimate getaway.

Package is a one night stay for two people with everything provided including a full gourmet private breakfast, a bottle of Molly Jean Sparkling Wine from Buxton Ridge and a regional harvest cheese platter on arrival. To complete your luxury stay there will be two 90-minute relaxation massages.

Prize is valued at $500 Terms & Conditions: Weekend booking is subject to availability. Early check-in at 1pm to accommodate afternoon therapies. Prize not redeemable for monetary value. Prize valid till March 4, 2017. To be eligible to win the White Lotus “Massage Retreat” simply be an existing subscriber or become one by 3pm, Friday, March 4, 2016.

See below for details as to how to become a subscriber or to organise a subscription as a gift.

Prize is transferable, but not redeemable for cash. With gift subscriptions, the recipient of the gift is treated as the entrant. Winner will be notified by phone and/or email by Tuesday, March 8, 2016.

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Happenings

February&March

Festive Alexandra

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 Third Sunday of month

Every Saturday Mansfield Produce Swap

Wangaratta Farmers Market

10am –12pm. Free. Swap excess produce grown or made at home or preserves. 120 High St

Local produce & food products. Apex Park.

Clements St. wangarattafarmersmarket@gmail.com

Myrtleford Central Market

Violet Town Community Market

9am – 2pm. Farmer’s produce & local artisans.

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

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

Every Sunday

Second Sunday of month

treasure, fresh produce. Avian Park Raceway.

Newman St. 0427 215 258

Avenel Produce & Craft Market

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. nagambiecommunitymarket@bigpond.com 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. thetatongvillagemarket@yahoo.com.au 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

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

Wangaratta Market 8am – 1pm. Trash &

First Saturday of month

Flowerdale Community Market 9am – 1pm.

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

Jubilee Park Queen St. 0468 586 069

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

Fourth Saturday of month Beechworth Country Craft Market 9am – 3pm. Queen Victoria Park Sydney Rd 5728 2968 kchivers57@hotmail.com

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

Marysville Community Market 9am – 1pm.

11 Murchison St. www.marysvilletourism.com

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

Milawa Gourmet Region Producers Market

Eildon Lions Easter Market (Mar 26)

(13 Mar) The Cross Roads, Snow Road, Milawa. www.milawagourmet.com.au

Myrtleford Cotters Market (13 Mar) Locally fresh produce & crafts.

Jubilee Park. Great Alpine Rd. cotters@themyrtlefordfestival.com.au

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

Wangaratta Swap Meet & Collectables Market (14 Feb) Wangaratta Showgrounds.

Evans St. www.wangaratta.vic.lions.org.au

First Sunday of month

Third Saturday of month

Chiltern Market 10am – 2pm.

Bright Market 9am – 1pm.

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

Handmade, organic, recycled, ethical. Howitt Park.

0457 953 586 www.brightchamber.com.au

Tallarook Farmers’ Market

Euroa Village Farmers Market 9am–1pm

8am – 2pm 100+ stalls Moore Park. Main St. Eildon. 5774 2674

Mansfield Bush Market (Mar 26) 9am – 2pm. Food, produce, craft & wares. www.mansfieldbushmarket.com.au

Mansfield Farmers Market 8.30am – 1pm.

Median strip High St. 0417 319 879

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. Mechanics Institute, Main Rd, Tallarook clivehines@hotmail.com

Fresh farm produce. Rotary Park, Kirkland Ave. 0456 723 331 www.euroavillagefarmersmarket.org

9am – 1pm Taggerty Hall. Taggerty– Thornton Rd. Taggerty. 0421 351 571 taggertyprogresscommittee@hotmail.com

Second Saturday of month

Moyhu Farmers & Community Market (not on Easter Saturday 26th March)

Fourth Sunday

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

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

8am – 12pm. Local produce, plants, artisans.

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

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

Mansfield CWA Craft & Produce Market

Yackandandah Monthly Produce Swap

Alexandra Market

10am – 2pm. Locally homemade goodies.

CWA Hall, High St, Mansfield

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

Myrtleford Flea Market 8.30am – 12pm.

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

Yarck Country Market

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

9am – 1.30pm. Local produce.

Yarck Hall, Maroondah Hwy. 5773 4304

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

Some Easter treats If you are looking for an alternative to lounging around home over Easter here are a few of the alternatives.

In Mansfield the Easter Art Show opens its doors with more than 30 artists featuring their works in a range of mediums. All the works are for sale so please be tempted.

Open March 25 to 28, 9am - 6pm. Masonic Hall, Highett Street, Mansfield Gala Preview March 24, 6 - 8pm Email: richardwatson811 @gmail.com

At Molesworth on Easter Saturday and spanning the length and breadth of the recreation area with row upon row of just about everything you could think of for auction. If it can be moved it will be there and ready to be bid upon. BYO wallet is essential when you enter the Molesworth Easter Bazaar, craft sale and auction.

Saturday, March 26 from 9.30am Molesworth Recreation Reserve Goulburn Valley Highway, Molesworth lesridd@mcmedia.com.au www.molesworth.info

The Easter Fair in Alexandra is food, live music, wine and a family day out in the park.

Easter Sunday, March 27, from 10 to 3pm. Look out for the Easter bunny.

Rotary Park, Grant Street, Alexandra info@alexandratourism.com

Alexandra’s Rotary Art Show transforms the huge Community Centre into a creative feast for the eyes. Artists from far and wide display their talents. Take the time to wander through the display as all of the works are for sale.

Gala Opening is Friday, March 25 at 7pm where you can be the first to view and first to buy. The show continues on Saturday from 10am-7pm, Sunday 10am-5pm and Monday, March 28, from 9am-noon. alex.easter.artshow@gmail.com www.rotaryalexandra.org.au

NORTH BY NORTH–EAST

91

NNEHAPPENINGS

Galleries & Museums

Shire Libraries

Gig Guide

Alexandra Timber Tramway & Museum

Volunteer to help at your local library.

Call 1300 374 765

Open Mic Every Tuesday from 7.30pm.

Alexandra Grant St 5772 0349

Open Mic 1st Sunday monthly 5 – 9pm.

Station St, Alexandra www.alexandratramway.org.au

Banksia Gallery King Parrot Valley Country Retreat

26 – 66 Wentworth Rd, Strath Creek 0457 590 022

Beechworth Cnr Albert Rd & Harper Ave

Benalla Art Gallery Botanic Gardens

1300 365 003

Bridge St, Benalla www.benallaartgallery.com

Benalla Nunn St 5762 2069

Benalla Costume & Pioneer Museum

Bright Ireland St 5755 1540

14 Mair St, Benalla benhist@vicnet.net.au home.vicnet.net.au/~benmus/

Euroa Binney St 1300 374 765

Commercial Hotel, Alexandra

Hotel Nicholas. Beechworth

Beechworth Ghost & Paranormal Tours Most nights. 1300 366 231

Live Music at Bright Brewery

Sundays www.brightbrewery.com.au

Buxton Hotel Motel Live Music

Samaria Rd, Benalla benallamigrantcampexhibition.blogspot.com.au

5772 0349

Last Sunday of each month buxtonhotel@virtual.net.au 5774 7381

Kinglake Kinglake–Whittlesea Rd 5786 1522

Everton Hotel Open Mic Session

Bright Art Gallery

Mansfield Collopy St 5775 2176

Benalla Migrant Camp & Aviation Museum

Mountbatten Ave, Bright www.brightartgallery.org.au

Bruno’s Art & Sculpture Garden

51 Falls Rd, Marysville www.brunosart.com

Chambers Gallery

Flowerdale/Eildon/Marysville/Strath Creek

Myrtleford Cnr Standish St & O’Donnell Ave 5752 2038

Nagambie High St 1 300 374 765

2nd Sunday monthly 2pm. 5727 0232

The Flowerdale Hotel

2pm First Sunday monthly. 5780 1230

Bracket & Jam 3rd Friday of the month.

Dinner 6.30pm, music 7.30pm. Book 5779 1404 Mansfield Regional Produce Store. www.theproducestore.com.au

113 High Street, Broadford www.mitchellshire.vic.gov.au

Violet Town Cowslip St 1300 374 765

El Dorado Museum

Yea The Semi Circle 5797 2209

Gallery 34

34 High St, Yea www.gallery34.com.au

Cinemas & Performing Arts

Great Alpine Gallery

Benalla Performing Arts & Convention Centre

Great Alpine Rd, Swifts Creek www.swiftscreek.net

57 Samaria Rd www.bpacc.com.au

Highlands Hillcrest Gallery & Studio

First Thursday monthly Vine Hotel, Wangaratta North. www.facebook.com/WangarattaUkuleleBand

Chiltern Star Theatre

Music Night at The 2 Cooks Cafe

136 Main St, Eldorado www.eldoradomuseum.com

Hillcrest, RMB 6020 Old Highlands Rd, Highlands dennisspiteri@active8.net.au

John Dermer Gallery

225 Kirkby Flat Rd, Yackandandah info@johndermer.com.au

Kerrisdale Mountain Railway & Museum 7523 Goulburn Valley Hwy, Kerrisdale www.kerrisdalemtnrailway.com.au

Mansfield Historical Society

Mansfield Railway Station 175 High St. Mansfield

Marian Rennie Gallery

132 Breakaway Rd, Acheron www.marianrennie.com.au

Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA)

Wangaratta Docker St 5772 4211

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 Violet Town St Dunstan’s Hall High St

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 74 Grant St, Alexandra www.rusticsimplicityblog.wordpress.com

The Farmers’ Arms Hotel Museum 25 Kirkland Ave Euroa. 5798 9548

The Sheila Inc Design Centre

52 – 54 Binney St, Euroa 0400 753 715

Wangaratta Art Gallery

56 Ovens St, Wangaratta www.wangarattaartgallery.com.au

Wangaratta Historical Society

Ford St, Wangaratta wanghistsoc@hotmail.com www.wanghistsoc.org.au 92

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

Yackandandah Old Time Dance

2nd Saturday monthly Yackandandah Public Hall www.uniqueyackandandah.com.au

February Events

1st Floor, The Co Store Complex Cnr. Ovens & Reid sts. www.wangcinema.com.au

Naturely – A Celebration of Creative Artworks

33 – 37 Ford St www.wangarattapac.com.au

Old Post Office Seymour

4th Friday monthly 6 – 9.30pm 577 Whorouly Rd, Whorouly. www.the2cookscafe.com.au

1st – 29th February

Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre

Crn. Emily St & Tallarook St, Seymour www.seymourartsociety.org.au

Wangaratta Ukelele Band

Wangaratta Cinema Centre

North East Artisans Community Gallery Old Courthouse Gallery

3897 Great Alpine Rd, Myrtleford www.gapsted.wines.com.au

2386 Midland Hwy www.swanpoolcinema.com.au

546 Dean St, Albury 02 6023 8154 88 – 90 Bridge St, Benalla www.facebook.com/NE.Artisans

Music on the Deck @ Gapsted Wines

Wangaratta Players Inc 4D Evans St 0427 522 318

Yackandandah Memorial Hall Complex High St. www.yackandandah.com

Shire Swimming Pools Alexandra Perkins St Avenel Queen St Beechworth Harper Ave Benalla Mair St Bright Gavan St Bright River Pool Centenary Park Chiltern Alliance St Eildon High St Euroa Brock St Mansfield Highett St Marysville Falls Rd Mount Beauty Pool Rd Myrtleford Standish St Nagambie Vickers Rd Porepunkah River Pool Nicholson St Rutherglen High St Tangambalanga Kiewa East Rd Violet Town Tulip St Wangaratta Swan St Yackandandah Railway Ave Yea High St

Wangaratta Tourist Information Centre 100 Murphy St. Wangaratta. 1800 801 065 www.visitwangaratta.com.au

Tuesday 2nd February World Wetlands Day – Future Sustainable Livelihoods

Yea Wetlands – Guided Walk with the Birds 7am – 9am Y Water Discovery Centre.

2 Hood St. Yea www.ywatercentre.com.au Winton Wetlands www.wintonwetlands.org.au

Thursday 4th February Mother Goose – Parent Child Program

9.30am – 10.30am Rhymes, songs, stories Mansfield Family & Children’s Centre. Davies St. Mansfield 5775 8800 d.smith@mdh.org.au

Friday 5th February Brewer for a Day

Bright Brewery. 121 Great Alpine Rd. Bright Hands on brewing experience info@brightbrewery.com.au www.brightbrewery.com

Café Culture Series – Co Cheol

6pm. Harmony in Scots–Gaelic Vine Hotel. Detour Rd. Nth Wangaratta 5722 8105 www.wangarattapac.com.au

Saturday 6th February Sweet Valley Sounds Music, food & wine. Big Hill Mt Bike Park.

130th Tolmie Sports Day Saturday 13th Feb 2016

Bogong High Plains Rd. Mt Beauty. www.sweetvalleysounds.com.au

Gapstead Winery – Shakespeare in the Vines.

5pm Essential Theatre Co “Romeo & Juliet” www.gapsteadwines.com.au Ales on the Ovens Craft beer & cider, regional food, live music.

5721 7724 Apex Park. Clements St. Wangaratta www.alesontheovens.com

Thursday 11th – Saturday 13th February A Travola! Cooking School

Pizzini Wines. 175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Friday 12th – Sunday 14th February

The tradition continues!

A day of old-style activities for all the family to enjoy Axemen and equestrian events, the dog jump, novelty events, food and drink stalls and displays.

Tolmie Sports Ground, Old Tolmie Rd, Tolmie

Entry $20 adults, $5 students / pensioners, kids under 14 free

More details at www.tolmietimes.com or phone 5776 2178

6th Annual Writers, Readers & Poets’ Weekend

10am George Kerford Hotel. Mayday Hills Village. Beechworth www.beechworthartscouncil.org.au

Adventure Travel Film Festival – Bright

Films at multiple venues in Bright. www.adventuretravelfilmfestival.com

Saturday 13th February The 130th Tolmie Sports Day

Old–style sports & activities, stalls, food, free activities. Bush Dance.

Tolmie Sports Ground, Old Tolmie Rd. 5776 2178 www.tolmietimes.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.

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

Sunset Soiree – Lake Moodemere Vineyards

9am. 12 Moodemere Rd. Rutherglen 02 6032 9449

Movie Night - Taggerty Hall 6.30pm. Taggerty

Valentines Day Sunday 14th March Thursday 18th – Saturday 20th February

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

A Travola! Cooking School

Pizzini Wines. 175 king Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Friday 19th – Sunday 21st February Bonnie Doon Music & Busker Festival

Live music – country, folk, bluegrass, rock. Bush dance Friday night.

Poets, yarns, open mic. 4.30pm – 11pm Fri. 10am – 11pm Sat. 8am – 5pm Sun. Camping available. Bonnie Doon Recreation Reserve. 0408 565 760 info@bonniedoonmusicfestival.com www.bonniedoonmusicfestival.com

Seymour Alternative Farming Expo 2016

Kings Park Tallarook St. Seymour 5799 1211 www.seymour–expo.com

Sunday 21st – Sunday 28th February Alpine Flying Course Mt Beauty Gliding Club course.

Mt Beauty Airport. Embankment Dve. Mt Beauty. www.mtbeautygliding.com

Saturday 27th February Say Goodbye to Summer – Holmesglen Eildon

6.30pm. 3 course dining of local produce, live music 92 Moore Rd. Eildon 5774 2631 www.holmesglen.edu.au/eildon

Cultural Landscapes – Euroa Environmental Seminar Series

11am – 3pm. Local & regional Indigenous Leaders.

The Flour Mill. 17 Kirkland Ave. Euroa. www.strathbogievoices.com.au

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.

Storytelling our Country Session

Flour Mill. Kirklands Ave. Euroa. 0429 122 833

Benalla Short Film Festival

Benalla Performing Arts & Conference Centre. 57 Samaria Rd. Benalla www.benallashorts.com

Sunday 28th February Show Us Your Wheels

Show & Shine event open to all vehicles. Moyhu Primary School.

2799 Wangaratta–Whitfield Rd. Moyhu 5727 9298 www.moyhups.vic.gov.au

St Pat’s Race Club Picnic Meeting 11am – 6pm Yea Racecourse. Racecourse Rd. Yea www.countryracing.com.au Annual Gem Fair Alexandra & Eildon District Lapidary Club 8am Stalls, gems, minerals, fossils, jewellery www.alexandra–eildon–gem–club.com/

Arnot Street, Bonnie Doon Phone: 03 5778 7254 info@bonniedooncaravanpark.com.au

www.bonniedooncaravanpark.com.au NORTH BY NORTH–EAST

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NNEHAPPENINGS

March Events Thursday 3rd – Saturday 5th March

Friday 11th – Saturday 12th March

Thursday 24th March

A Travola! Cooking School Pizzini Wines.

175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Tallangatta Agricultural & Pastoral Show 8am Tallangatta Showgrounds. 6 Yamba St. Tallangatta www.tallangatta.countryshows.com.au

Mansfield Easter Art Show Gala Preview

Friday 4th March Regional Longest Lunch Falls Creek 12pm Falls Creek All Seasons Alpine Resort. www.fallscreek.com.au/LongestLunch

High Country Regional World’s Longest Lunch – Melbourne Food & Wine Festival

Dal Zotto Winery. Producers from King Valley, Beechworth, Rutherglen, Glenrowan & Alpine Valley. 4861 Wangaratta–Whitfield Rd Whitfield www.dalzotto.com.au 5729 8490

Regional World’s Longest Lunch – Nagambie Lakes 12pm

Tahbilk Winery. 254 O’Neils Rd. Tahbilk www.melbournefoodandwine.com

Brewer for a Day

6 - 9pm Masonic Hall - Highett St 0418 579 633

Friday 11th – Sunday 13th March

Easter Good Friday 25th March

Brighter Days Festival

Falls Creek Easter Festival

Saturday 12th March

Friday 25th – Saturday 26th March

Towong Cup Races 11am

A Travola! Cooking School Pizzini Wines.

Cars, bikes & music. Bright township. www.brighterdays.org.au

Family picnic country race day. 84 Race Course Ln. Towong www.countryracing.com.au

Sunset Soiree – Lake Moodemere Vineyards 9am 12 Moodemere Rd. Rutherglen 02 6032 9449

Family fun. Easter egg hunt. www.fallscreek.com.au

175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Friday 25th – Sunday 27th March Golden Horse Shoe Festival – Beechworth Celebrating all that is Beechworth. www.beechworthgoldenhorseshoes.com.au

Merrijig Twilight Rodeo

McCormacks Lane. Merrijig www.merrijigrodeo.com

Lawn Tennis Easter Tournament Myrtleford

Saturday 12 – Sunday 13 March

Myrtleford Lawn Tennis Club. Lewis Ave. Myrtleford. www.myrtlefordtennis.com.au

Autumn Below the Ranges – open garden

Alexandra Lifestyle & Leisure Expo

Alexandra Community Leisure Complex.

5029 Maroondah Hwy. Alexandra www.alexandraexpo.com

Art Show – 47th Alexandra Rotary

10.30 – 4.30pm King–Parrot Banksia Gallery.

26 Wentworth Rd. Strath Creek 5797 0207

Friday 4th – Sunday 6th March

Tastes of Rutherglen at Pfeiffer Wines 2016

Bright Brewery. 121 Great Alpine Rd. Bright www.brightbrewery.com

Rutherglen Ballroom Dance Festival

Dance – New Vogue, Modern, Latin, Old time.

Rutherglen Memorial Hall. High St. Rutherglen www.rutherglenvic.com

Alexandra Cup

Alexandra Racecourse. 1 Gordon St. Alexandra 5773 4304 www.alexandraraceclub.com.au

Hand Launch Remote Control Glider Open Competition 2016 F3K Asia–Pacific Open Dicks Paddock. Clarkes Rd. Longwood shonaguest@bigpond.com 0438 528 257

Saturday 5th – Sunday 6th March NOW (Nagambie on Water) Festival

Family fun in & on water, live music.

Pub to park swim. www.nagambieonwater.com.au

Sunday 6th March

Clean Up Australia Day Tenors on the Turf

3pm. Three Australia young tenors at Mansfield race track. www.tenorsontheturf.com

Wednesday 9th – Monday 14th March Kelly Country Cruise Wangaratta Cadillac LaSalle Club national meet. www.cadillaclasalleclub.com.au

Labour Day Weekend 12th - 14th March Thursday 10 – Sunday 14 March Myrtleford Festival

5 days fun, food, art, music. www.themyrtelfordfestival.com.au 94

FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

th

11am – 4pm. 20 winemakers.

167 Distellery Rd. Wahgunyah 02 6033 2805 cellardoor@pfifferwinesrutherglen.com.au

Saturday 12 – Monday 14 March th

th

GT Bike Buller Festival

Saturday 5th March

th

th

th

Exhibition & sale of artwork, photo prints, woodwork, crafts. Alexandra Leisure Centre.

Cnr Maroondah Hwy & Hall St. Alexandra www.rotaryalexandra.org.au

Friday 25th – Monday 28th March Mansfield Easter Art Show

9am - 6pm Featuring works by over 30 artists.

All paintings, glass and sculptures for sale Masonic Hall - Highett St Mansfield 0418 579 633

Bike rides for all types of riders & bikes Summit Rd. Mt Buller www.rapidascent.com.au

Saturday 26th March

Tennis Tournament – Euroa

Molesworth Easter Bazaar & Clearing Sale

Turnbull St. Euroa www.eltc.com.au

Sunday 13th March

9am – 5pm. Trash & treasures from home & farm.

Molesworth Hall & Recreation Reserve. lesridd@mcmedia.com.au www.molesworth.info

Show & Shine Wangaratta 9am–2pm.

Saturday 26th – Sunday 27th March

Apex Park. Clements St. Wangaratta 0419 587 376

Thursday 17th March Morning Melodies Concerts for young at heart Nagambie Rowing Club. 301–315 High St. Nagambie. www.nlec.com.au 5792 2747

Friday 18th – Saturday 19th March A Travola! Cooking School Pizzini Wines.

175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Friday 18th – Sunday 20th March Yackandandah Folk Festival

Music & fun for everyone www.folkfestival.com

Brown Brother Easter Family Festival Milawa–Bobinawarrah Rd. Milawa www.brownbrothers.com.au

Easter Sunday 27th March Alexandra Easter Fair

10am – 4pm Live music, food, wine & family fun.

Rotary Park Alexandra. 0418 266 038 andrew.embling@landmark.com.au

Duck Race & Bush Market Harrietville Tavare Park. Great Alpine Rd. Harrietville www.visitharrietville.com.au

The Red Hot Summer Tour – Bonnie Doon

Saturday 19th March

Bonnie Doon Hotel. Maroondah Hwy. www.redhotsummertour.com.au

High Country Hops Festival

Dinner Plain Geebung Polo

Bridge Rd Brewery. Ford St. Beechworth www.bridgeroadbrewers.com.au

Saturday 19th – Sunday 20th March Bushrodders Picnic & Show & Shine

www.visitdinnerplain.com

Pizzini Easter Sunday Family Day

Pizzini Wines. 175 King Valley Rd. Whitfield www.pizzini.com.au

Yea Race Course. Racecourse Rd. Yea www.showshine.info

Monday 28th March

Sunday 20th March

Water Fun @ The Wetlands

Bike Buller. Mansfield – Mt Buller Rd Race 2016 16km ride up Mt Buller. www.bike.mtbuller.com.au

Y Water Discovery Centre & Yea Wetlands.

Primary children experience 5797 3394 info@watercentre.com.au www.watercentre.com.au

9.00am - 1.00pm

Myrtleford on display The Myrtleford Festival celebrates all that is great about living in that area and it takes five days to accommodate the huge program of activities.

The Gala Parade, the Street Party, the Festival Ball, Festival Queen challenge, the markets and the family picnic in the Piazza are some of the major events.

It opens on Thursday, March 10 and continues through to the Labour Day holiday on Monday, March 14. www.themyrtlefordfestival.com.au

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

Sporting fun at Tolmie The people at Tolmie have been fine tuning their annual Sports Day for 130 years and by now they definitely have it right. A true country day of sporting fun, with the emphasis on fun. If you can throw a gumboot or if your dog can jump heights, you should compete on the day. Home baking is included in the entries along with horse racing games and wood-chopping, all followed by the bush dance.

Saturday, February 13.

Tolmie Sports Ground, Old Tolmie Road. www.tolmietimes.com NORTH BY NORTH–EAST

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NNEPROPERTY

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

“With polished slate floors and exposed timber ceilings throughout, the house exudes a warm, friendly feeling”

Artist’s paradise at Merton

M

erton is one of those places that most Melbourne people have never heard of, yet those driving to Mansfield or Mt Buller will almost always drive

through it.

The people of Merton don’t mind that they are living in this area of some anonymity. To them it adds to the place’s appeal. After all they see their small village as the hub of a very pretty wheel with the four towns of Mansfield, Euroa, Alexandra and Yea all within 25 to 30 minutes drive away.

Quiet is one word to describe Merton, but absolutely beautiful is another term often used by those who stop and look around. However, some parts of this area are more beautiful than others.

Such a place is ‘Wildwood’, a property of more than 51 hectares (about 128 acres) of native bush and a brilliant house and large studio with apartment set high in the Strathbogies in Macklins Road about ten kilometres from the Maroondah Highway.

Understandably, the buildings are set in well cleared areas for security from bushfire threats, but both the house and studio areas offer sensational views.

The home is built of mud brick from the soil produced from levelling the site. With polished slate floors and exposed timber ceilings throughout, the house exudes a warm, friendly feeling. Most importantly, it also abounds in natural light with great views from wide feature windows.

Expansive verandas on three sides shade the deep windows and appear to be just the spot for relaxing and observing the wildlife with a large dam reasonably close to the house.

Inside sees a spacious living and formal dining area with a combustion heater installed in the large fireplace. The adjacent kitchen comes with

a Stanley combustion stove that also heats the hydronic system through the house. There is plenty of room for casual dining before a second section that is more the working kitchen with deep double sink, gas stove and a walk-in pantry.

Double doors from the living area open to a slate-paved hall leading to two big bedrooms that again offer views and lots of light via generous windows. A smaller bedroom currently serves as a study or office.

The timber lined bathroom has a deep bath, separate shower and nearby toilet. There is also a separate laundry.

Uphill and to the rear of the house is a well established vegetable garden near the singleroom hut built from on-property timber and used as accommodation when earlier owners were building the home. There is also a handy garden shed.

Directly in front of the home, part of the land that slopes down to a gully was cleared many years ago to grow flowers on a commercial basis.

Taps and are still in place with underground piping from the dam.

Some 500 metres away from the house is a mud brick apartment with separate bathroom and toilet. Beside it is a huge studio with water and power; it would be ideal for an artist.

Obviously ‘Wildwood’ is hardly a farm and will not suit everyone; it is, however, a very special and private place that will suit someone with creative leanings. NNE

AT A GLANCE ‘Wildwood’, 38 Macklins Road, Merton 4 bedrooms, approx 51 hectares Price: $795,000 Agent: Clark & Co Mansfield 5779 1700

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

97

landmarkharcourts.com.au landmarkharcourts.com.au

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ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA -- GREAT GREAT LOCATION LOCATION FANTASTIC FANTASTIC VIEWS VIEWS

YEA IMPRESSIVE LIVING LIVING YEA -- IMPRESSIVE

Located Located inin aa relaxed relaxed and and private private setting setting and and featuring featuring uninterrupted uninterrupted views views of of the the rolling rolling hills, hills, this this well well presented presented 44 bedroom bedroom home home isis set set on on huge huge block block of of approximately approximately 1200sqm, 1200sqm, (1/4 (1/4 acre). acre). All All bedrooms bedrooms have have built-in built-in robes, robes, spacious spacious bright bright open open living living with with Coonara Coonara wood wood heater, heater, floor floor heating, heating, split split system system and and northerly northerly aspect, aspect, separate separate dining, dining, updated updated hostess hostess style style kitchen kitchen with with stainless stainless steel steel appliances. appliances.

Fabulous Fabulous undercover undercover outdoor outdoor entertainment entertainment and and barbeque barbeque area area nestled nestled inin aa very very private private rear rear yard. yard. With With good good car car accommodation accommodation plus plus additional additional parking parking for for caravan, caravan, boat boat and and trailer, trailer, this this property property isis sure sure to to appeal appeal to to first first home home buyers buyers and and retirees retirees alike. alike. AA special special home home with with many many possibilities.. possibilities..

Be Be surprised surprised by by wonderful wonderful established established gardens gardens and and fantastic fantastic outdoor outdoor entertaining entertainingarea areaininthis this5-year-old 5-year-oldhome. home. Located Locatedininsought soughtafter afterYea Yea Springs SpringsEstate Estatethis this33bedroom bedroombrick brickhome homeisisimmaculate. immaculate. Year Yearround round comfort comfortwith withducted ductedheating heatingand andcooling. cooling. Master Masterbedroom bedroomoffers offersWIR WIR and and large large ensuite, ensuite, adjacent adjacent isis aa sitting sitting room room or or parents parents retreat. retreat. Well Well appointed appointed kitchen kitchen with with walk-in walk-in pantry pantry and and open open plan plan living. living. Paved Paved outdoor outdoor alfresco alfresco from from the the dining dining area, area, great great for for summer summer breakfasts. breakfasts.

Lounge Lounge opens opens to to the the huge huge undercover undercover outdoor outdoor entertaining entertaining area area taking taking inin beautiful beautiful established established gardens. gardens. Complete Complete with with garden garden shed, shed, double doublel.u. l.u.garage garageand andaaspot spotto topark parkaacaravan, caravan,trailer traileror orboat. boat. Energy Energy efficient efficient with with solar solar panels panels and and solar solar hot hot water. water. Lovely Lovely private private home home with withviews viewsof ofthe thesurrounding surroundinghills, hills,only onlyminutes minutesto toshops shopsand andschools. schools.

$375,000 $375,000 Judy Judy Richards Richards 0419 0419 527 527 923 923

$395,000 $395,000 Belinda Belinda Hocking Hocking 0418 0418 115 115 574 574

ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA 5772 5772 3444 3444 56 56 GRANT GRANT STREET STREET

ALEXANDRA ALEXANDRA 5772 5772 3444 3444 56 56 GRANT GRANT STREET STREET EUROA PERFECT PRESENTATION PRESENTATION –– PERFECT PERFECT SIZE SIZE EUROA –– PERFECT 12 12 AC AC –– 4.9 4.9 HA HA (APPROX) (APPROX) This This immaculate immaculate home home will will impress impress the the most most fastidious fastidious buyer, buyer, the the well well fenced fenced land land isis perfect perfect for for horses, horses, cattle cattle etc etc and and the the location location isis convenient convenient being being only only 22 kms kms from from Euroa.

Euroa. The The fully fully renovated renovated home home sits sits amongst amongst beautiful, beautiful, easy easy care care gardens gardens and and has has been been positioned positioned to to take take advantage advantage of of the the stunning stunning outlook. outlook. Step Step inside inside and and itit isis the the “wow “wow factor” factor” with with perfect perfect presentation, presentation, high high ceilings, ceilings, ornate ornate cornices, cornices, wood wood heater, heater, evaporative evaporative cooling, cooling, split split system system air air conditioning conditioning –– the the list list goes goes on. on. The The living living room room isis massive massive with with huge huge windows windows which which maximise maximise the the views, views, the the stylish stylish kitchen kitchen has has enviable enviable storage storage and and adjoins adjoins the the family family dining dining room room with with access access to to the the outdoor outdoor living living area. area. The The 33 double double bedrooms bedrooms have have excellent excellent built-in built-in robes, robes, the the main main also also having having full full ensuite, ensuite, while while the the extra extra large large study study also also has has excellent excellent storage storage and and direct direct access access to to the the double double garage. garage. The The 44 paddocks, paddocks, one one with with loose loose box, box, are are serviced serviced by by three three stock stocktroughs troughsand anddam dam(2 (2meg). meg).The Thehorse horseenthusiast enthusiastwill willlove lovethe the55 stables stables and and ifif you you need need storage storage there there isis aa 14m 14m xx 9m 9m (approx) (approx) shed shed plus plus 9m 9m xx 7m 7m hayshed hayshed (approx). (approx). The The 12 12 stage stage watering watering system, system, bore bore and and 90,000 90,000 of of rainwater rainwater storage storage keep keep the the gardens gardens lush lush and and ifif you you have have trucks trucks there there isis plenty plenty of of space space for for those those too. too. The The perfect perfect package! package! $500,000 $500,000 John John Stringer Stringer 0418 0418 575 575 156 156

EUROA EUROA 5795 5795 2868 2868 13 13 BINNEY BINNEY STREET STREET

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EUROA EUROA

BUILD BUILD A A LIFESTYLE LIFESTYLE TO TO BE BE ENVIED~STUNNING ENVIED~STUNNING VIEWS VIEWS -- 62.6HA 62.6HA (154 (154 ACRES) ACRES)

$490,000 $490,000

This This stunning stunning property property consisting consisting of of around around 155 155 acre acre ranges ranges from from rising rising creek creek flats flats to to undulating undulating granite granite based, based, well well drained drained soils. soils. These These fertile fertile soils soilshave haveaaproven provenlucerne lucernegrowing growinghistory. history.Fenced Fencedout outto toapproximately approximately30 30acres acresare arehuge hugeattractive attractivegranite graniteboulders. boulders.Most Mostof ofthe theinternal internalfencing fencing is is new new with with the the remainder remainder being being in in good good to to excellent excellent condition. condition. Offering Offering aa choice choice of of home home sites sites (S.T.C.A.) (S.T.C.A.) with with sensational sensational elevated elevated views views to to the the north north and and back back to to the the Strathbogie Strathbogie Ranges, Ranges, this this block block presents presents aa wonderful wonderful and and unique unique opportunity opportunity to to create create aa perfect perfect rural rural pursuit. pursuit. Situated Situated just just 2km 2kmsouth southof ofthe theHume HumeFreeway, Freeway,16km 16kmfrom fromEuroa Euroaand andonly only135km 135kmfrom fromMelbourne.

Melbourne.The Theseasonal seasonaltree treelined linedcreek creekmeanders meandersthrough throughthe theproperty property and andthe thespring springfed feddam damprovides providespermanent permanentwater. water.Power Powerruns runsadjacent adjacentand andaccess accessis isexcellent. excellent.This Thisproperty propertycomes comeshighly highlyrecommended. recommended.

Euroa Euroa -- 5795 5795 2240 2240 Steven Steven Jeffery Jeffery 0427 0427 595 595 760 760 31 31 Railway Railway Street Street Euroa Euroa euroa@ruralco.com.au euroa@ruralco.com.au

ACHERON ACHERON

SECLUSION, SECLUSION, TRANQUILITY, TRANQUILITY, STUNNING STUNNING MOUNTAIN MOUNTAIN VIEWS. VIEWS. 38 38 ACRES ACRES

$498,000 $498,000

Unique Unique craftsman craftsman built built mud mud brick brick 33 bedroom bedroom home. home. Spacious Spacious Blackwood Blackwood kitchen kitchen and and open open plan plan family family living living area area with with awesome awesome outlook. outlook.

High High quality quality African African Slate, Slate, Bluestone Bluestone fireplace fireplace and and cathedral cathedral ceilings. ceilings. Roomy Roomy bedrooms, bedrooms, Master Master with with ensuite ensuite and and large large walk walk in in robe. robe.

Both Both bathrooms bathrooms light light filed filed with with glass glass skylights. skylights. Lovely Lovely blend blend of of light light forest forest and and pasture, pasture, 44 paddocks, paddocks, ample ample water water -- rain rain water water storage, storage, 22 dams, dams, electric electricbore borewith withauto autogarden gardenirrigation irrigationsystem. system. Have Havethe thelifestyle lifestyleand andbe bethe theenvy envyof ofyour yourfriends friendsand andfamily! family!

Alexandra Alexandra -- 5772 5772 1110 1110 Nik Nik Patek Patek 0409 0409 936 936 210 210 78 78 Grant Grant St St Alexandra Alexandra npatek@ruralco.com.au npatek@ruralco.com.au

HOWQUA HOWQUA RIVER RIVER ROAD ROAD HOME HOME WITH WITH VIEWS VIEWS & &A A HUGE HUGE SHEARING SHEARING SHED SHED

RANGE RANGE $300,000 $300,000 TO TO $310,000 $310,000

IfIf you you have have ever ever dreamed dreamed of of waking waking up up in in the the Victorian Victorian High High Country Country and and heading heading off off for for aa short short stroll stroll along along aa crisp crisp mountain mountain river river then then stop stop dreaming dreaming and and make make itit aa reality. reality. Set Set on on just just over over 3.1 3.1 acres acres of of manageable manageable land land surrounded surrounded by by rolling rolling hills hills & & farmland, farmland, this this property property has has features features that thatnormally normallyonly onlyadorn adornmuch muchlarger largerproperties properties& &is isboth bothaffordable affordableas aswell wellas asmultifaceted. multifaceted. With Withaalittle littleTLC, TLC,you youcould couldjust justspruce spruceup upthe themain main home hometo toenjoy enjoyfor foryourself yourselfor oraltenatively, altenatively,with withaabit bitmore moreimagination, imagination,you youcould couldcreate createany anynumber numberof ofenterprises enterprisesby byfurther furtherdeveloping developingthe thehuge huge functional functionalshearing shearingshed, shed,as aswell wellas asthe theshearers shearersquarters quartersadjacent adjacentto tothe thehouse. house. The Themain mainhouse houseis isin inthe theprocess processof ofhaving havingthe theroof roofreplaced replacedwith with aabrand brandnew newshiny shinyone oneand andthere thereare arealso alsonew newwater waterstorage storagetanks tanks& &pumps pumpsto tosupply supplythe thehouse. house.

Situated Situatedonly onlyaashort short15 15minute minutedrive driveto toMansfield Mansfieldwhere wheretown townmeets meetscountry, country,this thisproperty propertyis issure sureto tospark sparkaalot lotof ofinterest interestwith withthose thoselooking lookingfor for some someroom roomto tomove moveand andlike likethe theidea ideaof ofhaving havingaafishing fishingrod rodleaning leaningon onthe thefront frontverandah. verandah.

Mansfield Mansfield -- 5775 5775 1444 1444 Danni Danni Schneider Schneider 0414 0414 690 690 479 479 165 165 Mt Mt Buller Buller Rd Rd Mansfield Mansfield dschneider@ruralco.com.au dschneider@ruralco.com.au

www.ruralcoproperty.com.au www.ruralcoproperty.com.au

Wildwood

38 Macklins Road, Merton

• Fabulous combination of privacy, environment and location.

• A quality home plus self-contained separate studio.

• 128 acres of predominately bush.

• Excellent construction of mud brick, metal and glass.

• Natural light and majestic environmental views.

• Hydronic heating, Stanley combustion stove, Cheminees Philippe fireplace.

• Wildwood is an extraordinary destination, perfect artist retreat and highly desirable escape from the busy work schedule.

Call for an appointment to inspect or for further details.

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

www.elders.com.au

ALEXANDRA Luxury & Style to Surpass all Expectations…

• Stunning double storey, 6 bedroom, 4 bathroom, fully renovated family home set on a magnificent ½ acre (2000m2) allotment.

• Prime elevated location opposite Leckie Park.

• Massive open family/dining area flowing to an alfresco entertaining zone.

• Gourmet kitchen with Butler’s pantry & an extensive list of prestige extras.

• Master bedroom with ultra large dressing room & sumptuous en suite bathroom.

• Second living room/library, separate games room, study.

• Noted Robert Boyle design landscape providing an enviable level of privacy & exclusivity.

• Fabulous outdoor pavilion for dining & entertaining.

• Double garage, electric security gating.

Setting the Benchmark with Uncompromising finish & Brilliant design…

$890,000

$795,000

John Tossol 0419 558 032

ELDERS ALEXANDRA (03) 5772 1052 6 Webster Street

5775 3033 10 High Street Mansfield

1 Acre oasis - just off High Street Unique gem in the heart of town! An historic home on 1 acre surrounded by the Botanical Park and with a 200 metre frontage to Ford’s creek. The original home of solid brick is one of Mansfield’s earliest and has been lovingly maintained and sympathetically extended to provide all of the comforts of modern living. Two living rooms, 3 bedrooms, sunny light filled kitchen. Fabulous northerly aspect over extensive garden and orchard containing over 30 trees with 16 varieties of fruit and nut as well as a large vegie patch. Detached studio apartment and original brick building currently leased as professional consulting rooms. A versatile property with possibilities only limited by your imagination. Enjoy the pleasure of a sustainable ‘rustic’ lifestyle with the convenience village centre living and the benefits rental income.

www.nobleknight.biz

NNEPROPERTY

Historic home

W

AT A GLANCE 7 – 9 Baldry Street, Mansfield 3 bedrooms plus 1 bedroom apartment and 3-room cottage. Approx one acre.

Price: $798,000 Agent: Noble Knight Mansfield 5775 3033

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FEBRUARY / MARCH 2016

hen buying property, every expert – and even non-experts – will always stress the importance of position, position and position.

Which is one of the reasons why anyone looking for a home in Mansfield has to see the property at 7-9 Baldry Street.

The size of this property is enormous for an in-town place. In old terms it is about an acre and yet it’s only a very short stroll from the main street of this bustling town. And the land also has the added attraction of being bounded by Fords Creek, which even through the dry spell late in January was still holding a lot of water. The main neighbour is the beautiful botanical gardens.

Then there are the buildings. For a start, the main solid brick house is among the oldest in Mansfield – if not the eldest. Then there’s a three-room cottage, quite separate and let as consulting rooms. And there’s more – a modern studio/ apartment built to the side of the home and providing brilliant one bedroom accommodation on two levels.

While the main home may be about 150 years old, it still looks great. A major renovation some years back added another section facing the rear yard. Whoever built it ensured it fitted in with the rest of the place. The recent addition basically makes up a small bedroom, the bathroom and the living and entertaining part of the house. This includes a large kitchen at one end and a wall of windows taking in the view through a wide veranda to the rear garden.

The older part of the house includes a central sitting room and two large bedrooms.

Polished timber floors, exposed brick and timber ceilings give the house a warm feeling. Some open fireplaces also help.

From the veranda there’s a laundry and toilet.

The garden will benefit from some attention, but everything is there to make this magnificent. For a start, there are about 30 fruit and nut trees; there’s a fenced off veggie garden and there’s flowing lawns down to the creek bank. There’s also a rockedged pond that would look better with water in it rather than weeds. In other words, the garden needs care from someone who doesn’t mind getting their hands dirty.

This historic property is hardly the type to come on the market every day. One of the most over-used words of real estate agents is ‘unique’, but in this case, the description is accurate. NNE

NNESpecialists Airconditioning / Refrigeration

Electricians

MANSFIELD CLIMATE CONTROL ALL TYPES OF BILLY MAHONEY ELECTRICAL WORK ELECTRICAL

‘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.

Domestic • Commercial • Rural Undergrounds • Industrial Phone Points

Rec No. 15385 Mobile: 0417 331 979 Ph/Fax: 5779 1796

Dean & Elisa Grining

0457 638 153 / 5776 2103

bmahoney@mansfield.net.au

ABN 73 692 375 242 Lic No: L096428

Servicing Mansfield district

Builders ELECTRICIAN

stacenewmanbuilders@hotmail.com 365 Goulburn Valley Hwy Alexandra

ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS

Rec No 12906

New Homes Commercial Building Extensions & Renovations

Andrew Stace 0419 002 072 Mark Newman 0419 422 894 A/H 5774 2545 F 5772 3030

• Everything electrical • Domestic • Commercial • Undergrounds • Electrical Design • Trenching • Solar Installations

Ph 0418 543 310 etecelectrical.com.au

Financial Solutions

BUILDER PHONE: 5767 2348 MOBILE: 0418 569 050

PAUL

Spinks

DBU 6339 HIA 519126

Domestic & Commercial Building Specialist Garden Services

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

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

Guitar Services

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

NOW SERVING NORTHERN VICTORIA

20 YEARS EXPERIENCE For all your acoustic, electric and bass guitar servicing

MATON AUTHORISED REPAIRER Call Mark to make an appointment to visit our workshop 207 Ewings Rd Avenel | 0409 700 105 | www.guitartuningservices.com.au

To advertise - Kelly 0417 869 608 or kelly@northbynortheast.com.au | Shirley 0437 351 239 or shirley@northbynortheast.com.au

NNESpecialists Security

VICTORIAN ALPINE SECURITY

Fine food and health...

• Organics • Wellness products • Wholefoods • Eco skin & body • Eco cleaning products • Gifts & homewares • In house nutritionist consultations

Open 7 days P: (03) 5752 1946 E: villagetraderat53 53 Standish St, Myrtleford

@gmail.com

Servicing Mt Buller, Mansfield & Surrounding Districts Armed Cash Escort Mobile Patrol Service Static Guards Alarm Installations, Monitoring & Response Special Event Security All Services Performed & Provided by Fully Licenced Security Guards

Steve & Jenny Westlake Ph (24 HRS) 0417 502 161 2863 Mansfield-Whitfield Rd, Tolmie 3723 vic.alpine.sec@bigpond.com

Tree Services

Hospitality Supplies

Professional tree care services for

Everything for the top chef & the home cook • Packaging • Disposables • Crockery • Glasses

• Utensils • Knives • Chef uniforms • Baking trays

SBLN 613-261-60P

Health Food

• 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

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

info@highcountrytrees.com.au www.highcountrytrees.com.au

Ultrasound

Sound Imaging Ultrasound

SOUND IMAGING

Andrea Whitaker Accredited Sonographer Custom Built Kitchens 3D Kitchen Design Creative Design & Quality Granite & Reconstituted Stone Laundries | Vanities | Wardrobes

CONSULTING AT 45 Station Street, YEA & 20 Cooper Street, ALEXANDRA

0409 146 465 sales@murrindindikitchens.com 38 Johnston St, Alexandra

Plumbing

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

Travis Capp

Lic. No 37388

Plumber & Gasfitter

Quality is never an accident

Topstitch Upholstery & Antiques

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

Traditional antique restoration General upholstery Custom handmade sofas

Ian McCormick

Excavators, Post hole, Rock breaker, Trencher & Tip truck hire

36 Oliver St YEA 5797 2992 stichers@iinet.net.au www.topstitchupholsteryandantiques.com.au

0419 553 803 tcplumbing@bigpond.com

Trade Qualified, over 30 years experience

Vet Services

Property Services

TLC

PROPERTY SERVICES

D VETERINARY C FIEL LIN S IC AN M

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

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Caring For Your Pets

All Animals All Hours

265 Mt Buller Rd, Mansfield

www.mansfieldvet.com.au

24hr Emergency Service - 5775 2055

SKILLEDPEOPLE

His good name is set in concrete

S

itting undercover at Jamie Timms’ home is his fishing boat and a new camper trailer, while next to them is the very well appointed work ute; all of which tell a lot about Jamie Timms, his work and his love of the water.

“We just spent the entire weekend at Lake Eildon; it’s only 15 minutes away,” say Jamie. “We especially like to be at the lake during the week when there are only locals and you literally have the lake to yourself.”

Jamie is the owner of High Country Concreting, a business he established in 2014. “I always wanted to set up my own business, but was a bit unsure,” Jamie explains. “He just needed a push,” his partner Jodie adds.

Starting off with one truck, Jamie’s business has grown. But being the perfectionist, Jamie intends not to let the business become too large. He does not want to lose the personal touch he enjoys.

“Jake Coulson from Alexandra is my one full-time employee,” says Jamie.

“He wanted to work close to home and get off the oil rigs; he is great to work with.”

High Country Concreting works mainly on domestic concreting projects.

“A lot of our work is laying slabs for homes and sheds, pathways and drives and we specialise in exposed aggregate. I work closely with home renovators and professional builders finding out exactly what they are after.”

Advising, helping and quoting on projects is important to Jamie’s business as it gives him the opportunity to meet the people he is working for and to ensure he understands the clients’ needs.

Born in Seville, Jamie has lived in Darwin where he worked as a concreter enjoying the physical side of things and being outdoors. “I guess you could say that I fell into it (not literally) and have always enjoyed doing this type of work.”

After moving to Eildon, Jamie continued to work in the concreting business. He then moved to Alexandra, which he discovered is “a great community, a very friendly lot and always ready to help.” About two years ago Jamie with his partner Jodie Goodman and the children Kira 13 and Courtney 9 moved to nearby Yarck.

“We wanted to try out Yarck before we buy,” says Jodie. “I like this area especially for the kids and the school bus stops at the front door.”

Jamie and Jodie love the outdoors and take great advantage of Lake Eildon. “We water ski and swim, but mainly I am mad about fishing in the lake and the rivers. At the moment I am catching cod and also golden perch and then there is good old carp,” says Jamie.

High Country Concreting covers Murrindindi and Mansfield regions and everywhere in between, but wherever Jamie is working, he aims to do it properly.

“It is very important that whatever job we do is spot on the first time; the last thing I want to do is redo it, so I make sure it’s done right,” explains Jamie. “I take great pride in my work, whether it’s a small job or large project.

Your good name is a big thing in any business.”

Jamie’s future plans include continuing being a perfectionist as far as work is concerned, while balancing that with a lot more fishing and camping with Jodie and the kids. NNE

High Country Concreting 0458 052 689 highcountryconcreting@virtual.net.au

NORTH BY NORTH-EAST

107

Profile Developments is a specialist contractor with 30 year experience and a strong track record in delivering construction services to the local communities.

We are committed to quality. Our collaborative and professional approach to construction project management, combined with meticulous environmental, quality and safety systems, results in the consistent delivery of high quality construction projects.

We not only have experience, but also a fantastic reputation.

Our innovative solutions and fast-track construction methods ensure timely and cost-effective project delivery to our customers.

PAUL SPINKS 5767 2348 0418 569 050

PROFILE Developments

Domestic Builder 6339 Commercial Builder 23476 Member of Housing Industry Association 519126