Peninsula Essence July 2020

JULY 2020

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PENINSULA Living & visiting on the Mornington Peninsula

Wings Of Grace • Navigating Hope • Whale Spotted! • Cheers Volunteers • Funny Girl Arts At Home • Savouring Southern France • Innovative With A Twist • When Sorrento Had A Tram

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July 2020

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10. Wings Of Grace As a young child, Grace Perrin would eagerly look forward to arriving at the airport, begging her parents to arrive ahead of schedule so she could watch the planes take off. As she sat at the gate, waiting patiently to board, she never thought that one day she would be a qualified commercial pilot.

14. Navigating Hope

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For grief counselor Minnie Humphreys, her own journey through loss and grief deepened her compassion and empathy. After being diagnosed with breast cancer and told she had three months to live, Minnie processed the initial shock, and there was no question in her mind; she was going to beat it.

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18. Whale Spotted!

The 2020 Two Bays Whale Project is calling on sharp-eyed locals to watch out for whales along Victoria’s southern coastline this winter. This Citizen Sciencebased initiative expects to log between 250-300 sightings in the waters of the Western Port Bay, Port Phillip Bay and the nearby open coast.

26. Cheers Volunteers There are so many reasons why volunteering at a local club is good for everyone involved. It’s a great way to stay connected to the local community and feel a sense of belonging. But it’s not always an enjoyable journey, something that Steve Pallas – Managing Director, Sports Community, discovered when he was a young bloke.

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Save The Date Feature

Must Try Dishes Proudly published by

Arts 32. Funny Girl Nikki Osbourne is a trained actor, comedian, writer, television personality and mother. She has created a name for herself in one of the hardest industries to crack. She’s known for her edgy stand up comedy, pushing the boundaries on taboo topics.

40. Arts At Home Writers: Joe Novella, Andrea Louise Thomas, Erica Louise, Danielle Collis, Peter McCullough Photography: Yanni, Gary Sissons Creative: Dannielle Espagne, Sam Loverso Publisher: Melissa McCullough Advertising: Brooke Hughes, 0409 219 282 or email brooke@mpnews.com.au Phone: (03) 5974 9000 Registered address: 63 Watt Road, Mornington 3931 www.peninsulaessence.com.au

All material is copyright, and may not be reproduced without the express permission of Mornington Peninsula News Group, or the original copyright holder in the case of contributions. Copyright of contributed material rests with the contributor.

Disclaimer: The authors and publisher do not assume any liability to any party for any loss, damage or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident or any other cause. This publication is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians.

The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention.

Peninsula Essence is produced monthly.

30,000 copies (mix of home delivery and bulk dropped at an extensive network of outlets across the peninsula).

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This month's cover image features the iconic rock arch, a natural attraction once found at the Bay of Islands on the Sorrento back beach. The photograph was taken just before it collapsed in 2016. The Diamond bay area on the Mornington Peninsula is a favourite spot for bush walkers and photographers.

July 2020

47. Savouring Southern France Loïc Duchet, French cook and proprietor of Le Capucin, a French café and takeaway restaurant in Portsea, was raised in a tiny village in South West France, where the flavours of traditional cooking were an integral part of the culture which he now brings to the Mornington Peninsula.

Real Estate 60. Innovative With A Twist Completely captivating, this appealing property, peacefully set in the foothills of Arthurs Seat, is one of character that will attract the attention of any buyer looking for that special property with a difference.

63. When Sorrento Had A Tram

Cover Image by Yanni

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Eat & Drink

History

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PEFC Certified This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources. www.pefc.org

In response to venue closures in March, the Frankston Arts Centre moved swiftly to curate a digital series for patrons to enjoy from the comfort and safety of home. Ranging from live music, to Daytime Music and Theatre, to virtual art exhibitions and creative participation opportunities, the program continues to bring audiences together despite social distancing.

In the late 1800s it was a very special outing to cross Port Phillip Bay to Sorrento by paddle steamer and take the tramway to the Ocean Beach. At Sorrento, passengers disembarked and walked along the pier where they encountered waiting horse-drawn “cabs” – or they could take a footbridge to Tramway Hill where a waiting steam train was blowing its whistle.

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Peninsula BASS SURFBOARDS Perfect to fend off the winter chill, $5 from the sale of these Bass Surfboards hoodies go towards the Save Arthurs Seat - No Quarry efforts.

Available at Bass Surfboards 24 Collins Road, Dromana. www.bass-surfboards.com.au

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BASS & FLINDERS How do you like your gin? With a little ice and tonic, or perhaps dabbed onto the inside of your wrist? There are many similarities between gin and perfume and Geneviève Gin is no exception.

Inspired by the natural botanicals that abound in the fields of Provence and celebrating the essence of our own local flora, it's the quintessential floral gin. Available at Bass & Flinders Distillery, located at 40 Collins Road, Dromana or visit bassandflindersdistillery.com

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WINGS OF grace

By Danielle Collis Photos Gary Sissons

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s a young child, Grace Perrin would eagerly look forward to arriving at the airport, begging her parents to arrive ahead of schedule so she could watch the planes take off. As she sat at the gate, waiting patiently to board, she never thought that one day she would be a qualified commercial pilot.

While most young females are travelling around the world, Grace is being paid to fly around the country. At the age of 22, Grace is a qualified commercial pilot; her everyday job includes teaching cadets and conducting aerial surveys. She is surrounded by inspiring people, a range of training and high-performance charter planes, plus some of the rarest operating warbirds in the world. Grace flies a variety of aircrafts including Cessnas, Decathlons, Sierras, Warriors and Vulcan Airs. She has flown over some of the most beautiful parts of Australia, including the Gulf of Carpentaria, Broome and the Nullarbor.

Now, as she soars over the Mornington Peninsula's fields of green and the rugged coastline, with the aircraft control in her hands, she says “flying is a mix between total freedom and control. It puts things into perspective when you’re up above the world and everything seems so small.”

At the end of her school day, Grace would jump the fence and run down to start her shift behind the desk at the airport. Throughout year 12, she knew what she wanted to do. Flinders College allowed her to release one subject so she could pursue her flying.

You could certainly say a few people were confused when their flight instructor would arrive, in a school uniform to conduct a presentation on flight school. “I stepped out of high school and into this place,” she says. “It was my hobby, before it was my job.”

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Grace's biggest achievement is circumnavigating Australia twice while conducting multi engine photogrammetry surveys on mines and quarries. She was only 19 years old when she completed her first circumnavigation, one of the youngest to do so. Flying a Vulcan air which has been fitted out with an extensive photogrammetry camera, it captured data such as the volume and movement of stock. Before Grace took off for her circumnavigation, she wanted to be organised and pre-plan the itinerary. Then she received an email the day before departure that outlined all the locations to survey. When she arrived at the plane, she was told she had to cover as many as she could in the day. “So, I didn’t know where I was going each day,” she says. “We would just fly from site to site.” With a limitation of seven hours flying a day, Grace said they would just keep flying until they ran low on fuel or until the sun went down. “It’s not like driving a car. You can’t pull over when you get tired; you have to stay focused and monitor,” she says. Grace flew for a total of three weeks, roughly 74 hours.

Her biggest achievement is circumnavigating Australia twice

Growing up, Grace didn’t know what she wanted to do, but she knew that, whatever it was, it had to be something different. After her family moved to Flinders when she was 14, her mother decided to buy her an introductory flying lesson at the Tyabb airport for Christmas. “I think mum thought it was a good stocking filler,” she says. And yet, eight years later, she’s still there.

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Grace's career has seen her accomplish numerous achievements, one in particular was conducting an aerial survey of the Dargo bushfires. Accompanied by a photographer, the idea was to utilise infrared to see how much has been burnt and what was still alive. “It was an eye opener,” she says. Grace flew a total of 30 hours for the job. While most pilots don’t enjoy surveying, there was something about being on her own up in the air that sparked her curiosity and passion for surveying.

During her circumnavigation, Grace had the chance to visit one place she’s always wanted to go. “Being the aviation nut that I am, I always wanted to go to Forrest Airport, just on the Nullarbor in the middle of nowhere,” she says. “I got the opportunity to do that on this trip; it was an exciting thing for me to do.” Surveying allowed Grace to fly all over Australia and have experiences that a lot of other flight instructors may not have. “It was a really big opportunity,” she says. continued next page...

“It was more than work, it was a life experience.” Grace said she would like to continue pursuing aerial surveying in the future.

Grace has had an array of opportunities working with Tyabb airport and loves being able to share her passion for flying with others. “Being an instructor allows me to share what I love with other people and help them develop skills that can one day allow them to do what I do,” she says. She loves teaching people who are just as enthusiastic as she was when she first started, watching them progress from taking control for the first time, to then sending them on their first solo flight. “I like the idea that someone can look to me for guidance and I can provide some insight and make them feel comfortable learning something I have so much love for,” she says. “It’s one of the most rewarding jobs I’ve had.” Grace said flying isn’t just about becoming a pilot; it’s a hobby, a great activity, a confidence boost.

When Grace isn’t flying, she’s committed to her studies. As a pilot you have to stay up to date with all your ratings and theory.

She is about to start her ATPL, (air transport pilot licence), exams which are for a transport licence, which consists of seven exams.

Completing these exams will give Grace further opportunities.

Aside from flying and studying, Grace is also an avid baker and she owns one too many plants. Grace said she is so thankful for the support from her Mum and would like to encourage other

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young girls to take the opportunities that are available. “If there is something you have always wanted to try, do what you need to do to make it happen,” she says. Grace is encouraging anyone to try flying, whether as a career or a hobby, “Even though it may be daunting, pop into your local flight training school, say hello and ask a few questions. This is a great first step.”

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NAVIGATING hope

By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni

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ometimes the harshest realities can bring out the best in human nature. For grief counsellor Minnie Humphreys, her own journey through loss and grief deepened her compassion and empathy.

In her grief work, she draws from a wealth of experience and understanding to help people navigate the way to acceptance and peace of mind.

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In 1997, Minnie found a pea-sized lump in her breast, but her doctor was unconcerned. The following year, her doctor still didn’t think it was anything to worry about. The third time she raised the question, her regular GP was away and the locum doctor sent Minnie for scans and referred her to a breast surgeon. continued next page...

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The surgeon explained that Minnie had fourth stage breast cancer. It had metastasized to virtually everywhere in her body.

She was thirty-five. He offered absolutely no hope, saying she had three months to live. Once Minnie processed the initial shock, there was no question in her mind; she was going to beat it.

Having spent her childhood and teens as a champion competitive swimmer and later as a sponsored triathlete, she was not going to be told by anyone that she couldn’t win. She had an infant daughter and a teenage son and she was going to see them through all of their milestones.

performance sports coach with a degree in physical education, she has also worked in aged care and palliative care where she heard a wide variety of life stories.

Having listened to many tales of loss and grief, Minnie wanted to help people feel heard and help them cope so she went back to university to get a Masters degree in Social Science. With her education and life experience to draw from, she added grief counsellor to her professional wheelhouse.

Loss is personal and private and not for anyone to judge

Over a six-year period, Minnie had thirteen surgeries plus weekly chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She changed her diet and sleep patterns, slowed down her workaholic lifestyle and extreme exercise regime, and undertook alternative therapies. More importantly, Minnie never gave up hope. Now sixteen years cancer-free, she’s fit, healthy and a real dynamo.

Minnie doesn’t like to be seen as a cancer survivor, but rather as someone who has lived. There was plenty of fear and uncertainty in her life surrounding cancer, but she’s adamant that it never defined her.

During treatment, speaking with other patients inspired Minnie. She became an interviewer and a collector of stories. One patient in particular, changed her life. They became good friends, fell in love and realized they were soulmates. There was light in the darkness for both of them. He did not survive his cancer, but Minnie feels blessed to have known him.

Inspiration, conversation and story have driven all of Minnie’s professional pursuits. In addition to working as a high

“My job is to help people process their loss. Loss is personal and private and not for anyone to judge. To truly process it, you need a professional,” she says.

Minnie is an astute listener. She has helped many people in many ways from bringing out the best in sports performance to advising how to cope with adversity. Now with COVID-19 in the air, she is fielding new kinds of grief conversations and helping to ease anxieties.

When a person experiences profound loss and grief, it often makes them stronger and deepens their character. Minnie Humphreys is a great example of that kind of personal transformation. She has always been driven and determined to succeed, but to be able to take that drive and determination and pay it forward to others is a real gift.

In addition to helping people, Minnie is also a dog whisperer.

She has four dogs of her own and runs a small dog walking and minding business called Mooches Pooches in Mount Eliza. She can often be seen on her daily walk, surrounded by a pack of dogs, with the eldest in a pram.

Whether navigating the complexities of grief and loss or offering a happy home-away-from-home for canines, Minnie has considerable skill in bringing calm and contentment.

For grief counselling or canine care with Mooches Pooches, call Minnie on 0418 230 925

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WHALE spotted!

By Erica Louise Photos Yanni

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he 2020 Two Bays Whale Project is calling on sharpeyed locals to watch out for whales along Victoria’s southern coastline this winter. This Citizen Science-based initiative expects to log between 250-300 sightings in the waters of Western Port Bay, Port Phillip Bay and the nearby open coast.

Sightings occur throughout the year but the peak is from June to mid August, when humpback, southern right and killer whales are spotted between Barwon Heads and Inverloch as part of their annual migration. Their path moves from the wintry waters of the Antarctic, alongside the coast to the warmer tropical waters of Australia. Here they give birth and raise their young. continued next page...

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When temperatures increase in spring, they return south to feed on krill in the Antarctic.

While working in the Antarctic, he experienced his very own Moby Dick encounter

The Two Bays Whale Project was founded in 2015 by David Donnelly and Dr. Sue Mason and operates within the Dolphin Research Institute (DRI) framework, and works in collaboration with Wildlife Coast Cruises. Tourists can book a 4-hour winter whale cruise with Wildlife Coast Cruises from Phillip Island and a 6-hour cruise from Wilsons Promontory. John Dickie from Wildlife Coast Cruises manages the data collected from tour vessels, although the project is very much a collaborative effort combining both land and sea sightings.

“Everyone is a key player and together we make sense of the chaos that is the Victorian whale season,” said David.

The project was designed to formalise the sightings within Port Phillip Bay, Western Port Bay and adjacent state waters. The data is then compared with previous years’ recordings. While around 450-500 whales are expected to be logged in 2020, each year sees a growth in the number of whales sighted so David believes this to be a conservative estimate.

“The average pod size is around two whales with some pods exceeding five animals. The growth in sighting numbers can be a result of more people looking, so it’s difficult to determine. The numbers of humpback whales in the east Australian population are growing though, so it makes sense that we would see evidence of this growth in the Two Bays region,” he said.

research trips, and has discovered just how curious nature’s heavyweights can be. While working at the head of Bight, South Australia, he experienced his very own Moby Dick encounter, as he was lifted from the sea in his four-metre boat by a southern right whale. He recalls another encounter in Antarctic waters with a blue whale, which came within three or four metres of the research vessel during scientific operations.

“The first time you see a whale underwater is unforgettable,” he said. “And every time you venture into the water with a whale, it is a completely different experience.”

David leads the Citizen Science Project, an essential part of the Two Bays Whale Project research. The Citizen Science Project asks members of the community to document their cetacean sightings with photographic evidence and, where possible, to record these sightings via the PodWatch web-based app. This allows anyone to actively assist in the gathering of important data used in scientific whale research.

David says the best vantage point to look out for whales is from high ground. “But especially from the headland at Cape Schanck, which is the separation point between the Port Phillip and Western Port regions. At this southernmost tip of the Mornington Peninsula, whales pass close by and are clearly visible to the naked eye.”

David’s cetacean research work spans more than two decades. He joined the Dolphin Research Institute (DRI) after seeing a newspaper article in 1995, shortly after returning from a whale research project in Hervey Bay, Queensland. The Dolphin Research Institute (DRI), led by Jeff Weir, is a registered charity based in Hastings. The Institute has clocked over 25 years of cetacean research. Their work aims to answer critical questions to protect Victoria’s dolphins, whales and their environment.

Despite the seasonal nature of southern Victoria’s whale research, David’s work is continuous. In recent years, he has been contracted by the Australian Antarctic Program to join whale related projects in Antarctic waters. He has also been involved in an ethical, sciencebased whale swim tourism project in Tonga.

“Each time we think we’ve found an answer, the whales prove us wrong and we have to keep going. Other than that, I am fascinated by the social behaviour of these animals,” said David, of his interest in whales.

David’s endless encounters with marine life over the years would be the envy of every whale enthusiast. He has been involved in countless

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Report your winter whale sightings to the Two Bay Whales Project via PodWatch. This can be accessed via the Dolphin Research Institute’s website by going to www.dolphinresearch. org.au/research/report-sightings.

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RESORT STYLE villages

L

ocated near the beach in Mt Martha, Martha Bay by RCA Villages has resort style facilities and sets the standard for modern retirees who like to live more than a little!

Living your best life means doing as much or as little as you want.

At RCA Villages they know the key to fulfilment is choice. Whether you choose a lock up and leave lifestyle, lazy days beachcombing by the bay, or making the most of the Active Living program in the luxurious clubhouse, Martha Bay offers an enviable way of life. Best of all, you will be amid a community of like-minded people whose dream of calling Mt Martha home has also been fulfilled.

“We've always developed and built our own villages from start to finish, so we've learned a thing or two about what you're looking for. Inside your villa you will have an intelligently designed, energy efficient, light-filled space with all the privacy and security you will ever need”, said RCA Villages Managing Director Andrew Philip.

Residents Graeme and Pam agree, “Our lives had taken a turn, but we wanted to stay in Mt Martha, so when we saw an advertisement for Martha Bay, we called.”

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Pam recalls getting the process started and says, “Everyone from sales to construction to the manager have been friendly, helpful and caring – nothing has been too much trouble. The finish of the villa is superb, we love the size of our garden, the butler’s pantry and the Alfresco area.”

“An added bonus is that we are now neighbours in the village with people who lived in the same street as we did. Small world!” said Graeme.

Andrew continues, “Downsizing shouldn't mean compromising on space, quality and style. We want our residents to enjoy living in our villages and we do everything we can to make sure everyone enjoys good health. Research has shown that socially engaged and physically active people lead healthier and happier lives. While there is always plenty to do, it is your choice as to how much, or how little, you choose to do. It’s there if you want it.”

For more information call 1800 998 990 or visit rcavillages.com.au

SOCIAL DISTANCING AND OTHER SAFETY MEASURES ARE STRICTLY OBSERVED

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For more information about our range of retirement communities, visit: rcavillages.com.au

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Opening hours: 10am–4pm 111 Craigie Road, Mt Martha Freecall: 1800 998 990

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Make an appointment to discuss your retirement future with our friendly sales specialists and inspect our brand new display villas.

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BETTER THINGS IN life

T

ake a moment to imagine the things you love doing the most. Perhaps it’s visiting your grandchildren, spending time with the family, playing golf or hiking, exploring new places or enjoying a drink with friends at a gorgeous Mornington Peninsula winery?

Retirement, getting older, an injury or perhaps a recent surgery shouldn’t hold you back from embracing the activities that make you happy. That’s why local in-home care provider, Just Better Care helps people to enjoy the better things in life.

“I love experiencing new things and meeting new people and firmly believe that everyone should be enjoying life to the fullest regardless of their age or situation. We’re here to provide personalised and flexible in-home care that suits any lifestyle. We all have different passions and preferences, and that’s why our service is so individualised.

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For us it’s about providing the right support to enable our clients to spend their time doing what they love, whatever that might be” says Just Better Care’s General Manager Callum McMillan.

Working with you, Callum will get to know how you love to spend your time – and the tasks you’d rather avoid – to put together a plan for Just Better Care to best support you. One single point of contact and support that you can dial up or dial down with life’s changes are just some of the ways Just Better Care helps.

All so you can enjoy the better things in life.

Just Better Care - Mornington is at 2/346 Main Street, Mornington. Phone 03 5972 1860. www.justbettercare.com/ enjoybetter.

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July 2020 July 2020

CHEERS volunteers

By Joe Novella Photos Yanni

F

or a lot of us, volunteering at our local sports club is a way of giving back to our community. It’s part of the circle of life. Our parents sold hot-dogs, coached the U9s, were part of a club committee, or raffled off the meat tray at half time, and so when our time comes we do the same. It’s also a great way to be a part of your child’s development by supporting them in their sporting endeavours and, last but not least, it’s a great way to stay connected to the local community and feel a sense of belonging.

There are so many reasons why volunteering at a local club is good for everyone involved but it’s not always an enjoyable journey, something that Steve Pallas (Managing Director, Sports Community), discovered when he was a young bloke. At just 20, Steve decided to put his hand up to join his local cricket club committee as Secretary. “I was at university at the time,” Steve said, “and I couldn’t find any books or resources on how to run a not-forprofit sports club. I basically just jumped into the deep end and then quickly found out I was out of my depth. I even tried roping in my best mate (Brendan Duyvestyn) to bail me out. I ended up being the worst club administrator ever.” It was such an unpleasant experience, that Steve was determined to find a way to make sure the same did not happen to others.

“At the end of the day,” Steve said. “People don’t put up their hands to volunteer at clubs in order to do a bad job. We all know you don’t get paid for volunteering but people still want to be able to contribute positively. I was no different.” Steve looked upon his initial failure as a learning experience, and fortunately it did not dull his passion for local sport. Over the next 25 years, he continued his active participation in Mornington Peninsula sport in both football and cricket and off the field he built a successful career as an executive in the financial services industry.

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In 2007 Steve’s love of community sport was taken to the next level when he decided to put his successful financial services career on hold to become the CEO of the Mornington Peninsula Nepean Football League. During his tenure he oversaw major structural changes to the operations of the league but it was what was happening at the coalface that worried him the most. He recognised that the volunteers of clubs in 2007 were still facing the same challenges he faced when he first put his hand up to be club secretary back in 1991.

“In my time at the MPNFL, I dealt with a lot of club administrators from all over the peninsula as well as the mum and dad volunteers, and I could see that nothing much had changed since I was a club secretary in 1991.” Steve saw first-hand that local clubs were so desperate for volunteers that they tapped people on the shoulder and threw them into roles with very little in the way of support.

“And that really frustrated me,” he went on to say. “Because local clubs run on the blood and sweat of volunteers and they deserve better than just being put into a role and left to sink or swim.”

In 2012 Steve had had enough of witnessing burnt-out volunteers, volunteers leaving clubs due to bad experiences on committees and clubs struggling because people were no longer willing to put their hand up to volunteer, citing reasons such as “too much stress”. And that’s when he decided to start up Sports Community.

“I decided to start Sports Community to empower club volunteers, to help them do amazing things for their clubs.” Steve recognised that for clubs to succeed, they need their volunteers to have the tools and knowledge necessary to perform the tasks that they are asked to do. “I wanted to build a company that supports club volunteers,” he said, “by providing free website resources on everything needed to run a club from conducting an AGM, to securing sponsors and finding available grants.” continued next page...

From humble beginnings where Steve and good mate Mick Duyvestyn operated the business out of an office in a spare room at Steve’s Mornington home, Sports Community now has a modest office in Dava Drive where online webinars on subjects like “How to be a successful club president” are streamed out to a nationwide and international audience. Other significant achievements include regular podcasts on sports club issues featuring guests including Jeff Kennett, that have been downloaded hundreds of thousands of times, and a social media community of followers in the thousands.

“It hasn’t been easy,” Steve said. “We don’t receive any government funding, the company was privately funded and we’ve had to make enormous family sacrifices to keep the doors open and I can’t thank my wife (Shona) and kids (Tayla, Milla and Zahli) enough for their part in this journey.” Despite the challenges, Steve and his team have stayed open since 2012 and managed to build an extensive library of resources for club volunteers on the Sports Community website, a significant amount of them available for free and others as part of a moderately priced Sports Community membership. “And,” Steve continues, “we have built a brand that’s recognised by all levels of government and peak sporting bodies as being synonymous with helping grassroots sports clubs and their volunteers.”

And now, more than ever, the value of Sports Community’s work is coming to the fore, by providing clubs and their volunteers with support and guidance on navigating their way back to operation

as restrictions around COVID-19 and community sport are lifted.

“COVID-19 has stopped community sport in its tracks,” Steve said, “and clubs are going to need all the help they can get to get themselves back up and going, and sustainable for the future, and we’re here to help.”

I finished off my interview by asking Steve about his greatest achievement with Sports Community. “Well, that’s easy,” he said. “If 20-year old Steve Pallas was around now, he could put up his hand to be club secretary and know he’d be supported and empowered to do the best he can.”

To find out more about Sports Community visit www.sportscommunity.com.au

HOMEWARE, GIFTS, KITCHENWARE & SOUVENIRS THE BEST QUALITY BRANDS

FOR YOUR HOME

34 Main Street, Mornington

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SHOP O N L IN E W IT H C L IC K & COLLECT

RAISING BABY chicks

R

aising baby chicks is a great experience for kids, parents and grandparents alike. As the chicks grow they transition through a number of different cute and fluffy stages before becoming fully mature, laying hens.

Owners of Talking Hens Giuliana and Jason have always been interested in growing their hens from day-old chicks and finally, have the opportunity to do it. Giuliana's father, Agostino, was a poultry farmer and always raised his own baby chicks, which she loved watching when she was a child. "It was amazing to see all those little, fluffy chicks grow into laying hens and the weekly changes in feather growth, body size and confidence as they quickly grew," recalls Giuliana.

During her time amongst the chicks, she learned that there are important things to understand in order to help them grow.

Firstly, a heat lamp is needed to provide them with constant 30-degree warmth for the first few weeks of their life as they can’t regulate their own body temperature when young. They also need

Looking for backyard hens Wanting baby chicks but unsure where to start? but unsure start?

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a sturdy, draft-free box or container to live in with a dry layer of wood shavings for insulation.

Food and water is also vitally important, so good access to the correct water drinker and feeder is needed. They don’t need much food but it must be tailor-made for them to provide all of the nutrients needed.

Talking Hens will be getting a flock of Hy-Line Brown day-old chicks in July 2020 and will have them available for families during their open times through school holidays. They will also have all the equipment and feed needed to keep them happy and healthy and can answer any questions that you might have as they grow.

Talking Hens 3590 Frankston - Flinders Rd, Merricks VIC Open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday 10am - 4pm T: 0406 691 231 talkinghens.com.au

THE BAYS AGED CARE hastings

H

astings has welcomed a new aged care home, The Bays Aged Care. With 90 years of history, the new home is situated on the original Hastings Bush Nursing Hospital site.

Carefully created to maintain the welcoming, homely feel that the previous facility was renowned for, the residents can now enjoy ultimate luxury with cosy gas log fires, stunning artwork, multiple living spaces, a designated family room, and state-of-the-art aged care amenities.

All the rooms are beautifully designed and appointed with a selection of aspects to suit. Whether you prefer orientation to the sunny north- east with water glimpses, or internal calming courtyard views, each private room caters for a variety of preferences. All rooms have their own ensuite and are filled with natural light.

The four dining and lounge areas are warm and inviting, each with their own servery, gas log fire and terrace or courtyard to enjoy.

Beautifully designed to promote a sense of homely ambience, the coordinated artwork and colour schemes will be sure to resonate with residents and their loved ones. To honour the heritage of the Hastings site, there are a number of historical photographs from times gone by.

A key point of difference with The Bays Aged Care Hastings is, as part of The Bays Healthcare Group, the home is aligned with The Bays Hospital in Mornington.

Founded in the 1930s as the Mornington Bush Nursing Hospital, The Bays Hospital has a rich history of caring for the community. Residents at The Bays Aged Care, may choose to access the comprehensive range of acute medical, surgical and intensive care services, from the same trusted team, when the need for acute care arises.

The new home provides a quiet sense of luxury and modern styling, while maintaining its community charm. The treasured “Pink Ladies” and volunteers have their own space where they can meet to discuss fundraising opportunities to support the residents or prepare and distribute freshly, cut flowers.

The professional staff with their welcoming smiles, provide the best possible care for the residents.

“We believe it will be recognised as one of the region’s finest aged care homes,” says Gael Traa, General Manager, The Bays Aged Care Hastings.

The architecturally designed home exudes a sense of community and homeliness. Whether finding a quiet space for reading a book, meeting friends in one of the multiple sunlit sitting rooms, a cuppa

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at the onsite café, or just simply taking in the beautiful surrounds, the new home will be sure to delight.

The Bays Aged Care Hastings is a fully accredited Aged Care provider. Trusted by the local community for over 90 years The Bays is independent, not for profit, and community owned.

The Bays Aged Care normally operates at full occupancy. With the extension of places created by completion of the new building, we are excited to offer a limited number of places available immediately.

These rooms are going fast. To avoid disappointment, please book a tour by either contacting our Customer Service Coordinator on 0436 913 373 or Welcome2Hastings@thebays.com.au

Aged Care that’s Aged that’s AgedCare Care that’s beyond the everyday.

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Beautifully designed tocare, promote a are sense of or visit thebays.com.au/aged-care To more, call 03 5979 0333 orfind visitout thebays.com.au/aged-care private and government-funded respite respite support private government-funded care, are memory support In addition toand permanent residential care, memory there options for ambience.

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Our home is aligned with The Bays Hospital private and government-funded respite care,Group. memory support byinthe trusted team at The Bays Healthcare Group. by the trusted team at The Bays Healthcare Trusted Trusted by generations by generations for over for90 over years 90 years Mornington, with expert medical services proudly delivered The Bays Aged Care Hastings in Mornington, with expert medical services proudly delivered and dementia care. Our home is aligned with The Bays Hospital by the trusted team at The Bays Healthcare Group. by the trusted team at The Bays Healthcare Group.

Trusted by generations for over 90 Trusted by generations for over 90years years The Bays Aged Care Hastings in Mornington, with expert medical services proudly delivered86 VICTORIA 86 VICTORIA STREET, STREET, HASTINGS HASTINGS VIC 3915 VIC 3915 31by| PENINSULA 2020Healthcare Group. the trusted team at TheJuly Bays Trusted by generations for over 90 years

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The Bays Aged Care Hastings VICTORIA STREET,HASTINGS HASTINGS VIC 86 86 VICTORIA STREET, VIC3915 3915

Arts

Arts

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FUNNY girl

By Danielle Collis Photos Supplied

Y

ou might remember Nikki Osborne from the famous hit TV show Quizmania or from her more recent appearance on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

Based on the Mornington Peninsula, Osborne opens up on her career, lockdown, social media and what’s next for her.

A trained actor, comedian, writer and mother, Nikki has created a name for herself in one of the hardest industries to crack. She’s known for her edgy stand up comedy, pushing the boundaries on taboo topics. Her career highlights have seen her invited to perform two years in a row at the Sydney Opera House in Just For Laughs [Sydney’s annual comedy festival]. Nikki says that was certainly a career highlight, as she believes she was a novice comedian and then nine months later her management offered her the Opera House gig, her response was “Where do we go after that, Buckingham Palace?” So the bar was set high, very early. But her career only went up from there. In 2020, Nikki was also invited to participate in I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. She says, “I learnt I’m not very interesting when I’m hungry. It doesn’t matter how mentally strong you are, when you’re hungry, you’re weak.” But Nikki says being invited to appear on the show was “a great nod of acknowledgment.”

But her favourite gig has been the drunk narrator in Channel Ten’s new show, Drunk History.

But that’s not it for Osborne. She has starred in shows such as Paul Hogan Story, How to Stay Married, The Mystery of Natalie Wood and Kinne. She’s a regular on the comedy circle, taking part in: Show Me the Movie, Cram, Celebrity Name Game, Hughesy We Have a Problem and known for her stand up comedy show “Bad Barbie”.

Expect to pay around half the price FOR AN APPOINTMENT CALL

1300 230 430 SUITE 6 UPPER LEVEL 38A MAIN STREET, MORNINGTON

continued next page...

w w w. d i a m o n d c o c o . c o m . a u

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What separates Nikki is her quick wit; she writes all her own material or even ad-libs. She says the best part of being a comedian is that she can be in charge. “I write it. I do it. If it sucks it’s on me but if it’s great, it’s on me. Oh and there’s no uniform, no rules and a bar tab is usually part of your contract. What a wonderful business to be in,” she says.

During our conversation, Nikki let us in on a secret: an exciting new show she's been working on called Just For Laughs - Uncut, airing soon on Channel Ten. The show is about the naughtiest comedy clips that never made it to air. “I think after Coronavirus, after a pandemic, we can kind of laugh at other stuff now,” she says.

When it came to homeschooling during lockdown, like other mothers, Nikki says it was a challenge.

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“I’m the fun one so arguing with my kids about phonemes has been unpleasant. Let’s just say we’ve had a lot of excursions and pupil free days,” she says. Nikki says “No mother is perfect and if she is then unfriend her. Mothers can have it all, they just need more coffee and Scotch.”

During lockdown, Nikki took to social media to keep her 36,000 followers amused with funny skits, dancing videos and a new alter-ego which went viral called ‘Bush Barbie’. “The character has found her own feet,” she says. Nikki says people from across the world have been booking her to do ‘shoutouts’ for their friends as ‘Bush Barbie’. “I found that really interesting.” So Nikki applied for a small grant to produce a pilot about ‘Bush Barbie vs The World’ and to her surprise it was approved. She says “‘Bush Barbie’ optimises the Aussie battler voice, good Aussie common sense.”

Mothers can have it all, they just need more coffee and scotch

Finance Finance

ADDING VALUE TO YOUR ADDING VALUE&TO YOUR ACCOUNTING FINANCES ACCOUNTING & FINANCES

The Sphere Group was formed with a desire to ‘add value’ to every conversation we have with clients.”

The Sphere Group was formed with a desire to ‘add value’ to every Delivering in more progressive and dynamic ways, we have expanded conversation we have with clients.” our services to provide seamless financial services for today’s digital Delivering in more progressive and dynamic ways, we have expanded age. our services to provide seamless financial services for today’s digital “We have listened to our clients and created the optimum solution for age. individuals and businesses alike, a real hub for all your financial needs.”

“We have listened to our clients and created the optimum solution for - Brett Hughes, CPA, Director. individuals and businesses alike, a real hub for all your financial needs.”

The pilot will we be have about ‘Bush Barbie’ running for Prime Sphere, 3 core Values : -Here Brett at Hughes, CPA, Director.

Minister.

The idea came while Nikki was running along the OURatMISSION (What do everyday) Here Sphere, we havewe 3 core Values :

posts: “If it’s not funny, kind or fascinating, don’t post it.” Nikki has also been promoting local businesses through her social media [free of charge] to help them during this tough time.

McCrae foreshore and someone yelled out “Bush Barbie for Prime Fostering relationships our clients and our employees that add OUR MISSION (What we with do everyday) Minister.”

Nikki will beand roaming the Mornington Peninsula to value to their business personal Nikki says lockdown was a great opportunity to bond with her Fostering relationships with our clients development. and our employees that add askvalue locals what she thinks about her new campaign. “Who knows children and husband. “Isolation has been a great opportunity for their business and personal OURto VISION (What we are strivingdevelopment. to become) ‘Bush Barbie’ may be Mornington Peninsula's new Mayor,” she SPHERE’S SERVICES OUR (What wePeninsula’s are striving(& tobeyond) become)most sought out advisor me and my husband to bond over what he loves doing: gardening,” To beVISION the Mornington says. “It’s going to be silly and it’s going to be funny.”

SPHERE’S Working withI you, take intono account whole always she says.SERVICES “As had we absolutely other ‘the place to gopicture’ I was and forced to through developing relationships with our clients and to create To be the Mornington Peninsula’s (& beyond) most sought out advisor looking ways thatinto we can improve your arrangements Working withfor you, take account picture’ always help him and Iwe actually enjoyed it,‘the I’vewhole beenfinancial caughtand saying “Checkto a work environment thattoattracts talented and and highly motivated through developing relationships our clients to content create Nikki says it’s important keepwith creating social media helpfor create, protect andimprove grow your wealth. looking ways that we can your financial to arrangements to aprofessionals. workitenvironment that sharp attracts talented andlive highly motivated out my plants”.”

Nikki is looking forward eased restrictions, because keeps her mind and ready for performances. helpWe create, protect grow your when wealth. working with individuals and apply thisandapproach professionals. her upcoming ‘Bush Barbie’ pilot, and the airing of her (What's negotiable) “I OUR keep VALUES making stuff to not make sure my brain doesn’t turn into an Wefilming businesses, with a breadth of expertise all aspects of apply this and approach when working with spanning individuals and new show.

OUR VALUES (What's not negotiable) unfit muscle; you have to keep your brain sharp,” she says. Nikki businesses, taxation,and accounting, financial planning spanning and more,allwe are able with a breadth of expertise aspects ofto offer • We have integrity • We demonstrate leadership accounting, financial planning and more, we are able to offer a ‘one-stop’ solution for all your financial needs.

The Sphere Group is also explained that creating content across her social media helps taxation, ••We integrity • We demonstrate leadership Wehave are pro-active • We promote work life balance a ‘one-stop’ all your financial needs. The Sphere Group is also CAsolution and CPAfor Accredited. build audience: “You need an audience you have people who also CA and CPA Accredited.

• Wean • We promotesowork • Weare arepro-active responsive • We have fun life balance Can’t find what you are looking for? want to your live shows.”

Nikki takes pride in what she Can’t Insta: @nikkiosborneofficial • Weto arecome responsive • We have fun find are looking (03) for? 8899 6399 Call uswhat for ayou chat instead!

• We are Trusted (…and we’re good with numbers) Call us for a chat instead! (03) 8899 6399 • We are Trusted (…and we’re good with numbers)

Due to the changes brought about by COVID-19 we can conduct client interviews via skype / zoom conference platforms At Sphere our mission is to foster long term relationships with our clients that add value to their business and help individuals minimise their tax and grow their wealth.

Our team has the technical skills and experience to provide you with clear and concise advice to ensure you achieve the best outcome for your specific needs.

At Sphere our mission is to foster long term relationships with our clients that add value to their business andWE help individuals their tax and grow their wealth.

WILL WORKminimise CLOSELY WITH YOU AND CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN: Sphereour ourmission mission foster long term relationships clients add value to business their business andindividuals help individuals AtAtSphere is is toto foster long term relationships withwith our our clients that that add value to their and help Our team has the technical Personal skills and experience to provide you with clear and concise Taxation Bookkeeping & Payroll Services minimisetheir theirtax tax and grow their wealth.

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| 61 E ssence E ssence | 61

PENINSULA July 2018 PENINSULA July 2018

.

MPRG TURNS 50

F

IFTY celebrates the Mornington Peninsula Regional Gallery’s 50th anniversary with a large-scale exhibition that highlights the development and growth of this significant collection.

connections, accidental intersections and a new understanding and appreciation for this remarkable and evolving collection.

Focus displays will explore Australian Women printmakers from the late 1970s and early 1980s along with a series of works that ruminate on the repetitive nature of automatic drawing and stream of consciousness narratives.

MPRG has also produced a 50th anniversary collection publication featuring two key historical essays by Susan McCulloch OAM, Adjunct Professor, College of Design & Social Context, RMIT and daughter of founding Director Alan McCulloch and former MPRG Senior Curator, Rodney James. The publication features over 70 works with statements written by current staff, former staff and artists represented in the collection. Available online from 1 July.

Founded in 1969 by Alan McCulloch, the Mornington Peninsula Arts Centre, as it was then known, acquired its first artwork in 1970.

Over the past 50 years the Collection has grown to include over 1800 objects, including paintings, drawings, prints and sculptures.

A strength of the MPRG Collection is the focus on the cultural heritage of the Mornington Peninsula, which has been a haven and source of inspiration for artists since the 1850s, including Fred Williams, Albert Tucker and Arthur Boyd. Many of Australia’s bestknown artists have captured the region’s unique scenery and lifestyle and these works now form a valuable part of the Collection. A series of new collection rooms will take visitors on a journey through historical and contemporary representations of the Mornington Peninsula.

The MPRG Collection is also renowned for its specialist holdings of contemporary Australian works on paper acquired from acquisitive prizes (Spring Festival of Drawing 1973-97, Prints Acquisitive 197496 and National Works on Paper 1998-present). This collection continues to grow and documents and celebrates the diversity and experimentation of this medium.

MPRG: FIFTY breaks down traditional hierarchies by creating a kaleidoscope of colour with the greatest number of works from the Collection ever on display together. The show inspires fresh

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MPRG’s education and public programming will continue to be delivered online during July and August and the Gallery will launch a new initiative MPRG TV – featuring a series of online events for people to enjoy from home. On Thursday 23 July at 6pm an online launch of the MPRG: FIFTY exhibition and 50 year publication will be streamed live. Following this is a weekly in conversation series that will be presented every Thursday evening at 7.30pm.

This new Artist Studio conversations series will present significant artists represented in the MPRG Collection, including renowned printmaker Raymond Arnold, Euan Macleod, Jess Johnson and Cameron Robbins. Be transported around the country and across the other side of the world as we gain an insight into the creative practices of these leading artists.

Artist/educator Jill Anderson has created a series of creative activities inspired by works from MPRG’s Collection, including create a Patrick Pound inspired collage and paint a work on paper inspired by nature à la artists Rosie Weiss and GW Bot.

Visit mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au to find out more about exhibitions, online events and creative activities and for the most up to date information on the measures the gallery is implementing to keep visitors and staff safe.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA REGIONAL GALLERY

1970 — 2020 1

We are excited We are excited to welcome to youwelcome back you back

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Our businesses are working hard fully-implementing the new COVID safe rulesare to working open and welcome our locals back.

Our businesses hard fully-implementing the With new our beautiful open spaces, weand are welcome ready, knowing we will beWith able our to COVID safe rules to open our locals back. accommodate the much-needed social distancing requirements. beautiful open spaces, we are ready, knowing we will be able to accommodate the much-needed social distancing requirements.

Find your way back to our bush and coastal walks, that perfect day on the bay,bush that and special mealwalks, Find your way back to our coastal shared with day loved or foraging for treats that perfect onones, the bay, that special meal and produce; you won’t disappointed. shared with loved ones, be or foraging for treats and produce; you won’t be disappointed.

visitmp.org visitmp.org

CREATING PERFECT artwork

A

n exciting way of achieving just the right artwork for our home or office is on offer this month at Nissarana Galleries at 211 Main St. Mornington.

If you are having trouble finding that perfect piece and find yourself looking at heaps of paintings and 3d art to try find something that you like and will fit those special wall and display areas in your home or office but never finding what you want, then the answer is to commission the artwork. This means that the work of art is created especially for you by the artist of your choice. It can be inspired by an existing painting that you have seen that might not have been the correct size or colour for your room or you can discuss your ideas directly with the artist to create an original work that will sit perfectly in your living space and enhance and complement your existing interior environment. Nissarana Galleries have been facilitating the creation of individual paintings and sculpture for many years and its staff have extensive experience in sourcing the right art for your wall. With their knowledge of interior design they can advise you on the correct style and sizing that will suit your room. Drawing on their extensive family of more than 100 acclaimed artists the gallery consultants will guide you to finding the right painting, large fineart photograph or sculpture. Their unique collection of exquisite paintings, porcelain and fine art photography is a joy to explore in your search for the ideal artwork.

Bianca Gardiner -Dodd 'In Bloom

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This month the gallery is offering a 20% discount on all commissions that are booked before the end of July. “It’s a very simple process” explains gallery owner Valerie Pasquale “All you have to do it is come down to the gallery and look through the artist’s works that are on display or go through our online catalogue of ‘Commissioning Artists’on our website to find a style of artwork you like. Then our consultants will help you decide on the correct size and colour. The artist will be in contact with you as they create the work to ensure it is how you want it to be. Then delivery and hanging are done professionally, it’s all very easy”

Nissarana Galleries 211 Main St. Mornington Plenty of free parking at rear next to Mornington Village Shopping Centre.

Open 7 days, 10am – 5pm, or afterhours by appointment P: (03) 5976 8877.

M: 0474 496 222 E: info@ngmornington.com.au. www.nissaranagalleries.com.au

Colin Passmore - New Shoots Birdlife

Zetta Kanta

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ARTWORKS DESIGNED FOR YOUR HOME

from any of our 100 acclaimed artists

2 0 % O F F A L L C O M M I S S I O N S f o r J U LY O n l y

Colin Passmore

0 4 7 4

4 9 6

2 2 2

211 M ain st, M or nington www.nissaranagalleries.com.au info@ngmornington.com.au

Instagram/nissaranagalleries

Graham Jones

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ARTS AT home I

n response to venue closures in March, the Frankston Arts Centre moved swiftly to curate a digital series for patrons to enjoy from the comfort and safety of home. Ranging from live music, to Daytime Music + Theatre, to virtual art exhibitions and creative participation opportunities, the program continues to bring audiences together despite our social distancing.

“It was extremely important for us to stay connected. Audiences, the community and artists are the beating heart of the centre and we wanted to keep the energy alive,” explains Head of Programming at the Frankston Arts Centre, Tammy Ryan.

“The moment the centre closed we swiftly adapted some of our upcoming programs and continued to work hard to present new, engaging opportunities.”

In late April, thousands of people enjoyed a performance by peninsula-based singer and songwriter Cam Tapp, live-streamed on Facebook at a time when viewers were only in the early stages of missing the live music scene. Having established a loyal following of fans on social media by steaming performances from his lounge room, Tapp was excited to be the first artist invited to live stream from the Theatre in the history of Frankston Arts Centre saying it was a “a surreal and haunting experience”.

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There were many comments by viewers musing about the joy of listening to live-music and how good it felt to connect with others via music, even if the audience were all in their own homes. “The Arts connects people and creates opportunities for shared experiences. In a time of crisis that seeks to separate us, these experiences become crucial,” Ryan said.

The second event in the FAC Digital Series was a Daytime + Music Theatre performance of Kings of the High C, live-streamed from the Arts Centre Theatre via Facebook and YouTube. Starring the incredible voices of Roy Best, Alison Jones and Chris McKenna, Kings of the High C features the hit songs of Pavarotti, Placido Domingo and Carreras. Since the performance premiered in midMay, several thousand people have enjoyed it at home with many expressing sincere gratitude for having the opportunity to engage in music theatre at home.

For many, the true joy of attending the theatre is in the shared experience with other audience members. Chris McKenna reflects on this after his recent live-streamed performance in the empty FAC Theatre. “It was a wonderfully weird experience. To walk out to three cameras instead of 700 smiling patrons you need a different mindset. We had to create our own energy, as a lot of the time energy bounces up onto the stage from a live audience.”

Daytime Music + Theatre is well received and loved by the older generations, many of whom were feeling especially isolated in order to protect their health. It was important to the FAC team to be inclusive in offering online performances to as many in the community as possible, leading them to send copies of the performance to aged care facilities in the Frankston municipality. The positive health benefits of reminiscing when listening to music are numerous, with many aged care residents loving the opportunity to see a show in the comfort of the home.

Upcoming in the FAC Digital Series is a First Nation’s music performance timed to coincide with the original dates of NAIDOC week. The FAC will livestream A Musical Reconciliation by Spirit Lines on Thursday 9 July, 7.30pm via Facebook Live and YouTube.

Spirit Lines features Indigenous Australian Mutti Mutti singer, songwriter Uncle Kutcha Edwards, three-time Latin Grammy guitarist Daniel Jauregui, plus Anglo-Brazilian percussionist and scholar Adrian Hearn. Their musical collaboration explores the reconciliation of ancestral lines in the spirit of hope.

Frankston City Council Mayor, Sandra Mayer, encouraged the community to join her and watch the show from the comfort of their homes.

“It is wonderful that the Arts Centre has made this inspiring act available to the community,” Cr Mayer said.

“Music is one of my passions and I’m looking forward to tuning in for a great performance which shares a very important reconciliation message.”

Making the arts accessible at home to people of all ages, the FAC also released several online creative opportunities since March including the I Heart Portrait Prize for kids and its virtual exhibition, the Stories at the End of the Line short story call-out resulting in a published anthology and an exhibition in 2021. Both of these opportunities resulted in hundreds of submissions, proving that the local community is vibrant and includes active lovers of the arts.

Ryan encourages the community to stay engaged with the arts whilst we are slowly heading back out to a less-isolated world. “We can’t wait to welcome audiences and performers back to the centre, but in the meantime we hope that you stay connected and reap the rewards of FAC’s digital arts and culture experiences.”

Stay up to date with the FAC Digital Series, Hot Arts for Cool Kids at home on the school holidays, and enjoy Virtual Art Exhibitions: thefac.com.au

Have Your Say Frankston City Council is seeking your feedback on our Draft Arts & Culture Strategic Plan.

Council is committed to delivering vibrant and engaging artistic programs, events and opportunities that enrich lives, provide for active and deeper engagement, reach new audiences and create a more connected community through learning and new experiences.

FA C D I G I TA L S E R I E S | F R E E

SPIRIT LINES: A MUSICAL RECONCILIATION Thursday 9 July 7.30pm

A musical collaboration between Mutti Mutti man Kutcha Edwards, multiple Latin Grammy winner Daniel Jauregui and percussionist Adrian Hearn, exploring the reconciliation of ancestral lines in a spirit of hope.

Live streamed to you at home via Facebook and YouTube thefac.com.au

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Please take the time to share your feedback by completing the 15 minute survey: https://oursay.org/survey/lhQtCq To request a hard copy of the survey via post, contact Frankston Arts Centre: 03 9784 1060.

By completing the survey before Friday 17 July, you will go in the draw to win 1 of 3 $100 vouchers from Frankston Arts Centre!

2020 TRUFFLE SEASON Visit Red Hill Truffles on the Mornington Peninsula Farmgate Trail to purchase freshly unearthed truffles and delectable truffle products. Every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from June 3 until August 9, the doors will be open from 11.30 am to 4 pm for fresh truffles, truffle and mushroom paste, truffle butter, truffle salt, truffle honey and truffle eggs.

Trading Hours Due to COVID19 there will be no large truffle hunts or tastings for the 2020 season. However, small hunts with a maximum of 10 people are available every Saturday and Sunday from June till 1 August. Truffles and truffle products can be purchased following any hunts.

For updates and booking details visit www.redhilltruffles.com.au & mpexperience.com.au

Monday - Friday 10am-4pm

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103 Railway Parade, Seaford.

BAYS I D E

SHOES

A CELEBRATION OF

black and white T

he subtlety and power of black and white Aboriginal art features in Everywhen's exhibition for July.

"Black and white has been an enduring theme in Australia's Aboriginal art for many decades," says Susan McCulloch, cocurator of Everywhen. "Often black and white works give an optical illusion of shimmer which is a quality that many Aboriginal artists aspire to, as it pays homage to ancestral spirits.

Black and white also allows for the design and graphic elements in an artwork to shine."

Susan says that the range of works in the exhibition is extensive and includes acrylic paintings by emerging and leading artists from the Western and Central Desert, the Kimberley, Utopia, Arnhem Land, the APY Lands, Queensland and Victoria; ochres and bark paintings from the Kimberley and Arnhem Land; works on paper from Arnhem Land, the NT and Victoria and sculptural carvings of Mimih and Yawk Yawk figures and ceremonial poles from Arnhem Land.

paintings of the Tingari story by leading Western Desert artists from Yuendumu and Papunya and subtle yawk yawk figures from Arnhem Land's Maningrida Arts by carver Owen Yalandja whose works are in many of Australia's leading public collections.

In Black & White opens on July 10 and runs to August 4. It will be followed by an exuberant exhibition of Australia's indigenous wildlife represented in both ancient stories and secular images by Aboriginal artists all over Australia.

EVERYWHEN Artspace 1/39 Cook Street, Flinders, 3929 Open Friday-Tuesday 11-4 T: 03 5989 0496 E: info@mccullochandmcculloch.com.au mccullochandmcculloch.com.au

"There's a great mix of the contemporary and traditional in black and white works which look great in many homes and corporate spaces,' she says.

The range includes a large and impressive canvas by the traditional healer and artist Betty Muffler from the APY Lands; a rare painting in ochre by Utopia's Barbara Weir; subtle 'dancing line' paintings by Utopia's Lizzie Moss; Western Desert classic

July In Black & White + Top End Sculptures Acrylics, ochres, barks, mimih figures, and ceremonial poles featuring the subtle power of black & white in Aboriginal art

August Wildlife!

A celebration of Australia’s indigenous wildlife in Aboriginal art

1. Betty Muffler, "Healing Country", acrylic on linen, 152 x 198cm.

Courtesy the artist and Iwantja Arts 2. Owen Yalandja "Yawk Yawk" ochres on wood, 80cm Courtesy the artist and Maningrida Arts

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39 Cook Street, Flinders 3929. | T: 5989 0496 mccullochandmcculloch.com.au | Open Thursday-Tuesday 10.30-4

Businesses Businesses are are b Businesses Businesses are are b

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e back back and and can’t can’t wait wait to see see you you e back back and and can’t can’t wait wait toto to see see you you #supportmornington #supportmornington #supportmornington #supportmornington

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Connect Connect onlineonline Connect Connect online FB + IG FB @mainstreetmornington +online IG @mainstreetmornington FB + IG FB @mainstreetmornington + IG @mainstreetmornington #mainstreetmornington #mainstreetmornington #mainstreetmornington #mainstreetmornington

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Eat & Drink

SAVOURING SOUTHERN france

By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni

”

I

love experimenting with flavour,” says Loïc Duchet, French cook and proprietor of Le Capucin, a French café and takeaway restaurant in Portsea. He was raised in a tiny village in South West France, where the flavours of traditional cooking were an integral part of the culture.

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Living in such a small village often meant sourcing food through hunting and gathering to bring meals to the table. Fruit and vegetables were grown in kitchen gardens and other staples of the diet came from local farms. continued next page...

July 2020

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Both of his parents were great cooks. The Duchet family lived in a house built in the 1770s with a huge fireplace where some of the cooking was done. One of the methods used involved a capucin.

(This is where the name of the café comes from.) It’s an ancient cooking utensil used to baste birds on a hand-operated fireplace rotisserie. Loïc’s family often cooked in this way.

Most of the cooking still took place in the kitchen. “The kitchen was the place to be. Children cooked alongside their parents. Cooking was a family experience,” Loïc says. His parents didn’t use recipes. Every dish was taste tested.

Once meals were served the dining would last for hours. So, Loïc has ample experience with traditional French food.

Le Capucin in 2018. While recipes are important for consistency, tasting still determines whether a dish is just right. “We make all of our own stock and we taste every batch,” Loïc says. They also have an experienced chef on site and together they produce beautiful meals.

In France, Loïc loved cooking for his friends and family. He stills does, but now he and a small team bring that passion for food to tables on the Mornington Peninsula. For the most part, ingredients are sourced locally. The meat comes from a Sorrento butcher and the produce comes largely from local supplier, Scicluna.

Outside of the ingredients, slow cooking is the secret to their success

He wasn’t always involved in the business of cooking. The majority of his professional career was spent in retail sales and management.

He worked for Quiksilver in France. After a number of years, they sent him to London when the company was expanding into the UK. This was a game changer.

Loïc went to work in their Covent Garden shop. Working there was a beautiful Australian named Kirsty. The pair instantly fell in love. They lived and travelled in Europe for several years before deciding to move to Australia.

Loïc continued to work in retail upper management before he and Kirsty had an epiphany. Why not take their mutual love of French food, his passion for cooking and flair for customer service, and open a French café? The decision was made.

In 2017 Loïc and Kirsty spent six months travelling in France researching, collecting recipes and trying local cuisines. They opened

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Outside of the ingredients, slow cooking is the secret to their success. Dishes are cooked for several hours to bring out all the flavours.

Loïc loves every dish he makes and you can practically taste his enthusiasm.

While Le Capucin serves excellent coffee and tasty pastries, it is their delicious traditional French food that keeps customers coming back. Coq au vin, boeuf bourguignon and cassoulet with duck confit are extremely popular, but there are many other dishes on the menu. Food can be picked up fresh or frozen. If it’s available on the day, it can be eaten in the café.

Loïc and Kirsty have brought the traditional flavours and slow cooking methods of hearty French country food to Portsea and every bite is worth savouring - slowly.

Le Capucin, 3770 Point Nepean Road, Portsea 5984 3243 Open every day from 8 am -1 pm except Wednesdays. www.lecapucin.com.au

Recipe CASSOULET AU CANARD CONFIT Serves 12

2 large sprigs of rosemary 1 TSP salt 1/2 TSP pepper 12 pork sausages coloured in olive oil (The local butcher makes Toulouse sausage for this recipe)*

INGREDIENTS:

METHOD:

12 Maryland duck legs* 2 TSP of duck fat 200 gr finely chopped shallots 200 gr finely chopped carrots 200 gr finely chopped celery 2 TPS of garlic finely chopped 2 TPS of tomato paste 200 ml white wine 6 slices of cured pork belly cut in 1/2 (we use my home made cured ventrèche which is similar to pancetta but flavoured differently) 1 ltr chicken stock (made in house) 500 grams of dry cannellini beans 12 sprigs of fresh thyme 4 bay leaves

1. Sauté vegetables and garlic in duck fat.

2. Add tomato paste and cook for 10 minutes to reduce acidity.

3. Deglaze pan with white wine and add chicken stock. Reduce by 1/3 4. Season, add fresh herbs and then the beans.

5. In a large tray add the pork belly slices, pork sausages and pour over bean mixture.

6. Cook, covered, in oven at 190 degrees until beans are soft but still slightly firm, uncover for the remaining 30 minutes.

7. Cook legs in duck fat, garlic, bay

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leaves and fresh thyme at 120 degrees uncovered until the meat is tender and skin as coloured.

8. Place confit legs under the grill for a few minutes to get the skin crispy.

9. Adjust seasoning if necessary.

10. When the beans are cooked, serve one sausage, one piece of ventrèche and a couple of ladles full of beans mixture on a plate and add the duck confit on top. *The day before, the duck legs are cured in salt for 14 hours. *The sausages are also precooked in olive oil until they get slightly coloured.

Confit, (from the French word confire, literally "to preserve”) is any type of food that is cooked slowly over a long period of time as a method of preservation. Confit as a cooking term describes when food is cooked in grease, oil or sugar water, at a lower temperature.

Must try

Dishes

Hopper thali Choice of chef ’s special local chicken, beef, lamb, pork or veg curry, chuntey, sambal and condiments

Baby Barramundi with charred cucumber tzatziki Monkey Business Dromana 1/277 Point Nepean Rd, Dromana Ph 5981 0685 monkeybusinessdromana.com.au

Many Little Bar & Bistro

Stumpy Gully Winery 1247 Stumpy Gully Rd, Moorooduc Ph 1800 788 679 stumpygully.com.au

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Squires Loft

104 Main St Mornington Ph 5976 8482 squiresloftmornington.com.au

2-5/159 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South Ph 5989 2831 manylittle.com.au

Mushroom forestry mushrooms red rice, hazelnut gazpacho, granola

Succulent t-bone steak, flavoured with the squires loft signature baste when grilled. Served with your choice of either chips, baked potato or side salad

Oven baked barramundi fillet with fennel and olive risotto, baby tomato and preserved lemon

Felino salami, mozzarella, cherry tomato and stracciatella pizza.

Prawn, zucchini, fior di latte and chilli pizza

Hickinbotham of Dromana

Montalto Estate Restaurant

194 Nepean Hwy, Dromana Ph 5981 0355 hickinbotham.biz

33 Shoreham Rd, Red Hill South Ph 5989 8412 montalto.com.au

SATISFYING YOUR HUNGER WITH LIFE’S SIMPLE PLEASURES

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS! We are excited to announce Squires Loft Mornington is now open for dine-in service.

Meal service is available again in our downstairs area and our upstairs loft.

Bookings are essential, as we adhere to government guidelines.

You can’t go past our delicious steaks, ribs and prawns, cooked to your liking, with a selection of sauces to tempt you one step further.

Add a bottle of wine from our wide selection to make your dinner special.

Open for lunch Saturday and Sunday 12pm to 3pm Open 7 days a week - two dinner sessions 5pm to 7pm and 7.30pm to late

104 Main St. Mornington www.squiresloftmornington.com.au 5976 8482

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on

Dromana

Dromana is a bayside centre, nestled between Safety Beach and McCrae, and situated at the foot of the towering peak of Arthurs Seat, 66 km south of Melbourne.

Dromana's commercial centre is concentrated along the coastal boulevard of Point Nepean Road, with Arthurs Seat and its surrounding bushland providing a scenic backdrop to the shops and cafes along this route.

Dromana's foreshore reserve lines the coast and consists of grassy picnic areas, shelters, walking tracks and designated camping areas. The calm, sandy beaches provide safe swimming and boating opportunities.

Points of interest along the coast include the Dromana Pier and the rocky cutting at Anthony’s Nose where a boat ramp is situated.

Heronswood is a historic property situated on an elevated 2 hectare allotment on Latrobe Parade, overlooking the bay. The house and surrounding gardens date back to 1871 and are open for visitors to explore and enjoy.

The property includes a cafe which serves organic produce from the gardens and fresh food from local growers where possible.

There is a retail shop and nursery, with garden workshops held regularly. Heronswood is managed by Diggers Club, Australia's largest garden club, which also looks after the cool climate St Erth Gardens at Blackwood in the Macedon Ranges.

It is believed that the name Dromana is of Irish origin and that it came about from the influx of gold prospectors in the mid 19th century. There is a Dromana on the tidal section of the Blackwater River, near Cappoquin, County Waterford in Ireland, and this is the most likely origin of the name.

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Dromana and neighboring Tuerong to the north, are home to a number of vineyards, some with cellar doors open for wine tasting.

In 1841, Hugh Jamieson purchased 5,120 acres (2,070 ha), or eight square miles, of land from the Crown for ₤1 an acre under the terms of the short-lived Special Survey regulations.

The purchase included the northern part of the present suburb of Dromana to the east of Safety Beach. The area is known as Jamieson's Special Survey in cadastral surveys.

The first subdivision of Crown lands in Dromana occurred in 1854. Dromana Post Office opened on 12 April 1858.

The completion of its pier took place in 1872, allowing the shipping of produce to the city markets. In 1881, Dromana was well established as a seaside resort.

A major contributor to the development of Dromana was Spencer Jackson. One of his greatest achievements was the facilitation of the construction of a road to the summit of Arthurs Seat in 1929. Dromana's pier was much longer in those days and Dromana shared with Sorrento the ability to accommodate the bay steamers which did much to promote Dromana as a tourist destination. The McKeown and Shaw families ran guest houses for over half a century.

Dromana is known for its number of vineyards. More than 22 separate vintners operate within Dromana, as well as several vineyards. The Dromana Drive-in cinema is a popular entertainment spot for locals and holidaymakers alike.

Coffee Safari Freshly brewed coffee is a must-have for weekends. Here are a few places to check out when you're in this beautiful part of the world.

Laneway Espresso

167 POINT NEPEAN ROAD A fun café with great coffee and meals and a great antique shop at the front.

Little Rebel Coffee Roastery 22 COLLINS RD

A boutique coffee roaster situated in the Dromana Industrial Estate. Choose from the house blend, single origin blends, filter, pour over or cold brew, all made by expert baristas and enjoy a sweet treat or toastie with your brew.

Pier Street Kitchen 19 PIER STREET

Serving breakfast, brunch or lunch with a Mediterranean twist.

Miller's Bread Kitchen 116 NEPEAN HIGHWAY

Utilising a range of organic flours and fresh seasonal ingredients, freshly baked artisan breads, gourmet pies, delicious sweets and coffee await you.

What to do There’s always something fabulous to do in Dromana. Head down to the beach with its white sands and calm waters, and then enjoy a relaxed lunch at one of the many cafes or restaurants. Make your way up the hill to the wineries or check out the array of producers and hidden treasures to be found in the Dromana Industrial Estate. Catch a movie at the Dromana Drive-In, or for history buffs there’s plenty to check out at the Dromana Historical Society, and don’t forget to call in to Heronswood Estate, the home of the Digger’s Club..

Photos Yanni

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The Vegan Dairy

highlighting some unique businesses you will find in this area of the Peninsula

Welcome Back!

Hickinbotham is continuing to follow the Government guidelines for COVID 19 to keep people safe. We are continuing with giving our 20 guest maximum the best food, wine and beer offerings until the 12th July when hopefully restrictions are eased or as advised otherwise.

Our Winter wine sale will continue till the end of June Previously we reconfigured our business to provide take away offerings for our loyal customers, both to keep them happy, and to keep our own staff in a positive state of mind during this stressful time!

It's certainly not the same as human interaction, so returning some way to normal will be a very pleasant change for all concerned.

We would like to say a really heartfelt "thank you" to all the locals whosupported us by buying wine, beer and takeaway food through our drive thru shop.

It was really nice to see many familiar faces in the various cars and the gesture was really appreciated by all of the Hickinbotham Team!

The open fire is lit and we have two lunch sittings at 12noon and 2pm, followed by a 4pm Happy hour.

We are also offering 6pm dinner sittings on Friday and Saturday evenings which we will continue if they prove popular.

We are not recommencing live music just yet, but stay tuned as things continue to change.

Cheers to all and stay safe!!!

Ph 5981 0355 | 194 Nepean Hwy, Dromana | www.hickinbotham.biz

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Crittenden Estate is one of the Peninsula’s oldest iconic wineries.

Family owned and operated since 1982, we are locals passionate about making outstanding quality cool climate wines that reflect this incredible winemaking region.

Described by James Halliday as an outstanding winery regularly producing wines of exemplary quality, Crittenden Estate was yet again awarded Halliday’s highest rating of five red stars in the 2020 Halliday Wine Companion.

Crittenden Estate WINE CENTRE

Plant Based Cheese Plastic Free Healthy & clean Made on the Peninsula

Crittenden Estate 25 Harrisons Rd Dromana

Discover our story at the custom built Crittenden Wine Centre, designed to enable our customers to truly appreciate the calibre of our wines in comfort and style.

w w w . t h e v e g a n d a i r y. c o m

www.crittendenwines.com.au 5987 3800 I open seven days

@thevegandairy 03 9018 5558

A P PA R EL & C U STOM S U R F B OA R D S

DISCOVER THE EXCITING NEW LITTLE SPRITZ! Born out of a passion for the surf industry and a desire to support independent and local brands.

With decades of surf industry experience throughout the team, you know you’re in good hands.

24 Colli ns Road Dro m a n a VI C , 3 9 3 6 | O pen 7 days PH : 0 3 59 8 18 1 6 5 | b a ss-su r f b o a rd s.co m . au

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Visit our Little Spritz Tasting Bar and enjoy a taste of summer all year round Also available is Mr Little Cider & Peninsula Cider.

All products can be sampled and purchased.

Open Thursday to Sunday 11am-5pm or by appointment. For more information on this unique Peninsula destination or to book a private tasting or event, contact Natalie on 0439 368 181 or hello@littlespritz.com.au

20 Brasser Ave, Dromana 0439 368 181 www.littlespritz.com.au FB: littlespritz INSTA: @littlespritz

Verdant Dwellings EXCELLENCE IN INDOOR PLANTS

Verdant Dwellings, located in the Dromana Industrial Estate, is a dedicated Indoor Plant Growing Warehouse and Retail Space. With over 200sq meters dedicated to sales of over 200 varieties, you are sure to find what you're after. Family owned and operated by a 20 year Industry Horticulturalist, expect quality plants and advice.

Open to the public every Friday from 10am to 2pm and Saturday from 9am to 12 midday or online 24/7. Shipping available Australia Wide excluding WA and the NT.

For more information visit www.verdantdwellings.com.au Call 0404 046 462

4/277 Point Nepean Rd, Dromana 5981 8033 www.aroomwithaview.com.au @ aroomwithaviewdromana

FR ES H FR O M O C EA N TO YO U Peninsula Fresh Seafood is pleased to announce that it will shortly open its brand new seafood processing facility in the Dromana Industrial Estate.

Due to open in July and with sales direct to the public, we are your “one stop shop� for the freshest seafood on the Mornington Peninsula.

Factory 2/10 Thomson Tce. Dromana Ph: 5981 0425

I Mobile: 0409 192 770

E: info@peninsulafreshseafood.com.au www.peninsulafreshseafood.com.au

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#1 Gutter Guard Company in Melbourne and Mornington Peninsula

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*Valid Until 31/07/20 57 | PENINSULA Conditions apply

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Puzzle

Corner

ACROSS 1. Behave affectedly (4-3) 6. Australian nut 11. Jived 15. America's First Lady, Michelle ...

16. Late Princess of Wales 17. Bridge over gorge 18. Capered 21. Latent 22. Optic cover 23. Inflame 24. French Pacific island 28. Driving compartments 30. Expires 32. Guide 35. Bolivian capital (2,3) 37. Becomes expert at 38. Skewered dish 40. Petty criticism 43. Grazed 45. Wooden post 47. Unsatisfied (needs) 48. Determine 52. And not 53. Clearing away mess (7,2) 56. Greatly pleased 58. Dining establishment 60. Picking up & feeling 61. Scientist, ... Newton 62. Intertwining 64. Remove intestines 65. Fury 67. Every second year 69. Loathed 72. Entrance-way handle (4,4) 75. Bangkok cuisine 77. Happily ... after 78. Actor, Robert De ...

79. Wading bird 81. Inhale & exhale 83. Old remnant 84. Do voice-over 86. Surfeit 87. Dough ingredient 90. Hide (booty) 92. Surfaces (road) 93. Screened from sun 95. Street-finder (4,3) 96. Cricket side 98. Glides on snow 99. Leaks 100. Domesticated 101. Invitation footnote

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(1,1,1,1) 102. Hitch 103. Charisma 104. Conformed, ... the line 106. Florida resort 110. Stretch (neck) 113. Clothes presser 115. Spruce up 116. Test 117. Sombrero land 118. Dog trainer's command 119. Nuzzled 122. Ideal (home) 125. Eject 126. Gestured in recognition 127. Lofts (ball) heavenwards 129. Observation 130. Pink-cheeked 131. Small duck 132. Frosted (cake) 133. Tiny landmass 134. Use snorkel (4,4) 137. A ... for your thoughts 138. Wide-ranging 142. Pinch 143. Peak 145. Bulb flowers 146. Geological division 149. Milan folk 151. Political exile 152. Improve (law) 154. Wears out one's welcome 156. Slimy substance 157. Fellow crew members 159. Ancient Andes Indians 161. Market goods 163. The ... Scrolls (4,3) 168. Avidly 171. Hygienic 172. Trembles 176. Satirical routines 177. Alpha male (3,3) 180. King of Spain, ... Carlos 181. Sport squad 183. Container for boiling 187. Taiwanese city 188. Teeth 190. Cleaver 191. Aperitif 192. Amassed stock 193. Encourage (3,2) 194. Orphan girl musical 195. Cooks gently 196. Tension-ridden 197. Skilled performer

DOWN

1. Swivel 2. Flooded (of decks) 3. Fully-grown 4. Carry (gun) 5. Paparazzi equipment 6. Wizardry 7. Nunnery superior 8. Refer 9. Ethiopia's ... Ababa 10. Lags behind 11. Said goodbye, ... farewell 12. Storybook monsters 13. NW US state 14. Overthrow, coup ... (1'4) 19. Eve's mate 20. Supplements, ... out 25. Emirate, ... Dhabi 26. Saturate 27. Unwell 29. Revel (in) 31. Tehran is there 32. Outflow 33. Retail group 34. Caviar 36. Oxygenation 39. First animal in dictionary 40. Waterside loading platform 41. Last few to finish 42. Faded away (7,3) 44. Hoodwink 46. Extremities 47. Fertiliser compound 49. Persuade 50. Half-diameters 51. Lingerie item 53. Tropical cyclones 54. Prelude 55. Chap 57. Any of two 59. Sharp-tasting 63. Electricity grid failures 66. Abates (5,2) 67. Obstetric deliveries 68. Large antelopes 70. Rinks 71. Mystery 73. Held (grudge) 74. Caustic 76. Violence 80. Edible shoots (4,7) 82. Dr Jekyll & Mr ...

85. Interrupting cough 88. Down Under natives

89. Applied therapy to 90. Spurted 91. Documents bag, ... case 94. Spooky 97. African republic, Sierra ...

104. Cotton tops (1-6) 105. Postponements 106. Japanese volcano (2,4) 107. WWII diarist, ... Frank 108. Cause resentment 109. Reside at workplace (4,2) 111. Bullets 112. Excused (from tax) 113. Culturally symbolic 114. Chatters idly 120. Anomalies 121. Models' hairpieces 123. Repositioned (troops) 124. Praises 127. Military engineer 128. Grain-cutting tool 135. Personal glory 136. Of newborn 139. Woodwind instrument 140. Colloquial saying 141. Smoke vent 144. Tangle 147. Tent clamps 148. Raven 150. Warty creature 153. Glimpse 155. Refashioned 158. Representative 160. Greenish blue 162. Area measurement 164. Self-image 165. Heart-monitoring machine (1,1,1) 166. Money kept for future 167. Russia's neighbour 169. Inquire 170. Laugh out loud (1,1,1) 172. Clever retort 173. Add-on building 174. Principles 175. Identical 177. Periods 178. Biblical prayer 179. Speak publicly 180. Denim trousers 182. Parable's meaning 184. Spot-on 185. Ocean phases 186. Actor, ... Murphy 187. Golf mounds 189. Moisturiser, ... butter

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See page 61 for solution July 2020

Real Estate

INNOVATIVE WITH A twist

10 Protea Lane, Dromana.

C

ompletely captivating, this appealing property, peacefully set in the foothills of Arthurs Seat, is one of character that will attract the attention of any buyer looking for that special property with a difference.

There is an immediate sense of substance and quality with a dazzling array of high-end designer finishes on offer – the eyecatching double sided gas log fire and cool sliding barn door with distinct timber panelling that feature to the main open plan living zone are particularly impressive. Equally inspiring is the excellent kitchen with two large prep benches that include a dishwasher and stainless-steel oven respectively; there is a gas hot plate with stainless-steel rangehood above, and cleverly integrated into the space is a butlers pantry. Two bedrooms share a chic bathroom highlighted by glamorous pendant lighting, a long twin vanity unit is set opposite a glass framed shower and there is a deep-soaker tub.

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The lavish master bedroom has a walk-in robe and opens out to a Juliette balcony. Intriguingly set over three levels, from the ground floor there is a double garage with staircase leading up to a rumpus room, or third bedroom if required, and as the perfect addition to the spectacular main zone is a rooftop terrace with its spectacular elevation and orientation taking in the view over the treetops to the bay and Martha Cove for the ultimate entertaining area. Completely private with zero passing traffic, yet literally moments to shops, this fascinating property affords a wonderful low-maintenance lifestyle for downsizers or a fun, envy inducing weekend holiday home.

10 Protea Lane, DROMANA $830,000 - $870,000 Steve Granger: 0488 333 117 Granger Estate Agents, 683 Point Nepean Road, McCrae

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We have now helped over 100 local residents achieve their domestic and commercial registrations over the past three years, increasing their opportunities and income – changing their lives for the better.

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So if you are ready to start the process, or just need more information, Call Nathan on 0419-020-266 or our offices on 9590-9666.

ENOUGH TIME WASTED. IT’S TIME TO BUILD – WITH BRICOL Whether you are thinking about renovating or building, BricolSeaford can help……from Design to Full Construction.

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Call Brian on 0400-478-038 or visit us at our Frankston selection centre or visit us online at bricol.com.au

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Dove and Lyre Part of the fossil display

Part of the crystal display

Imagine being able to buy your own real dinosaur Well now you can – at Dove and Lyre, 187 Main Street, Mornington! This is a business serious about natural history, selling fossils, gems, bugs and beasties, handmade gemstone jewellery, and antiquities.

These are spiny oyster Turquiose from Arizona in sterling silver

Robert and Di opened their first shop Dove and Lyre in Sydney in 2013 and remained open until February this year closing just after opening in Mornington in late January.

A beautiful clear quartz crystal on a light stand (sold separately) makes a stunning night light

When the covid-19 pandemic came almost straight after, the community in East Gippsland has been devastated, having lost its income for the season. These factors induced Robert and Di to open in Mornington earlier than expected and hopefully Lakes Entrance will recover quickly, when visitors can return to enjoy this beautiful part of Victoria.

Dove and Lyre Mornington is a shop that is sure to impress - a fascinating eclectic mix of unique and wonderful objects that have been collected over the last 8 years.

To name but a few of the most amazing items for sale is a 120 million year old baby Dinosaur - Psittacosaurus Sinensis, a small herbivore from China; a three chambered Amethyst cave from Brazil; museum quality crystal and fossil specimens and some amazing fossils and crystals from Australia.

This amazing shop has a vast range of Gemstones – from the common to the obscure, in a price range from $5 to over $5,000. Their extensive range of fossils includes trilobites, ammonites, Woolly Mammoth teeth, and even a Tyrannosaurus Rex tooth.

Dove and Lyre have a display of Australian and European meteorites including the latest one to hit Russia in 2013. There is also Moldavite and Libyan glass, the results of meteorite impacts. Did you know there are 172 known impact craters in the world and Australia has 25 of these?

Also, for sale are Antiquities from around the world, dating back to several thousand years BC. From the Pre-historic to the Historic and Modern, come and have a look at their incredible range of jewellery – from early Roman, to antique, Art Deco and the latest handmade Sterling Silver and beaded Jewellery! What a choice!

Dove and Lyre also have a superb collection of Butterflies and Bugs, framed and under glass. It is their intention to provide many natural history and scientific pieces for those interested in these areas.

Make sure you put Dove and Lyre on your ‘MUST SEE’ list when you are down and about in Mornington.

There are two reasons for opening in Mornington at this time. Firstly, Robert and Di have always wanted to become resident on the peninsula, and secondly, the bush fires in East Gippsland crippled their shop’s business in Lakes Entrance, which has been open for almost 4 years.

Maybe not up your street however they are really stunning to those who collect. Choose from beautiful butterfiles and other bugs.

Left: Needs no explanation, however did you know they were formed 1.8 - 2 BILLION years ago?

Right: Our baby dinosaur come and pay her a visit!

Dove and Lyre: 189 Main Street Mornington | (03) 5902 6084 Find us on Facebook and Instagram

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History

WHEN SORRENTO HAD A TRAM

By Lance Hodgins

I

n the late 1800s it was a very special outing to cross Port Phillip Bay to Sorrento by paddle steamer and take the tramway to the Ocean Beach. Over 50,000 would enjoy this experience each season, which lasted from early November to Easter. The paddle steamers Ozone and the Hygeia, both about 300 feet long, could transport passengers in comfort across the Bay in excess of twenty knots.

The Journey At Sorrento, passengers disembarked and walked along the pier where they encountered waiting horse-drawn “cabs” – or they could take a footbridge to Tramway Hill where a waiting steam train was blowing its whistle. The return trip cost six pence (the equivalent of about $25 today) and, once boarded, it was a short haul up a hill to the Continental Hotel before turning right down the main shopping street on the one mile journey to the Ocean Beach Park.

Passing by huge guest houses, the steam locomotive and its carriages finally stopped on a curve high above the Back Beach and disgorged its passengers, who could take refreshments and promenade along the spectacular beach and coastline. After several hours, a warning whistle announced that it was time to return to the pier and catch the steamer home. continued next page...

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Above: Paddle steamers at the Sorrento pier Below left: George Coppin Below: Tram or cab to the ocean beach?

George Coppin This brilliant tourist attraction lasted for thirty years, but it was not without its critics and it was plagued by constant controversy.

Its creator, George Coppin, was controversial enough in himself. By the time he founded the tramway in 1889, he was already 70 years of age with a lifetime of achievements behind him.

Coppin was an astute, ruthless and imaginative entrepreneur.

Often called the ‘Father of Australian Theatre’, he built six theatres and brought some great talent to this country. He developed an amusement park, imported the first white swans, provided camels to Burke and Wills, conducted the first hot air balloon ascent, and

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ran a roller skating rink. His interests included banking, mining and horseracing. He founded the Gordon House for the homeless and Victoria’s Royal Humane Society, and was the Mayor of Richmond and a Member of Parliament.

Coppin had grandiose plans for his beloved Sorrento, the location of his “holiday” home. Having pioneered steam excursions down the Bay since the 1870s, he formed a company which built the Continental Hotel, swimming baths, the Mechanics Institute, a guest house and several cottages – all at a time when there were only 22 houses in the district.

Above: The main adversaries of the Tramway: the cabbies Below right: Looking past the Back Beach Palace to the Continental Hotel on the horizon

Coppin’s Ocean Amphitheatre Company recognised that Sorrento’s back beach was the jewel in the crown and he began to make improvements there. A road was cut through the high dune cliffs and four miles of paths constructed, along with a large rotunda to provide magnificent views of the coastline and the well-laid out parks of the natural bowl below.

Within a decade he was planning a novel way to reach it. In July 1889 the Sorrento Tramway Company was seeking 2,400 red gum sleepers and 150 cubic yards of limestone metal. During the first week of November, residents of Mornington reported seeing eleven splendid horses passing through their town hauling the first of two US-built Baldwin locomotives - each of which would pull up to four 50-passenger open cars.

By Christmas 1889, the tramway was in business.

Complaints roll in It wasn’t long before the first complaint rolled in. In mid-January a tourist had travelled down on the Ozone and when she alighted at the back beach her dress caught fire from the “sparks which were flying around in all directions” and it was put out by fellow passengers. She later claimed that a hole 4 x 6 inches had been burnt through four layers of serge.

“I could have lost my life!” she exclaimed.

The conductor, Mr S W Clarke, was not aware of any commotion (which would have accompanied the accident) and the fact it was not reported for two hours cast some doubt on the veracity of her account.

It was not only the tourists who had concerns. In May 1990 a deputation of townsfolk asked the Minister of Lands to appoint

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more trustees to the Ocean Park to obtain a broader representation of the community. The local business men (including hoteliers) were upset at the tramway taking visitors past their establishments to be refreshed at the back beach for the day.

The response from the tramway company was that shares had been made available to every business man in town, as had the tender for the refreshment stall – the rent from which goes to improvements in the Park anyway. Furthermore, people do not have to take the tramway – they can freely elect to stay in the town and patronise the establishments there.

For the horse-drawn “cabbies’, competition was more direct and clashes were more frequent and long-lasting.

Before the tramway even opened, one cabman had caught his buggy wheel on the points of the line and smashed it to pieces.

George Wilby’s case was more serious and brought an appearance in court. In May 1892 the 72 year-old cab proprietor was driving back from Ocean Park when he “heard the tram whistle and had tried to clear the tracks as quickly as possible but was hit at about 15 mph”. He was thrown out of his cab and “severely injured his knee and suffered a shock to the system”. The conductor deposed that he had sounded the whistle and Wilby had actually turned onto the tracks where he was hit by the tram which had almost come to a halt. Wilby admitted that he was “a little merry on the day” and his demand for £25 costs was disallowed by the jury.

A couple of years later it was tram vs. tram in a mystifying accident.

The two trams had a head-on collision on the Amphitheatre (Back Beach) Road right opposite the Mechanics Institute. No-one could continued next page...

explain why the two trams were travelling in the opposite direction on a single line when there were two tracks available. The passengers were jolted from their seats and one of them suffered severe internal injuries and several others were treated for cut and bruises. The Ozone’s departure was delayed for an hour for an incident which created bad press for the tramway.

The 1890s were particularly distressing times economically for businessmen and property owners. George Coppin survived these years largely due to a wise investment in Melbourne’s Theatre Royale. He held one-third of the tramway company shares and he continued to provide money to keep his pet project functioning.

In late 1902 it became public knowledge that the Sorrento Tramway Company might very well be put up for sale. The debenture holders held a full mortgage and bill of sale over all of the movable property for payment of £12,000 and seemed determined to sell everything a soon as possible.

But who would buy it? As one observer mildly put it: “With such an unkindly feeling as exists amongst the Sorrento people against the tramway, it seems that no one will purchase it with the intention of running it.” Others felt that once the tramway closed down the cabmen would have it all their own way and the increased dust and chaos would deny the Back Beach experience to many thousands of visitors.

The Cabbies Fire Up The cabbies were spoiling for a fight and in February 1903 came the most serious challenge to date. Two cab drivers, E J Dark and R Hutcheson, lodged a formal complaint with Council about the state of the dust on the tracks and a collision which had ensued.

At the corner near the Back Beach Palace, the driver sounded his whistle as is customary and then saw Dark’s cab coming slowly down the line. The driver put on his brakes and the cabbie turned

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and stopped in the middle of the line and part of his wheel was knocked off. When Dark was asked if he had not heard the whistle, he replied that he had but didn’t know from which direction it was coming as there was so much dust in the air.

The driver in charge of the tram supported this version of events, and maintains that he was doing only about 2 mph when he hit the cabbie’s wheel. “It looked to me like a premeditated affair as he had no right to cross the track a second time,” said Mr Hulse. “I have had trouble with Dark on two occasions in the past and have had to avoid accidents with him both times. He is the only man to have given me any trouble.”

EJ Dark had a livery stable which had become insolvent in 1889.

He was forced to sell off most of his wagonettes and fine harness horses just as the tramway was starting up. Nevertheless, he was not without credibility in the community: a member of the Sorrento Progressive League, a committeeman of the Sorrento Rifle Club and a founding trustee of the local ANA branch. He would go on to own “Ophir” - one of Sorrento’s finest boarding houses, ironically overlooking the tramway terminus.

The objections delivered to Council also raised the matter of the speed at which the trams were going. Councillors were concerned that, as the trams were laden with passengers, if the excessive speed was permitted to continue then the smash up would be a big one – and where would the Council be then? One councillor accused the trams of running at 20mph which was double their stipulated speed limit. The local constable would be asked to provide a report on the matter.

During this debate the tramway employees were incensed that Councillor Marsden had called them a ‘pack of liars’. George Porter had worked for the Sorrento Tramway Company for ten years and he pronounced that he “did not feel that George Coppin was in the habit of employing liars”.

The speed issue and some needed repairs prompted the councillors to make a tour of inspection of the tramway. This confirmed their impression that the tramway was being conducted in a very satisfactory manner – despite some comments to the contrary. They recognised that the tramway was a Shire asset: the Company should pay for the upkeep of the track and stick to its speed regulations, and the Shire should fix up some mullock caused largely by horse drawn carriages. The Company was given three months to make the necessary repairs.

By mid-1903 the ageing George Coppin was divesting himself of many of his assets. The Sorrento Tramway Company was under offer for purchase for a very low price (reputedly £600) and efforts were being made to form a local company to acquire the entire property and rolling stock. A public meeting resolved to buy it and there was a call for shares. Within weeks, however, the sale had fallen through and the Company was bought by a Melbourne syndicate headed up by Sorrento businessman, Isaac Bensilum, owner of the Continental Hotel.

His company spent a good deal of money on the property, installing new boilers in the engines and keeping the equipment generally in good order. For the next five years it ran on a sound financial basis, although it was constantly being brought to account

by Council at the urging of the cabmen. The crossing at the Continental Hotel was frequently breaking axles and in May 1907 Councillors Clark and Marsden gave the Company three months to put its line in repair “otherwise it would be forfeited to the Shire”.

Feelings ran high as the Sorrento Cabmen’s Association formally objected to the Tramway Company operating without a licence and requested that Council lower their own fees from £1 to 10 shillings.

Formalities were cast aside on one Saturday night in February 1908 when a quantity of brushwood was piled up under the tramway’s bridge leading to the pier, soaked with kerosene and lit. At 4 am the smoke and flames were spotted by an early morning fisherman who raised the alarm and prevented further damage.

The Council Has An About Face In July 1913 the people of Sorrento woke to the news that their Council had renewed the Tramway Company’s contract for another 30 years – despite it still having seven years to run on the original deal. The Company would pay the council £20 for the first ten years, £25 for the second ten years and £30 in the final ten years.

This took everyone by surprise and upset many locals who felt they should have been consulted. To make a decision now for the next thirty years was ignoring “advances in electric traction and motor bus transport”.

Several well-attended public meetings concluded that “the action of the council was in direct antagonism to the interests of the district. The engines and trams are completely out of date, shabby and a discredit to Sorrento as one of the favourite watering places of the State.” A deputation to council asked that the resolution be rescinded and put before the ratepayers.

Council agreed to a stay of proceedings and sought legal advice. They rejected “those foul and slanderous accusations” that they had been promised investment money if they extended the tramway contract.

They also denied having acted in secrecy, pointing out that the decision had been made in open council. Many councillors continued to believe that they were both legally and morally right to extend the contract, but there was serious disagreement in their ranks. continued next page...

Below: All aboard at The Continental Below right: Noojee here we come

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The Minister of Works gave the matter careful consideration and ultimately advised that the Shire should not have committed itself seven years in advance. In September 1913 Council rejected its own proposal to extend the Tramway Company’s lease and decided to wait out the original lease.

And so it was back to the petty bickering between the cabmen and the tram drivers. This time it was the excessive whistling of the trams, the drivers claiming that they were only trying to warn people in the face of the false accusations the cabbies were making.

They couldn’t have it both ways: less whistling meant less warning and more danger on the tracks.

Yet no one had complained about whistling on the journey through town so attention focussed on the noise at the terminus. One councillor had counted 72 loud and long blasts from the station, but another reminded him that this was merely to attract business from the newly arrived steamer passengers - and also, admittedly, to annoy the cabmen. The Shire Secretary was instructed to write to each party and ask the tram driver to control his whistling and the cabmen to refrain from their constant shouting.

The End of the Tramway When the original thirty year lease ran out in March 1920 the Company believed it had the right of renewal - which the Council denied.

The Loch Valley Timber Co had already offered £4,000 for the plant: two Baldwin locomotives, nine cars, one mile of double track of 60 lb steel rails and 4,000 sleepers. The package was offered to the Shire for the same amount of money but it was rejected.

Council had obviously been swayed by a petition gathered by those

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68 | PENINSULA

July 2020

who wanted to see visitors stay at the front beach.

There were some who had opposing views and for them it was a sad day when the old locomotives were hauled off to the forests of Noojee.

One observer remarked: “The tram had been immortalised on the picture post cards and in a hundred and one ways it had become almost a part of Sorrento itself. But now it is no more, owing to the short-sighted policy of Flinders Shire council.”

Over the following summer it was noted that “on an average day in past seasons the tram had carried 2,000 and now barely half that number make the trip to the Back Beach.

“The removal of the tram was one of the worst things that could have happened to Sorrento. The additional vehicular traffic in the main street of the town calls for a much larger expenditure by the council in repair work.

“The hill from the pier to the business portion of town is badly rutted and dangerous to motorised and horse drawn vehicles alike ... Sorrento merits better treatment.”

The road to the Back Beach was in even worse condition. There was no longer a tramway and even the cabmen found it almost impassable.

This is a chapter from "Tiffs Over Time: a collection of arguments from earlier times on the Mornington Peninsula". Copies are available from the author, Lance Hodgins, for $20 plus postage (if necessary).

Ring Lance on 5979 2576.

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