Peninsula Essence September 2022 by Peninsula Essence

FREESEPTEMBER PENINSULA2022Living&visitingontheMorningtonPeninsula AusMumpreneur Awards Finalists • Paradigm Shift • Multifaceted Pockets Of Permanence • In The Vines • House Of Passion • Buckley's Chance

AWARD WINNING HOMES BUILT FOR LIFE beachstonehomes.com.au © 2022, Beachstone Homes. All rights reserved. Beachstone Homes logo, and images are subject to copyright laws. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. K44-Aug22 Beachstone Homes, a boutique design and builder of custom homes, is honoured to be awarded by the HIA for their stunning new home, crafted from Australian grey ironbark timbers, Inaminka natural stone and polished river stone floors. Thoughtful design and meticulous attention to detail is evident as this home embraces the fall of the land, gently flowing over three levels and around the infinity pool to enjoy zoned living at its finest. Contact Beachstone Homes to see how they can help you achieve your dream lifestyle. info@beachstone.com.au © CDB-U 61486 CCB-L 61268

PENINSULAE ssence | 3September 2022 Call now to book your COMPLIMENTARY ALL-IN-5 consult with one of our dentists DAZZLE EVERYONE ALL-IN-5OFFERSPECIAL for the same price as All-in-4 P 5983 5348 W balnarringdentist.com.au

Eat & Drink

Leading 10. AusMumpreneur Awards Finalists

34. In the Vines

GARDEN

When owner Francisco Valles, who hails from the Canary Islands, first envisioned his Spanish restaurant, Casa de Playa (which translates to ‘beach house’) he wanted something that reminded him of his island home –somewhere warm, welcoming, comfortable and relaxed.

History 60. Buckley's Chance

26. Pockets of Permanence Visual artist, sculptor and theatre-maker, Emma Ikin drew on all her considerable skills to create the pieces including six large transparent or fine mesh nets with stitched lines on each representing stories and places.

38. House of Passion

Arts

This story is based on ‘Buckley’s Chance’, a biography written by Bob Stevens in 1998 and republished several times. Its subject is Ben Buckley, the legendary bush pilot from Benambra on the Omeo high plains.

22. Multifaceted Mount Martha artist Caroline Graley can do it all – sculpture, drawing, painting, ceramics, and multi-media installation. Using a variety of mediums and techniques, she creates everything from portraiture and abstraction to clay figures and steel and aluminium sculptures.

There are many superlatives that could be used when describing young peninsula winemaker, Lee Smallman – hard working, creative, adventurous, entrepreneurial, determined, visionary and kind-hearted - but perhaps the one that sums him up the most is 'courageous'.

12. Paradigm Shift Being a medium, healer or spiritual counsellor wasn’t at all the career path that Fleur Healey thought she would take however, when Fleur's second son was born, everything changed; she started to develop her spiritual ability.

Focus On 54. Focus on Mount Eliza Historical facts, café recommendations and what to do in one of Victoria's most popular peninsula holiday destinations.

4 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 Writers: Andrea Louise Thomas, Joe Novella Photography: Yanni, Gary Sissons Creative: Sam Loverso, Dannielle Espagne Publisher: Melissa McCullough Advertising: Ricky Thompson, 0425 867 578, Antonricky@mpnews.com.auHoffman,0411119 379, anton@mpnews.com.au Phone: (03) 5974 9000 Registered address: 63 Watt Road, Mornington 3931 W: peninsulaessence.com.au FB: @peninsulaessence Insta: @peninsulaessence 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). Proudly published by This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources. www.pefc.org PEFC Certified Cover image by Yanni Spring on the Mornington Peninsula is a time of growth and renewal. Trees are important to the health of humans and creatures great and small. The amount of oxygen they produce is a careful balance that makes everything work. Every Month 6. Peninsula Styles 41. Recipe 56. Crossword contents Cover photos may be purchased via www.yannicreative.com.au/peninsula-essence-covers 32 Discover Tyabb Packing House 48 Special Feature

PENINSULA &

HOME

THIS IS FOR NEW DIMENSIONS. Adaptable, progressive and charismatic, the all-electric EQB from Mercedes-EQ seats up to seven* in comfort. With its impressive range, intuitive technology and refined luxury, the EQB opens up a new dimension in your evolving lifestyle. *7 seats not available for EQB 350, and are an optional inclusion on EQB 250. Mercedes-Benz Mornington 29-31 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Mornington, 5923 0011 LMCT443 www.mbmornington.com.au Mercedes-Benz Mornington Experience the all-electric EQB today at Mercedes-Benz Mornington.

MERCEDES-BENZ MORNINGTON Adaptable, progressive and charismatic, the all-electric EQB from Mercedes EQ seats up to seven in comfort. With its impressive range, intuitive technology and refined luxury the EQB opens up a new dimension in your evolving lifestyle. Experience the all-electric EQB at Mercedes-Benz Mornington: 29-31 Mornington-Tyabb Road, Mornington 5902 mbmornington.com.au7201 PENINSULA Styles PRODUCTS FROM THE PENINSULA WE'RE SURE YOU WILL LOVE MAIN STREET EYECARE French brand Sabine be produce a wide range of unique and extravagant eye-wear featuring geometric shapes and bright colors, suitable for lovers of distinctive accessories. Available at: 7 / 68 Barkly Street, Mornington (Temporary address) 5975 3235 KIBU IMPORTS Add a touch of sophistication to your outdoor space this spring with these terrazzo pots, (available in black and white). Available at: Factory 2, 1 Colchester Road, Rosebud 5986 kibuimports.com.au6778 PROVINCIAL HOME LIVING Beachy, relaxed, and oh-so stylish, the Cronulla Armchair makes a perfect occasional chair in your living room or bedroom. With a washed oak frame and upholstered in gorgeous natural linen, the Cronulla will soon become your favourite. Available at: 147 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento 5908 provincialhomeliving.com.au4299 6 September 2022

SEPT 10 FOREST THERAPY AT CRUDEN FRAM Each month on selected Wednesdays and Saturdays, Temple4 Forest Therapy spend 3 hours wandering through colourful blooms and enjoying the subtle perfume of 100+ lemon-scented eucalypts at Cruden Farm. The perfect place to leave stress behind. www.crudenfarm.com.au

SEPT 15 LEARN HOW

Soul Night Market is a festive, foodie and makers market held at the Peninsula Community Theatre in Mornington, giving people the opportunity to experience a taste of the vibe and culture of city night markets, in their own neighbourhood also featuring live soul music acts. www.unrivalledevents.com.au

8 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 What's on?Upcoming Peninsula Events *SEPTEMBER '22 * Check with venue for any restrictions. SEPT 2 MEMBERSMORNINGTONRACE DAY Racing resumes at Mornington Racecourse as they celebrate the members on course with some of the races being named after a selection of the recently renewed Mornington members who are participating in the Name in Lights program. www.mrc.racing.com

SEPT 18 THE Christmasbreathtakingfamousprince'sasJoinBALLETVICTORIANNUTCRACKER:STATEClaraatherChristmasparty,sheventuresintoherNutcrackermagicalland.Delightatthesugarplumfairypasdedeux,snowscenes,abeautifultreeandpartysurprises. www.thefac.com.au

SEPT 9 SOUL NIGHT MARKET

tonewrequired.ofandJoinQUILTPATCHWORKTOANDothersattheRosebudlibrarygethelplearningthebasicspatchworking.NoexperienceHavesomefunlearningaskill.Allmaterialswillbesuppliedgetyoustarted. www.ourlibrary.mornpen.vic.gov.au

SEPT 17 MAYOR’S FAMILY ReturningPICNICin 2022, this day is all about having a good time and showcasing all Frankston City has to offer. Enjoy a range of free kids’ activities, musical performances, market stalls, activities and more. www.discoverfrankston.com

PENINSULAE ssence | 9September 2022 • Sun Lounges • Market Umbrellas • Massive range of Rattan • Cushions • Lamps • Jewellery • Artworks, and much more! • Indoor/Outdoor Furniture • Homewares • Giftware • Tables • Chairs • Lounges • Bar Tables and Stools NEW CONTAINERS ARRIVING REGULARLY contact 2/1 Colchester Road, Rosebud | kibuimports@gmail.com | 5986 6778 Come in and visit us today to view some of our new stock or find us on AVENEWINGTON RDBONEOCOLCHESTER ROAD DISCOVER THE PENINSULA’S BEST KEPT

Red Hill Candle Co. was established in October 2016 originally selling hand poured candles at local markets and selected retailers. The dream was always to evolve into an experience-based business centred around fragrance. In December 2020 the business moved out of the family home and into a dedicated factory space the thriving Dromana Industrial Estate.

Ebony is a 34-year-old mum to 21-month-old daughter, Percie, with another baby due October 2022! She’s known as a passionate Mornington Peninsula business owner with a love for the region, beautifully scented products and welcoming guests into the wonderful world of fragrance at Red Hill Candle Co.’s Factory Experience and Store. Those from the business world know her as the young and determined, award-winning entrepreneur who created Red Hill Candle Co. Her tourism industry colleagues know her as a passionate business operator with a vast corporate, tourism and events background who uses her creative mindset to design and deliver memorable experiences. And then there are the guests who visit their Factory Store, join a Scent Lab Workshop or design a Scent Library custom candle and know her as a curator of locally made and inspired lifestyle and scented products.

Ebony Flett of Red Hill Candle Co. has been named as a finalist two categories: Retail Business and Homewares Business.

AUSMUMPRENEUR AWARDS finalists

Jodie is delighted to be named as a finalist and is proud of her achievements, particularly co-authoring the best-selling ‘Anxious Kids: How children can turn their anxiety into resilience’ and joining the Positive Schools Conference speaker line-up for 2022.

It can be challenging to be a successful business woman whilst raising a family and Richardson gives this advice for others thinking about starting their own enterprise “Start small; create something meaningful that will impact the lives of a few, and build from there. When you’re with your family, give them the gift of your full attention”.Tunein to the podcast ‘Well, hello anxiety’ via www. drjodirichardson.com/podcast on your podcasting app.

The AusMumpreneur Awards presented by The Women’s Business School celebrate and recognize Australian Mums in business achieving outstanding success in areas such as business excellence, product development, customer Jodi Richardson service and digital innovation. The awards are designed to recognize the growing number of women who successfully balance motherhood and business in a way that suits their life and family.

Ebony Flett W: redhillcandleco.com W: drjodirichardson.com.au

Dr Jodi Richardson, anxiety speaker, author and podcaster has been named as a finalist in the podcast category.

There are many benefits to balancing business and motherhood as Jodie explains, “I get the best of both worlds; I’m grateful to do work I love and have plenty of time outside of school hours to enjoy being with my family”.

Jodie has lived with anxiety since she was four years old but no-one understood what she was going through. It took 20 years for her to be diagnosed and to access help. She’s dedicated to ensuring that others understand anxiety and get the help they need early.

Ebony says, "The best part of being a mumpreneur is the flexibility of being able to bring my daughter to work and choose hours which suit our family’s lifestyle and I love being a role model, showing my daughter that anything is possible.”

And that’s what she did. In the last 12 months Ruth has more than tripled the revenue on the previous year, gained hundreds of five-star reviews, had her bags nominated for multiple awards and is now stocked in stores all around Australia, and attributes this success to a lot of determination, support from mentors and thinking outside the box when it comes to how she connects with her customers.

Stefanie Poole, founder and manager of Kindred Clubhouse is a finalist in three categories: Women Changing the World, Not For Profit and Charity Organisation, and Making a Difference Award for Not For Profit.

Stefanie’srecovery.inspiration

The Clubhouse is run by and for its members. Staff and members work side-by-side, as peers and partners, to run every function of the Clubhouse. The Clubhouse operates in-line with the internationally recognised Clubhouse model – an evidence based model for mental health

Ruth QuinnStefanie Poole W: bambinobagz.comW: kindredclubhouse.org.au W: stefaniepoole.com

Stephanie says that the greatest lesson being an entrepreneur has taught her is, “to hold the vision, and trust the process. Manifesting your vision comes from having patience and faith in the process. It’s easy to let the outside world veer you off course but you must continue to hold your vision.”

On the topic of worklife, home life balance Stephanie says, “You can’t do it alone. You must allow others to assist you in achieving your goals. Having family, friends, employees, volunteers and a community that believes in you is vital to success.”

Stefanie is an Australian residing, energetic, creative, and multipassionate American. Her passion to work in the mental health field grew from her professional experience and personal journey towards mentalKindredwellness.Clubhouse is a Non-Profit organisation offering a free peersupport model in Hastings. The Clubhouse is for people wanting to improve, or maintain their mental health, through friendships and purpose. Kindred Clubhouse offers a safe, welcoming space, which aims to create a strong community, network of support, and lasting friendships with access to employment and education opportunities.

Ruth Quinn, mother of two and founder of Bambino Bagz has been nominated for the 2022 AusMumpreneur Awards after building a thriving business during the pandemic.

During one incredible afternoon when both kids were napping at the same time she thought, “What if I create a range of bags and accessories for mums (and dads) that help to banish the utter chaos and sometimes fear of leaving the house with your mini me, while also putting a little extra bounce back in your step because you feel stylish and sleek?”

for Kindred Clubhouse is to ensure the lived experience of mental health issues is valued and that every individual has a safe, non-judgemental place to find friendship, purpose and meaning in their lives.

Having always had an entrepreneurial spirit and wanting to create a business that allowed her to reignite her talents and use the skills she built throughout her career, Ruth also wanted to be able to spend the precious early years with her kids. It turns out losing that job was the best that to happen to Ruth because it made her determined to find herself outside of motherhood, be in charge of her own career, and build a business on her own terms.

“I was struggling with a threenager and a newborn who decided sleep was not on the menu and leaving the house utterly exhausted after trying to pack the baby bags for what felt like a four week holiday while wresting tiny dictators out the door.”

PARADIGM shift

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Being a medium, healer or spiritual counsellor wasn’t at all the career path that Fleur Healey thought she would take. With a Bachelor's Degree in Business Marketing, she was working in advertising and marketing. She taught copywriting and buyer behaviour at Monash University and RMIT while getting a Master’s Degree in Communication Systems/Psychology.WhenFleur'ssecond son was born, everything changed; she started to develop her spiritual ability. She became passionate about helping people understand themselves, find where they were stuck on their life journey and find what was limiting their potential for growth, love and happiness.

By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni

After many years of intensive training, Fleur became accredited as a medium, healer and trainer in Ancient Egyptian Hahnemann Healing. She completed a Diploma of Spiritual Counselling at Sphinx Spiritual School of Learning in Mornington under the tutelage of renowned mediums and spiritual teachers, Pearl and IanFleurRogers.isa medium, not a psychic. “A psychic uses tools such as cards or crystal balls', works with auras (spiritual energy/life force) and their own energy to tell a person about his/her emotional state. Many psychics also make predictions about the future.

PENINSULAE ssence | 13September 2022

A medium works at a deeper level using his/her spirit guide to receive information about the client to help them in all areas of their life. A professionally trained medium can accurately tell a person about his/her karma, past lives and also their purpose in this life. A medium can also communicate with those who have died,” she says. continued next

Fleur’s spiritual knowledge informs her that each person has a purpose and life plan that they can follow by being spiritually ‘in tune' or by getting that information from a qualified medium. She says, “Even if you don’t believe in any of this, you can still accomplish your life’s goal because it’s programmed into the spirit of you. You’re receiving spiritual guidance - even in your sleep state. Your guide is working for you 24/7.”

Fleur addresses her client’s issues, past and present. She can access previous lifetimes. “The memories and learning of past lifetimes are programmed into the spirit of you. Mediums can access that – if it’s relevant. If you have karma from a previous life, greater understanding of it can help you meet it and act on it to break a negative pattern,” she says.

People do have a choice to change. Fleur says, “There’s karma and the opportunity to grow in every lifetime. If one addresses their karma, he/she has the opportunity to grow and become more loving.”

14 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 THE MORNINGTON PENINSULA’S NUMBER 1 DESTINATION FOR STAY AND PLAY PORTSEA GOLF CLUB 46 London Bridge Road, Portsea Victoria Golf: (03) 5981 6155 | Hotel: (03) 5981 6100 portseagolf.com.au

As for those who have passed on, Fleur explains that they are continuing their learning and journey in the spiritual (energetic) world. When the body dies, the spirit lives on possibly working as a spirit guide, helping a spirit stuck after a traumatic accident and needing help to transition into the spirit world or helping people with mental and emotional problems on Earth.

“A spirit guide is an entity who has passed on but who achieved in their last incarnation what you need to achieve now. They provide specific help to do that. They work for you, organising events and putting things in place for you to learn and grow. Everybody has a guide – many have more than one,” she explains.

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The memories and learning of past lifetimes areintoprogrammedthespiritofyou

PENINSULAE ssence | 15September 2022 BOOK YOUR PLACE AT ONE OF OUR ORINFORMATIONREGULARSESSIONSCAMPUSTOURS www.woodleigh.school/enrol When we are known, we can be ourselves – take risks with our learning, try new things and make new connections. The adventure of learning is more engaging, more challenging and more rewarding when we are known. To learn more about Years 5 and 6 at Woodleigh and our smaller, caring campuses, scan the QR code below, or email our Enrolments Team – enrol@woodleigh.vic.edu.au We’d love to get to know you.

That’s why we’ve been nurturing trusted connections with our employees, clients, residents and their families for nearly 30 years. Through our range of tailored aged care services, we are committed to helping people realise their wellbeing goals and lead meaningful lives. We focus on every person as an individual so we can provide the best possible care and help them find the smile in every day. Regis Rosebud 1 Wyuna Street, Capel Sound VIC 3940 Talk to us today and discover the Regis difference.

At Regis, we believe a good life is built on great relationships.

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Fleur is also a healer and trainer of Hahnemann healing. “It’s the only kind of healing in the world today that can release specific suppressed emotions such as grief, anger or self-worth issues, even those repressed deep in the subconscious,” she says.

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“Unresolved negative emotions don’t just disappear over time. If we heal our emotional hurts, we can move forward into bigger things and stop being triggered by the past. We can stay in our emotional baggage or decide to heal and grow. To become happier and meet the purpose we came here to meet, we have to heal,” she adds.

SCAN HERE REGISDISCOVERTOROSEBUD regis.com.au 998 100

In Spiritual Counselling, Fleur "takes her clients beyond the immediacy of their mind to understand life spiritually through their values. This work traces negative patterns to their origin, identifying the real cause, where it began and offering the choice to break free of it. Spiritual Counselling offers an alternate belief system to deal with life’s issues by intervening in a person's thought process, giving an understanding of their actions and reactions."

For insight and clarity, guidance about new ways to manage healing emotional hurts or moving forward into your own paradigm shift, Fleur Healey might just be your go-to guide. up-lift.com.au sphinxspiritual.com(Fleur)(Pearl and Ian Rogers)

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regis.com.au | 1300

At Regis, we believe a good life is built on great relationships.

16 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

PENINSULAE ssence | 17September 2022 The ﬁnal pieces of the jigsaw are falling into place at Village Glen Retirement Community, on the magniﬁcent Mornington Peninsula NewApartmentsLakeside roomPalmsJake’sNewBar,diningandCJ’slounge New cinema and library HealthWellnessandCentre Golf CafeCaravanStorage9-HoleCourseGolf LawnCroquetandBowlingGreen The Hub is the heart of Village Glen, already home to the village shop and hair salon, and the now newly completed facilities offer residents so much more. It’s designed to be a place where residents and their guests can gather to relax, converse and rest in a beautifully appointed and furnished communal precinct. 335–351WWW.VILLAGEGLEN.COM.AUEastbourneRoad,CapelSoundVIC3940 FOR MORE INFORMATIONCALL US ON 03 5986 4455

18 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 MORNINGTON PENINSULA OWNED AND MADE FOR YOU ENERGY EFFICIENT HIGH PERFORMANCE QUALITY GERMAN DESIGN CONTROL YOUR COMFORT Factory 1/ 7 Lyall Street, Hastings Phone: 5909 8040 or 0412 221 767 Email: contact@livingdesigndoubleglazing.com.auwww.livingdesigndoubleglazing.com.au YOUR PERFECT CHOICE with energy efficient uPVC windows and doors featuring aluplast-technology

To find other ways you can support local business, visit: W: mpbusiness.com.au/supportlocal

It’s easy to support local business and share the abundance of local experiences with visiting friends and family.

A hub for creativity, the Peninsula is home to a diverse range of makers and creators, galleries and artist studios waiting for you to discover local art and craft again. Support local musicians by attending a gig and reconnecting with the live music scene.

Enjoy a meal at one of our many characterful restaurants or cafes, and with seasonal produce on the menu you can feed the family - and support local farmers, farm gates, green grocers and butchers - by sourcing local fresh in-season essentials.

LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE AND SUPPORT LOCAL

Local business is the life blood of the Mornington Peninsula.

As spring arrives with a promise of warmer weather, it’s time to get out and appreciate your own backyard - and support local at the same time. Coffee catch-ups with your friends, browsing the local shops, seeing live music at a local venue.

PENINSULAE ssence | 19September 2022

Support local and find it all – from boutique florists to gourmet food and a whole lot more.

There is so much to see and do on the peninsula and so many ways to connect to your local business community.

After a tough couple of years for these two industries as well as all the others encouraging you to showcase business excellence and enter the awards.

20 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 PUT YOUR BUSINESS FORWARD TO WIN A BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARD BUSINESS AWARDS MORNINGTON PENINSULA BusinessPeninsulaMorningtonmpbusiness.com.au/businessawards Supporting and celebrating local business If you’re one of our 15,800 local businesses and need something new and exciting to look forward to, then put yourself forward for a 2022 Mornington Peninsula Business Excellence Award. Come and be part of the best awards ever on Wednesday 19 October.Theawards night will showcase a range of local businesses and industries that demonstrate excellence, innovation and sustainability. There are nine categories your business can enter including: • Creative Industries • Retail • Tourism • Hospitality • Start Up One deserving award winner will also be selected as Business of the Year. Two of our nomination categories and biggest employers on the Peninsula are Tourism and Hospitality. • Trade, Building and Construction • Agriculture and Manufacturing • Health and Community • Professional Services Our local cafes and restaurants bring us together. They allow us to share meals with friends and family, celebrate milestones, and connect us to our neighbourhood. We’re also home to many award-winning and world-class tourism businesses.

Applications close Sunday 11 September; we’re urging you to throw your hat in the ring. The entry process is short and easy, and it’s all online. at a gala black-tie event on Wednesday 19 October at Mornington Racecourse to celebrate the successes many businesses have achieved. find out more MPBusiness.com.au/businessawards

To enter or

we’re

Everything from swimming with dolphins or bike riding tours, to relaxing in hot springs or a round of golf -we are lucky to have it all in backyard!

Join us

your

please visit: W:

our

Do you know a person aged 50+ who has made a significant contribution to our local community? One special person will also be awarded Mayor’s Elder of the Year Award.

MORNINGTON PENINSULA DELYS SARGEANT AGE-FRIENDLY AWARDS ARE OPEN

SENIOR ACHIEVER AWARD

PENINSULAE ssence | 21September 2022

Nominate them for a Delys Sargeant Age-Friendly Award! It’s a great opportunity to celebrate the work being done by, with and for older people.

• PACE COMMUNITY AWARD

For more information visit: W: mornpen.vic.gov.au/delys-sargeant-awards

We can all learn from each other at any age so nominate your favourite person, group, business, or service who has brought people of all ages together. Last year’s winners certainly empowered older people to live, work and contribute to our lifestyle of the Peninsula. We’re excited to see who’ll be nominated this year!

INTERGENERATIONAL AWARD

850 600 Do you know a person, club, business, or an organisation who recognises and values older people in our community?

Categories include:

The awards began in 2014 when Peninsula Advisory Committee for Elders (PACE) requested the Shire’s support to recognise and promote inclusive and age-friendly practices demonstrated by individuals, organisations and businesses.

Being age-friendly means valuing the contribution older people make to our community, working together to reduce ageism and encouraging respect and inclusion of older people across our Peninsula. Nominate today!

If you know of something or someone who contributes to building a stronger age-friendly local community, then nominate them for an award. Nominations close on Friday 30 September 2022.

The awards continue to remember their namesake Delys Sargeant OAM who was a driving force behind creating better opportunities and support for older community members on the Mornington Peninsula.

Does your local community organisation or club offer an innovative and age-friendly program? Do you work with someone who encourages diversity and inclusive opportunities? Perhaps a local business goes over and above to help you? Let us know about them!

positiveageing@mornpen.vic.gov.aumornpen.vic.gov.au/delys-sargeant-awards1300

Celebrating an age-friendly Mornington Peninsula!

•

Older people in our community are once again showing they’ve no plans of slowing down as a raft of nominations are coming in for the Mornington Peninsula Delys Sargeant AgeFriendly Awards.

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Nominations close on Friday 30 September 2022. Forms and selection criteria are available online and at our Customer Service Centres and libraries.

22 September 2022

As a young child, Caroline moved from Wangaratta to Flinders where she spent her childhood on the beach, in the surf, wading through seaweed and running along the clifftops absorbing the beautiful views. Great grounding for an

PENINSULAE ssence | 23September 2022 Arts

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Caroline’sartist.mother painted in watercolours and occasionally took young Caroline to her art classes, but it wasn’t until high school that Caroline started making art herself, drawing and creating clay sculpture. She then went on to receive a Diploma of Art and Design at Caulfield Technical College (now Monash University).

I love live

“I love live art installations. The viewer is immersed in a multi-sensory experience, like live theatre. I also like sculpture because it animates and activates the physical space. It’s visceral,” she adds.

Art wasn’t Caroline’s first passion. “Dance was my first experience of the arts – my first language. Dance stimulates the imagination and is a generator of creative energy,” she says. Caroline danced ballet from the age of four to sixteen. She was shortlisted for the Australian Ballet School.

Caroline loves living on the Mornington Peninsula. She finds it nourishing. She enjoys looking out at the water changing and observing how it responds to the weather. The organic beauty and natural rhythms of nature in this coastal environment are inspiring. As with forms and movements in dance, the flow of nature often informs the shapes in her drawings, paintings and sculptures.

Caroline has won awards for drawing, painting and sculpture. She’s been a finalist in major national art prizes, such as the Portia Geach Portrait Prize, Helen Lempriere Sculpture Prize and the Montalto Sculpture Prize. She was also a semi-finalist in the Moran Portrait Prize and won the Prime Minister’s Award for her Portraits of History Community Arts Project.

Caroline finds art therapeutic. “Art has been my confidant. It’s been the way I have companioned myself through life. It speaks to me. The act of making brings unconscious content into conscious awareness. I learn from it. Art making is imagination’s playground – its power comes from the sensate and symbolic,” she says.

Instead of dance, Caroline chose a career teaching visual and performing arts. She taught during the day and made art at night. Her background in dance can be seen in her artwork, particularly the sculptural pieces. “I have incorporated my study of dance movement therapy into the development of my work,” she says.

Multifaceted

By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni & Supplied

Mount Martha artist Caroline Graley can do it all –sculpture, drawing, painting, ceramics, and multimedia installation. Using a variety of mediums and techniques, she creates everything from portraiture and abstraction to clay figures and steel and aluminium sculptures.

experience,immersedTheinstallations.artviewerisinamulti-sensorylikelivetheatre

Some of Caroline’s sculptures are on a very grand scale. Her Arabesque multimedia installation at Cube 37 at the Frankston Arts Centre featured huge spiralling, twirling, flowering metal sculptures which occupied the entire glass cube. After dark, the sculpture was bathed in video projection.

Connection is what Caroline finds most satisfying about art.

During lockdown, when face to face connection wasn’t possible, Caroline was granted a place as a Mornington Peninsula Shire virtual Artist in Residence. She shared her art and invited others to share their art online. In February 2022 she did her Artist in Residence at Police Point, Portsea, in person; it provided a whole different kind of connection. In the future, Caroline would like to design and fabricate more public art. Currently she’s producing a performance piece in which dancers interact with sculptures and projections. Caroline’s imagination knows no bounds. carolinegraley.com

Caroline within her Arabesque piece. (Photo supplied)

24 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

Caroline recently joined Peninsula Studio Trail, a group of artists who open their studios to the public. Caroline will open her studio in November.

Having exhibited in group and solo shows, as well as having her work in public and private collections, she’s had a lot of opportunities to connect.

The human figure also features in Caroline’s work. Her beautifully rendered portraits are deeply emotive. This year she was commissioned by Frankston Arts Centre for a project called Poetic Portraits – to draw portraits of the fourteen women writing poetry for the project. The poetry and portraits will be published in a book which will be launched with a live poetry reading and exhibition on Thursday, October 13 at Cube 37.

Better than a peninsulaproduced pinot noir is ease of mind when either making your holiday booking or listing your short-term

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PENINSULAE ssence | 25September 2022 To subscribe phone Mornington Peninsula News Group on 03 5974 9000 or complete the details below.  $48 twelve month subscription (12 issues) or  $30 six month subscription (6 issues) Name Address....................................................................................................Ph............................................................................................................................................................................................................Postcode..................................  Visa  Mastercard Card number ...........................................................................................Exp........./.......... Post to Peninsula Essence Subscriptions PO Box 588, Hastings Vic 3915 6 AND 12 ARESUBSCRIPTIONSMONTHNOWAVAILABLE Select the subscription period then each month, Peninsula Essence magazine will be mailed to you in a sealed plastic bag. Handing MorningtonthePeninsulatoyoueachmonth! FREE PENINSULAJANUARY2022Living&visitingontheMorningtonPeninsula FieldOfDreams•SavingHistory•CuppaAndAChat FindingCreativeInspirationInLockdown•SummerEventsAtMPRG MorningtonRotaryArtShow•ExceptionalNewAboriginalArtForSummer•BotanicalsAtTheBarHIAEasternVictoriaHomeOfTheYear•BackToTheEraOfTheSeaBaths 2022JANUARYESSENCEPENINSULA PENINSULAMORNINGTONTHEONVISITING&LIVING 14/12/2021 *Applicabletonewanddemonstratorpassengercars 5yearsfromthedateoffirstregistrationofthevehicle.Warrantystarttimemaydifferfordemonstratorvehicles. Commercialapplicationofvehicle subjectto yearsfrom registrationdate 200,000km(whicheveroccursfirst).Batterywarrantyperiodsvary.Excludescustomers withspecificwarrantyarrangements.For terms,conditionsandexclusionspleaserefertothewarrantystatementherewww.mbmornington.com.au. The all new GLA. Designedforthewilderness.Enjoyedinthecity. spaceTheallnewGLAisgoingplaces.Withaddedcharacter,addedandaddedsafety,thisrevolutionisedcompactSUVcombinesformandfunctionateveryturn.With5seatsandroomtospare,itcomplementsthemodernurbanite’sbusylifestyle–makingityourperfectcompanion,wherevertheroadtakesyou. StartyouradventureatMercedes-BenzMorningtontoday.Mercedes-BenzMornington 29-31Mornington-TyabbRoad Mornington(03)59230011LMCT443 www.mbmornington.com.au 12063PeninsulaEssence 9-20.indd 18/9/20 3:22 Preserving History•GirlPearl•SwimmingForGold•LifelineInALe er Sustain-a-beanityFocusOnFeeling•OnceUponALockdown•FACGrantRecipient•TeaTowelPivot•TheManBehindtheStory•HMASCerberus-Celebrating100Years FREE PENINSULANOVEMBER2020Living&visitingontheMorningtonPeninsulaPENINSULAESSENCENOVEMBER2020 LIVING&VISITINGONTHEMORNINGTONPENINSULA FrontCover_NOV2020.indd Pages 26/10/2020 3:23:46 Bedshed Mornington is registered NDIS provider #4050046901 * savings off recommended retail price FREEMARCH PENINSULA2020Living&visitingontheMorningtonPeninsula Strictly Mercurio Fixer Uppers Spirit Of Adventure Sustainable Fashion The Tale Of An Ancient Mariner • Making An Impact Celebrating Culture Healing Harmonies Colours Of White Seafood Dream Team From Bo le To Board Dalywaters • Mr Planck, SirESSENCEPENINSULAMARCH2020LIVINGVISITINGONTHEMORNINGTONPENINSULA

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Emma’s Pockets of Permanence exhibition was made possible thanks to an Artist Project Grant from Frankston City Council as part of the Relief and Recovery Package, which the Council created to help Frankston City recover from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said receiving the Arts Grant had provided a huge boost, adding: “I feel really passionate about the arts and creative community so for Frankston to recognise and support local artists at this time is wonderful. It's a real privilege to be able to keep contributing to the creative culture of Frankston.”

“I enjoy the urban spaces of the Frankston CBD – often they are unremarkable and forgotten, but I'm interested in celebrating the stories of these places that once held so much optimism and hope for a brighter future.

Emma has designed and produced work for the Melbourne Fringe Festival, the Design Festa Gallery Tokyo, the Brisbane Festival, the Melbourne Fashion Festival, the Frankston Arts Centre and Biennial of Contemporary Art Buenos Aires and has been a participant in Craft Victoria’s Artist in Resident program.

Emma has a background in fine art and sculpture. She has spent many years designing costumes for theatre, circus and dance and has worked as a costume maker for many of Australia’s theatre, dance and opera companies.

See Pockets of Permanence at Frankston Arts Centre’s Cube 37 venue from Thursday 1 September to Saturday 1 October. It can also be viewed from the street front 24/7 at the Glass Cube, 37 Davey St, Frankston. A video created as part of the project can be viewed at Cube 37 during the exhibition and also online. thefac.com.au

“I like the idea of sharing the inconsequential stories that make up our own personal geographical histories. It could be the place of an intense emotional experience, an overwhelming joy, a difficult conversation or an interesting interaction.”ShesaidPockets of Permanence started as a visual art project with an opportunity to learn about the history of Frankston, adding: “It took me to near and far places and created a kind of ritual of embedding my memories into the landscape through walking the same pathways over and over again.

“During the standstill of the lockdowns my horizon became my solace, where the vagaries of nature played out almost as if on a theatre stage, but underlying it all was the magnetic pull of certain places I could see in the distance, almost always mountains, which inspired an irresistible desire for exploration and motion.

It is designed to be viewed from various angles so those observing can obtain different perspectives.

sharing inconsequentialthestoriesthatmakeupourownpersonalgeographicalhistories

Emma Ikin has cast a wide net for the artworks in her new exhibition, Pockets of Permanence.

A visual artist, sculptor and theatre-maker, Emma drew on all her considerable skills to create the pieces including six large transparent or fine mesh nets with stitched lines on each representing stories and“Theplaces.lines create a map and layers of time. You can represent a drawing with an extra dimension of things from the present, past and future,” she said.

I the idea of

“I spent many hours reading stories of the various people who have called Frankston home over the years, mainly the artists, architects and visionaries. Not all is recognisable in the work but it has created a rich bed of inspiration and renewed connection to this beautiful landscape.”

Emma said she gained inspiration from the way landscapes and urban spaces could hold memories throughout their changing histories and topographies.

“These ideas are presented as a site specific installation using large panels of stitched mesh to represent the stories, geographic locations and time.

“So in the freedoms in between lockdowns, the project took me on a journey by foot through Boon Wurrung, Wurundjeri and Wathaurung country around Port Phillip Bay, to the top of Mount Kosciuszko, to cave systems and to the vantage points I saw on the“Eachhorizon.time with the intention of looking back at Frankston, to try to understand the version of ourselves left behind in the places we call home.

POCKETS OF permanence

PENINSULAE ssence | 27September 2022

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Nissarana Galleries has used this most important orchestra of Springtime events as its inspiration for its latest exhibition ‘Spring Wonders’. Paintings that capture the vibrancy of colours in our land are on display to connect us to the natural harmony that sings with new life and optimism. Our homes are our personal sanctuaries, providing us with peace, security and inspiration. What better way to compliment these almost sacred spaces than to adorn them with quality art. An empty wall adds little to the ambience of a room creating a feeling of incompleteness and imperfection even when the building has been finished to our satisfaction. By adding an inspirational artwork, the whole atmosphere of the room is uplifted, the presence of existing furniture is enhanced and most of all our spirits are gladdened, proving art is an excellent investment as well not only from a fiscal perspective but for our own well-being and enjoyment.

September is upon us and as we crave more blue skies the buds of blossom are emerging along with a plethora of life exploring new energy after the colder preceding months.

A: 211 Main St, Mornington P: 5976 8877 M: 0474 496 222 E: info@ngmornington.com.au Insta: nissaranagalleries W: nissaranagalleries.com.au Graham Jones – ‘ Setting In II ‘

The art works that are part of this exhibition are selected from the collection of works of the gallery’s most influential and popular artists. Artists both contemporary and indigenous have works on exhibition and for sale, so do give yourself the time to drop by and absorb the exceptional creativity on offer. The gallery is open 7 day per week 10.30 am to 5 pm.

PENINSULAE ssence | 29September 2022 SPRING WONDERS

A: 39 Cook Street, Flinders Open: Fridays-Tuesdays, 11-4 P: 5989 0496 W: everywhenart.com.au

Ernabella-ku Tjukurpa (stories from Ernabella) runs from September 9-27 View online at everywhenart.com.au and in the gallery.

Above: Yaritji Jack, Leaf of the Ilkuwara Tree, stoneware, 13 cm (h)

Left: Atipalku Intjalki, Tjukurpa Mulayangu, 122 x 200 cm

Right: Lynette Lewis, Wamikata Walka Tali - Sand Dune, 99 x 150 cm dreaming story while Lynette Lewis’s fine-lined works depict the wind-created ripples of sand dunes at a large hill and witchetty grub dreaming site called Warnikata near Ernabella.

30 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 STORIES FROM ERNABELLA AT EVERYWHEN ARTSPACE Book at thefac.com.au or 03 9784 1060 DAYTIME MUSIC + THEATRE CLASSIC BIG BAND SWING WITH THE B# BIG BAND Friday 14 October 10.30am & 1.30pm

The B# Big Band are back providing another swingin’ taste of the ‘30s, ‘40s and ‘50s swing era. Don’t miss this exciting performance offering a fabulous taste of tunes made famous by Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Bobby Darin and more.

A group of 15 colourful ceramics contributes to the diversity of art made by these talented artists.

The Aboriginal-owned art studio at Ernabella in the APY Lands is Australia's oldest established art centre, having started as an art and craft room in 1948. Over more than 70 years of operation, the artists have worked in many different mediums. These include dyed and patterned rugs woven from the wool of the sheep when Ernabella supported a sheep station in the 1950s and 60s; screen-printing and other works on paper; batik in cotton and silk; ceramics, and painting. Today the artists are a mix of old and young men and women who are continue their art centre’s evolution as a culturally strong contemporary art centre. Artists in the current exhibition include the well established artists, Alison Munti Riley, Atipalku Intjalki, Carlene Thompson, Tjunkaya Tapaya OAM, and Yurpiya Lionel. An exciting group of rising star painters and ceramicists include Daisybelle Kulyuru, Elizabeth Dunn, Fiona Wells, Janice Stanley, Langaliki Lewis, Michelle Lewis and Vivian Thompson. With the work of 14 artists on show, the exhibition is both vibrant and varied. Senior artist Atipalku Intjalki’s brilliantly hued painting relates an ancient story of a men’s place in the far south-western desert; Yurpiya Lionel’s soft-hued yellow paintings trace the underground courses of the caterpillar

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Eat & Drink

By Joe Novella Photos Yanni

PENINSULAE ssence | 35September 2022

IN THE vines

We'd take it in turns to invite our friends over to help pick the grapes for each vintage, and we'd have a party around the harvest, put on a roast BBQ, drink lots of wine

"My brothers and I grew up around the vineyard," said Lee. "I was about 12 when Dad planted the first acre and a half of shiraz vines. We always helped out, free labour," he laughed.

continued next page...

But now, Lee has an even bigger fight on his hands, one the makes everything else pale into insignificance; one where the measure of success is not in sales but in years. "It was early this year," Lee explained, "I just couldn't get to sleep, my mind was stuck in a loop and I wasn't feeling well. I knew something wasn't right and went outside thinking I might be ill, collapsed but luckily I had friends nearby that called an ambulance. Next thing I knew I woke up in Frankston Hospital. I was told I'd suffered three seizures on the way there, and I was also told that scans revealed a brain lesion that turned out to be a malignant tumour."Leehas recently had surgery to remove as much of the malignancy as was deemed safe. He suffered two strokes during the surgery that took away his left field of vision and now wears special glasses to compensate. He has also taken leave of his business duties to focus on healing his body, leaving it to his parents Rod and Mim, to manage his affairs. But, true to form, Lee doesn't want his story to focus on the negatives; he wants to tell the world about his great adventure in making unique peninsula wine and about his plans for theLeefuture.grew up surrounded by wine. His parents owned and operated two bottle shops – one in Frankston South and one in Rosebud - at which Lee worked from a young age before taking a share in the business. But the Smallman family had bigger dreams; Rod and Mim purchased the 10-acre block in Moorooduc in the late 1980s with a dream to make shiraz, a wine variety not typical for the peninsula where pinot noir is the common variety. And despite the fact the family had no formal training in viticulture ("We just worked it out," said Rod) the Smallmans were able to establish a productive vineyard on the property and realize the dream of producing a shiraz vintage.

achievements for someone so young are amazing, including having taken over the running of the family's Moorooduc-based Chirping Bird winery, managing the harvesting and preparation of each vintage, establishing a cellar door to sell Chirping Bird wine varieties which include shiraz, pinot gris, rosé, chardonnay and pinot noir. Add to that, the successful launch of his very popular Roseade alcoholic lemonade; so popular, in fact, that Lee has signed a deal to distribute Roseade in the USA with plans to distribute the product globally in the near future. It seems that a very successful Lee, at 34 years of age, has the world at his feet. It's success that he has fought long and hard for and, by anyone's measure, is well deserved.

There are many superlatives that could be used when describing young Mornington Peninsula winemaker, Lee Smallman – hard working, creative, adventurous, entrepreneurial, determined, visionary and kind-hearted - but perhaps the one that sums him up the most is 'courageous'.Lee'sbusiness

"When we got older, around 17, we'd take it in turns to invite our friends over to help pick the grapes for each vintage, and we'd have a party around the harvest, put on a roast BBQ, drink lots of wine. It was fun. It's a winemaking tradition for not just our family but for many winemaking families. When we got old enough to drive, we'd help Mum and Dad to sell the wine at the local markets, sell the wine. So my two brothers and I were always involved with the winemaking process from when we were kids."

According to Lee, running a vineyard and two bottle shops proved too much for the family, so his parents decided to sell the bottle shops in 2016 allowing the family to focus on Chirping Bird winery. The move would also allow, Rod, an accomplished sailor, time to follow his passion for yacht making and ocean racing, and Mim, an established artist, more time to paint.

Everything was going well for Lee: the cellar door was opened for wine sales, and the Chirping Bird brand was getting recognized mainly through herattending every market available on the peninsula. Lee's Roseade alcoholic lemonade product was flying off the shelves in the USA, being featured in magazines like Forbes, and he was on the verge of signing an international distribution deal to take it global. And he wasn't planning on stopping there, he had even bigger plans.

One thing is for certain; Lee is a fighter and will face this challenge with courage, determination and the deep love of his friends and family. He holds tight to his vision and goals for the business which he plans to revisit when he is well enough to continue his journey to become one of the peninsula's most innovative winemakers. chirpingbird.com.au

One of Lee's first projects was to build a cellar door at the Moorooduc property. "I took over one of Mum's art studios and refurbished it into a cellar and that was quite a long process with all the permits and building required, and I was lucky that I could call on my parents and friends for help. But it was a lot of hard work to see it through; and then, one day, we were open. I was really proud of the result."

"I wanted Chirping Bird winery to be a creative hub for wine lovers on the peninsula. Art and wine go hand in hand and I'm a very creative person, something I've probably inherited from Mim, whose paintings adorn the cellar door. I wanted to hold creative workshops at the winery, hold artistic events, and get people involved in our winery in a way they may have never done before. I wanted our winery to be inclusive rather than the exclusive experience that's often associated with wine, where people could come along even if they know nothing about wine and be comfortable enough to immerse themselves in art, creativity and the winemaking experience."

Unfortunately, Covid had other ideas, forcing Lee to close his cellar door in late 2021. He decided to focus on selling wines at markets and on his Roseade product. But in February of 2022 his illness developed, and from then he has had to let go of everything; he had to put aside all he had worked so hard to build, to focus on healing his body and give himself the chance to fight the best fight he can. "It was so hard to put aside everything I've worked so hard on," Lee said. "Even after my diagnosis and surgery, I found myself thinking about the businesses again, but I know I have to letLeego."is positive by nature and certain he will make it through to the other side with the help of his friends and family and his deeply spiritual practices, all of which give him strength and hope. Rod, has temporarily reopened the Chirping Bird cellar door and will continue to trade only to clear the excess stock that has built up and hopefully will recover at least some of Lee's investment. If you are a wine lover or you want to support the family, please visit the Chirping Bird website and purchase some outstanding local wine as the latest Chirping Bird vintage will be the last for the foreseeable future.

"By then," Lee explained, "my brothers had already established careers in other areas but I wanted to be a winemaker and, over time, I took on more and more responsibility for the Chirping Bird business to the point where, in 2019, at 31 years age, my parents handed me the reigns and it became my own. And that gave me the opportunity to stamp my own vision on the whole setup."

36 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

ChirpingwantedBirdwinerytobeacreativehubforwineloversonthepeninsula

∙ BREAKFAST ∙ LUNCH ∙ DINNER ∙ SUPPER ∙ COCKTAILS ∙ AMAZING FUNCTION SPACES39MAIN STREET, CASADEPLAYA.COM.AUMORNINGTON NEW SPRING MENU OUT NOW!

HOUSE OF passion 38 September 2022

Creating Beautiful Smiles

Casa de Playa embodies the expression, ‘mi casa es su casa’ (my house is your house/make yourself at home). It’s enormous, yet laid out in lots of relaxed, comfortable spaces, just like home. There is room for everyone. If not, they’ll make some. Casa is open seven days a week from morning to late at night. “As long as there are people in the place, we’ll serve you a meal,” says venue manager, Yvens de Camargo.

By Andrea Louise Thomas Photos Yanni Specialist Orthodontists

When owner Francisco Valles, who hails from the Canary Islands, first envisioned his Spanish restaurant, Casa de Playa (which translates to ‘beach house’) he wanted something that reminded him of his island home – somewhere warm, welcoming, comfortable and relaxed.

Casa is not just a restaurant, bar or events venue, it’s a cultural hub where all kinds of interesting things are happening. And that’s the aim. “We want to be an artsy social club,” says Yvens. The mission is well under way. Casa has featured flamenco dancers, buskers and singers. They held Monday night tango classes, host the Kick Ass Collective, have Tipsy Artist Paint and Sip workshops.

Upcoming ventures include: Latin Night, an evening of live music to educate patrons about Latin cultures and the launch of their Curiosity Club an inclusive space where people come to discuss everything from literature and the arts to music, travel and culture. Yvens has a ‘three P ‘philosophy which governs the business.

Dr Peter Scott and Associates are specialist orthodontists offering orthodontic care for children, teens and adults alike in both the Mornington Peninsula and inner Melbourne.

PENINSULAE ssence | 39September 2022 continued next page ...

Mornington was the perfect laid back ‘beachy’ location and the two-story historic building with the big balcony on Main Street was large enough to invite everyone to the beach party.

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Dr Peter Scott is also a consultant at the Royal Children’s Hospital. on the Peninsula for over 30 years

The first P is passion. The staff at Casa are nothing if not passionate.

The final P is people. “If you put the right person in the right position, they can achieve anything,” says Yvens. Leonardo and Yvens know just how to do that. They support their staff to find the right fit for them. Happy staff translates to happy customers.

40 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

Then there is the food. The cornerstone of a great Spanish restaurant is its paella. In 2017, the year after Casa opened, Casa’s chefs were finalists in the International Paella Competition in Australia. In that same year, their chefs were flown to Spain to cook in the finals and won the high commendation award. That paella is Casa’s most popular dish.

Casa really is in a league of its anotherThereown.isn’tplacelikeit

His partner in crime, day manager, Leonardo Brañas totally agrees.

For a taste of Spain, a splash of superb sangria, an insight into Spanish culture, or lively discussion, visit Casa de Playa at 39 Main Street in Mornington.

‘Winners of the Concurs International de Paella Valenciana’ casadeplaya.com.au

Chef, Kirk O’Neill, is laser focused on perfection. It shows in everything he makes and how he presents it. Everyone in his kitchen is fired up about food. The bartenders are equally enthused making their delicious cocktails. The waitstaff genuinely serve to please. It’s a well-oiled machine.

Being welcoming is what matters most to Yvens and Leonardo. There is no dress code at Casa, customers can stay as long as they like (unless it’s a very busy weekend night then they might be asked to move from their table to another space after an hour and a half), but those customers are most welcome to stay on. Yvens has only one requirement, “Respect the space, the door is always open,” he says. Yvens and Leonardo want patrons to forget the outside world when they come through the doors of Casa de Playa and enter a world of Spanish food and culture. “Casa really is in a league of its own. There isn’t another place like it,” says Yvens. And that’s just the way they like it.

But all of that takes time, so the second P is patience. It takes time to train staff to work at maximum efficiency and still enjoy what they do. Of course, staff also need patience with customers trying to decide what they want, but the staff are trained to guide them with their intimate knowledge of the menu.

Their signature salted caramel espresso martini is their most popular drink.

PENINSULAE ssence | 41September 2022 CRAB Ingredients: 1 x blue swimmer crab 5L Water 2 dessert spoons salt 1 dessert spoon sugar 50g finely diced piquillo 30g finely diced jalapeños 20g chimichurri (see additional recipe) Manchego cheese Romesco salad (see additional recipe) Method: 1. Place water into a pot 2. Bring to the boil 3. Add the crab, salt and sugar to pot 4. Cook for 7 minutes 5. Refresh in ice water 6. Remove meat from crab and clean shell in running water 7. Mix meat with piquillo, jalapeños and chimichurri 8. Place in crab shell 9. Finley grate Manchego cheese on top 10. Bake in oven for 10 minutes 11. Serve on warm romesco salad recipe BLUE SWIMMER CRAB CHIMICHURRI RECIPE Ingredients: ½ cup finely chopped fresh oregano 1 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves 1 cup finely cut flat leaf parsley Pinch of ground coriander 2 pinches of ground cumin 1 teaspoon garlic Squeeze of lemon juice 200ml extra virgin olive oil Method: Mix all ingredients together ROMESCO SALAD RECIPE Ingredients: 4 capsicums 4 tomatoes 2 red onions Flat leaf AlmondsCroutonsparsley Method: 1. Roast capsicum and tomatoes and cover with wrap to sweat 2. Peel and slice into strips 3. Pick parsley 4. Dress salad with a shallot vinaigrette 5. Toast croutons, roast almonds and chop roughly Casa de Playa I 39 Main St, Mornington I 5976 1276 I casadeplaya.com.au

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Wine Lovers Warehouse is the direct to public arm of our wholesale business specialising in restaurant, hotel, and function wines for over 17 years. COVID-19 put a big handbrake on our wholesale business and so we made a decision to transform and stay alive, supported by our friends and the local community, which we will be forever grateful. We opened up the warehouse three days every week to the public, selling our wines and suppliers at trade prices and no retail mark ups. It is our commitment to remain open servicing the needs of our Wine Lover community into 2022 and beyond. Come along and say hello, grab a bottle or a case, and bring in this publication for a free bottle of bubbles with any purchase.

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www.walshconveyancing.com.auvisit

I've purchased 2 properties in the past 7 yrs. Chrissy and her team where fantastic. If l had a question about anything, l could call and have an answer in minutes. Thanks for the professionalism, l would recommend you guys without a doubt. Very happy client. - Jan Nix

44 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

Walsh Conveyancing will take care of all legal paperwork ensuring that you are making the right decisions. The experienced team at Walsh conveyancing bring to you, an open, honest and professional service.

Amazing to deal with, thorough and very approachable. Also polite, helpful and genuine care. - Peter Barnet

READY

The Balnarring Village Shopping Centre will undergo some changes in the coming months with the expansion of the Ritchies Supa IGA Supermarket. All our retailers are open again and looking forward to welcoming you back. LIVE LOCAL, BUY SUPPORTLOCAL,LOCAL.

GIVE HIM THE GIFT OF A THEATRE EXPERIENCE

Book tickets at thefac.com.au or call 03 9784 1060

48 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 TIMBER KITCHEN FLOORS:

First step: choosing the right type of timber. At Kustom Timber, our engineered timber flooring consists of a thick layer of premium European oak over a multi-layered plywood core that won’t warp or swell like solid timber when it’s subject to temperature changes or humidity. It looks and feels exactly like solid timber, but it’s stronger, more stable – and more affordable.

For a casual look, consider wide timber planks in a mid-tone such as our Habitat flooring in Cantina. Deep colours like Immerse in Sea Fog will balance out paler room schemes, while richly grained boards, such as Peninsula in Diamond Bay, add character.

EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

For warmth and character in a kitchen, nothing beats a timber floor. It’s versatile too, creating a timeless foundation in everything from modern country and coastal to uber-contemporary kitchens.

PENINSULA HOME & GARDEN

Love the idea of timber flooring but not sure how practical it will be in your kitchen? We’ve got the lowdown from engineered timber flooring experts, Kustom Timber.

To explore our range, visit our showroom at 1/4 Torca Terrace, Mornington, Victoria 3931. W: kustomtimber.com.au

All Kustom Timber flooring comes with a lacquered or oiled finish, providing extra water resistance. Protect your floor further by cleaning up spills immediately and laying a runner beside the sink.

Trend-wise, patterned herringbone and chevron timber floors are having a moment. Darker colours, such as Kustom Timber’s Como flooring in French Chateau, create a sophisticated foundation, while lighter shades, such as Habitat in Beach House, are popular in smaller kitchens.

If you’re worried about how it will cope in a busy kitchen, fear not. Timber flooring is durable enough to handle whatever life throws at it, including the odd splash from the kitchen tap. It is also easy to clean and will last for decades.

PENINSULAE ssence | 49September 2022 1/4 Torca Terrace, Mornington 439 Chapel St, South Yarra www.kustomtimber.com.au | (03) 9645 3857 Premium European Oak Timber Flooring Professional Installation Guaranteed Quality.

Live in style this Spring and discover our huge range of furniture and home décor online or in store today at OZ Design Furniture. Showroom D4, HomeCo. Hwy, P: W: ozdesignfurniture.com.au

Natural textures are making a huge impact this season through handcrafted rattan furniture filling homes with an organic feel. Rattan can also be injected through décor such as baskets and lamp shades to continue a similar coastal theme throughout your space, shown here with our Airlie side and coffee table alongside the Weave floor lamp.

50 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 DISCOVER SPRING STYLING AT OZ DESIGN

8560 1137

We will also see a popularity in slip cover fabric sofas serving both looks and functionality. Easy to clean and offering the perfect relaxed look, slip cover lounges are a staple for any home in the warmer months of the year. In this shot, we have styled the Whitehaven 3 seater to match a fresh and light interior style while also looking inviting and comfortable.

Peninsula 1128 – 1132 Nepean

PENINSULA HOME & GARDEN

Minimalist, open plan homes with tonal décor have been all the rage lately, however will this trend continue into the coming season? We let you in on the hottest furniture trends for this Spring and how they can transform your space to match the season. After enduring a long and cold winter season spent cooped up by the fireplace, it’s finally time to revel in the outdoors and create a light and airy home interior. Spring is all about having a fresh look using vibrant colours and bringing the outside in by decorating with some greenery and florals.

Mornington

OZ DESIGN FURNITURE MORNINGTON Live in Style SPRING 22

Frankston Auction Mart has a huge range of quality furniture on the Peninsula from new to used, antique to vintage and retro, something to suit every style & taste.

fur coats, hats, dining

and

Starting as an auction for many years, Friday night was an exciting and social local event. Over the years, the retail side gradually overtook the auction side and the auctions ceased in 1998 but the name stayed the same.

Marlene Miller Antiques has been in Sorrento since 1985 and has been in her present purpose-built building for the past 10 years.

PENINSULA HOME & GARDEN

ANTIQUES

E: enquiries@frankstonauctionmart.net W: frankstonauctionmart.com.au

FURNISHING FOR

with chairs

Stock arrives twice each week so there always something new to discover. Check out their Facebook page with photo galleries to see the massive range of product lines they carry. Selling direct to the public with 4 factories full of furniture, there something here to suit every household’s requirement and budget and they are happy to assist with fast home delivery. 97839613

As you wander along the glamorous Sorrento shopping strip you simply have visit Marlene Miller Antiques, an Aladdin’s cave of unique unexpected treasures.

QUALITY EVERY BUDGET

hat boxes,

1762

china

52 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 128 Ocean Beach Rd, Sorrento t: 03 5984 1762 m: 0438 537 757 e: marlenemiller3@bigpond.com Specialising in antique jewellery, as well as newly-made jewellery by Melbourne’s top jewellers FABULOUS RANGE OF NEW, USED & EX-DISPLAY HOME FURNITURE & HOMEWARES FRANKSTON AUCTION MART BUY DIRECT OFF THE FLOOR 46-52 New Street, Frankston Mon to Fri 9.30am-4.00pm Sat 10.00am- 3.00pm Phone 9783 9613 OVER 50 YEARS IN BUSINESS IN FRANKSTON CITY

Owners Michaela and David take pride in offering their customers good quality and affordable new and used furniture.

MARLENE MILLER

Now stocking ex display home furniture, from cushions to décor to wall arts. There is a vast selection of amazing and fashionable pieces, available at a fraction of the retail price.

As soon as you walk into the shop there is so much to see, with two stories of antiques and from lovely crystal and fine to furniture by Jacob and Josef Kohn (established in 1849), old leather suitcases with great labels, as well as a great variety of lovely lamps to give your home that special ambience.

bric-a-brac

old tools,

Upstairs hosts a range of books dating back to the 1700’s, prints and paintings. Known by reputation for her fabulous jewellery with lots of old (including Gold Rush jewellery which was actually made during the Gold Rush)and mourning jewellery which was created to mourn the death of a loved one and became popular in the 1800’s, along with newly created hand-made pieces by Melbourne’s top jewellers.

A: 128 Ocean Beach Road, Sorrento P: 5984 M:

0438 537 757

231

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.

At Talking Hens, we have always been interested in growing our hens from day-old chicks and finally, we now have the opportunity to actually do it! My father, Agostino was a poultry farmer who would always raise his own baby chicks which I used to love watching as 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.

PENINSULA HOME & GARDEN P:

Raising 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 arriving as a fully mature, laying hens.

Make an appointment or visit Talking Hens at 3590 Frankston Flinders Rd Merricks. Open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 4pm ( Closed Tue & Wed). 0406 691 W: TalkingHens.com.au

Looking for backyard hens but unsure where to start?

THE JOY OF RAISING BABY CHICKS, A FAMILY FUN ACTIVITY!

There are some important things to understand with growing chicks. These include a heat lamp 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 a sturdy, draft-free box or container to live in with a dry layer of wood shavings for insulation.

PENINSULAE ssence | 53September 2022

Talking 4pm TalkingHens.com.au

Talking Hens is a family business that enjoys backyard hens. We specialise in friendly, egg laying hens with quality products to keep them happy and healthy.

There’s nothing like the friendship and entertainment that you receive from our laying hens - a pleasure to be shared!

Hens 3590 Frankston-Flinders Rd Merricks, Vic 3916 Opening ThursdayHours:toMonday 10am to

Closed: Tuesday and Wednesday For enquiries call Jason 0406 691 231 Email: talk@talkinghens.com.au Visit:

Talking Hens will have a new flock of day-old chicks from late August 2022 available for families to purchase. The breed of chick is a Hy-line Brown, which are very friendly and placid and great for young families. We also have all the accessories, equipment and specific feed for the chicks available to keep them happy and healthy. We can answer any questions you may have from day-old chicks right through to when the hens begin to lay.

• Prior to large scale subdivision, Mount Eliza was mainly a location for holiday homes. This began to change in the early half of the 20th century when many old estates were subdivided. One such subdivision was Ranelagh Estate, designed by Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin in 1924 in tandem with the surveyors Tuxen and Miller.

• Adjacent to Sunnyside beach sits a historical property Morning Star Estate which has also been in a number of films, including a three-month location shoot around the mansion for the movie Partisan, starring French actor Vincent Cassell occurred in 20132014. The mansion was the location for the Kath & Kim movie spin-off Kath & Kimderella.

The Corner Pantry

• Mount Eliza Post Office opened on 15 November 1920.

1/70 MOUNTAIN VIEW ROAD With a sense of wellness and community, serving up fantastic coffee alongside an amazing breakfast/lunch menu, in a vibrant atmosphere.

Mt Eliza

• The coastline around Mount Eliza consists of jagged cliffs featuring scenic walking tracks above stretches of secluded sandy beaches in small bays and coves below. Access to most of the beaches along the coast is via residential streets which offer small car parks at their end points. Those residential streets feature upmarket dream homes and weekend retreats, many of which have spectacular views along the coast.

• There are several beaches and bays located in Mount Eliza, which include Canadian Bay, Daveys Bay, Half Moon Bay, Moondah Beach, Ranelagh Beach and Sunnyside North Beach.

• The median house price in Mount Eliza is

SafariCoffee

Velos MusetteMazeh

Focus On

• In 1928, the independent girls school Toorak College was built and is one of the oldest independent girls schools in Victoria.

1/84 MOUNT ELIZA WAY Great place for the best cappuccino and cookies, or if you prefer a nice chai tea with soy milk. Outdoor seating is ideal for relaxing with friends over a coffee or brunch.

• Daveys Bay was named after James Davey who constructed a jetty in the 1840s to ship his produce to Melbourne. In 1909 the Daveys Bay Yacht Club was established, and winds its way to a walking track overlooking Mt Eliza Beach on the shores of Canadian Bay, which was named after three Canadians who owned a sawmill in the area in the 1950s.

Ad Hoc Mt Eliza

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.

• The attractive commercial centre of Mount Eliza is located around one kilometre inland along Mount Eliza Way and Canadian Bay Road, and features supermarkets and a number of specialty shops.

• The population of Mount Eliza is 18,923. (2021)

76 MOUNT ELIZA WAY

• The Mount Eliza Regional Park, accessed via Two Bays Road, incorporates the former Moorooduc Quarry and offers views across the surrounding plains. At the southern end of the park is a lake with picnic areas and a playground. The Mornington Tourist Railway, which offers steam train rides, has its Moorooduc station located adjacent to the Mount Eliza Regional Park.

•$1,810,000.Australian entrepreneur and aviator Sir Reginald Ansett called Mt Eliza home for years where he caught a helicopter to his city office.

54 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 on Mount Eliza is a bustling seaside village nestled between Frankston and Mornington. The town centre is known as Mount Eliza Village, and is the main shopping area for the suburb. Mount Eliza has many great cafes specialising in breakfast and lunches and some fantastic restaurants

Quaint, cool, quirky coffee shop with an owner brimming with character. Coffee is some of the best in town and made with passion and flair.

Shop Ate Café 8/87 MOUNT ELIZA WAY Serving up creamy coffee, a sensational menu including great vegetarian options and tasty morsels from the glass cabinet in a modern, eclectic, cosy space.

A bustling seaside village nestled between Frankston and Mornington, Mount Eliza has many great cafes specialising in breakfast and lunches, some fantastic restaurants, and great boutique shopping. The coastline around Mount Eliza consists of jagged cliffs featuring scenic walking tracks above stretches of secluded sandy beaches in small bays and coves below. Access to most of the beaches along the coast is via residential streets which offer small car parks at their end points. Known for its upmarket dream homes and weekend retreats, many Mount Eliza properties have spectacular coastal views. With a village atmosphere and tucked away from the main highway, Mount Eliza has managed to maintain its hidden gem status, attracting celebrities to visit or purchase property there. It has even been the centre of Hollywood glamour when Fred Astaire, Gregory Peck and Ava Gardener arrived to shoot the film On the Beach in 1959. Yanni

Photos

PENINSULAE ssence | 55September 2022

What to do

56 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 180. Coral organism 182. Pagan 183. Attachment (3-2) 185. Accelerated (4,2) 187. Opulent 188. Colorado ski town 189. Gold bars 191. UK New Year's honour 192.(1,1,1)Cable News Network 193.(1,1,1)Curly-tailed marine creature (3,5) 194. Deceitfully 195. Inundated 1. Bedroom furniture piece 2. Marksmanship 3. Resentful 4. Bad 5. Mocked 6. Earthenware pot 7. Alter (text) 8. Wooden pin 9. 13.12.11.10.DeduceFlogsUndoingWatchdogGlobalnavigation facility 14.(1,1,1)Arid state 18. Sure-fire 20. Female bard 22. Human body study 24. Forest apes (5-5) 26. Spine-tingling 29. Making impure 37. Despite that (4,2) 38. Bonuses 39. Concerned 40. Refrains from (5,3) 41. Frenzied 43. Oriental market 44. Iffy (2-2) 47. Charity 57. Totals, ... to (4,2) 60. Rainfall duct 62. Waited, ... one's time 66. Outdo 68. Prone to pilfering (5-8) 69. Match before final 70. Hewn (logs) 72. Cosmetic liner (7,6) 73. Suspenseful novel 75. Simplicity 77. Cries of pleasure 79. Dodged 81. Just manage, ... out a living 84. Enrols 85. Denies 86. Inexpensively 87. Vast 88. Lily-livered 90. Surfing areas 92. Cake covering 95. Kept us going, ... us over 97. To & ... 101. Top dog, numero ... 109. Carnival 111. ... port in a storm 113. Nip 115. Outline 116. Appalled 118. Weeded 119. Skim swiftly 121. Days & ... 122. Defame 124. Treatment using essential 126.oils Dealt out (justice) 129. Getting 130. Open grassland 131. Consumer response 132. Tenderness 138. Writer 139. Speechless (6-4) 143. Trying 144. Receding 146. Stinging insect 149. Popular purple flower 155. Capsicum (3,6) 157. Guarantees 159. Tattooist's tools 161. Directing 165. Reveals 169. Passed 171. Drank like kitten 172. Dicey 175. Ruffians 176. Holler of delight 177. Rub until sore 178. Data entered 181. Flimsy (excuse) 184. Denmark native 186. Geological age 190. Lout 1. Fellow player 5. Nursery rhyme couple 11.(4,3,4)Retaliated for 15. Compete 16. Dubai's neighbour, ... 89.85.83.82.80.78.76.74.73.71.69.67.65.64.63.61.59.58.(4,2)56.Manger55.54.53.52.51.50.49.48.46.45.44.42.40.38.36.35.34.33.32.31.30.28.27.25.23.21.19.17.DhabiDisablingFleetowedFloatsonbreezeShinyRegentMeetVietnamesemetropolisSirloinorrumpSeepedCaperedLandmeasureWardedoffSuffer(injury)ShoutCommonerDonkeyfootJabbersTakeleadingrole...&GomorrahDutylistSituatedinsideOppositeofwestEarlyharpFirst-bornStuck-uppersonOldThailandStandardChristmascarol,...InAJapan,...TheRisingSunTheIofICUAppointGarbedIam,...are...fortatAddictsIndiancity,New...MedievalfarmersInactiveCiphersMadesnughomeHuntingbirdRoughlystitchesSlightlycrazyGapeatDetailed&thorough(2-5)NotchingGurgled 91. Purloin 93. Skirt edge 94. Northern Irish province 96. Declined (4,3) 98. Wow, ... whiz! 99. Gymnastics floor pad 100. Blackouts 102. French holiday region 103. Anticlimax 104. More of the same (3,2,2) 105. Hint 106. Maiden name indicator 107. Roadway cavity 108. Flock of geese 110. Nevada's ... Vegas 112. Pacify 114. British anthem, ... The Queen (3,4) 117. Bashfulness 120. Anti-slide 123. Genuine 125. Dusting powder 127. Attain 128. Canine illness 131. Worried 133. Taunted 134. The A of AV 135. Ventured 136. Soil-enriching peat 137. Electrical power units 140. Hamburger, Big ... 141. The Feds (1,1,1) 142. Stories 145. Canada's capital 147. Absolute (3-3-3) 148. Kindest 150. Daze 151. Molecule part 152. Grape variety, pinot ... 153. Brass instrument 154. Gaudy 156. Terrible tsar 158. Prince William's aunt, Princess ... 160. Without a spouse 162. Milk actor, Sean ... 163. Relish or salsa 164. Perches 165. Encourage 166. Copious flow 167. Beer barrels 168. Book leaf 170. Usual 172. Rudest 173. Tiny (version) 174. Food cupboard 177. Trite phrase 179. Concept DOWN ACROSS CornerPuzzle

PENINSULAE ssence | 57September 2022 See page 58 for solution 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121 122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137 138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149 150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161 162 163 164 165 166 167 168 169 170 171 172 173 174 175 176 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189 190 191 192 193 194 195

58 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022 T A L L B O Y S R C L I F F H A N G E R W S U N M A S K S E A E E V E N S O O N E N O E A U T H O R I P E A I M E L O B I D E D L D D R A F T U G N E R A M I N F A L L I B L E E E N L I S T S C T O N G U E T I E D H M N V N A D D S U P O O A G H A S T A Y U O A G G R I E V E D N E T F R O V U T R E D P E P P E R T U R O D L I G H T F I N G E R E D A I I O S E V I L T S O S O H A H V A E I W A S P C L A M E I E L E C T R I F Y I N G I C I N G A R O M A T H E R A P Y B J E E R E D A A O E A S E E G A L A A O N L A P P E D A L A P R E M I U M S V R L B E C O M I N G N L I C R O C K L A N T N E G A T E S I U V U T H U G S K P O E T E S S T S E M I E I H O E D T A S S U R E S H A M E N D B O T H E R E D C H E A P L Y S A V A N N A H Y A H O O N V D N R E K E A N Y R N U T N D O W E L H O L D S O F F I M M E N S E F E E D B A C K C H A F E J A N A T O M Y I S A W N A E S C U D O N E E D L E S S I N F E R O R V L G U T L E S S S U N G I N P U T L T K F R E N E T I C L E U S O F T N E S S C E L L A S H E S O O I O O H S T B I T E B O I C H A N C Y B A D U L T E R A T I N G T I D E D A D M I N I S T E R E D N R U I N S A L M S N L E O U L U I R I S U D A N E E O T D S E Y E B R O W P E N C I L C N D O N V I G I L A N T E I R U U N O O C E G O V E R N I N G E L I S G U T T E R T T N I G H T S L S N U N O R A N G U T A N S A B E A C H E S I A T T E M P T I N G L G P S C A W E X C E L G O L I B E L U A D O A F E S R B A Z A A R K E E L I E E B B I N G E T E D R Y N E S S Y S S I D E S T E P P E D S A E L A P S E D Eyewear As Individual As You Are Now stocking Paul Taylor Eyewear 7/68 Barkly Street, Mornington SPECIALS CAMBERWELL | CARRUM DOWNS | GLEN WAVERLEY | ROSEBUD | HAMPTON CONTACT US for a FREE Measure & Quote Connect with us #Carrum Downs Store OnlyLuxury Bremworth # Wool Carpets and a huge range of Timbers and Oaks available in storePLUS! • CARPETS • TIMBERS • LAMINATES • VINYL • TILES • BLINDS • ENGINEERED FLOORS • HYBRIDS • PLANTATION SHUTTER S • FLOOR SANDING & POLISHING • WALLPA PER OPEN 7 DAYS Shop 9/991 Point Nepean Rd, ShopRosebud2/544-546 FrankstonDandenong Rd, Carrum Downs 1300 069 www.mikescarpets.com.au340 3HYBRIDROOMS3 WOOLROOMSCARPET FULLY$1900INSTALLED * FULLY$1990INSTALLED * *conditions apply*conditions apply PRESENT THIS AD TO REDEEM THIS OFFER PRESENT THIS AD TO REDEEM THIS OFFER

Hub

environment with no plastic bags. Coffee, fresh food, groceries, pharmacy, newsagency, homewares and all of your needs

Live Local, Shop Local, Support Local.

The Dromana Hub Shopping Centre is conveniently located across the road from the Dromana Pier and is open and trading days a week. needs catered help save the catered at Dromana Shopping Centre.

for. Come in and say hi to all of the great retailers

for including Foundation Foods where you can bring your own containers and

All your

are

Pearse Edward Buckley , known always as Ben, was born in Hastings on 31 May, 1936. He was the third child in a family of seven born to Jock and Molly Buckley who ran a dairy farm on the corner of Stumpy Gully and Myers Roads in Balnarring (now regarded as Bittern).

Early Days

Eighty-five year old Buckley died on 17 February and his reputation was such as to warrant a front page obituary in the Bairnsdale Advertiser while the Herald Sun devoted two pages to Andrew Rule’s tribute ‘Larrikin, Legend and Lifesaver’. Although Buckley earned a living as a crop duster, his diverse community work endeared him to all. All, that is, except the aviation authorities who took exception to his tendency to take liberties with the rules and regulations.

By Peter McCullough

Young Ben attended Balnarring Primary School and Frankston High School but he subsequently acknowledged that he was a “worse than average student” and left school at 15. Over the next four years he had a number of jobs as a labourer and a chainman in the Northern Territory and Queensland.

60 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

Buckley's Chance

In 1955 Buckley crossed the Tasman and earned enough money from employment as a shooter, culling wallabies and deer, to put himself through flying school. After several years employed as what the Kiwis referred to as a ‘top dressing’ pilot, Buckley returned to Australia in 1960, obtained his commercial pilot licence, and commenced employment as a crop duster.

“A Tiger Moth flew at 50 feet for 100 yards over a stream of traffic on the Flinders Highway last Boxing Day”, Mr. Kean S.M., was told in the Hastings Court House. The witness, Mr. Dudley, said he was driving towards Balnarring when the aircraft came straight down the highway at his car at a height of about 50 feet. Earlier Buckley had flown low over part of Hastings, reportedly at 40 feet, in order to wish some family members a Happy New Year.

Working his way up Gippsland’s Tambo valley, Buckley eventually arrived at Benambra where he discovered there was great demand for aerial services in the surrounding high country. The upshot was the formation of Alpine Aviation in late 1960 with Buckley as chief pilot and director.

Low Flying, Hastings 1960 Throughout his flying career Buckley took delight in poking the bear. In his biography Bob Stevens provides a detailed account of the first recorded incident.

PENINSULAE ssence | 61September 2022 History continued next page...

Opposite bottom: Jack and Molly Buckley with five of their children at "Seaview", Balnarring.

Above: Ben (circled) in the Balnarring Primary School photo, 1946. Below right: Ben with Noel Braid (left), a local gazier who became managing director of Alpine Aviation. Learning to Fly

On 28 December, 1964

a serious accident north of Benambra left a five year old boy severely injured. The need for hospital treatment was urgent and Buckley offered to fly the lad in his crop duster. It was 7.20 p.m. when they took off, heading for Albury. There were no runway lights at Albury and an urgent police call over radio station 2AY saw motorists rushing to illuminate the airstrip with their headlights. A specialist surgeon was on standby and as a result the life of young Wayne Dyer was saved. Although Buckley’s actions were seen as heroic, the Department of Civil Aviation became involved. Buckley was required to show good cause why he should not be served with a Flying Infringement Notice as he had contravened the law by piloting a single engine aircraft after the last light of the day!

Other Mercy Flights

62 | PENINSULAE ssence September 2022

First Aerial Medivac

Melbourne: the city’s airports were closed because of fog. Air control ordered Buckley to turn back. He ignored the order. It was a mercy flight, he said. Fog or no fog, he was coming in. He demanded an ambulance be waiting at Essendon airport, the closest to the city hospitals. Flying by instinct, instruments and radio guidance, he headed for Essendon, approaching the invisible runway through a wall of fog. He pulled off a perfect landing. By 3 p.m. Ido was at St. Vincent’s. A team of microsurgeons operated all night. It was the first successful operation of its type, world wide. “ (Andrew Rule ‘Larrikin, Legend and Lifesaver’)

Another mercy flight took place in 1986 when 18 month old Jodie Gilmore was bitten by a snake. Buckley flew the little girl and

Buckley was charged under the Air Navigation Act with his low flying over Hastings and Balnarring and with having flown in a manner dangerous to people and property. His excuse for unauthorized treetop flying - that he had an emergency and was seeking a landing area - was disbelieved by the Magistrate.

a toddler named Ido Calvi had one of his feet cut off when he followed his father who was slashing grass. The experts said there was a 50-50 chance if the boy could be flown immediately to St. Vincent’s Hospital. Ben Buckley was quick to respond. “They hit bad weather in the Latrobe Valley. Then came a radio message from forAdvertisementLeft:Alpine Aviation, 1966. Below: Ido Hospital.StrecoveringCalviinVincent's

Possibly because it was his first offence, Buckley escaped with a fine. However, this was the forerunner of many clashes he would have with the aviation hierarchy in the years to come.

In 1972

PENINSULAE ssence | 63September 2022 continued next page... her mother from Benambra to Bairnsdale but again was forced to contravene an Aviation Regulation as he carried his passengers in an agricultural aircraft which was unapproved for such a role. His offence went undetected on this occasion.

The Forest Commission never forgot this milestone event. Thirteen years later, when a fuel reduction burn near Briagalong got out of control, they were quick to call on Buckley and several other pilots who soon extinguished the blaze. Apart from crop dusting, fire spotting and fire-fighting with his agricultural aircraft, over the years Buckley was called upon to participate in combating vermin in the high country by dropping toxic meat for wild dogs and carrots laced with 1080 poison for the rabbits.

Then in 1986 eight-year-old John Hunt suffered terrible injuries, including a fractured skull, when dragged more than a kilometre by a bolting horse on a remote property north of Benambra. Once again it was necessary for Buckley to break the rules to land in a paddock to fly the boy to hospital.

Firefighting

On 6 December, 1967 a bushfire started in inaccessible forest in the Mitta Mitta catchment area in the eastern high country. Buckley and fellow pilot (Bob Lansbury) made history in Australia that day by attacking the blaze from the air. The two pilots flew to the scene fifteen times in their Piper Pawnees to drop fire retardant. Forest Commission ground crews, after driving and then walking for seven hours, found that they only had to mop up to make the area safe. The two aircraft had successfully contained the blaze.

The Larrikin Alongside all of Buckley’s good deeds were actions which justified the first word that Andrew Rule used in his heading - Larrikin. After his adventures in Balnarring and Hastings in 1960, Buckley seemed to escape the scrutiny of the authorities for a decade. The larrikin spirit was, however, never far below the surface. For example, in 1968, at Buchan, players were at football practice at the local ground when Buckley flew down the hill with his wheels touching the ground occasionally. On reaching the fence he opened the throttle as players hit the ground. Then, in 1970, “just to prove a point” (in fact, it was to win a bet with a Bass Strait oil rig chopper pilot) Buckley did a ‘touch-andgo’ landing on the Esso helipad at Longford. Workers on site were shocked, the local SM described his behaviour as “incomprehensible”, and Buckley lost his licence.

In 1973, when flying an agricultural aircraft back from Perth, Buckley had to make an unscheduled stop at Ceduna to refuel. It took the authorities a few days to catch up with the errant pilot as flight details had not been lodged. Buckley’s licence was suspended but was reinstated a month later after he had successfully completed a written exam.

Above: Ben in his Pawnee-Fatman Hybrid on the dry Omeo Lake bed at Benambra.

Left: Ben in a Spitfire cockpit, England. Below: Burnt wreckage of the Piper PA25 after Ben's crash in England.

Buckley aroused the interest of the Department in 1981 when he fire bombed a group of bush walkers on the Bogong High Plains, and when he flew low over a group of skiers at Falls Creek. Then in 1983 he was in trouble for flying with a broken leg which had resulted from a parachute jump. His licence was suspended again in 1984 when the Department of Aviation received reports that he was operating off Lake Omeo Parade in Benambra; the subsequent court proceedings on this occasion were in his favour. Got Him! With his many indiscretions, Ben Buckley was a marked man. His licence had been cancelled on one occasion and suspended several times but he was still poking the bear. In late 1986 Buckley’s licence was again suspended as the Department claimed, incorrectly, that he had not taken the compulsory audio test for commercial pilots. Then, in February 1987, Michael Willisee arrived in the area to film a human interest story for ‘A Current Affair’; Ben Buckley, the crop dusting Shire President, was cast in the lead role. The temptation to provoke the authorities was just too great: Buckley flew over the Benambra football ground while the team was training and bombed them with a white powder. The Department was incensed, claiming that while his licence was suspended he engaged in low flying, low level aerobatics in an unapproved aircraft, unapproved dropping of articles from an aircraft and activities that were to the jeopardy of persons on the ground. The upshot was the cancellation of his licence in June Without1987.his licence, Buckley lost his means of employment. The Department was bombarded with letters and petitions from the locals. Even the local MHR, Peter McGauran, entered the fray. In June 1990, after prolonged court proceedings and after having to undergo rigorous testing, Buckley regained his commercial licence; it had been a harrowing three years.

Buckley resumed his crop dusting and continued to fly for several decades. He avoided any more entanglements with the authorities; perhaps the consequences of his appearance on A Current Affair taught him a lesson. In spite of the many risks that he took, he could claim at the end of his career that he only ‘totalled’ two aircraft. The first of these was in October 1961 when he was flying a Piper PA 25 from Moorabbin to Hinnomunjie. The weather report was favourable but by the time Buckley was over Woods Point he was in thick cloud and everything started to freeze over. He put the plane down in some trees and walked for three hours to Tanjil Bren. He asked for help at the first property and the occupant, observing the flying helmet under Buckley’s arm, enquired, “Where did you leave your motor bike?”

Between 1976 and 1978 Buckley had two stints overseas, crop dusting in the English Midlands with excursions to the Sudan to spray cotton crops. It was in England in 1977 where his plane clipped a fence at high speed. Buckley later said that he had overloaded it as he was hurrying to go to a party after work. A spell in hospital followed as he recovered from burns and having inhaled toxic fumes.

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The Orbost newspaper ‘Snowy River Mail’ carried a report in June 1975 headed ‘Daredevil Pilot Goes Under Snowy River Bridge’. The incident, witnessed by a gang of men building the new Snowy River bridge, was stated in the police report to have involved an aircraft which flew under the old bridge and between two large cranes working on the new bridge. Some reports even had terrified workers throwing themselves into the water. Buckley was spraying in the area at the time but denied all knowledge of the incident. Although federal police became involved, he was never charged.

Mishaps

Other Activities While it may be hard to comprehend, Ben Buckley still managed to find time for a number of other community activities. He had an association with the Benambra CFA which extended for over 30 years and had a long involvement with the local football club filling roles of goal umpire and then timekeeper. He was a long time member of the Omeo Historical Society and would conduct tours of the old magistrates court and gaol, dressed appropriately in prison uniform. Ben Buckley was also a life member of the Hinnomunjie Racing Club and often entertained the crowd at picnic race meetings by bombing them with lollies.

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Valediction A huge crowd attended the funeral of Ben Buckley, the boy from Balnarring, at the Benambra Recreation Reserve on 4 March. As a pioneer crop duster in Victoria’s roughest and most remote country he was widely known; two generations of Gippslanders grew up in awe of However,him. it was possibly Ben Buckley’s work in the community that really endeared him most to the people; ‘mercy dashes’ of sick and injured patients out of the High Country to receive hospital treatment, fire bombing of bushfires that were raging out of control, his contribution to local government and a host of other community organizations.Andthenthere was the other Ben Buckley. In his tribute in the Herald Sun, Andrew Rule stated, “He couldn’t help poking the bear. Apart from extreme flying, goading authority was his favourite pastime…Part of the Buckley legend is that his pilot’s licence was cancelled a dozen times by ‘desk flyers’ outraged at his casual attitude to the commendably strict regulations that govern aviation in Australia. ‘The rules are more a rough guide up here,’ he used to

However Buckley’s campaign against secrecy gained traction prompting him to announce, “I’m considered by some the most successful failure in the business,” With an inherent desire to serve his fellow man as reflected in his service as a councillor, Buckley stood for election to both State and Federal parliaments. As an Independent he would speak his mind without offending any Party sensitivities. His credo, perhaps not politically correct, was, “Whether you’re a Mason, a Mick, or a Blackfellow, I’ll represent you.” Although never successful, Buckley always gained sufficient votes to recover his deposit.

Councillor Buckley

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In 1980 Ben Buckley became a councillor of the Shire of Omeo and served for 14 years before standing down in 1994. He was Shire President in 1986-87. Buckley resumed his civic duties after the amalgamation of municipalities , serving on the East Gippsland Shire Council between 2003 and 2020 when he finished as Deputy Mayor. His daughter, Sonia Buckley, is continuing her father’s legacy.

Left: A sample of Ben's election material. Above: Ben gives the Omeo Gaol a test run. continued next

To describe Buckley’s years as a councillor as stormy would be an understatement. During the 29 years that he was a councillor he was a thorn in the side of local government, delighting ratepayers who kept voting him in to the chagrin of some fellow councillors and most public servants. As recently as the election of 2016 he polled the highest number of votes by running on a platform of open and transparent local government. When a showdown occurred Buckley was suspended for four months and VCAT supported the council.

Above: Ben pictured with daughter Cr Sonia Buckley.

In 2015, at the request of the Balnarring and District Historical Society, Ben Buckley recorded some recollections of his boyhood days. One was ‘The Boy on the Box’ which is reproduced below with the kind permission of the Society:

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“Ben bids farewell.” Article in Bairnsdale Advertiser, 23 February,“Larrikin,2022.Legend and Lifesaver.” Article by Andrew Rule in the Herald Sun, 27 February, 2022.

Not long after these ghastly incidents, a little seven year old boy went missing from the Buckley Homestead at Sea View Farm on Stumpy Gully Road. I was that little boy and my absence was not noticed for awhile, with mum (Molly) being very busy with the other five children; the youngest daughter Glenda not having been born yet. Dad (Jock) was away serving as a prisoner of war guard at one of the P.O.W. camps in northern Victoria.

To conclude with the words of Peter McGauran MHR, a one-time adversary in the field of politics, “We will never see the likes of Ben Buckley again. He had a drive and energy as sweeping as his love for East Gippsland and his people.” (Bairnsdale Advertiser, 23 February, 2022.)

Over the years many people would have become involved in aviation due to direct contact with Ben Buckley. Countless numbers would have experienced joy flights in his assortment of aircraft. Perhaps some of the thousands of spectators at air shows who witnessed his super spreading demonstrations, simulated bushfire dousing and aerobic displays would have been inspired to gain a pilot’s licence.

References:“Buckley’sChance” by Bob Stevens. E-Gee Printers, 1998.

Postscript

THE BOY ON THE BOX G.I. Eddie Leonski (G.I. means General Issue Soldier) was hanged in Pentridge Goal 2am on 3rd May 1942, for the crime of murder. Eddie had killed three women in bizarre circumstances and the general public were quite nervous over the issue in spite of the authorities' efforts to calm things down.

Photographs: These are used with the permission of Ben’s daughter, Cr. Sonia Buckley, and his sister, Mrs. Eleanor Castle. say.” In later years when feature writers would ask him about his numerous escapades Buckley had a simple response: “I can neither confirm nor deny that story.”

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The Officer shouted a command and a deadly silence prevailed except for the flickering and crackling of the camp fire. A G.I stepped forward and said to the Australian Officer something like "Hey Sir, you've got a great little 'dude' here".

Above: The sun sets on a fascinating life.

Occasionally in my advancing years when I think about it, I wonder what happened to those American soldiers - like ours, there would be very few of them still alive today, that's just how it is!

Suddenly, out of nowhere an Australian patrol appeared; an officer in front, mum just behind him and a section of Diggers in a column behind her with their rifles having fixed bayonets at the ready.

The old guard gave mum a tired salute and said "Everything alright Madame?" Mum responded with "Oh yes, thank you, thank you ever so Shemuch".kept me close to her all the rest of the night and for quite some time after. At the time of the 'Run Rabbit Run' incident, there were 250,000 G.I.s in Australia. By the time the war was over nearly one million (800,000+) had served in Australia. The last G.I. left Port Melbourne wharf in January 1946, I think!

On the corner of Stumpy Gully and Myers Roads in Cootes bush, the Americans had established a camp not far west of Balnarring Racecourse.HowIgot into the camp or how long I had been there is lost to me now; however I can clearly remember dancing on a large box singing a slightly changed version of 'Run Rabbit Run' which went something like - "Hey Mr Hitler, I'm coming to get you with my gun, run rabbit run, run rabbit run". There was a soldier with a banjo or something, strumming away and a large camp fire burning. It must have been a cold night. There were a lot of soldiers there and they were laughing and clapping and happy.

The officer barked an order and the squad about turned and with mum and me right behind him, left Cootes bush as quickly and quietly as they had come.

Ben Buckley - autumn 2015

Year's later mum used to say that your father always seemed to be away in a crisis, like he was when your sister (Louise) was born at the Roper River Mission as the first European child born in the region. Mum and Dad were Missionaries up there at the time.

I could still hear the festivity coming from the camp as we crossed Stumpy Gully road and went up the gentle rise to the pathway leading to the homestead. An old Australian soldier was on guard and the escort patrol slipped away into the cold night.

Mum grabbed me off the box and gave me such a hug it all but broke my ribs and she had obviously been weeping with anxiety. The whole camp erupted into cheering, clapping and laughing.