Peninsula Essence - Winter 2015

WINTER 2015

Living & visiting on the Mornington Peninsula

An abstract view on life • A perfect storm • A little comic relief • Get wet with a winter dive • Pin up girl • Tales of a chatty cabbie • Winter fashion • Glass blowing • Home grown • A truffling experience • Recipe from Max’s at Red Hill Estate • Focus on Western Port

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Winter 2015

contents 6 All That Jazz

Main Street’s third winter jazz fesival.

8 Mornington Peninsula Events 10 Window Shopping Products you are sure to love.

Proudly published by

12 An Abstract View on Life

The bold and statuesque works of Miodrag Jankovic.

17 No Hands in Pockets

Melissa Walsh talks to a devoted SES volunteer.

Writers: Melissa Walsh, Peter McCullough, Cameron McCullough Creative Director: Maria Mirabella Photography: Yanni Publisher: Cameron McCullough Advertising: Ricky Thompson, 0425 867 578 or ricky@mpnews.com.au Michelle Aylward, 0408 699 128 or michelle@mpnews.com.au General enquiries: essence@mpnews.com.au Registered address: 2/1 Tyabb Road, Mornington 3931 Phone: 5973 6424 www.peninsulaessence.com.au /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 quarterly. 30,000 copies (mix of home delivery and bulk dropped at an extensive network of outlets across the peninsula).

20 History is Alive and Well at Mornington Cemetery Val Wilson talks about her interest in cemeteries.

26 Storm Season

Photographer Yanni captures a perfect storm.

31 Style File

Winter fashion on the peninsula.

37 Surf Mag Re-forms Online

Breakway is a national distributed magazine based in Frankston.

41 Team Work Pays off at Moonah Links

Melissa Walsh talks to some of the leading team members.

44 Red Hill Show 46 Rosebud Rock ‘n’ Roll Festival a Ripper

Peter Warren discusses his long standing love of classic cars.

51 A Little Comic Relief

Melissa Walsh gets the big picture on the life and adventures of comic book artist Dean Rankine.

56 Rug Up and Get Wet With a Winter Dive The best time for diving on our beautiful peninsula.

60 Drive to the Outback

The outback outlook at the Royal Botanical Gardens Cranbourne.

64 Tales of a Chatty Cabbie Real life antics that go on after dark.

67 Pin Up Girls Rock 50’s Glam

39-year-old Hayley Wilkshire is a full-time pinup girl.

72 Channel Your Inner Pin Up

Steps to achieve the ultimate glam look.

74 A Time Old Tradition Continues In Red Hill Glass blowing at it’s best.

77 Mornington Darkest Hour-The Boating Disaster of 1892 Peter McCullough takes us back in time.

81 The Caldwell Family - Constantly Touched By Tragedy 85 A Truffling Experience Cover Photo: Portsea Beach Phtoto: Yanni The Paper Nautilus or Argonaut is the surface dwelling cephalopod mollusk.

A close relative of the octopus it has a rounded body, eight tentacles and no fins. The female creates the beautiful papery shell to surround her while she broods her eggs. The empty shell was photographed on the beach at Portsea near Point Nepean.

Home grown truffles in Red Hill.

88 Recipe

Zucchini, carpaccio, avocado, apple, celeriac, Red Hill truffle and vanilla.

90 A Taste of Gastonomic Success

The Queen’s Birthday weekend saw Sorrento hosting it’s sixth mouth-watering food and wine event.

92 Focus on Western Port

A glimpse at Western Port… things to do, what to see and local facts.

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ALL THAT JAZZ

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

M

ain Street Mornington was abuzz on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend with the sights and sounds of the third Mornington Winter Jazz Festival.

The Jazz Festival is a four-day celebration of music, art and heritage from across the peninsula and beyond. The 2015 festival saw Mornington come alive with a showcase of entertainment including live laneway painting with The Snakehole Gallery artists, live and local stages, roving jazz bands and pop up KidsZones.

Mornington all weekend long.

Returning this year was the popular ‘Music After Dark ‘ in the Mornington Library, ‘Jazz n’ Swing’ afternoon at the Peninsula Grange, the Mornington Historical Railway ‘Jazz at the Station’ and the family fun at the Mornington Racecourse Queen’s Birthday race day.

The Mornington Chamber of Commerce were delighted with the outcome of another successful festival.

The cornerstone of the festival was the dynamic jazz program which offered music from across the musical spectrum.

Headline performances included the divine Emma Pask , Adrian Cunningham and living legend George Golla with Jacki Cooper performing their recently released duo DC ‘Tea For Two’ as well as the charismatic Jude Perl, crowd pleasers Jazz Party, George Washingmachine in Feel The Manouche and the impeccable Vika Bull performing “AT LAST! The Etta James Story.”

With just over 100 performances within Main Street and the surrounding venues across the weekend, the impact was significant, and a number of businesses indicated their takings tripled compared to a normal mid-winter weekend.

Ticketed performances saw the nights and afternoons in Mornington ablaze with jazz and atmosphere. There were even free jazz and music performances in venues and locations across

With a great festival team, the Mornington Chamber of Commerce sees a positive and successful future ahead for the festival.

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The Chamber would like to thank the sponsors and the public for supporting the event, which in three years has grown in size so that it now competes with the likes of Stonnington and Wangaratta.

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Events

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FORAGE FOR MUSHROOMS

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Sunday 21st & 28th June Come Foraging for Mushrooms with Reade Smith and Hummingbird Eco Retreat The Mornington Peninsula’s very own Reade Smith teams up with Hummingbird Eco Retreat to welcome the winter and forage for wild mushrooms.

COST: $55 for the walk and foraging, $85 including lunch and a glass of local wine.

Hummingbird Eco Retreat info@hummingbirdeco.com.au Ph: 5989 2504

31st May to 23rd August Drawn principally from the McClelland permanent collection, Elemental will feature key works that reflect the elements of air, water, earth and fire.

Elemental will investigate the beauty, fragility and destructive powers of nature, through a selection of works encompassing sculpture, installation, photography and painting.

McClelland Sculpture Park & Gallery, Langwarrin info@mcclellandgallery.com Ph: 9789 1671 www.mclellandgallery.com

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Private hunts available. Book online.

MP Experience Tours, Pick up peninsula wide 0410 596 637 www.mpexperience.com.au

June, July & August In the comfort of the Moroccan Tent, you will be guided through simple and effective meditation techniques utilizing the rhythm of your breath and senses to help you relax.

Meditation classes are held every Friday at 8.00 am and are complimentary to Bath House guests.

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CATWALK FOR A CAUSE Saturday 18th July 2015 Catwalk for a Cause is a fashion event to raise funds and awareness for women’s cancer research through the Cancer Council’s Girl’s Night In. The event includes a fashion runway show, raffle prizes, and lots of fun!

The Grand Ballroom, Morning Star Estate, I Sunnyside Road, Mt Eliza Jessica Martini martinirunway@gmail.com Mob: 0411123808 www.martinirunway.com.au

FRANKSTON AND SOUTH EASTERN WINE SHOW Sunday 30th August Come down to the open amateur wine making competition organised by Frankston Amateur Winemakers Guild showcasing home-made wines from fruit, vegetables, flowers, herbs and red/white grape wines. Competition categories to be judged include still, sparkling, fortified wines and liqueurs.

The Barn at The Briars Historic Park, Mount Martha wineshow@fawg.org.au Ph: 5975 5757

BEYOND BELIEF- WORKS FROM MPRG PERMANENT COLLECTION 15 May to 12 July 2015 Drawn from the MPRG Permanent Collection, Beyond Belief complements the feature exhibition Windows to the sacred: An exploration of the esoteric.

This selection of outstanding prints, drawings and paintings by well-known Australian artists who have intrinsic links and pre-occupations with the esoteric, surreal or mainstream beliefs and religions, brings to the fore the power of images to inspire, confront and unsettle.

MPRG Ph: 5975 4395 www.mprg.mornpen.vic.gov.au

HERITAGE TRAIN TRIPS Sunday 21st June 2015 Steam train trips from Moorooduc to Mornington.

Departs Moorooduc: 11.00am, 12.15pm, 1.45pm, 3pm Mornington Railway 1300 767 274 www.morningtonrailway.org.au

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“ART IS NOT WHAT YOU SEE, BUT WHAT YOU MAKE OTHERS SEE” Edgar Degas

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Winter 2015

AN ABSTRACT VIEW ON LIFE

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

M

iodrag Jankovic is an artist in the truest sense of the word, his paintings as bold and statuesque as the man himself. The sunlight streams through the studio windows from the top floor of his Rye gallery as we talk about life, love and art. In the gallery his paintings hanging like a rich tapestry and collage of places he’s been and experienced.

Miodrag is an abstract landscape artist and in his paintings he uses memory as base reference. “My paintings are not of geographic locations but they portray the overall feeling and mood of what it was like at the particular location when I was there,” says the Serbian born artist, whose love affair with art was spawned from playing among the ruins of early Roman architecture, listening to gypsy music, and growing up with colorful and passionate characters. Ironically, as we chat among his paintings and art supplies, the sound of Greek music can be heard from a gathering on the foreshore across the road. A far cry from his youthful days in Serbia, Miodrag’s journey has led him to the Mornington Peninsula where he and his wife have raised their young brood. “We moved down here in 2000 and now I paint full time and play music,” says Miodrag, who explains that he fell into being an artist. “I was 12 when our family migrated to Australia, and it was such a different life from where we had come from.

Australia in 1971 seemed so conservative and we always felt like we didn’t fit in. I think that’s part of the reason I started painting and drawing, as an escape and a way to express myself.” Miodrag

says he always enjoyed looking at other people’s work and, after graduating from art school in 1980, eventually ended up working in a picture framing workshop where he was exposed to original works of art by very prominent Australian artists before they even hit the gallery walls. In 1984 he bought the business he worked for and became close friends with some of the most collectable artists in Australia.

“There’s an element of intrigue and curiosity that you develop being surrounded by such beautiful works of art, and it allowed me to work during the day and paint at night,” says Miodrag who had come from a line of tradesmen, so that picture framing was an easily learnt skill. To this day, Miodrag keeps his hand in, offering professional canvas stretching services for other artists and galleries. As an abstract artist in the early years, Miodrag’s original urban abstract paintings were a reflection of his memories of Serbia and inner Melbourne city living.

Today Miodrag is renowned for his abstract landscapes which have been inspired largely by the coastal landscapes and other places he travels. He debuted in 1985, alongside two other painters at the former Powell Street Gallery, South Yarra, his works described as embodying ‘a weight of personal feeling, that almost make sincerity a tangible thing’. “Everything around is an inspiration: the sky, the beach, the mountains. I remember places I have been and how I felt when I was there and I try to paint the continued next page...

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feeling. There’s a lot of energy you pick up on and the challenge is to paint that experience,” says Miodrag, whose paintings have an ethereal quality, as the light bursts off the canvas. “Inspiration might come from the light peeping through the clouds on a winter’s afternoon, or when I am driving down a country road.

For me, nature has always been more valued than we are. Nature will always create its own world.”

Miodrag is the epitome of creativity and practicality, explaining that the process of painting is literally applying paint to a canvas.

“You are making pictures, working with colors, the whole experience is about applying paint, and using your painting vocabulary and skill,” he says modestly. “In saying that, when I paint, I get into a zone, and into my mindscape where I basically eliminate everything external. I am totally absorbed to produce a piece of art.”

Miodrag’s landscapes reflect the juxtaposition of nature’s unruly and enchanting quality. His works are a passionate response to the raw beauty and energy of nature, offering an authentic understanding of the artist’s own experience.

In the words of Degas, it’s what he makes others see.

Check out the artworks of Miodrag Jankovic at the upstairs gallery, 2375 Point Nepean Road, Rye. Phone 0478 362 798. www.jancovicart.com.au

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NO HANDS IN POCKETS

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Gary Sissons

T

hey’re the people that you see standing out in the pouring rain in the middle of the night, with their bright orange overalls, warning of flood or weather damage.

They’re the men and women with the Jaws of Life attending car accidents, doing their best to save lives, and they are the people you call on when disaster strikes. They are the volunteers of the SES and the peninsula is lucky enough to have the best of the best on our own doorstep.

Brian McMannis is an SES stalwart, having served as a volunteer for 38 years in the Frankston SES, including 28 years as controller.

He has been called an icon of Frankston, has received awards and even had a street named after him.

For all the accolades and awards, Brian says the reason he’s done the job so long is simple; it is all about being of service to the community.

It all started on a dark and stormy night 38 years ago when Brian was driving home in the rain and spotted an SES road crew, stopping cars and warning them of flood damage in McClelland Drive.

“I felt so sorry for the poor guys standing out there in the rain and went home and said to my wife we should take them some coffee. I did that and ended up talking to the rescue officer who said if I was interested in finding out more I should go and visit them and, as they say, the rest is history,” Brian says with a laugh.

Never one to choose a simple life, Brian has served in the Military Police, worked as a Chauffeur for the Government, and

been a funeral director for the past 18 years.

Since his early years as an SES volunteer, 62 year old Brian says so much has changed.

“We started off with maybe 15 members and an old Dodge car as our rescue vehicle. Now we have a team of 90 volunteers in a purpose built headquarters which has established a reputation as one of the most professional units in the state.”

A far cry from the early days, the Frankston SES has a Jaws of Life and three rescue vehicles, as well as storm damage trailers and four wheel drives.

The duties of the SES volunteer are many, ranging from storm damage callouts, floods, tsunamis, search and rescue, and the specialised field of road rescue.

“As a volunteer you go through strict training on how to handle situations, but the road rescue is a sideline part of the job and not compulsory,” Brian explains, saying it is not for everybody.

“I decided when I first started that I wanted to be involved in helping with road accidents and, after doing the training, attended my first car accident which was a fatality.”

Brian says that being in charge of a group of volunteers means you have to guide them through the job and be there to talk to them should they need it.

“I always say when you are attending an accident, be prepared continued next page...

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for the worst. That way it hopefully won’t come as too much of a shock,” he says.

A man with a high tolerance for handling traumatic situations, Brian says that there are a certain events that have impacted him over the years.

“Apart from the road fatalities, one of the major incidents has been bush fires, particularly Black Saturday. That was a tragic situation. We had to take over for the Kinglake SES as all of their equipment was burnt,” says Brian. “The Paul Denyer killings in 1993 were awful too, with the main role of the SES to search for evidence at the crime scenes. And the 1990 disappearance of Sarah MacDiarmid from Kananook Station stays in my mind to this day.

Her body has never been found so the family has not had closure.

I still keep in touch with them now.”

Although having been faced with difficult circumstances over more than three decades, particularly in helping people get through traumatic times, Brian says that being involved in the SES has been an honor.

“You get so used to having a pager on you at all times, it seems strange when you don’t,” he says with a laugh. “Although, even though I have stood down as controller, I still keep my pager on me now.”

For Brian, working as a funeral director for John Allison Monkhouse has helped him dealing with people’s grief in the SES. “In a sense it is a similar line of work, where you are helping people get through a hard time in their life.”

And Brian admits his army training definitely came in handy

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when working as the SES controller for all those years.

“I would always instill in the unit members there was to be no hands in pockets. When we were out in public we were representing not only the Frankston SES but the SES in general, and I didn’t want the members standing around looking like they had nothing to do,” he says.

As for giving up his spare time over the last 38 years, Brian says it was never an issue.

“It becomes like a second family. We are all there to serve the community, and it becomes second nature to be there. I have been very lucky with my employers. They have understood if I had to take time to do SES duties,” says the man who had a street named after him this year, and says he has slowed down in his own opinion.

“I’m not ready to retire yet but see this as a kind of semi-retirement and the best way to do it for me. This way I’m still active in the community but have spare family time,” he says with a twinkle in his eye.

And just as he says it, his pager starts beeping. There’s a tree down in Seaford, and somehow I suspect the SES will still be seeing quite a bit of Brian McMannis for years to come.

If you need the SES for an emergency, call 132500. *If you are interested in becoming an SES Volunteer, check out the website at www.ses.vic.gov.au

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HISTORY IS ALIVE

& WELL at mornington cemetery

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

V

al Wilson is passionate about cemeteries and the perfect person to guide the annual Mornington Cemetery walk, taking visitors into another world, where each grave has its own story.

“I’ve always been interested in cemeteries, and first started out working on the Greensborough cemetery years ago which is where a lot of my family are buried,” says Val, who, after doing biographies on some 300 buried there, was hooked.

“I knew a lot of the names and it was very fulfilling, like a mark of respect to these people, discovering

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stories that we could lose forever if somebody doesn’t investigate,” says Val. Now a Mornington resident, Val was already a member of the Mornington and District Historical Society, and got involved with the Mornington Cemetery walks in 2006.

“We gather together at the cemetery gate around 1pm, where Diane White, the president of the historical society, and myself will give a brief introduction and background of the cemetery,” says Val. “I like to give people quirky bits of information about the people we have buried here.”

“I’ve always been interested in cemeteries, and first started out working on the Greensborough cemetery years ago which is where a lot of my family are buried,” Val Winter 2015

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Walking into the cemetery is eerie at first, with its procession of grey headstones and mounds of dirt with flowers, artificial and real strewn about, but you soon realise there’s a rich history to be learnt.

“We begin the tour in the old section of the cemetery, which is divided into different religions. To the right hand side is the Presbyterians to the left is the Church of England, and up the back the Methodists and the Roman Catholics. That’s how it was done in those days,” she says with a laugh.

Walking through the cemetery with Val is like walking through a library of the dead, where the occupant of each grave is like a fascinating book.

“The stories I have unearthed at the cemetery have been inspiring really, such as finding the stories of local pioneers like the Firth brothers from the Orkney Islands. One brother, John, was mate on a clipper ship soon to become captain of his own ship, but he left to join his brothers James and William to look for gold. They then all settled in the Moorooduc area and became part of our history,” says Val. “And it is not only local history that can be unearthed; one gentleman out in the cemetery, a Mr. Walker is one of Australia’s pioneers having spent 48 years in the outback of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.

He spent 28 years as Station Manager at Innamincka

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Station on Coopers Creek. The station had 12,000 head of cattle and 450 horses; the property was sold to Sir Sydney Kidman in 1904. In an obituary I read on his life, it says that as a young lad, he watched the Burke and Wills expedition set out from Melbourne.

He little realized that in later years he would keep the tree and grave associated with the tragic end of the expedition well preserved and fenced during his long residence.”

Val’s fascination for cemeteries is so infectious she started a website on stories from the Mornington Cemetery.

“With the help of Murray Adams, starting the website on the pioneer graves is my proudest moment. It allows more people access to the fascinating history of Mornington and its original pioneers, and evolved from a simple power point presentation 13 years ago.

We were awarded the Victorian History award for the website in 2013,” says Val, who continues to dig up stories to this day.

“Sadly some of the earliest burials we have found were young children such as Elizabeth Connell, who died in 1858, aged one year, and Thomas Allchin, aged seven days. The earliest grave marker still standing is of James Wood, aged 12 years.”

Val says she still finds one particular grave a mystery.

“It is the grave of Sir Arthur Streeton’s brother and the gravestone says JS and in Latin the words, “Speak not ill of the Dead”. I’m still intrigued what the story behind that is but I have my suspicions,” she says of yet another mystery she hopes to solve.

And as for hanging out with dead people, Val says she never feels uncomfortable at the cemetery.

“It’s quite the opposite; I am used to

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it and do it as a mark of respect to our forefathers. A person is never forgotten if someone’s talking about them.”

To organise a cemetery walk, phone the Mornington and District Historical Society on 5976 3203.

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STORM SEASON

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

A fascination for nature and representing the Mornington Peninsula, Peninsula Essence photographer, Yanni Dellaportas, captures storms as they roll across the bay.

Born and bred on the peninsula, Yanni has been working as a photographer for almost 30 years, and was one of the first people to capture storm, lightning and dolphin images from his beloved hometown.

“The storm photos are taken around mid winter and January, usually when we have the most storm activity here,” says Yanni, who took his first storm photos about 25 years ago. “I have specifically concentrated on taking images on the peninsula as this is where I live, and a reflection of my own experience.”

Storms hold a particular fascination for Yanni with their dark, ominous clouds and heavy textures.

“When you have a stormy sky there’s always something in it. Sometimes I am driving and a cloud formation catches my eye and I will stop straight away and photograph it. Other times, I will go up to a high vantage point, like Arthurs Seat, to get the images,” says Yanni. “I like to have something else in the image to give perspective on where it was taken, as a representation of the peninsula.”

As opposed to lightning or dolphin photos, storm photography is instant, with clouds changing and shifting all the time.

“Storm clouds roll in so quickly and change rapidly so you don’t have much time to get the image you have initially seen. Most of the time, I just shoot quick pictures compared to my other photography. It’s the tonal considerations and framing that make it what it is.”

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Living on the peninsula close to the water, many of the storm images are taken for Arthurs Seat looking out across the bay, or on the beach.

“My ethos is to photograph as much as possible from where I live, the place that I know best, and that’s all the way from Portsea right up to Chelsea. The storm images, like my other photos, are illustrating what we have right here in our own backyard.”

For a man who loves winter and rain, capturing the beauty of a storm is second nature.

“I love doing pictures of water and droplets, reflecting the purity in them. It’s all about getting perfection. I know storms are a chaotic consequence of nature, but there is perfection in them that I want to capture.”

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SURF MAG

By Keith Platt

ONLINE

T

he waves are the one constant in surfing. They break off our beaches and except in the most drastic of cases (groynes, marinas, earthquakes, tsunamis) remain the same.

available at Breakway.com.au. The website continues to grow with the addition of more contemporary articles and features and has links to Facebook and Instagram.

However, the act of surfing is constantly evolving, as is the industry around it.

Breakway made it its business to record surfing – locally, nationally and internationally - as it emerged as an industry and began attracting the attention of major companies. Surfing spawned its own crop of Australian business high flyers such as Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Balin, Ocean & Earth and Piping Hot.

The shapes of surfboards change, along with the materials from which they are made. Riding styles change to suit the designs and innovations in wetsuit materials have made surfing a worldwide year-round activity.

The early 1970s was a pivotal time for surfing. Its popularity made it a worthwhile business investment (boards, wetsuits, clothing fashions, music, films, magazines, cars) that was then reflected back on society by surfing images being used by advertising agencies.

Like a snowball gathering speed and size rolling down a hill, surfing became commercial.

Surfers were actually being paid to do what they were doing anyway – surfing.

It was a time of transition chronicled in Breakway, a nationallydistributed magazine based in Frankston.

The monthly surfing magazine ran from December 1973 until January 1978 – in all there were 47 issues.

Published by Breakway Productions, the magazine was printed by Melbourne printer and publisher Standard Newspapers at Cheltenham, and distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Gordon and Gotch.

It was owned and operated by Ted Bainbridge (Peninsula Surf Centre) and journalists Keith Platt and Tony Murrell.

Digital reproductions of the original issues have recently been made

The 1970s was a period of transformation and the magazine inadvertently caught the wave that commercialised a lifestyle.

Breakway covered the emerging breed of contest surfers, the rise of the surfing professional and sponsored contests, the introduction of leg ropes, improvements to skateboard design, sailboarding and the rise in the number of female surfers. It ran reviews of surf movies and records (pre DVD, CD and MP3).

Of the 1970s Nat Young, 1966 world champion surfer, said (in his The History of Australian Surfing): “The manufacturing companies were really getting keen to align themselves with the stars. Professional surfing was catching on.”

Breakway recorded the changing times along with the controversies these changes caused. Also, the magazine published interviews with internationally acclaimed surfers including inaugural world champion Midget Farrelly (1964), and dual Pipeline Masters winner Gerry Lopez (1972, 1973).

Go to Breakway.com.au

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The 1970s was a period of transformation and the publishers say they inadvertently caught the wave that commercialised a lifestyle.

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E ssence

TEAM WORK PAY OFF AT

Moonah Links P

eppers Moonah Links Resort offers spectacular accommodation and two world-class golf courses, set among breathtaking landscapes that will make you feel instantly at ease. Known by many as the home of Australian golf, it takes a team of dedicated and passionate staff to ensure a resort of this size runs smoothly.

Peninsula Essence journalist, Melissa Walsh, talks to some of the leading team members about their role in keeping Moonah Links the top quality resort it is today.

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

BRONWYN RICHARDS GOLF OPERATIONS MANAGER Growing up around golfers it was only natural for Bronwyn to find her first part time job at a golf course while she was studying at University. Little did the Rye woman know that it would eventually become a successful and satisfying career.

These days Bronwyn holds the position of Golf Operations Manager at Moonah Links and loves every moment of it.

club goes smoothly,” says Bronwyn. “I also look after membership administration, golf academy, and work in conjunction with the hotel so I have a very good relationship with the hotel manager.”

As Golf Operations Manager, Bronwyn works Tuesday to Saturday, usually from 8am till 4pm but explains that you have to be flexible with your hours.

“Thursdays and Saturdays are our members days so I make sure I am here for them, ensuring competitions are set up correctly, tee placements, score cards and prize allocations,” she says.

“I started out at Moonah Links in 2002, just as a casual employee in the marquee,” says Bronwyn, who had previously worked at a variety of golf clubs across the peninsula. “Then we moved into the new building the following year and in 2006 became the retail manager.”

Working at Moonah Links, Bronwyn has also been able to meet some interesting characters, which is like icing on the cake.

Within four years, Bronwyn had become the Golf Operations Manager, supervising a staff of 15, and looking after the entire golf operation.

Bronwyn says, in her role, it is important to know your way around the course, so every now and again she will get out for a hit.

“I oversee the golf operations and associated staff, which means the golf shop, the outside services, members, the public, and corporate days. This means making sure the day to day running of the golf

“I have been lucky enough to meet some amazing people like Malcolm and Tammy Fraser, Kelly Slater, and Ian Botham.”

“You have to be familiar with the course. It all helps make you do your job better,” says Bronwyn. “The best part of the job is the people you meet and the staff I work with.” continued next page...

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paying money to stay with us so we need to make it special.”

Having lived on the peninsula for 20 years, Roger isn’t ashamed to admit he loves telling guests about all the great tourist attractions on the peninsula.

“I will talk to guests about everything from the best winery and back beach to golf tips I have picked up,” says Roger. “And if I see in their notes it’s a honeymoon or special occasion I will always make sure I make it extra special with a bottle of wine if I can.”

ROGER BRINCAT FRONT OFFICE TEAM LEADER As Front Office Team Leader, Roger Brincat and his team are the first point of call for all guests, a role he thrives in.

“My team and I are on the front desk, so we are the first face people see when they arrive. My job is to make sure all procedures are in place and that everyone is happy. All up we have eight on the front desk, an AM and PM staff,” says Roger. “The AM team do guest arrivals, make sure everything has been ticked off the checklist, and run the main switchboard. It is always a busy shift.”

Roger says the evening staff is probably even busier.

“It is the job of the PM team to do all the preparation to make sure the next day runs smoothly, running reports, checking on guest arrivals, and even helicopter arrivals. They may have to do maintenance or even work in the bar if it’s required.”

Roger also oversees the night auditor, Surinder, who holds down the fort overnight.

“Surinder is an awesome night auditor. He works the nightshift, making sure we have done our job, balancing cash and any Eftpos transactions and checking the systems.”

Roger’s role takes about 40 hours per week and he adores every aspect of it.

“I have been with Moonah Links for two years, first starting out as a night auditor, and then on the desk and within a few months was moved to the team leader supervisor role at the start of the year,” says Roger, who previously worked in sales but wanted to work at the golf club. “I saw doing the night role as a way to get my foot in the door and as soon as I got the job I fell in love with the place.

How many people can say their office consists of two world class golf courses and an a la carte restaurant?”

To be successful at the job, Roger says you need to be able to communicate with the guests, be driven and have great attention to detail.

“It doesn’t hurt that I’m a big talker,” he says with a laugh. “I am very happy to speak with the guests about anything and the team all talk about getting the warm and fuzzies when you know you have helped make their stay something special. My motto is they are

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DAVE SHERLOCK FOOD AND BEVERAGE MANAGER When you’re the food and beverage manager at Moonah Links, you have to be flexible as Dave Sherlock discovered when he took on the role 12 months ago.

“My job is to run different styles of operation from the golfers who come into the club, to diners, conferences and accommodation guests, all run out of one bar and a restaurant,” says Dave, who has been trained in food and management for the past 13 years. “Being extremely organised is a top priority in the role. With so many areas to oversee, you need to be open to new ideas and give your attention to different areas. You also need to be thick skinned,” he says with a laugh.

For Dave, his hours vary between 45 to 50 hours per week, and can be seven days a week. “At my level it’s a lot more administration and management during the week but on weekends you do hands on jobs like working in the bar for instance. A lot of what you manage and organise during the week is put into practice on the weekends.”

Although Dave has worked in management, this is the first role being in charge of the whole department and he couldn’t be happier.

“I oversee two supervisors and a casual staff of about 20, so everything starts and finishes with me,” says Dave, whose workday begins at 7.30am.

“It’s great coming to a place like this to work, and we have such a variety of events with weddings, birthdays, functions, conferences and leisure golfers.”

MITCH HARRIS

JOEL PEREIRA

FOURTH YEAR APPRENTICE GREENSKEEPER

SENIOR CHEF DE PARTIE

As an apprentice greenskeeper, 21 year old Mitch Harris takes care of the two golf courses at Moonah Links, and the golf academy, mowing lawns, maintaining gardens, mulching, pruning and spraying weeds.

It’s not unusual for a chef to be up at all hours of the morning, which is why Senior Chef De Partie, Joel Pereira appreciates his 6am start at Moonah Links.

“I have always loved the outdoors and have been a keen golfer since I was a kid,” says Mitch, who grew up living on the Safety Beach Golf Course. “I’ve played golf my whole life and travelled around Victorian playing in competitions until I was 17.”

Traditionally a greenskeeper apprenticeship takes four years however, being a mature aged student, Mitch is able to complete his in one year.

“I was lucky enough to get into the adult apprenticeship course and have been working at Moonah Links for two years now.

A prerequisite for the course is having work experience at a golf course,” says Mitch whose day starts at 6.30am in winter and 6am in summer to beat the heat. “We usually finish up around 2.30pm.”

To be a greenskeeper, Mitch says you need to have a high attention to detail.

“A lot of the work is about the quality, not the quantity, and I’m a bit of a perfectionist so it’s easy to keep it all looking good. We work Monday to Friday and then a rotating roster on weekends. Saturday mornings are spent cutting the greens, and Sundays changing holes – changing the position of the golf hole on the par 3s so any worn areas can rejuvenate,” says Mitch. “It’s a physical job but there’s a lot of theory behind it, knowing about growth patterns in the grass, the time of year to spray certain diseases and weeds, and how to take care of the greens.”

“Starting at 6am is great. I come in and do breakfasts for the golfers or guests, and organise the menu for the Spike Bar which is open during the day,” says Joel, who has been working at Moonah Links for two years.

“I oversee an apprentice chef and a kitchen hand during the day shift and it is just the three of us in the kitchen. The apprentice chef makes all the sandwiches for conferences, and we do prep for morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea. Being a resort we do a lot of conferences during the weeks.

Originally from India, Joel’s culinary journey has been an adventure, having worked on a cruise liner for six years, and then working at Guy Grossi’s Florentino restaurant in Melbourne for three years.

“This is my first experience working in a golf club and it’s great, very different from the other jobs I have had,” says Joel who has been in Australia for seven years now. “I enjoy doing the functions and the hours are great being Monday to Friday. We do all different types of cuisine and buffet style lunches.”

“The people are lovely and it’s a great environment to work in.

Working in the morning, I do most of it on my own but I don’t mind that, preparing food for two to three functions and conference groups,” says Joel, who orders about 900 eggs a week, and about eight loaves of fresh bread a day.

Pepper Moonah Links is at 55 Peter Thomson Drive Fingal.

Hotel enquiries on 5988 2000 Golf enquiries on 5988 2047 www.moonahlinks.com.au

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THE SHOW GOES ON

By Liz Dart Photos: Yanni

T

he 87th Red Hill Show was a winner. Organisers were delighted by the number of people who have contacted them saying how much they enjoyed the event held on the last weekend of March.

The family atmosphere of the show; the “up close and personal” contact with the amazing range of animals; the grand parade; the woodchop; the entertainment – especially the shearer and the sheep dogs; the rides ... all were crowd pleasers and contributed to the magic of the day.

Competition in all sections – from the heaviest pumpkin to the champion beef animal – was keen and received praise from the judges.

There was a record number of entries from schools in the sheep classes, with Woodleigh School taking out the champion exhibit in the grand parade.

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Winter 2015

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

G

rowing up in the Castlemaine, the hot rod centre of Australia, Peter Warren developed a long standing love of classic cars which he brought to the peninsula many years ago.

“We always have very good bands with more than six hours of excellent music and a Hot Rod/ Classic car Show n Shine for only $10,” says Peter.

“I started the Rock N Rods Festival in 2009 because there wasn’t a festival down here and now it is an annual event,” says Peter.

“Each year we are amazed with the different turnout. Last year for the first time we had a huge selection of classic motor bikes come down and we even had classic wooden speed boats,” says Peter. “Of the classic cars and hot rods this year we had Cadillacs, Mustangs, Chevs, 50s Fords, the odd muscle car like the Pontiac Firebird, and a variety of hot rods.”

These days the Rock N Rods Festival is held at the Eastbourne Primary School in April each year, and the last one was a ripper.

“The festival has doubled since we first started and now we have a huge range of cars, stalls and rock and roll bands playing all day,” says Peter. “Money raised is for the Rosebud Hospital and we have donated over $20,000 since the festival started.”

The rock n roll side of the event has a strong following of Victorian fans, plus interstate visitors, and even a couple of visitors from Darwin.

The event has coffee and food stalls as well as trade stalls on display.

To find out more about the Rock N Rods event, phone Peter on 0408 583 727. continued next page...

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Winter 2015 Autumn 2015

A LittLE Comic Relief

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

I

magine drawing comic books for a living, studying shows like the Simpsons and Futurama so that you can recreate their characters in the finest detail, watching cartoons as part of your research, and getting paid to do so. If you can, then you have a small insight into the life of comic book artist, peninsula born Dean Rankine.

After more than two decades, Dean is a veteran of the Australian comic book scene, writing and drawing backup stories for Simpsons Comics, and the only contributor in Australia.

Essence writer, Melissa Walsh, gets the big picture on the life and adventures of a comic book artist.

Most of us loved drawing as a child, but how do you get to earn a living from it as an adult?

I guess I just never grew up, and always followed my dreams. I’ve always drawn from a young age. I was shy and awkward kid so drawing was how I expressed myself. Drawing was, and continues to be, a kind of therapy.

How do you get your inspiration for your comics?

I watched a lot of cartoons on the TV and that was a huge influence on me. So sitting for hours in front of the television actually turned out to have a positive affect.

When did you first realise you had a talent for drawing?

When I was in kinder I drew a possum and the teacher thought it was good. I liked the positive feedback and so just kept on drawing. I grew up in Rye and went to Rosebud High, then left and did a two year TAFE course in art design.

How did you first start out in the industry?

I started out freelancing and worked on school magazines called “Challenge” and “Pursuit”. I also did illustrations for books, and anything that came along. continued next page...

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Can you make a good living out of comic book art?

I think it’s possible but I haven’t. I’ve always had to supplement my income with part time work. Freelance work isn’t always consistent and you have to pay the bills. Fortunately, I’ve been able to do other work that I enjoy.

How did the Simpsons gig come along?

I had been doing work for those kids’ magazines that you get in supermarkets. But the work kind of dried up. So I went down to my local Coles to see what else was around. At the time, it was wall-towall Simpsons. I bought a copy and it all looked pretty good. Except there was one page that I thought, ‘That’s not so great. I could just about draw that’. So, I started drawing Simpsons pages and sending them off to the company in the U.S. By about the third story I sent through they started using my work. And I’ve been doing work for them since. I’m the only Australian to do it.

What’s involved in drawing the Simpsons comics?

Obviously you have to be able to draw the characters. But I also write the stories. What I do is the backup stories so I send through a comic strip with a story thread. The first story I sent to them was Apu and Snake. Writing and drawing a two page backup story will usually take me five days. Backup stories are smaller stories at the end.

How do you get ideas for a comic story or character?

I get my inspiration from TV shows and comic books. I write stories that I find funny and usually kids find them funny, because I have a pretty childish view of things.

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Winter 2015

Apart from the Simpsons, what other type of comic do you like drawing?

Because I have a quirky way of looking at the world and how to express myself, I draw some unusual characters like my comics “Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candyland”. They are two foul mouthed, drug using, naked bunnies that go on offensive and hilarious adventures. It lets out my crazy ideas and can be my social commentary on the world some times.

Are any of the characters particularly difficult to draw?

Some characters are harder than others. The main Simpsons characters are the most difficult, especially Lisa and Maggie. I’ve had to tighten my style to get them right.

What is one of the best perks of being a comic book artist?

Apart from doing what I love every day, you get to meet some awesome characters. When you’re doing a show and hanging

around the green room, you meet some inspirational people. The most memorable was meeting Yeardley Smith, the voice of Lisa Simpson. She was lovely.

Who do you look up to most in your field?

Matt Groening is my inspiration, and his Simpsons style is so unique. I also like the work of Sergio Aragones, who is a legend in comics. My favorite cartoons are things like “Ren and Stimpy” and “South Park”.

With all the technology these days and social media, do you think the comic book industry is still as popular?

What’s maintained the comic industry is adults so the comics that are written now are written for adult audiences. My kids will read comics but there are plenty they can’t read because of the content. Melbourne has a strong comic culture. They have comic continued next page...

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book meet-ups that attract people from all walks of life.

Do you think your style has changed over the past 20 years?

I think my style has improved but I try not to compare myself to other comics because I get depressed.

Has the method of drawing comics changed?

Yes, completely. We used to just draw freehand, and now I draw with pencil on photocopy paper, scan to the computer and then ink and colour on the tablet. Everything is done online and via email so I have never actually met the people I work with on the Simpsons comics.

What advice would you give any budding comic book artists out there?

Find a part time job you don’t hate and just start drawing. Put in the hard yards as comics are brutal. There is lots of competition and you have to be a story teller as well as an artist.

What’s the best thing that’s happened recently with your comic book art?

I just received the 2015 Silver Ledger for Itty Bitty Bunnies in Rainbow Pixie Candy Land Save Xmas, which was fantastic.

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RUG UP AND GET WET WITH A WINTER DIVE

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

W

hen the temperatures dip and the cold weather sets in, that’s when it’s the best time for diving on our beautiful peninsula with visibility at an all time high.

John Warren, owner Harbour Dive in Mornington, says it’s just like going to the snow. You just put on extra layers that’s all.

“The best thing about winter diving is we get more settled weather so it’s clearer to see. There are even more species in winter, with the best diving spots piers like Flinders, Mornington, Rye, Blairgowrie, and Portsea. This time of year you see a lot more sedentary types of fish, the ones that live in the reefs, where as you get more of the pelagic fish in summer,” says John. “My favorite pier dive is at Flinders, the home of the weedy sea dragons.”

John says the best boat dives are outside Bass Straight where there are lots of wrecks to dive on.

“There’s a heap of wrecks, four WW1 submarines that have been scuttled outside the heads, with the shallowest in 26 metres and the deepest at 39 metres. They were all built prior to the First World War and given to the Australian Navy after that. There’s hundreds of wrecks, both legitimately wrecked and deliberately sunk. Back in the days before we were environmentally conscious, they took ships and subs out to sea and deliberately sunk them when they

were no longer of use.”

For amazing fish and coral, equal to the Great Barrier Reef, divers can’t go past the Great Lonsdale Wall, a big ravine canyon in about 12 metres of water and ranges from between 40 to 100 metres, covered in soft corals and sponges.

“I think it’s even prettier than the barrier reef,” says John, who has owned Harbour Dive for 15 years. “I know a lot of people get put off from winter diving but they shouldn’t. All you need to do is wear thicker gloves, wet suit and boots, as well as undergarments that increase the warmth, just like you would if you were going to the snow. As for visibility, it is so much better in winter as there is no plankton growth to cloud the water. It dies off after summer and the water becomes crystal clear.”

As for John’s favorite dive spot, he says there is so many to choose from but does love Bore Fish Reef.

“Its on the south side of the channel and is a beautiful place to dive in the winter.”

Harbour Dive is at 1 Blamey Place, Mornington.

Phone 5973 5356

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DRIVE TO THE OUTBACK Words and Photos: Keith Platt

M

aking a trip to the Outback from the Mornington Peninsula is as easy as jumping in the car and going for a 40-minute drive: the outback outlook at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, is one of red earth and weather-resistant plants.

While the red earth of the Australian Garden doesn’t quite stretch to the horizon, the carefully sculpted area gives the impression of leading to more of the same on the other side of the hill. Of course that’s not the case, but what is over the hill is just as interesting – a small lake fed from the rock pool waterway (wade only between the flags) is bounded by wetlands, which can be circumnavigated from a boardwalk, and a rocky escarpment.

The botanic gardens offer a lot more than being gardens for all seasons, with visitors being (gently) encouraged to learn about the conservation of rare and threatened plants through a biodiversity program. There are also more formal education

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and visitor programs about the importance of plants.

The visitor centre provides plenty of information about the gardens and events and there is also a restaurant for lunches and snacks at the Boon Wurrung Cafe (10am-4pm daily except Christmas Day) and a kiosk at the northern end of the Australian Garden (11am-3pm, 1 June-31August). The centre is also the place to make garden tour bookings, hire umbrellas and wheelchairs, and browse The Gardens Shop.

The Garden Explorer open-air “people mover” seats 22 and makes six stops. Tickets ($7.50 adult, $6 concession) are available at the visitor centre.

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Cranbourne, corner Ballarto Road and Botanic Drive, Cranbourne, 9am-5pm, daily (closed Christmas Day), call 03 5990 2200.

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TALES OF A CHATTY CABBIE

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

H

e’s been driving taxis for 25 years, working the graveyard shift in Melbourne’s CBD. Mornington local, and chatty cabbie, Rodney Fox, tells Melissa Walsh about the real life antics that go on after dark.

From the moment you get into Rodney Fox’s taxi, you know you are in for a good chinwag with the chatty cabbie that just loves his job.

The former bank manager found himself stressed and tired of working in a bank for 19 years, and longed for a total change of lifestyle.

That was a quarter of a century ago when he decided to buy a taxi licence, get out of the office, and onto the road.

escorts to jobs, young couples out for a night, and elderly citizens to hospital appointments.

After 25 years, Rod says his cabbie intuition is now finely tuned.

“You meet all different types of people from all walks of life and that’s what makes it interesting, but you also come across people who are alcohol and drug affected. From all my years of experience, I have what I call cabbie smarts. It’s the ability to have a sixth sense about what’s going on around you,” says Rod. “While it can be dangerous, it is like every other aspect of life. I have had violent incidents in the past but I don’t any more as I’m more experienced now.”

Rod’s violent incidents, he explains, were always from substanceaffected people.

“I originally bought a taxi licence as an investment but then decided to operate it myself,” says Rodney who soon moved to the peninsula with his family. “Even though I live down here, I’ve always driven a metropolitan taxi doing night shifts. It’s the perfect job for my personality. I love being my own boss and the flexibility of the hours. It’s definitely not mundane 9 to 5 work that’s for sure.”

“I’ve been punched numerous times and it was never over money,” says the cabbie that’s developed a theory about aggressive people. “Basically I look at it this way. There are simply aggressive people out there and sometimes the cab driver is the last person they will see if they’ve had a bad night and so take it out on the cab driver. If they didn’t take it out on us, it would possibly be the mate or the wife when they got home.”

The 61-year-old says he quickly learnt that everybody has a story to tell and he loves finding out about the people that ride with him.

In his early days of driving, Rod recalls being punched from behind by a passenger.

“I genuinely enjoy talking to people and am naturally a chatty cabbie. I like to talk and find it helps the time go quicker. I’m always interested in what people do for a living and feel our job, while not glamorous, is an essential service,” says Rod. It’s an understatement to say that Rod has met people from all walks of life. The chatty cabbie has driven everyone from celebrities like Andrew Denton and Julia Morris, to female

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“I was asking him to leave my cab and he didn’t like it.

I also got into a fight with a guy who was relieving himself in my boot, trying to be smart in front of his friends.”

Regardless of these types of incidents, Rod assures that the majority of his shifts have been uneventful.

He does recall some unusual moments.

“Recently I was asked to go to a sex party by a passenger. I’ve picked up people who are clearly up to no good with drugs, and driven prostitutes to jobs, and men to brothels, but it’s all part of the night shift side of cab work. You see all types. It’s a totally different world after midnight. Your average Australian has no idea what’s going on outside their doors and there are some freaky people out there, as well as the good ones.”

To have longevity as a night shift cabbie, Rod says it’s important to be non-judgmental.

“If I was worried about what I’ve seen or experienced then I couldn’t drive a cab,” he says. “What you have to realize is that, at 2am, you’re not going to be picking up the little old ladies. You may come across people that you don’t feel safe with and you are not obliged to pick them up.”

With a shift that starts at 3pm and usually finishes around 3 or 4 am, Rod says it’s Friday and Saturday nights that still prove the busiest.

“I work in the city and along the bayside suburbs each night, and still some of the sights amaze me,” says Rod, who has picked up people who just want to go and buy a packet of cigarettes at 3.30 in the morning, and has had to carry one man into his house when he passed out in the cab.

Rod says a common booking for the night cabbie is brothels.

“We pick up the girls and also the patrons. Visitors to Melbourne will get in the taxi and ask for a good brothel. In the old days the brothels used to pay us $10 per client to take people there.”

Whether you work for a taxi company or work for yourself, fares are your bread and butter, and Rod couldn’t believe it a few years ago when he was asked to drive a customer all the way to Sale.

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“Night shift work revolves a lot around people who are out to drink. I like to see young people having a good time and as long as they have no bad intentions towards me, we get on well. When the Seaford man fell asleep in the cab I had no way of knowing where he lived. I had to wake him to show me his wallet and then I took him to the address on his licence, knocked on the door and said to his wife ‘Does this belong to you?’ She said yes and I brought him to the door. A lot of cabbies would have just taken him to the police station but the sign of being a good cabbie is learning not to panic.”

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“It was the largest taxi fare I’ve had: $900 to drive a TAC booking from Rosebud to Sale Hospital for a doctors appointment. I waited for him and bought him back home again. It was three and a half hours each way and was near the end of my shift.”

At the other end of the scale, Rod recalls a taxi fare for a little old lady who lived at number 48 and wanted to go to number 50 to return some cat food.

“She had borrowed it off the neighbor and was too frail to walk there herself so I took it there for her. That was $5.”

Since starting in the business, Rod says technology has changed the job considerably.

“Communications has completely changed. In the old days, jobs would be dispatched via a radio, talking to the base. Now it all highly computerized with Internet bookings and apps. We use a computer system to get jobs.”

The one thing he says hasn’t changed are the people.

“They just want to get from A to B with a nice cabbie in a clean car, and sometimes we are both lucky enough to find out something new along the road,” he says.

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Pinup Girls

rock 50’s glam

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H

ayley Wilkshire is a fulltime pinup girl, which means she dresses in retro ‘50’s style all the time. Whether at work in a Rosebud pharmacy, or dolled up to the nines for a pinup girl competition, 39-year-old Hayley is pure pinup. And, she says, the trend is booming.

Unlike the stereotypical ‘50’s housewife from decades ago, there’s a new type of pinup girl, and they’re sassy, sexy and self-confident.

“I’ve been involved in the pinup industry for the last two and a half years full time. I’ve always loved the scene and what it stands for, being a lady dressed up and looking glamorous. It’s a return to the old fashioned ideals,” says Hayley, whose pinup name is Miss Rouge Kitty.

“I always knew this scene was about and I would look on social media to see if there were any car shows or rockabilly events to go to where I had the chance to dress up.”

Pinup girls, rockabilly, car shows and even tattoos are all part of the same scene, a growing culture rooted in traditional values, with a cutting edge confidence.

“I have gone along to Grease fests and Miss Pinup Australia events, and have now entered Miss Pinup Australia 2015,” says Hayley.

“The culture is not just about rockabilly, car shows and fashion. It’s about how you carry yourself and it is very empowering.”

Just like the pinup girls from yesteryear, modern pinup girls are beautiful regardless of their size or age. The pinup theme does not discriminate and, as Hayley has found, encourages self-acceptance and awareness.

“In the pinup industry, you are beautiful no matter what your size. Whether you are size 6 or size 24, you are still glamorous and accepted,” says Hayley, who had come out of a bad relationship with low self esteem and wanted to set a good example for her children. “I wanted to show them how important it is to be yourself, dress the way you want and act the way you want. When I started doing pinup, instead of being frowned upon, people actually said you look gorgeous. I work in a pharmacy and wear a uniform but always have pinup hair and accessories. Lots of lovely elderly ladies talk to me about their beautiful stories and it reminds them of how they used to look and dress.”

Hayley says that being a pinup girl is different from back in the ‘50’s when housewives stayed at home.

“It’s about being a strong, beautiful woman, dressing with confidence and acting in a ladylike way. When I come to work I might wear bobby socks or scarves in my hair and have my makeup in pinup style,” says Hayley. “I even had one customer bring me in her fur coat she got for her 21st birthday, and some bring hats and real nylons still in their packet.”

For a modern pinup girl, getting the right look is as easy as watching a YouTube video and Hayley says it soon became her best friend.

“You can find anything on YouTube when you start out in the pinup world. I looked up how to do my own makeup and pinup hair. It used to take me hours. Now I have perfected it to minutes

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in the morning for the makeup, which consists of red lipstick, powder, winged eyeliner and defined eyebrows. As for my hair, I do it the traditional way with the wet set. By sleeping in hair rollers you have your curls for three or four days. On day four you will do a touch up.”

the culture is becoming more popular I can buy a lot more in Australia and even locally,” she says.

As for her outfits, Hayley says she is a big fan of the Rosebud Vintage Bazaar when on the Peninsula but also does a lot of shopping online and at rockabilly events.

“It is the most prestigious of pinup competitions world wide and celebrates all women of every age, shape and size, using vintage glamour as the conduit for gaining self confidence, building self esteem, finding self love and respect, and making friends.”

“Once you have your basic wardrobe, you just buy things as you need them. You used to have to buy from overseas but now

Being part of Miss Pinup Australia 2015, Hayley has further embarked on her journey of self-discovery and says it’s an important celebration of real women.

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T

hey’re smart, they’re savvy and they’re not afraid to flaunt their curves. There’s a new breed of ladies in town and the retro style pinup culture is back with a vengeance.

Across the Mornington Peninsula, women in their hundreds are embracing the ‘50’s vintage look, with a whole subculture of rockabilly chicks out there setting the world on fire.

One such woman is Rosebud’s own Helen Berting, owner of Rosebud Vintage Bazaar, and pinup girl ambassador if ever there was one, with her flaming red locks coiffured to perfection and immaculate rouge lipstick.

Helen has been dressing in the 1950s pinup girl style for the last three years, after being a rock ‘n’ roll dancer and instructor, as well as running rock n roll events and classes on the Peninsula.

“The pinup and rockabilly culture is a growing lifestyle on the Peninsula, with many varying groups regularly popping into the Bazaar for their fashion needs, like Rock n Roll, Rockabilly, or Swing Dancers, Roller Derby girls, Hot Rod or Classic Car enthusiasts, Pin up competition entrants, as well as the general public who prefer to dress in glamorous vintage style,” says Helen, Apart from the obvious vintage glamour, the increase in pinup girl popularity could also be attributed to deeper values, according

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to Helen.

“It’s more and more popular possibly as a nod to old fashioned values and certainly there’s a recycle and reuse element to wearing these beautiful garments, or using the vintage kitchen or furniture pieces, rather than being part of a throw away society,” says Helen.

“The beauty of the pinup style is that, no matter what size or shape you are, the look remains beautiful and stylish on anyone, with women being able to embrace and enhance their natural curves.

There are so many varieties of personal style, but generally, it’s a 1940s – 1950s era style, including full skirts with petticoats or slimline pencil skirts, winged eyeliner and red lipstick, hair set in rollers for a Marilyn Munroe style or rolled pin curls reminiscent of the wet hairstyles.”

While pinup is a glamorous style with much attention to detail, ideally dressing in the 1940s to 50s, as with all rejuvenated fashion trends, this one comes with a modern twist.

“Some girls might be heavily tattooed or have brightly coloured hair for instance. It is the pinup era with a bit of individuality thrown in,” explains Helen.

With her inspiration from such glamour icons as Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, Helen has discovered more than

just a passion for their style.

“I am inspired by their look but also by their hearts. So many of my pinup friends have also shown me their big hearts, and that niceness and manners are still possible and practiced in this modern world,” says Helen, of a culture that reflects the ethical values of its era.

As for achieving the glamazon look, Helen says practice makes perfect.

“Once you have your style, it takes no longer than any other well put together woman or man. We are always happy to offer advice or help dress our lovely customers in any era or style,” says Helen.

“I love the culture of dressing up, old fashioned values, recycling, enjoying things from the past, and the various people I have met through the varying dance, car, market and pinup world over the years.”

Fully embracing her retro world, Helen says even her home is vintage, built in 1870, and the Bazaar is housed in a theatre built in 1928.

“I have been a collector of many beautiful things from many past eras most of my life. My husband is also an old fashioned, romantic guy presenting me with his grandmother’s engagement ring, and most recently a ring from the 1840s for my 50th birthday.”

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CHANNEL YOUR INNER

Pinup Girl

F

ollow these steps to achieve the ultimate glam look of the 1940s and 50s, just like Marilyn Monroe, Princess Grace and Audrey Hepburn.

No matter the dress size, pin-up girls have graced billboards and posters for decades, wearing clothes that accentuate their assets, bring out their sexual appeal, and make them look flirty, fun and elegant.

HAIR

Pinup girls curl their hair with pin curls and victory rolls, achieved by a permanent wave with chemicals, or an overnight set. To get pin curls, wet your hair, dab gel onto the root of a small section of damp hair, then twirl around your finger until you get to the scalp. Slide your finger out of the curl and pin with a bobby pin. Repeat for your entire head of hair.

For immediate curls, use hot rollers or a curling iron, although it will take practice to get the right look with these methods.

ACCESSORISE YOUR HAIRDO Pinup girls add embellishments to their hairstyle, which is usually kept soft and simple. Add a big bow, bandana, hair flower, hair jewel or pin.

EYE MAKEUP

Apply a vanilla colored eye shadow to the upper eyelid, then blend in a darker color.

Use black liquid eyeliner along the top of the eye, making sure the eyeliner wings out at the outer corners, creating the cat eye look.

Once dried, apply several coats of black mascara to the top lashes to create a dramatic effect.

For evening events or extra effect, apply false eyelashes, the ultimate in glam.

LIPSTICK

Red, red and more red for the lips but first start with a lip liner to create a seamless cupid bow. Fill with lipstick and then blot away residue.

BEAUTY MARK

For a more glamorous look, add a black or brown beauty mark above the lip.

MAKEUP AND SKIN CARE

WARDROBE ESSENTIALS

Pinup girls need flawless skin, so start you makeup routine with clean and moisturised skin.

Use a full coverage foundation that matches the skin tone perfectly.

Follow with a concealer to cover any blemishes.

Set your base with a dusting of translucent powder.

Pinup girls flaunt their curves so the aim is to create an hourglass silhouette, with belts and formfitting dresses and shirts.

Shop at vintage stores like Rosebud Bazaar or second hand shops and online for A lined skirts, round toe pumps, swing dresses, petticoats, stockings, cropped cardigans and pencil skirts.

EYEBROWS

UNDERGAMENTS

Every Pinup girl has beautifully manicured and groomed eyebrows. Brush your eyebrows to make sure they are neat.

Tweeze any eyebrows to maintain a good shape but don’t overdo it. Then fill them in a dark powder or brow liner that is one or two shades darker than your natural eyebrow color. This creates a dramatic effect pinup girls are known for.

You can always buy patterns and make your own outfits if creativity strikes.

If you can find a bullet bra, then get one, a pointy cupped bra that will fill out any jumper, dress or shirt to perfection.

For that matter, a girdle is an ideal way to create a lovely shape.

ATTITUDE

Most importantly, hold your head high and embrace your womanhood as a proud pinup girl, and that will be the best fashion tip of all.

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The Bakery Fourteen different bread doughs are made daily, including the famous Wine Bread. None of the breads contain any preservatives or anti-fungus and are made using the best Australian ingredients.

The Café You can sit by the warm open fire and enjoy a delicious cup of coffee made by our trained baristas, and treat yourself to some wonderful cakes and slices, or stay for longer and allow our Chef to cook you a delicious Lunch. Every Sunday in the café we light up the woodfired oven for Pizza and put on some great live Jazz…”A Silly Sunday Afternoon” is enjoying a packed house each week.

The Providore is home to top grade Fruit and Vegetables supplied by Sciclunas; as well as a wide variety of Cheeses (both local and imported), take-home meals and lots of smallgoods, including dips, pates, specialty Oils, Vinegars, Jams, Chutney and fresh flowers are also on sale. Fresh Fish comes in every Wednesday.

The Bakers Art Gallery/Concert Hall & Function Room, proudly houses the beautiful Bosendorfer Grand Piano. This piano is also is used in the monthly concerts, some Jazz, Classical, Modern and Orchestral, but always featuring fine musicians.

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W: www.redhillbaker.com.au

RED HILL BAKER (BALNARRING) PTY LTD 1/3000 Frankston Flinders Rd Balnarring P: 59313125 F: 59313293

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A TIME OLD TRADITION CONTINUES IN Red Hill

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

S

cientifically, glass is made by melting together several minerals at very high temperatures. Silica in the form of sand is the main ingredient and this is combined with soda ash and limestone and melted in a furnace at temperatures of 1300°C. Other materials can be added to produce different colors or properties.

Where science finishes, art takes over in the form of glass blowing, one of the oldest and most difficult art forms. That’s where artists like Eileen Gordon and Grant Donaldson enter, two glassblowers so devoted to the craft that they created their very own studio, Gordon Studio Glassblowers in Red Hill.

The gallery and studio is one of the few in Victoria that caters for those wishing to view and buy an existing work of art glass, as well as those interested in having customized hand blown glass art works created to their own specific needs.

Visitors to the studio have the rare opportunity to witness glassblowing from the security and comfort of the light filled viewing mezzanine.

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Experience the searing heat of the furnaces, observe master glass artisans at work and learn about the ancient art of glassblowing.

Over the years Eileen and Grant have created a wide vocabulary of blown forms, revisiting and refining earlier shapes while extending experimentation and their mastery of color, scale and understanding of the capricious nature of glassblowing.

“My passion for color and form as a glass artist is greatly inspired by the environment of the Mornington Peninsula – the surrounding ocean, its sunrises and fabulous sunsets,” says Eileen, who was born in Norway to Scottish parents who are both skilled glass artists and engravers. “I completed my training in England and then immigrated to Australia in 1980.”

The couple met in Tasmania where Grant was managing a farm and, although Eileen was heading back to England for 12 months, the pair reunited after that time and were married and built their first studio in Numurkah in 1989.

“It was then that I started doing some of the glass blowing,” says Grant. “We had a dairy farm but I became more and more interested in the glass. In the end we left the farm and set up a glass blowing studio together.”

It was 1994 when the young family moved to the peninsula.

“Grant’s parents had a house at Portsea and he spent a bit of time there as a teenager. We had our first son Hamish and we figured this was a good place to raise a family,” says Eileen. “It was also close enough to Melbourne to be able to buy materials.”

With the brave decision to put all their efforts into a full time glass blowing studio and gallery, ten years later they were in the rolling hills of Red Hill, and they have never looked back.

“I learnt slowly myself by watching Eileen and practicing,” says

Grant. “It’s not something you can learn by reading a book or just doing a course. You get a few pointers and just do it.”

Eileen says that glass is a very seductive material that hooks you in.

“You start off with great ideas and your skill slowly catches up,” she says of the evolving process.

Like any passion, for Grant and Eileen running a business is all consuming.

“It’s a lifestyle thing you do. We blow glass about three to four days, but it’s a cycle. You have to make the glass in the furnace, then use that to blow the next day, and then fill up the furnace again. There’s also grinding, cutting and polishing, as well as running the gallery.”

They say the reason for their success is a mixture of hard work

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and putting in the hard yards.

“It’s still very time consuming. You are up and running a furnace 24/7 and the gas bill alone is about $1000 per week. Everything we make goes into kilns to cool down, and in fact, glass is the most expensive form of art to create, but it is not really a job if you have artistic dreams.”

The dream continues with the couple working on more sculptures and commissions.

“There’s always new work in the gallery as well. It just continues to change and grow.”

Gordon Studio Glass is at 290 Red Hill Road, Red Hill Phone 5989 7073 www.gordonstudio.com.au

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The Boating Disaster of 1892

MORNINGTON’S DARKEST HOUR

By Peter McCullough

I

n the 1890’s football at the outer suburban level was largely a social game with matches arranged on a casual basis; there was no official competition with a ladder and finals. In this environment Mordialloc Football Club, formed in 1891, organized a match against the Mornington Football Club, formed in 1888. It was to be played at Mordialloc on Saturday 21 May, 1892.

The railway connection to Frankston had been completed three years earlier and this would have been the logical means for the Mornington team to travel to Mordialloc, particularly because of the uncertainty of the weather at that time of the year. However Charles Hooper, a 35 year old member of the team who was an experienced sailor and fisherman, invited the team members to use his boat “Process” for a sea trip to the Mordialloc game. The craft, known as a yawl, was over nine metres long, had a mast of similar length and, as an inducement to the players, Hooper promised to use his racing sails for the trip. These sails had won him regatta honours off Frankston and Mornington in the recent past. Most of the players were young and probably considered the boat journey would be quite an adventure. Besides, as was reported

later, at least ten of the players were good swimmers. Nevertheless there must have been some apprehension for a vote was taken; 12 of the 20 voted in favour of the trip by boat.

So 17 members of the team set out after lunch on that fateful Saturday on the trip that was to mark the greatest tragedy in the peninsula’s sporting history. Although moderate seas had been forecast, the 15 mile (24 kilometre) trip was uneventful with William Coles entertaining his teammates with a medley of cornet tunes. One passenger who subsequently made the return journey by train later reported that Coles had played the song “The Ship that Never Returned.” His companions, singing lustily as they sailed along, were never to appreciate the irony contained in that song.

The match at Mordialloc began about three in the afternoon and ended in near-darkness at 5.30 pm. The result was a draw with each team scoring two goals; behinds did not count in those days.

The Mornington team boarded the “Process” around 6 o’clock with Charles Hooper informing the few locals at the pier that the boat had a leading wind which would take her to Mornington on one tack; accordingly he expected to reach Mornington between 8 and 9 pm. The travellers were reported to be sober and in

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good spirits. Charles Allchin, articled to a firm of architects and surveyors in the city and who had met the team at Mordialloc, joined the boat travellers, but three men who had come by sea elected to return by train. They were Mr. Coxhell, the local baker and captain of the team who had experienced some sea-sickness on the trip up, a lad called Schultz, and Mr. Short, the manager of the Commercial Bank.

The last time the fifteen members of the football team were seen or heard alive was off Frankston when some fishermen heard the men singing and said later that the yawl appeared to be travelling without any trouble. No one knows what happened next but it is believed that a sudden squall hit the vessel as it approached Pelican Point, off Mt. Eliza. The “Process” capsized throwing the occupants into the sea. In the darkness, and with waves beating around them, the men would have struggled to right the craft, or climb on board. One can only imagine the sheer terror in the minds of those unlucky footballers as they clawed and fought for a grip of the vessel, only to be washed off by the waves. Exhaustion soon ended their struggle. Any that tried to swim for the shore did not make it. All were drowned.

That Saturday night was to become the blackest ever in the history of Mornington. There was a general build up of concern and then deep worry about the young men of the town. Mr. Short, the bank manager who elected to return by train, became worried about 9.30 pm when William Grover, his young accountant and teammate, had not called to collect the duplicate set of bank keys. Short went to his home and his father, Mr. J.D.Grover, immediately set out by horse and buggy for Mordialloc to check on the team’s departure. Mr. Grover had a brother as well as a son on the “Process.” Short then went to the Mornington pier with a friend to see if there was any sign of the “Process” returning.

When midnight passed with no boat in sight it was obvious that something was seriously wrong so Short went to the home of the Presbyterian minister, the Reverend Caldwell, to inform him of the concerns he had for the team which included three of the

At Schnapper Point, watching the search boats

minister’s sons.

The Reverend Caldwell rushed to awaken Sergeant Murphy of Mornington police who in turn roused the postmistress so that a telegraph message could be sent to Mordialloc. She was unable to get a response. In the absence of telephones visits were made to Mornington people who had relatives and friends in the football team; some of them had already begun to fear the worst. Many made dashes to the pier and surrounding beaches but to no avail.

Mr Short and a friend set off by horse and buggy for Mordialloc, only to meet Mr. Grover coming back with the news that the team had left as planned on the previous evening, It was now about 4 am. and there was little the town could do other than wait for the dawn.

Early on the Sunday morning there were as many as 22 boats and skiffs out searching along the coast. One was the cutter yacht “Wanderer” which happened to be berthed at Mornington pier overnight.

The body of Lawrence being brought It was the “Wanderer” which found the ashore on Sunday afternoon upturned “Process” lying off Pelican reef.

There were bags, coats, and personal belongings strewn about the area, while the tangled rigging and broken masts left little doubt as to the fate of the passengers. The upturned boat was towed back to Mornington and, when righted, the body of Alfred Lawrence was found tangled in the rigging. When the boat was examined there were marks and scratches on the bottom, as if made by the passengers clawing at the upturned hull endeavouring to get a grip.

During the Sunday and for days

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Left: Finding the capsized boat on Sunday morning.

Below: Boats out on Monday morning dredging for missing bodies.

afterwards there were many vessels out searching but no other bodies were discovered. This was despite the efforts of many sailors and the officers of the Customs Branch. The Ports and Harbours Department vessel, Lady Loch, which had dragging equipment aboard, was also sent to the area but because of the varying depth of water it was not possible to approach close to the reef. (It should be noted that some difference of opinion exists as to the number of bodies recovered. One early account stated that none were found but “The Pelican Reef Disaster” written in 1967 by Charles Allchin, nephew of Charles Ernest Allchin, claims that four bodies were found. He states “The bodies of Charles Hooper junior, James Firth, and John Kenna were found over the next three weeks on beaches as far apart as Rye and Mt. Eliza.” (Page 10) However the definitive account of the tragedy, contained in “Mornington-In the Wake of Flinders”, published in 1971 by local historian Leslie Moorhead, is unequivocal: only the body of Alfred Lawrence was recovered.)

The inquest into the death of Alfred Lawrence led to a finding

of accidental death which shed no further light on what actually happened. The town grieved openly at the funeral of young Lawrence and the wider community was shocked as well.

Newspapers and magazines of the day contained headline stories of the tragedy. The Argus of Monday, 23 May provided a very detailed report under the headline Shocking disaster in the bay.

A fishing yawl sunk. A football team on board. All hands drowned.

Fifteen lives lost. Distressing scenes in mornington. (By our special reporter.). Within a day or so newspapers throughout Australia carried the report by the special reporter from The Argus.

Telegrams came from everywhere including one from the Governor of Victoria, Lord Hopetoun: “Lady Hopetoun and I desire to express our deep regret at the appalling accident which occurred last Saturday night, and beg you will convey our deepest sympathy to the bereaved relatives of the victims of the accident.”

A public meeting at Mornington established a committee for relief of the victims’ dependents (Charles Hooper’s fourteen year

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old son died with him but he left a wife and children, while two other players had wives and children.) A sum of 120 pounds was subscribed in the room. It was decided to circularize all football clubs in Victoria and the response to this appeal was very generous.

Eventually over sixteen hundred pounds was raised. Seventy five pounds was set aside to erect a memorial located on the corner of The Esplanade and Schnapper Point Drive. In the words of Charles Allchin: “It overlooks Schnapper Point, the pier and the harbour, and it appears to have a range of view of the Bay and the foreshore around to Pelican Point.�(Ibid, Page 10.) The rest of the funds went to the families of those who died.

Above: The boat after being landed.

hardship that this event brought to what was a little seaside village.

Many must have considered the part that fate played in the event.

On the one hand there was the tragedy of Charles Allchin who came from work in the city by train, only to join the ill-fated yawl at Mordialloc for the trip home. Then there was Mr. Short and the other two who came home by train after making the outward journey on the boat; they must have spent the rest of their lives pondering over that twist of fate.

In retrospect it is hard to grasp the enormity of the sadness and

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James Reid Caldwell

William Lindsay Caldwell

Hugh Caldwell

The Caldwell family - Constantly touched by tragedy W

hile the loss of the 15 members of the Mornington football team caused much grief in the community, it is impossible to imagine the burden placed on the shoulders of the Presbyterian minister, the Reverend James Caldwell: not only was he required to comfort the bereaved but he had to come to terms with the loss of three sons in the tragedy. He attempted to meet his obligations on that dreadful Sunday morning but it was too much: “Some had betaken themselves to church, but so far as the Presbyterians, at least, were concerned, there had been a sudden end of the service. The officiating minister, Mr. Caldwell, broke down in the middle of his prayers, and was compelled to beg the indulgence of the congregation.” (The Argus, 23 May, 1892.)

Collingwood East the following year.

He resigned in 1868 to visit Ireland, returning in 1870 when he was appointed as a minister in Maryborough.

On 27 August, 1874 the Reverend Caldwell took up the position of minister of the Presbyterian Church in Mornington, a position he held until 1903. He died in 1907 and is buried in the Mornington cemetery.

While information relating to the Reverend Caldwell’s “professional” life has been obtained from church records, details of his personal life are somewhat sketchy. It seems that he married three times but his first marriage to an Irish lady named Lizzie Long was short as she died from scarlet fever while in confinement in 1860.

The Reverend Caldwell then married Jane Lindsay who was the daughter of William Lindsay Esq., merchant of Hobart Town, and the mother of his nine children. The three eldest – Thomas, James and William – were born in the manse in Maryborough. Hugh was born after the move to Mornington, followed by Earnest (who lived for only a few months) then Alice, John, Sarah and Jean.

The Reverend James Caldwell

The Reverend Caldwell was born at Killagan (near Ballymoney), Antrim, Northern Ireland in 1825 and educated at Old College, Belfast and the Assembly’s College, Belfast, where he obtained the General Certificate in 1850. (This was the equivalent of a degree.) He was licensed by the Ahogill Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ireland in November 1853 and was ordained as a minister at Duncannon, Co. Waterford on 30 March, 1858.

In 1859 the Reverend Caldwell resigned and came to Victoria where he was inducted into St. George’s Presbyterian Church in

By 1892 Thomas, the eldest boy, had settled in Tasmania where he had been left property in his grandfather’s will. James, 21, had been farming in Tasmania with his brother for two years and was home on holiday when the football match was being organized. continued next page...

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William, 19 a medical student at the University of Melbourne, and Hugh, 17, an apprentice carpenter readily convinced their older brother to join them. According to Leslie Moorhead’s account “Each of the Caldwell boys was about six feet tall and weighed about thirteen stone.”

While the three Caldwell boys are included in the memorial referred to previously, they were also remembered in a tablet placed by the congregation on the wall of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Mornington. (It is now in the Mornington Uniting Church.) The tablet bears the text chosen by the boys’ father: “They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in their death they were not divided.”

The Reverend Caldwell’s second wife, Jane, did not live to witness the loss of the three boys. She apparently suffered from mental health problems and took her own life, drowning in the Yarra in 1883. She was 39. In 1885 Marion Whitesides became the third wife and after the Reverend Caldwell’s death she returned to Tasmania.

In the spring of 1892, five months after the tragedy, the eldest daughter, Alice, wrote a book titled “Love’s Tribute or What the Sea Never Told” (It was not published until 1909, after the

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death of her father, apparently because he disagreed with some of the content.) She tells how the family came to Mornington and how, with her mother’s inheritance, they were able to build their beautiful home “Glenbank” on 3 ½ acres in Barkly Street.

After the loss of his sons the Reverend Caldwell continued to live in “Glenbank” and minister to his flock on the peninsula: “...in Somerville, Hastings and Flinders on the one side, Mornington, Dromana, Rye, Boneo, and Cape Schanck on the other”, according to Alice. In 1888 he had commenced a monthly Presbyterian service in Hastings and fostered a close liaison between the Anglicans and the Presbyterians in that town. This was evidenced in the strong support he gave to the “Church of England and Presbyterian Pastoral Aid Society.” Church buildings were shared with the Anglicans in Merricks and “Three Chain Road”(Moorooduc) where the Reverend Caldwell conducted regular services in the 1890’s.

In her book “Western Port Pioneers and Preachers” Valda Cole states that the balance sheet of Holy Trinity in Hastings in 1892 showed a donation towards the Mornington Relief Fund. A memorial service was held in the Hastings Church of England on 5 June when Mr. Greenwood (a “reader”) took as his text verses

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The Comedy Theatre

2 and 3 of Isaiah chapter 43 : “When thou passeth through the waters I will be with thee...” (Page 58) When James Caldwell died in 1907 anyone looking back over his life would conclude that his faith had been sorely tested: his first and second wives died in tragic circumstances; even more devastating would have been the loss of his three sons in the disaster of 1892. It would almost seem as if the family was the victim of some sort of curse. But it did not end there. The youngest daughter, Jean, after attempting to establish a school at “Glenbank” with her sister, Sarah, went overseas and was lost at sea in mysterious circumstances between England and Ireland in 1914.

The youngest son, John, went farming in South Gippsland

where he died tragically in 1939 as he was getting through a fence when carrying a rifle. The rifle discharged, wounding him fatally.

Of the eight Caldwell children to reach adulthood, John was the fifth to die in tragic circumstances.

The eldest daughter, Alice, did not marry and lived in Caldwell Cottage in Caldwell Street, Mornington until her death in 1950.

She is buried beside her father in the Mornington cemetery. Her book “Love’s Tribute or What the Sea Never Told”is written in gentle prose and evokes an atmosphere of a time long past: “On the night of our beloved Queen’s Jubilee, in 1887, my four eldest brothers and I trotted all around the city, seeing the illuminations.

On the night of the Diamond Jubilee, 1897, I, with a sad heart, and thinking of the boys beneath the sea, waited on the children at the local fete in the Mechanics’ Institute, and afterwards went with my younger sisters to see our little park lit up by Chinese lanterns. I had only one consolation, and that was I might keep the memory of the dear boys green by placing a cross of fresh flowers on the public monument. In my heart I thanked God for the long and illustrious reign of our beloved Queen, but blood is thicker than water, or any sentiment, and my thoughts were mostly with my beloved brothers, who had shared my pleasure that day ten years ago.”

Left: The memorial to the Mornington Football Team drowning disaster. Below:Glenbank today; Part of the Andrew Kerr Aged Persons Complex. Bottom: The former Presbyterian Church in Mornington, now God’s Kitchen.

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Truffling

A

EXPERIENCE

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

T

hey’re ugly, they’re lumpy and intoxicating, and the most profitable legal crop you can grow. If you’ve ever watched a MasterChef episode you’ll know that I’m talking about truffles, that elusive element used with just a pinch, often finely shaved onto a dish, and served in the most exclusive restaurants.

When the cold winter mist sets over the mountains of Red Hill, that’s when truffle hunters gather around to unearth the elusive truffle, the black gold of the hills. Thanks to truffle farmer, Jenny McAuley and her canine companion, Thomas, guests can experience first-hand a truffle hunt through the oak and hazelnut trees on her private truffiere that she established in 2005.

“I have always loved mushrooms and loved mushroom hunting.

I first heard about the mysterious fungus that grows underground and is wonderful to eat, when I was travelling in Italy in 2002. On returning to Australia I did some research and found out that truffle was being commercially grown in Tasmania. I visited a truffle farm

in Tasmania and thought the conditions and soil were similar to my property at Red Hill. I knew a wide variety of fungus grew naturally on my property, so I decided to buy some trees and see if I could produce truffle,” says Jenny, who initially bought 320 trees, a mixture of oaks and hazelnuts. “It is very difficult to grow truffle.

The soil required careful qualities and had to be prepared to create the specific conditions in order for truffle to grow. My first trees were planted in March 2005, and I had to wait five years before I found a truffle. In the first year I found only one, but I was very excited; as I had proved that truffle could be grown in Red Hill.”

The following year, Jenny found three truffles and since then the production level has increased every year, from her property “Glenbower” which has been in the family since 1886, her great grandparent’s original farm.

“It is beautiful land and I decided to do something different with it. Truffles are such an exciting venture. I still feel very excited every time I find one,” she says with a laugh. continued next page...

“Last year the original truffiere yielded four to five kilos of truffle, but will reach capacity within the next two years.”

predominantly hazelnuts. Western Australia now produces the largest quantity of truffle in Australia.

Although Jenny knew it was a risky venture, with the low statistics of successful truffle growing, she recognised that the soil and environment conditions at her family property were ideal.

“You can grow truffles for simple personal pleasure or for profit and plantations might contain a few trees or thousands, but truffle growing is not a ‘get rich quick’ project and should be viewed as a long term investment,” says Jenny, whose combination of patience and passion has paid off.

“I could see that there was plenty of grapes and wine in the area, and I knew fungus grew well on the property so thought maybe I could trial growing a commercial fungus, and it has been a great success,” says Jenny, who went into the venture knowing full well that only 10 per cent of truffiers produce truffle. “We now have around 1700 trees on the property.”

Truffle dog Thomas is a celebrity in his own right on the truffle hunts, a far cry from the dog pound he was found in several years ago.

“At two years of age, he was found in a dog pound in Hobart.

Simon French, an experienced dog handler and trainer, bought him and trained him to find truffle, which took only 10 months,” says Jenny, who accidentally found Thomas on a visit to Simon’s truffle farm in Tasmania. “I really liked Thomas and we quickly bonded so Simon trained me to handle him and within five days I was bringing him back home.”

Growing truffle for commercial purposes started in Australia about 20 years ago, firstly in Tasmania and then a group of farmers in Western Australia decided to have a go at it, planting

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“The truffle hunt takes about an hour and a half on the property.

I explain about truffle growing and conditions and then we walk down to the truffiere, where the group stands a bit behind me and watches me work the dog, observing Thomas hunting for truffle.

When he finds one I uncover it and smell it to see if it’s ripe,” says Jenny, who has had to attend courses to understand the aroma of a ripe truffle.

“A ripe truffle has a very strong, earthy smell that you learn to distinguish, but there’s nothing like good, fresh truffle in cooking.

In season we use it in pasta, risotto, eggs and it’s great combined with vodka too,” she says.

To book an MP Experience Red Hill Black Gold truffle hunt, and get to photograph, taste and experience the tantalising world of the truffiere, phone 0410 596 637.

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Recipe

Zucchini Carpaccio, Avocado, Apple, Celeriac, Red Hill Truffle & Vanilla 6 zucchini (small to medium size) 1 avocado 1 apple ( julienne) - prepare just before serving to prevent browning 1 celeriac ( julienne) 1 fennel bulb ( julienne) 1 lime 200ml light sour cream (with finely diced black truffle) 1 bunch basil (picked and torn leaves) ½ bunch continental parsley (flat leaf) - picked leaves ½ bunch chervil – picked leaves 20g Red Hill truffle shaved parmesan vanilla oil (see below for recipe) 1.Trim ends of zucchini until all are even sized.

2. Squeeze lime into a small bowl and mix with vanilla oil, add enough oil so that it is not too sharp and you get a good balance of vanilla and lime.

3. Cut zucchini lengthways on a mandolin so slices are thin and even. Lay 8 slices per plate so they are slightly

overlapping, and brush with vanilla/lime oil.

4. Put a dollop of the truffled sour cream on each fan of sliced zucchini.

5. Thinly slice the avocado and arrange on top. Drizzle with some oil.

6. In a bowl, toss the julienne celeriac, julienne fennel and herb leaves with the freshly julienned apple and some more of the oil and season with sea salt flakes and freshly cracked black pepper.

7. Sit tossed herb salad on top of avocado.

8. Finish with shaved parmesan and shaved truffle.

Vanilla Oil Cut 2 vanilla beans lengthways and scrape seeds into 250ml extra virgin olive oil. Whisk together and return to a bottle along with the scraped bean. Allow to infuse for at least 2 days.

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TRUFFLE TIDBITS A truffle farm is called a truffiere.

In France the original way to find truffle was by using pigs.

This was difficult, as the pigs want to eat the truffle. Many old truffle hunters in France have lost fingers trying to get the truffle out of their pig’s mouth.

In Italy truffle hunters use dogs to find truffle.

There is not one particular breed of dog best suited to truffle hunting. Any dog with a good nose and a desire to work can be trained to find truffle.

Truffle is often described as a very sensual food. It certainly has an earthy sensual aroma and taste. This is because the predominant hormone in truffle is testosterone. That is why the female pig does not like to give up a truffle. They smell like her mate. It may also be why women like truffle so much.

The history of truffle farming and hunting is that the truth is not always told. In France and Italy truffle hunters will not disclose the exact location of where they find truffle.

The best truffle in the world is white truffle, Tuber magnatum.

This truffle is found in Italy. White truffle is very expensive and brings $3500 per kilo. Truffle farmers will not share their methods of production of white truffle. Instead they tell the world that white truffle first appeared after a bolt of lighting hit the ground near a tree. White truffle was supposedly later found under the tree.

White truffle has not been successfully grown in Australia.

There are many growers experimenting with the type of truffle.

Truffles are mushrooms.

Truffles grow underground about one to four inches below ground, on the roots of certain varieties of oak and hazelnut trees.

Truffles are best eaten as fresh as possible. Their aroma and flavors diminish by half within four to five days.

Truffles are good for you, and some say they can be an aphrodisiac.

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HOME GROWN

by Melissa Walsh

A TASTE OF GASTRONOMIC SUCCESS

By Melissa Walsh Photos: Yanni

T

he last weekend in May saw Sorrento hosting its sixth mouthwatering food and wine event with a weekend long feast of activities including master classes, cooking demos and tastings, themed lunches and dinners, gourmet menus, wine, beer, and a foodies market.

The whole weekend was a great success with food related, gourmet activities, and cooking demonstrations from chefs from hatted restaurants including Ian Curley from The European group of restaurants, Adam D’Sylva from Coda and Tonka, Paul Mercurio, and Daniel Wilson from Huxtabel and Huxtaburger.

The Three Palms Restaurant Spiegeltent was set up as a taste marquee where cooking demonstrations were held during the weekend. Local chef, Barry Iddles from Sorrento Catering and Brett Johnson from Acquolino held cooking masterclasses.

Sunday saw the foodies market in Ocean Beach Road, along the footpath, where musicians and entertainers helped create a

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fabulous food lovers atmosphere.

Over 5000 people attended the event which has continued to grow each year, with visitors from Melbourne and regional areas raving about the Peninsula produce, and nearly every ticketed event sold out.

A fundraising event held at the Sorrento Sailing Couta Boat Club, called Skinny Duck Flies South, was hailed a huge success with $42,000 raised for Fare Share, a charity which redistributes food for charitable organisations. Being part of the Feed Melbourne Campaign, Fare Share also receives funds from the Lord Mayor’s charitable foundation, equalling the funds raised on the night.

Former MasterChef professional, Michael Demagistris, held a fun filled Italian masterclass at Buckley’s Chance, putting on a multi course feast and demonstrating how to make the perfect risotto.

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Western Port on

Hastings – 62 km south of Melbourne – is located on the Mornington Peninsula, fronting the western shore of Western Port, between Tyabb and Bittern.

HASTINGS FACTS Population: 8,865 (2011) Hastings has an area of 41.6 square kilometres Hastings is the administrative centre of the Western Port area and its heavy industries include the Esso-BHP oil refinery and the BlueScope Steel plant which is one of Victoria’s largest manufacturing operations.

An attractive town, features a modern commercial centre which extends several blocks along High Street and right down to the Western Port foreshore. There are three major supermarkets and several shopping complexes including Westernport Central in High Street and the Kmart store with speciality shops off Victoria Street.

Hastings’ extensive foreshore area consists of large and grassy open spaces, native bush and mangroves along the water’s edge. There are also several sporting facilities located on the foreshore including tennis courts, a bowling club and sports ovals.

The Pelican Park Recreation Centre is situated on the waterfront and features an indoor heated lap pool, a gymnasium, spa & steam room and a kiosk. Next to Pelican Park is the historic Hastings Jetty which is a popular spot for fishing and boating activities.

One of the major attractions is Hastings is the Western Port Marina.

Visitors enjoy use of the Marina’s attractive BBQ and picnic areas. For boating enthusiasts, permanent and casual berthing is available.

In 2004 Hastings was the overall winner of the Victorian Tidy Town Awards held by the Keep Australia Beautiful Network.

The largest department store, Kmart, opened in Hastings on October 19, 2006.

Hastings was the seat of the Hastings Shire, before this was merged into the Mornington Peninsula Shire, and still has many buildings associated with federal, state and local governments.

It has the headquarters of the regional traffic police.

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COFFEE SAFARI Everybody loves a good coffee and Hasting is never short of great coffee places.

Here are just a few to check out next time you’re in town:

Lelleys Coffee House 24 High Street

Quirky, comfortable and spacious with luxurious bench seats, couches and dining inside and out. Kid and adult friendly, fast service, good old fashioned hot coffee and extensive all day menu.

Beach Hut Café 55 High Street

Light, bright and open, alfresco and indoor seating. Perfect spot to relax and read the paper with a hot coffee, tea, light snack or meal. Friendly staff and great selection of cakes.

Mooz Café

Shop 2, 28 Victoria Street Local Primo coffee, quiet atmosphere, perfect for a cuppa while reading the paper. Great homemade dishes, and the best vanilla slice and sponges. Indoor seating, and appeals to an older clientele.

The Local Café and Catering 62 High Street

They don’t call it “The Local” for nothing, a popular haunt for locals and visitors, serving piping hot and delicious Genovese coffee, as well as a wonderful variety of fresh dishes for a snack or lunch. Right in the heart of Hastings.

The Sandwich King Café 75 High Street

Great selection of cakes and Crivelli coffee, and a reputation for the best sandwiches and burgers made with fresh, healthy ingredients. Relax inside or enjoy alfresco dining in the back, tropical garden courtyard.

WHAT TO DO? There’s always so much to do and see in Hastings.

Watch the great pelicans assemble on the Hastings foreshore, or catch the angler’s bug from watching the fishing boats out on the water. Learn some new skills on a fishing trip or take a cruise around Western Port Bay. An eclectic mix of shopping and art houses are at your fingertips being close to the home of antique treasures and art villages.

Photography: Fran Henke

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There is a modern library in the centre of town, outside of which is a statue of former resident and famous footballer, John Coleman. Other facilities include a public hall, and a modern aquatic centre.

In October 2003 the town of Hastings was host to The Princess Royal.

A 3.5km walking trail and boardwalk connects the town to Jack’s Beach through an expanse of white mangrove.

Hasting’s overlooks the mangrove-fringed upper reaches of Western Port Bay, with views to French Island and the tiny Sandstone Island.

Established during the early 1850s as a fishing and farming community, the industrial development from the 1960s including Esso and the BHP steel mill were based on its deep water harbour and are still active to this day.

The HMAS Otama is a decommissioned, British built submarine that was in service for 20 years and launched by Princess Anne in 1973. In 2002, the Otama arrived in Hastings after the town won a tender against 32 other towns – the plan was to raise the fully-functioning Otama out of the bay and place it in a built structure on the Hastings foreshore, turning it into a museum and tourist attraction.However, as the foreshore is Crown-owned land, the Otama is still sitting in Western Port Bay, awaiting its final destination.

Hastings is thought to be named after a fishing town in England or the British imperial administrator Warren Hastings.

Previously known as King’s Creek and Star Point, its post office opened on 4 February 1863.

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Hastings Street Market Thursday 8am–1pm Hastings Street Market is held every Thursday in High Street from 8am till 1pm.This market has over 40 stalls featuring everything homemade, home grown and craft.

THIS IS IT...

EVERY LOT NOW RELEASED ∙ Land from $305,000 ∙ House and Land from $514,500 ∙ Packages from the best builders

All that is missing from Waterside is you!

Live 50m from the water

Frontages 12.5m - 15m

*Images are indicative only and may depict fixtures, finishes and features not supplied by the builders.

Accordingly, any prices shown do not include the supply of any of those items and may be subject to additional site costs. Speak to a sales consultant for a list of inclusions.

For more information, please call Jules Alexander on 0401 255 555 or Louise Varigos on 1300 885 682 hidden-harbour.com.au

ONLY 4 LEF T

Martha Cove's only waterfront land with berth entitlement only

$635,000

CONTACT JULES ALEXANDER ON 0401 255 555 OR LOUISE VARIGOS ON 1300 637 636 THEWATERFRONTMARTHACOVE.COM.AU

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168 Main Street Mornington VIC 3931 T. 03 5975 6888

Mornington

POA

Carnoustie Grove, Mornington – Register your interest today Boutique Beachside Living Designer living comes to the fore with this luxurious three bedroom, 2.5 bathroom plus a study residence in a first class setting close to the Esplanade, Fossil Beach, cafes and transport. The boutique nature of this residence is highlighted from start to finish from the sleek contemporary facades to the emphasis on indoor-outdoor living and consideration for ease of living and comfort throughout the seasons. Offering in excess of 25 squares of living space, expansive alfresco entertaining, two living areas, ground-floor main bedroom with en suite and WIR and the very best finishes.

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3 Inspect Contact

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By appointment or as advertised Robert Bowman 0417 173 103 Rachel Crook 0419 300 515 bowmanandcompany.com.au

168 Main Street Mornington VIC 3931 T. 03 5975 6888

Mornington

Expressions of Interest

733 Nepean Highway, Mornington

3

2

Brilliant by Design, Secure the Savings!

These two exclusive single-level three-bedroom, two-bathroom residences are designed with an understanding of today’s lifestyle requirements and offer stamp duty savings when you buy now. Impressive appointments highlight the interior from a stone kitchen with Blanco appliances to a stylish en suite to the main bedroom. The open-plan living and dining area flows out to a merbau deck perfect for an alfresco lifestyle. On trend appointments include a double remote garage, ducted heating and cooling, LED lighting, double glazed windows, landscaped gardens and aggregate driveway with turntables. Enjoy the convenience of the central location close to Main Street’s shops and cafes, the beach and transport.

Sale Contact

Expressions of interest Robert Bowman 0417 173 103 Rachel Crook 0419 300 515 bowmanandcompany.com.au

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RED HOT WINTER MAKE SURE YOU ARE PART OF IT!

We have seen a record number of sales over the last six months and there is still extremely strong buyer demand. More buyers means increased competition for your property.

List your property with hockingstuart this winter* and enjoy the benefit of: • SIGNIFICANT discounts on your marketing campaign • FREE professional photography# • MORE buyers means BETTER results If you are interested in participating in Red Hot Winter or would like a free market appraisal, contact the Mornington Hockingstuart office today on 5973 5444.

MORNINGTON 204 MAIN STREET T 5973 5444 * Winter is defined as June, July & August 2015. # Conditions apply HOCKINGSTUART.COM.AU

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L U X U RY P R O P E RT Y S E L E C T I O N

What to know what’s happening in your local market?

For all you real estate needs on all aspects of selling, buying, leasing and renting, Leanne Porter has beed specialising in real estate since the 1980’s and having been a resident since 1970, knows the local area intimately. As a fully licensed Estate Agent, Leanne can offer you professional guidance and free market appraisals on your most valuable asset.

Call Leanne on 0418 106 668 for genuine and sincere assistance.

Leanne.porter@harcourts.com.au LIMITLESS 82 MOUNT ELIZA WAY, MOUNT ELIZA 03 9788 7400

Winter deals now available Peter Thomson Drive, Fingal 3939 FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM @MOONAHLINKS

T: 03 5988 2047

www.moonahlinks.com.au

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