November 2016
Dulc i fy As I scribble this in a flying ship en route to Tokyo, Australia is once again engulfed in Spring racing fever and I ponder the prospect of a Melbourne Cup many miles away from the traditional antics at Wirra Wirra. Picturing the Tribe dressed in inflatable horse costumes, I draw inspiration. It’s either that or the complimentary champagne kicking in. Astute Bell Ringers might have noticed that the title for this column each time we go around is the name of a song and a convoluted YouTube link to that tune can be found at the bottom of the page. Less engaged readers might assume that the footnote is simply us making the same typographical error in each edition. Given our history, that would not be an unfair assumption. However, the title informs the theme and that is why the name of a Kiwi gelding who was one of Australia’s most revered and sadly, ill-fated racehorses adorns the top of the page. That and the fact that it is a damn fine song by Queensland band Halfway and one that I can’t imagine being penned anywhere outside of Australia. The chorus is written, “Some days Doriemus, some Dulcify, everyone gets a Beldale Ball once in a while.” It’s been described as a song about “winning and losing and everything in between”. Even those whose interest in the annual nagfest can be best described as “passing” might prick up the ears at the mention of those three thoroughbreds courtesy of an office sweepstakes on the first Tuesday in November. You see, Dulcify was a brute of a beast with raw natural talent. Fearsomely powerful with a temperament to match, he ran around Flemington in the 1979 Melbourne Cup with the money of many weighing on his ample back. Chased down by the eventual winner Hyperno, Dulcify shattered his pelvis in the closing stages, but bravely charged on well past the line. His subsequent demise was as inevitable as it was tragic.
Doriemus was the complete opposite. A Rolls Royce, equine poetry in motion, who had the experts reaching for superlatives every time he strode out onto the track. Born and bred to be a star, a glamorous career naturally culminated in the 1995 Caulfield and Melbourne Cup victories. And Beldale Ball? US bred nag lands in Australia following an unsuccessful career in the UK. He’s given the Colin Hayes polish and just scrapes into the 1980 Melbourne Cup field as a late entrant. Carrying the “postage stamp weight” of 49.5kg, Beldale Ball takes the lead 1200m from home and does the unthinkable in this two mile endurance test. He’s never headed until SA jockey John Letts salutes the judges. Not quite a Cinderella story – Ms Renouf was an owner afterall – but you get the picture. About 12 months ago, we decided to take a bit of a punt on our future. A decade after Greg Trott had last given Wirra Wirra a serious makeover, creating the buildings we still call “new cellar door” and “new barrel hall”, we embarked on an ambitious project to revitalise the old place. A café, an open and welcoming cellar door, a private tasting room and a state of the art meeting space were all on the agenda. We had the bones of a great site, but risks had to be taken. This was going to require real change, not just in bricks and mortar, but mindset as well. No one was quite sure what to expect. There were no government grants or generous benefactors looking to throw large sums of money our way. Every dollar had to be funded by the fruits of our labour. (Thank you, Church Block…and you dear Bell Ringers).
it’s always been this way; and the others who return to cast a critical eye and suggest that it is long overdue and the soul and spirit of the original building has not only been retained but embellished. The locals speak of us “bringing the place to life”, (who knew we were so close to extinction before?) while those who ply their trade in the burgeoning world of wine tourism are generously sending people our way. But perhaps the real coup has been the influx of new faces into the business. Clever, enthusiastic types who have found work in the new roles at Harry’s Deli and Cellar Door. As you’ll see elsewhere in this blurb, we have created jobs - full time, part time and casual for the region and of that, we are most proud. Did someone say “Jobs and Growth”? The first few months have well and truly exceeded expectations. The little guy is making his way through the field. If you haven’t been down to check it out, I hope that you find the time over the Summer to come and raise a glass with us. Hopefully we’ve backed a winner. Maybe everyone does get a Beldale Ball once in a while. A safe and happy holiday season to you all. Andrew Kay Head Caretaker https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=91ssAp9328I
Works commenced in earnest in February this year and in no small part due to the talents of Studio S2 Architects, G-Force Construction and Enoki design, by midJuly we were ready to roll. Like the ageold dilemma of “what if we threw a party and nobody came?”, there was a touch of trepidation about the whole thing, but when we saw the finished result we knew we were in with a fighting chance. In fact, one of the more pleasing aspects of the redevelopment has been the response from visitors who generally fall into one of two camps. Those who have never been before and see it as a great space, assuming
Belldale Ball