Woodend Farmers’ Market 4–5...............................................Kyneton Spring Flower Show

Photo – Julie (2nd from Right) – Lido – Champs-Élysées

From Paris to Maison Maloa, Woodend

Woodend residents and visitors are fortunate to have many good cafe choices, and it’s of interest to this reader to hear from those who operate these businesses and keep serving quality coffee week in and week out, through lockdowns and ‘Covid normal’ times. Maloa House was started in 1996 by Denise Grantham, who ran this cosy café and homewares business for over twenty years. It became known as Maison Maloa in 2018, when Julie Robinson purchased the business. Julie’s career has been fascinating, having lived and worked across several continents before making Australia and Victoria home. Growing up in Zimbabwe, Julie studied ballet, and, when her family moved to England, she decided she would prefer to live in Paris. Julie landed a much-coveted job with Le Lido, the famous cabaret show located on the Champs-Élysées in Paris. The Lido, open since 1946, is known for its exotic shows including dancers, singers, and other performers. Julie joined a long list of performers that included Shirley McLean, Edith Piaf, Marlene Dietrich and Eartha Kitt. From Le Lido, Julie then worked on cruise ships as a dancer, finishing up on the QEII. At the age of 29, having danced fulltime for many years, and with the inevitable injuries of a dancing career, Julie hung up her dancing shoes. She moved to the US and, looking for another adventure, Julie and her husband started the first commercial, fully-insured bungee business in the States. They even jumped ‘The Fonz’ (Henry Winkler) at the Florida State Fair and went on to a very successful show at Seaworld, Ohio, featuring the Canadian freestyle skiing team and the famous Flying Wallendas, a world-renowned highwire walking act. Julie, clearly not afraid of new tricks, was a stunt jumper in this show. Having visited Australia’s Gold Coast, Julie liked what she saw, and in 1992 she moved to Australia, and Julie quickly felt this would become her home. From the sea to the air, Julie then started an 8-year career as a flight attendant with Ansett, until that unforgettable week in Australia’s aviation history. “I remember the day I turned on the radio and heard that Ansett had gone into receivership, and that was the end of my flying days,” said Julie. Never one to stand still, the year Julie’s airline career ended, she and her husband bought a 2,000 acre merino property near Seymour. Julie immersed herself into farm life, entered a 2-year apprenticeship and reinvented herself yet again. Julie was led to Maloa House after selling the farm, and being not yet ready to retire. Keen to bring a little of Paris to Woodend, Julie renamed this popular café Maison Maloa. In 2019, Julie achieved a career highlight when she returned to Paris and to join the Lido performers reunion, and the Champs-Élysées was closed for the occasion!

WRITTEN BY ROSEMARY GUYATT