winter 2017 issue 15
$5
INSIDE Featuring Wongarra • People • Arts • Events • Places to stay, eat & be
Image Gillian Brew
Otway living Winchelsea Y es HW Princ
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Cap
Birregurra
Colac
Geelong Melbourne
Bambra Deans Marsh
Anglesea
Barongarook Aireys Inlet
Barwon Downs Ro
Forrest
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Ferguson
Wye River
Beech Forest Princetown
Kennett River
Lavers Hill Skenes Creek Glenaire Hordern Vale
Cape Otway
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Apollo Bay
ad
Lorne Oc ea n
Gellibrand
Think ... thundering seas, atmospheric cloud scapes, air so sharp it bites, the lines of the landscape blurred and softened by mist. Dream... crackling flames that mesmerize, snuggled in winter woollies, chill fingers wrapped gratefully round a steaming cup. Winter in the Otways.
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A word from us
Winter 2017
We hope you enjoy our Winter offerings. In our little magazine we endeavour to bring stories of interest to both residents and visitors to this unique corner of the world, the Otway Ranges. We’re not a fancy, glossy publication and we keep our costs to a minimum so we can keep the cover price affordable but still be content rich with gorgeous images and engaging yarns. So please excuse the occasional typo, over use of clichés or clumsy grammar… this is part and parcel of seeking out tales from ordinary folk trying to make a go of it in a rural area. We believe a local magazine also needs to focus on articles that enhance our sense of wellbeing, as individuals and as a community. Thinking globally and acting locally could be our motto. The entire permanent population of the Otway Ranges, incorporating the Great Ocean Road townships, is
approximately 20,000 people. Yet every year there are literally over one million visitors to the beauty spots along the coast and into the hinterland. People who live here have the best local knowledge and we love to share the history, information and little known anecdotes about the hidden places off the beaten tourist track.
The Team
Contents
Publisher, editor & co-founder: Nettie Hulme Art Director & co-founder: Gillian Brew Advertising enquiries: Nettie Hulme E otwaylifemagazine@gmail.com F www.facebook.com/otwaylifemagazine B otwaylifemagazine.wordpress.com T twitter.com/otwaylifemag View Online issuu.com/otwaylife.magazine Cover: Rocks aplenty - Carisbrook Falls car park, the Great Ocean Road, Wongarra. Gillian Brew. Next issue (Spring) deadline 31 July Otway Life Magazine acknowledges the Aboriginal traditional owners of Victoria - including its parks and reserves. Through their cultural traditions, Aboriginal people maintain their connection to their ancestral lands and waters. Disclaimer: The views expressed in Otway Life Magazine are those of its individual authors.
Printed by: Adcell Group on 100% recycled stock
Thank you to all who contribute to the magazine, the writers, advertisers and of course, the most important, you the readers. We welcome feedback and ideas from you anytime to help us keep Otway Life Magazine relevant and thought provoking. Keep warm and well during the cooler months ahead… and continue to be enchanted by nature.
Our Regulars
4-5
Focus on Wongarra
6-7
Wongarra Farm
8-9
Five Marine Femme Fatales
10-11
Hemp Day
12-13
The Road Less Travelled
14-15
Wathaurong 16-17 Natures Wisdom - Sacred Medicine
18-19
Marriage Equality 101
20-21
WinterWild 22-23 Apollo Bay Writers Festival
24
Feature Artist - Bindi Cole Chocka
26-27
Will Dielenberg - Photographer
28-29
Winter at the Surf Coast Art Space
30-31
Apollo Bay Arts Otway Sleepovers
32 34-36
Books - Rural Liberties
37
Review - The Otway Food & Fibre Showcase
38
The Wilderness Society
39
The Good Life
40-41
Sustainable Table
42-43
Experience & Enjoy - activities and events
44-45
The Colac Players
46
Our Distributors
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4 Our Regulars
Our regular contributors thanks to the talented team who make this magazine possible Neal Drinnan has worked in publishing and journalism for many years. He is the author of five novels as well as numerous short stories. Most days during the week Neal can be found in his charming Cow Lick Bookstore in Colac.
Ami Hillege lives with her husband Frans, on a small farm in Gerangamete. Together they have taken to their ‘tree change’ lifestyle with enthusiasm, grow chemical free produce in their kitchen garden and create artisan preserves from their produce.
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Randall Berger is a writer, a civil Celebrant and a compulsive blogger. He plans his tree change to be to Gellibrand. Find out more at www.facebook.com/ RandallBergerCelebrant/
Nicola Provan is a qualified lawyer, crystal sound therapist and mother of five. Writing, singing, communing with nature and pondering the meaning of Life: these are a few of her favourite things
Nettie Hulme is happiest when she is hanging out in Crone’s Nest outside of Forrest, walking the labyrinth, writing and playing with art. She also feels privileged to conduct weddings and funerals in the most beautiful parts of the Otway Ranges.
Kit-e originates from Canada with a Native American heritage. She moved to Australia in 1982 with her Australian born mother and has been living on the Surfcoast with her partner and 4 children for over 6 years. Kit-e is a Holistic Health Educator and Nature Based Therapist. She has spent the last 20 years as an educator and counsellor in the field of mental health and addictions.
Gillian Brew has a thing for graphic design, but all those hours in front of a computer... blahhh. Luckily she lives in Forrest and can escape outside to enjoy the beautiful environment and indulge her passion for food, music, family and friends. Oh and coffee dont forget coffee!
Cinnamon Stephens is a Surf Coast artist and has been creating since 1992, now based at Studio 66 in harmonious coastal Anglesea. In recent years her artwork has enjoyed an added strength and vibrancy thanks to the collaborative support of her husband Rowan. Recently this creative duo were selected for an artist in residence experience in Umbria, Italy.
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37
20-21
Books & Writing by Neil Drinnan
Marraige Equality by Randall Berger
40-41 The Good Life by Ami Hillege
38
Food & Fibre Showcase by Nicola Proven
18-19 Natures Wisdom Sacred Medicine by Kit-e Klyne
30-31
Surf Coast Arts Space by Cinnamon James
W is for Wongarra… Each road that takes you to Wongarra is a memorable scenic route which elicits involuntary “oohs and ahs” from all those who travel them. Located on the Great Ocean Road, it is a largish geographic locality stretching between Wye River and Skenes Creek.
At this point we are leaving the Bass Strait and can feel the southern winds of the Antarctic coming across the Southern Ocean. In the olden days of sail this part of the ocean was known as ‘threading the eye of the needle’ between Cape Otway and King Island.
The ocean route passes through some of the most dynamic parts of this famous road, a point of view which is evidenced by the choice of the militaristic name of Cape Patton. Whilst exploring this stretch of coastline in 1800, Captain Grant named this cape after the British admiral.
The inland route from the hamlet of Forrest takes you towards Apollo Bay and just past the Top of the Otways accommodation, turn left into Sunnyside Road. This road is a trip through the many ages and stages of the Otways. Travelling the 20 kilometre route, mostly well maintained dirt, will take you through the magical temperate rainforest of the Great Otway National Park with towering tree ferns and remnant moss covered mountain ash stumps felled a century before, which then gives way to modern pine plantations…on to the top of the ridge where land formerly managed by the State Forest is now available for private purchase. Sunnyside Road then wends its way down to the coast through sweeping hills and valleys cleared long ago for farming.
The Cape Patton cliffs are some of the highest along the Victoria coast and are embedded with old dinosaur bones in the rock layers of sandstone, siltstone and mudstone. And then there is Artillery Rocks, perhaps named by the returned soldiers form WW1 who constructed the road. Wild, and sometime ferocious waves, pound against the ancient rock walls of the edge of the continent, this Great Southern Land.
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Focus on Wongarra
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Shipwrecks With a permanent population too small to be recorded by census, there are still several functioning farming concerns including the well know Wongarra Truffle Farm which is profiled in this issue. There are also several beautifully placed accommodations to choose from. Beauty Spots of particular note include Cape Patton, touted as the best view along the coast, Carisbrook Falls where you can add your own sculptures of river stones. Surf Life Saving Australia rates the beaches along the Wongarra coastline as either highly or extremely dangerous for swimming, although they note that sections of them are popular for rock fishing. The former Carisbrook Mill site, located off Sunnyside Road, is listed on the Shire of Colac Otway Heritage Inventory.
The Speculant was built in 1895 and in her early years was the largest barquentine trading in Victorian waters. She was wrecked on a jagged section of Cape Patton cliffs in February 1911. Luckily all aboard survived and were found trying to reach Lorne in their underwear the next day. The ship was gradually destroyed over the next weeks by heavy waves but today at low tide there are still remains to be seen. The Captain of the Speculant was later found guilty of ‘careless navigation’. The schooner The Mary Cummings was built in 1861. In November 1872 she was off Cape Patton when heavy seas forced her to anchor. The six crew took the lifeboat loaded with gin and biscuits and headed for shore. They eventually landed in the surf at Barwon Heads where the seas were so rough the biscuits were ruined. Meanwhile the Mary Cummings broke her anchor and was driven onto the rocks at Cape Patton. Ref: http://otwaycoast.com.au/shipwrecks/
Image: The view from Cape Patton
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Wongarra Farm by Roderick Poole
When people ask me what farming experience I had before coming here I joke about farming 50 square metres in Northcote. It is true, it was small, but I did manage to squeeze in a veggie plot, 20 fruit trees and a dozen chooks. Wongarra Farm is about 7,000 times bigger! Fair to say, it’s been a step up. I’ve always said people are either gypsies or peasants. For a long time I was a gypsy. In the mid-nineties I founded a street theatre company called Strange Fruit. The group performed on top of 4 metre high, very flexible poles. The act became a huge hit and we spent the next 10 years touring the world. We would spend 3 months each year touring Europe, performing for festivals in France, Germany, Italy and further afield. We were also invited to perform in Asia, North America, Latin America and even the West coast of Africa. We toured to over 30 countries. It was a fantastic way to see the world. Performing in other countries is so much more enriching than being a tourist; people really welcomed us into their culture and shared their lives with us. The constant touring was exhilarating but exhausting. I left Strange Fruit in 2006 and, for a few years, ran some established arts organisations from a desk, but it was never quite as fulfilling. Buying Wongarra Farm wasn’t exactly an impulse buy, but it was certainly an abrupt and significant change of life; a big swing from gypsy to peasant. I wasn’t familiar with the Otways at all. It was an infatuation with the farm itself which brought me here. Having spent a couple of years in the area, I’ve really started to appreciate how much the Otways has to offer. It really does put on a fantastic show. The ocean is constantly changing, the landscape is spectacular and the animal and bird life is wondrous. I find myself awestruck almost on a daily basis. Managing the farm has taken me on a precipitous learning curve. I’m now managing a herd of beef cattle, a mob of Suffolk sheep, a flock of pastured chickens, a posse of delightful rare-breed, Wessex Saddleback pigs and one of Victoria’s oldest truffieres, producing Perigord black truffles. This does not leave a lot of time to admire the views and enjoy the natural wonders of the Otways, but it certainly focuses the mind! In managing Wongarra Farm, I have tried to carry over some approaches from my experience in the performance arts and there are many parallels. Farming requires keeping a lot of balls in the air. A good farmer needs to be able to improvise quickly when things go Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
pear-shaped (and they often do!) There’s a need to balance everyday chores whilst keeping an eye on the bigger picture. I hope that the farm can be not only a functional, productive enterprise, but also one that is a pleasure to visit and experience on every level. I know you’re not supposed to have favourite children, but of all the animals I really do love our Wessex Saddleback pigs. They are such amiable, cheerful and often mischievous creatures. It’s always a challenge keeping them where you want them, but they are great to be around. Opening up the farm to visitors is central to its ethos. Ethically, it ensures that I am accountable for how the animals and the land are treated. In an educational sense, it helps people understand the work that goes into great produce. Lastly, I’m probably still a bit of a show-off and love people to experience the beauty of this place.
Wongarra Farm 9 Truffes a la Ferme the return of our legendary day of truffle indulgence. A farm tour, truffle hunt, cooking masterclass and 8 course degustation menu prepared by Chef Romu. Saturday 17 June. Bookings through our website.
Image: Drew Ryan
Strange Fruit - Portugal
Wongarra Farm Producing the finest: Black Truffles Free-range, rare-breed pork, Pastured eggs, Grass-fed beef & lamb Visit us for Farm tours, Gourmet events and truffle hunts, On-farm holiday accommodation Find us at the Apollo Bay Community Market every Saturday morning
www.wongarrafarm.com.au
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Five Marine Femme Fatales by Nettie Hulme
Tales of feisty shape-shifting women who inhabit the seas and oceans can be found in many cultures across the globe. The ocean is omnipotent, both a giver and taker of life, tempting the gullible and unwary into her watery abyss with the assistance of a bevy of anthropomorphic assassins. Whether motivated by betrayal, sorrow or just plain old human greed, this pantheon of pelagic femme fatales is not to be messed with. Here are five of them…
Sirens The ancient Greeks had their sirens, sea nymphs who have the bodies of birds and the heads of women, and were the handmaidens to Persephone until she was abducted by Hades and taken to the underground. Being unsuccessful in their attempt to find her, the sirens took up residence on a craggy rock. These temptresses used their sweet voices to seduce sailors, making them forget their navigations and grounding their boats onto the rocks where the nymphs, usually three in number, were waiting for them. Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Mermaids Some believe (but it is not substantiated) that as late as 1850 there was a British law proclaiming that any mermaids sighted in British waters remained ‘the property of the crown’. From the folk-pagan to the popular Disney visual aesthetic, the fish/woman hybrid has figured large in coastal people’s imagination for thousands of years. Going by many names throughout the world from the German Meerfrau to the Icelandic Marmenill, her duplicitous nature is manifested by her very appearance. Above the water she is beautiful and seductive, but she hides her true fishy nature below. The original maid of mer (sea) had a sinister side according to Brenda Walter, author of Meek as Sin: Dark Mermaids and the Embrace of the Icy Abyss. Like the ocean itself, the mermaid is never safe nor friendly, but is instead a steely predator whose bloodlust is merely hidden behind human fantasy. She is a temptress of unwary men and her presence is portentous of maritime tragedy.
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Nyai Loro Kidul The Queen of the Southern Sea of Java (Indian Ocean) is related to the larger group of nagas that appear in Asian cultures from India to the South Pacific. This beauty was believed to be the daughter of a powerful king who had many jealous concubines. They colluded in a spell to make Nyai Loro Kidul lose her beauty and become ‘ugly’. Poor girl then roamed the land aimlessly until she reached the coast and threw herself into the water where instead of drowning, she became half woman half fish or snake, depending on the version of the tale. There she lies in wait for hapless sailors and has a particular penchant for handsome young men.
Sedna The legend of how Sedna became a sea goddess is told throughout the Arctic and North America and originates from Inuit creation mythology where she is revered as mother or mistress of the sea. Once again a beautiful young woman is tricked into marriage with a man who is really a sea–bird in disguise. It is a violent tale of betrayal and mendacity worthy of a HBO series that ends with her father cutting off Sedna’s fingers to save himself from drowning. The fingers fall into the ocean and transform into seal, walrus, fish, whale, and other sea animals.
Sedna lives forever with them as guardian controlling their availability to hunters.
Rán Rán is the Norse goddess of the sea referred to in many sagas as a witch or giantess with a magical net designed to capture fish and drown men. Rán lives with her nine daughters in a cave full of gold. But there is no Valhalla after death for these guys. The hapless men remain at the bottom of her sea ‘bed’ where Rán and her nymphomanical offspring have sex with them for all eternity. This myth takes the cake for male fantasy or… do they simply get their just deserts…. Let’s leave the final words to Marina Warner ‘Managing Monsters’ p. xiii
...myths are not always delusions, that deconstructing them does not necessarily mean wiping them, but that they can represent ways of making sense of universal matters, like sexual identity and family relations, and they enjoy a more vigorous life than we perhaps acknowledge, and exert more of an inspiration and influence than we think. Do you have a favourite mermaid story?
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HEMP DAY
After 80 years in the wilderness, Hemp may finally have its day Industrial Hemp (cannabis sativa L) was one of humanity’s earliest tilled crops, with examples found going back over 12,000 years. It was used for just about everything … food, oil, clothing, rope, building materials, medicine, paper, bedding, animal fodder … modern techniques can add products like biodegradable plastics to that. Hemp was a major player in agriculture and manufacturing up until the 1930s. A group of American industrialists saw an opportunity to get marijuana banned as a drug, and Industrial Hemp along with it. They wanted Americans to get back into alcohol after Prohibition, and tobacco, both of which were suffering from the popularity of marijuana. DuPont wanted everyone to use nylon rope and synthetic fabrics. William Randolph Hearst wanted people using his tree-based paper. Cotton was king, but required lots of pesticides, so companies like Monsanto got involved. This group produced propaganda films like Reefer Madness. Marijuana was characterised as a gateway drug to heroin and cocaine. Of course, where America goes, Australia follows, and hemp was soon banned here, too, along with marijuana.
To be clear, Hemp is NOT POT. Marijuana (cannabis indica) is a female cousin, bred for its medicinal and recreational properties. Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
To be clear, Hemp is NOT POT. Marijuana (cannabis indica) is a female cousin, bred for its medicinal and recreational properties. They look almost identical. The main difference is that Industrial Hemp has negligible THC, the psychoactive ingredient. You would have to smoke a joint the size of a telephone pole to get high, if you survived! Banning hemp because it looks like marijuana is like banning powdered sugar because it looks like cocaine. Can Industrial Hemp save the world? Sounds far fetched, but it is a superhero of a plant. It can be grown sustainably and responsibly, with less water, no pesticides or herbicides, no special equipment or care, and can provide food, clothing, shelter, fuel and medicine. It grows like a weed, because it is one! The value chain for Industrial Hemp is enormous. Each plant provides three parts: The seed, the outside fibre and the woody core of the stalk. Each stalk can grow several metres tall in 16 weeks. The seed currently fetches three times the price of wheat. Hemp biodiesel and hemp ethanol can run our cars. Hemp seed and husk are high protein superfoods. Hemp paper is durable and recyclable without bleach. Hemp fabric is more durable, breathable and absorbent than cotton, grown with less water and no chemicals. Hemp plastics are completely biodegradable. Hemp beer is growing in popularity again. Hemp milk is an excellent high protein, hypoallergenic alternative to dairy. The medical applications of hemp oil (CBD) are becoming well known.
Hemp 13
Building blocks made from Hempcrete can last for hundreds of years and will continue to absorb and sequester carbon. Hemp can also make remarkable particle board and insulation. What does Industrial Hemp have to offer the Otways? Well, considering that much of the region has been under plantation timber, much of which is now maturing, hemp is the ideal replacement.
In one year, a single hectare of hemp can offer the same amount of pulp for paper and composite as four hectares of trees in 20 years. Do the maths.
Of course, the other benefits are that Hemp rehabilitates the soil and it requires less water. It can grow almost anywhere. You will still get a crop of seed that can be made into any number of things. Hemp absorbs and sequesters more C02 per hectare than trees. And much less wear and tear on the roads, as hemp is much easier to harvest and transport. Geelong is slated to be a major processing centre for Industrial Hemp. There are thousands of distinct uses for Industrial hemp. Now that it can be grown in Australia as a food source, as well as the multitude of other uses, here’s hoping it might achieve the status it used to enjoy, plus the new possibilities the 21st century has to offer. Randall Berger is a writer, a civil Celebrant and a compulsive blogger. He plans his tree change to be to Gellibrand. For more information on hemp, visit one of his blogs: www.facebook.com/ IndustrialHempAustralia/
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The Road Less
Travelled
When people think of photography, and night, they assume that the flash needs to come out. But they are usually left with red eyes, and flat images. But with only limited equipment and a sense of imagination, any DSLR can create some stunning images. The resulting image can then be edited or left as is. This series of images does not use a camera flash, rather I have used some other common lighting sources: • A simple LED torch • Tea Lights • Glow Sticks • The Moon • Car lights • Light Pollution These images were created using a combination of light sources, long exposures and a tripod. If you don’t have a tripod something to keep the camera steady is all that’s required. With the camera steady, and your light source sorted out, all that’s needed now to work in ‘manual mode’ on your camera. This mode is something that scares many people – but it is an essential skill for any budding photographer. As part of ‘The Road Less Travelled’ we will be exploring the skills needed to be able to shoot at night. Star Factory Are we alone in the galaxy, or is there life out there? Maybe it is all a big conspiracy theory and the stars are just fabricated to make us think they are real. If that was the case, then surely there must be star factories - maybe this is one? Once again, the light pollution from Colac was used to provide the background light, and in this case a passing cars headlights gave me some great light on the foreground.
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
The Road Less Travelled 15
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3 1. Christine’s Cousin Who knows your movies… Unlike my cousin, the 1958 Plymouth Fury, I am not able to regenerate myself - and inflict death and destruction. Probably just as well, as being a much larger vehicle, the international truck would inflict much greater destruction. To create this image the full moon provided the background light, and a simple small LED torch provided the foreground light. Selective areas were then edited to create the final works. 2. Smythes Creek, Candle Play The stones were already stacked, I bought along the tea lights and the bright moon provided the additional lighting. The use of long exposure has created some really interesting effects within this image, such as the wax seen ‘dispersing’ into the sky. 3. Psycho Shrooms A bit of imagination goes a long way, this image was captured using some tea lamps, and a green glow stick. So a simple bunch of mushrooms with some creative lighting and some 'Alice in Wonderland' editing created this piece.
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4 4. Cundare Reflection On a balmy winters night, the thin film of water on the lake was still, and reflecting the milky way and the lights of the town in the distance. But what can you make of those footsteps, walking into the scene and then disappearing into the lights. Light pollution from Colac provided the glow on the horizon reflected on the thin layer of salty water on Lake Cundare. The dark clear night presented a stunning view of the milky way.
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5. Tarndie Buggy One evening I spent some time looking at some old farm relics and decided that this buggy was too good to not capture using light painting techniques. Amazing what some creative editing and LED torch can do! 6. Up Into The Darkness Looking into the blackness of total darkness can be daunting. What will I find when I get there, is it dangerous, should you follow the path? Whilst staying with the safe path takes away the risk, are you missing out on the potential rewards? To create this image only one small LED torch was used to ‘paint’ the steps at Red Rock.
Contact Tim for more information Email: tim@digitalnature.com.au www.timlucasphotography.com.au Instagram.com/timlucas.photography
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The name Wathaurong (Wadda-Warrung) is a recognised tribe (community) which consisted of some 25 clans (family groups) that forms part of the Kulin Nation of Aboriginal people. The traditional boundaries of the Wathaurong people span the coastline from the Werribee River to Lorne peninsula and traverse inland in a north westerly direction towards Ballarat. The Wathaurong people have lived within these regions for more than 25,000 years. As custodians of the Wathaurong lands, we are committed to working together to provide a secure future for our community by upholding the dignity of our ancestors; respecting our Elders and instilling a sense of cultural pride and belonging for our children and children’s children. The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd was formed by the community in 1978 and registered in 1980, to support the social, economic, and cultural development
of Aboriginal people, particularly within the Geelong and surrounding areas. The Co-operative provides a range of services including; family and community services, support to young people, justice support services; cultural heritage services, and health services. From time to time the organisation also undertakes special projects and economic development opportunities. The Co-operative expanded to include a Community Controlled Health Service, which contributes toward addressing the inequality in health status of Aboriginal people. The Wathaurong Health Service supports the general well being of Aboriginal people by providing holistic health care with clinical and primary care services as well as health promoting activities. Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative Ltd is the largest employer of Aboriginal people within the Geelong region.
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Administration, Community Services, Family Services Phone: 03 5277 0044 Email: admin@wathaurong.org.au Address: 62 Morgan Street, North Geelong VIC 3215 Postal Address: PO Box 402 North Geelong VIC 3215 Health Services Phone: 03 5277 2038 Email: medicalreception@wathaurong.org.au Postal Address: PO Box 633 North Geelong VIC 3215 Children’s Services Phone: 03 5277 0372 Email: admin@wathaurong.com.au Postal Address: PO Box 402 North Geelong VIC 3215
Morganics performs to an appreciative audience
Information and images taken from website with permission: http://www.wathaurong.org.au Locals take part in a rousing debate
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18 Health and Wellbeing
Nature’s Wisdom – Sacred Medicine Are you getting the Winter blues? Winter is often a season that people dread due to the fear of catching colds and flu’s, spending time indoors, experiencing shorter days and colder nights. It can however be one of the best seasons for healing. As a Holistic Health Educator and Nature Based Therapist I encourage people to embrace winter on all levels; including the mental, emotional, physical and spiritual. Here is my advice on beating the winter blues and making the most of this healing time. Mentally – It is important to accept that winter has come and it is a natural part of our cycle in nature. If we don’t accept the colder months and continuously want for spring then we become discontent with our lives on a daily basis which leads to poor mental health. Emotionally – When we are in good mental health we are able to regulate our emotions better. Winter allows us to stay indoors and rest. It is also a time that we can reflect on the last season (Autumn- a time of letting go) and start to journal our thoughts through writing. It is also a perfect opportunity to bring colour therapy into our lives as the colder darker months can be grey and bleak.
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Colouring books and art or finding beautiful blues and greens to brighten up your clothing can be beneficial to regulating emotions. Physically – Winter is a great time to nourish our bodies with healthy food. My favourite winter foods include soups and slow cookers. A perfect opportunity to include organic root vegetables, grass-fed organic meats and herbs into your diet. They are both easy to make, warm up the body and heal. Drinking fluids is important as our bodies can get dehydrated through heating so make sure you are having at least 1.5 litres per day and include herbal teas. If you do catch a cold and become unwell, rest and allow the body to heal by letting the symptoms surface and be released from your body. Spiritually – Winter is a great time for spiritual growth. When we rest, and go inwards we find ourselves in a space that allows us to see our truth and accept what is. It is also a good time to put on our raincoats and gumboots and head outdoors to the lovely beaches and rainforests that we are so blessed to have in the Otway. There is nothing more invigorating than that feeling of icy cold wind on your cheeks or hearing the splashing of water below your feet to remind you that you are alive!
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SACRED MEDICINE INSTITUTE
Our mission is to educate and empower people to become resourceful enough to self-heal. Sacred Medicine combines evidence based theories and Indigenous philosophies including; Narrative Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Based Therapy, Holistic Drug & Alcohol Counselling, Nutrition, Art Therapy, Journaling, Digital Storytelling, Nature Based Therapy, Energy & Intuitive Healing, Tissue Salt Therapy and Flower Essence Therapy.
sacredmedicineinstitute.com.au
20
Marriage Equality 101 Right now, there is a form of Marriage Apartheid creating an entire group of second-class Australians. There is such a flurry of misinformation surrounding marriage equality that it is probably time for a little primer into what constitutes legal marriage in Australia. All marriage in Australia is governed by the Commonwealth Marriage Act of 1961. This act was the result of the States ceding their control of marriage law. Many laws were a throwback to colonial times when each State had something different, just like railway gauges. For all states (apart from WA), this included Family Law, resulting in The Family Law Act. The States maintained their Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages which are still a large part of processing the paperwork. The Marriage Act was created by the great Sir Garfield Barwick and later finessed by Lionel Murphy, who is considered one of the fathers of Celebrancy. The AttorneyGeneral is still charged with overseeing the Marriage Act. The Marriage Act of 1961 is quite a simple, flexible and fair document. It does not mention God, Jesus, Buddha or any religious figure, nor love, history or any other tradition,
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
yet the Act must be used with ALL legal marriage, both religious and civil. All priests, pastors, rabbis and imams act as Religious Celebrants under the Act, using the same documents and processes. So, what is a legal marriage in Australia? Well, to all intents and purposes, it is a simple Commonwealth statutory declaration of mutual property, responsibility and kinship. It is sworn before an authorised Commonwealth Celebrant and witnessed by two people over 18. As soon at it is signed and witnessed, it is legal and binding. It can only be undone in a court of Family Law. The Marriage Act has been amended many, many times, usually housekeeping amendments regarding celebrants and documents, changes in age and identity requirements, or what constitutes a prohibited relationship. In fact, Celebrants now re-register and do a day of professional development every year. So, why all the kerfuffle about allowing adult Australians of the same gender to legally marry? Well, until 2004, all it might have taken was a High Court challenge to rule that all Australians should have access to the Constitution and equal marriage rights would prevail.
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However, in 2004, Prime Minister John Howard, with bipartisan support from Labor, amended the Marriage Act to read “Marriage, according to law in Australia, is the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life.” Public opinion in favour of Marriage Equality has been growing. Close to 75% of Australians are now in favour of same sex couples having equal rights. Attempts to hold a simple free vote in the Parliament to reverse the 2004 amendment in favour of Marriage Equality have been stymied by conservatives who believe the age old traditional model of marriage should stand. Yet, that ideal has only stood since 2004. The misinformation about bigamy, polygamy, polyandry, child marriage and even “animal husbandry” is simply obfuscation spread by conservative elements. The Marriage Act already deals with all of these and more. It just isn’t legally possible in Australia. So, what’s the big issue? Well, if same sex couples are allowed to marry like heterosexual couples, they would instantly have full property, relationship and kinship rights without having to go to court. No more “Next of Kin”
Close to 75% of Australians are in favour of same sex couples having equal rights.
challenges in hospitals, funeral homes and airports. No more challenges for inheritance, benefits, superannuation and insurance. No more challenges for custody of children.
The world will not end and all will be well. For a start, there will be thousands of weddings in the first few years for Civil Celebrants and Religious Celebrants who support Marriage Equality. An estimated $1.5 BILLION will be injected into the Australian economy in the first six months. If Celebrants would like more information, discussion and to meet with like minded Celebrants, visit facebook: www.facebook.com/equalitycelebrants/ Couples seeking information can visit www.equalitycelebrants.com Randall Berger is a Wedding Celebrant. He wears a button which say “I support Marriage Equality, ask me why” to which he responds, “Every Australian citizen deserves equal protection under the law.”
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J U LY – AU G U S T 2 0 1 7
Stars, hide your fires; Let not light see my black and deep desires William Shakespeare
Embrace the elements of the southern Otways when a new after-dark festival sparks up next month: the first WinterWild will revel in the untamed side of Apollo Bay. Don’t look away.
a festival in Apollo Bay in winter there is no point hiding from the elements. We like it dark and wild, a little bit dirty,” he said. “We’re not afraid to face the wind, the rain, the big waves and the mud.”
Inspired by the journey of Apollo Bay’s history - the 18+ festival takes place over four weekends in Winter and explores each of the elements of Water (July 1 – 2), Earth (July 15 – 16), Air (July 29 – 30) and Fire (August 12 – 13).
One of Victoria’s most visited tourist destinations is taking the aftermath of destruction and transforming it into creation. After the 2015 Christmas Day fires burnt a light on the horizon, the Colac Otway shire was closed and the economies of its coastal communities ground to a halt. Out of the support offered by Regional Development Victoria to boost the economy, the shire will rise from the ashes - building a winter festival that showcases the best Apollo Bay has to offer.
WATER Mick Turner (Dirty Three), Horns of Leroy, Sand Pebbles, screening of cult 90s surf film Litmus with presentation by director Andrew Kidman) EARTH Butoh performer Yumi Umiumare, Tek Tek Ensemble, Tosca (EmotionWorks)
FIRE Massed choir of 100 singers, ritual burning of festival sculpture, live music
Each of the four Saturday nights of the festival will kick off around a large bonfire on the beach contained within room-sized, artist-built braziers. The night’s main festivities then move into the Mechanics Hall, but the town will buzz around it with roving performers, outdoor film projections, bands in pubs and jams around the bonfire.
When the sun-seeking, shell-collecting crowds have deserted the place where the forest meets the sea, Apollo Bay is “less Summer Bay, more Deadwood”, said festival director Roderick Poole. “If you’re going to have
“This festival won’t be for the faint-hearted,” said Poole. “It is very much aimed at adventurous spirits ready to take on a challenge; to embrace the harsh environment and celebrate the beauty of the elements at their extremes.”
AIR Programmed by the Apollo Bay Writer’s Festival, including Michael Leunig, Clementine Ford, Arnold Zable and Emily Zoe Baker
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
WinterWild 23
“This festival won’t be for the faint-hearted... it is very much aimed at adventurous spirits ready to take on a challenge; to embrace the harsh environment and celebrate the beauty of the elements at their extremes.” WINTERWILD 2017 July 1-2, July 15-16, July 29-30, August 12-13 Tickets available from 17 May winterwildapollobay.com.au
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Apollo Bay Writers Festival Social justice is important to many people of the Otways. It was local people, with the support of others, who defended the forest from logging; ultimately leading to the creation of the Great Otway National Park. In more recent times, Apollo Bay citizens formed the Apollo Bay Rural Australians for Refugees group. So, it shouldn’t be surprising to learn that the Apollo Bay Writers Festival chose to make social justice the theme of this year’s festival. Delivering on that theme is an exciting line up of speakers, bound to get everyone talking. Prominent feminist, Clementine Ford, will deliver the keynote address as well as forming part of a Q&A style discussion panel on the Saturday evening. Artist, writer and philosopher, Michael Leunig will be in-conversation with Desh Balasurbramaniam, CEO and Artistic Director of Ondru, an organisation whose ‘purpose is to provoke thought and evoke change through art.’ Joining the discussion panel will be award winning writer, educator and human rights activist, Arnold Zable. He will also be delivering a workshop on Writing and Advocacy and speaking in-conversation with community activist Les Twentyman talking about their new books. Warm Winter Words, now in its twenty-forth year, is full of fight. This year it will be hosting Clementine Ford, Susan
Carland and Charlie Ward. Clementine will be talking about her book, Fight Like A Girl, described as ‘an essential manifesto for feminists new, old and soon-to-be, [that] exposes just how unequal the world continues to be for women.’ Susan’s new book, Fighting Hislam, tackles the issues for Islamic women pointing out that ‘when the media trumpets scandalous revelations about life for women from Saudi Arabia to Indonesia, Muslim women are always spoken about and over, never with.’ Historian, Charlie Ward, will talk about his new book, A Handful of Sand, which ‘tells the story behind the Gurindji people’s famous Wave Hill Walk-off in 1966’. This year, the Writers Festival will be held in conjunction with the new WinterWild festival to be held in Apollo Bay over four weekends. The Writers Festival falls on the third weekend of WinterWild. Writers festival events on Saturday will be followed by a cabaret show by Amy Bodossian and local legends Spyndrift. The Apollo Bay Writers Festival is on the weekend of 29th and 30th of July. For more information and tickets visit http://apollobaywritersfestival.com. Contact the festival at info@apollobaywritersfestival.com or speak to festival director, Pete Mawhinney on 040 923 366.
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Southern Beech Forest by Mark O’Connor
Forests of cascading moss — trees webbed with a green bewitchment not of their making. It’s the woods you imagined for Sleeping Beauty — lichen pours from the boughs like a green arrested waterfall. Here it seems to have always lately rained, the drops still swimming on the leaf, boles beaded with droplets, like a water jug. Below, are the half-aquatic ferns that thrive on a twilit glow at midday; the fronds shine like gills perpetually glibbed with water. The forest has two weathers, rain and drip-dry. It ingests sunlight and rain in half-hour doses, mixing them with odd exudates of planet-skin to build this loam, this roof. Such thickets Earth draws round her like a shawl to keep out heat and chill, remnants of old Gondwanaland beech forests that carry with them still the breath of paradise, since now it seems agreed that Eden must have been rainforest.
From Australian Poetry Library, 2017-05-19
26 Feature Artist
Bindi Cole Chocka
Lakorra
ARTIST, CURATOR, WRITER & SPEAKER www.bindicolechocka.com
Award winning artist Bindi Cole Chocka was born in 1975 in Melbourne, Australia. She studied at Northern Melbourne Institute of TAFE, Federation University and is currently undertaking a PhD at Deakin University. Bindi Cole Chocka is a resilient and ingenious contemporary photographer, new media artist, writer and curator who speaks compellingly through her creative work. Chocka’s work often references her life story and experiences, such as her Aboriginal heritage, the importance of Christianity in her life, and the impact of politics, the law and other power structures on her lived experience and that of her family and community. Her deeply personal and powerful artistic practice questions the way people circumscribe and misconstrue contemporary identity and experience. Chocka works to expose the questions most are afraid to ask. At times, her artworks are so personal having been cathartically imbued with a gritty honesty, that the viewer’s experience can verge on voyeurism. Her work exposes the latent and unspoken power dynamics Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
of global culture in the here and now. She subtly but powerfully reveals some uncomfortable truths about the fundamental disconnection between who we are - the communities and identities by which we shape our sense of self - and how the prevailing culture attempts to place and define us. In 2010, Chocka was listed as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Melbourne. Since her first solo show in 2007, Chocka’s work has been widely exhibited at various galleries including the National Gallery of Victoria, Art Gallery of NSW, Museum of Contemporary Art, Queensland Gallery of Modern Art, National Portrait Gallery, Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Auckland Art Gallery (New Zealand), Art Basel (Hong Kong), Art In Odd Places Festival (New York, USA), MOCADA (Brooklyn, USA), Museum of Contemporary Art (Taiwan), India Arts Fair (India) and the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre (Thailand). Her work is held in many collections across the globe. Chocka lives and works in Melton, Victoria, Australia, is married and has two children.
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Seedtime and Harvest
West of Eden
We All Need Forgiveness
28 The Australian landscape is an endless source of inspiration for artist Will Dielenberg. Turning his love of ocean, earth and photography into a full time career ...
An overnight success, 40 years in the making.
From his earliest days as a pre-teen surfer on the beaches of the Surfcoast, Will developed an interest in photography that grew from his initial desire to capture his friends surfing. Finishing his education with formal studies in Photography, Will embarked on a partnership in a commercial photographic studio in Melbourne. Competing interests took over, photography as a career took a back seat and Will was off in another direction altogether. Two decades later, working as a helicopter pilot in East Timor, the incredible colour of an early morning sky reignited the passion for the art and it as continued ever since.
AWA R D S & ACCR ED ITATION Recent awards include Winner 2015 AIPP Victorian Landscape Photographer Of The Year Winner 2015 Aerial Award International Landscape Photographer Of The Year Awards Third Place 2014 International Landscape Photographer Of The Year Awards Fourth Place 2014 Epson International Pano Awards Will has acquired over one hundred Australian and International awards for his imagery to date.
Will Dielenberg APP AAIPP Will is an Accredited Professional Photographer and Associate member of the Australian Institute of Professional Photography
Travelling as much as possible, which is never enough given the diversity and scale of this wonderful Australian land and beyond, Will is always looking for colour, texture and drama in the landscape. From image capture, post processing through to framing and presentation, the result that is uppermost in Will's mind is impact.
"My challenge is to present an image that resonates with the observer, either with the pure beauty of the scene challenging the senses or moving them on an emotional level. It's extremely rewarding for me to hear the surprised expressions of praise for my work in the gallery. It seems to me that due to proliferation of images with which we are all bombarded in the digital age, most of us believe that we've seen it all. It is therefore incredibly satisfying to witness a simple image of mine having an immediate and positive influence on someone." Located in Lorne, Will's "Edge Gallery" is a showcase of colour and beauty in Fine Art Landscape Photography. When you are next in Lorne please drop in to view the art of multi international award winning photographer, Will Dielenberg. Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Arts 29 "Some may feel Landscape Photography should depict a pure view of the natural world, completely devoid of human influence. Others may challenge this sentiment with the view that Man's influence on our environment is relevant and therefore should not necessarily be excluded from an image exhibiting the raw beauty of the world in which we live. Does the image draw us in, evoke a mood or emotion? Perhaps the success of a landscape photograph as art lies in its power to mesmerise visually, rouse emotion and invite contemplation. Then again, maybe it's just a pretty picture". "I hope you enjoy my work" Will Dielenberg
Come and visit our gallery showcasing the beautiful Fine Art Landscape Photography of Award Winning Australian Photographer, Will Dielenberg Open Daily 10 - 4 (Closed Mon, Tues & Weds duringWinter) 14/148 - 174 Mountjoy Pde Lorne 03 52895000 www.dielenbergphotography.com.au
30 Arts
WINTER at the Art Space by Cinnamon Stephens
Momoko Rose The Surf Coast Art Space has been enjoying a magical ride. Located in the central town of Anglesea, it had over 5000 visitations after 8 months of operating. Initiated by the Surf Coast Arts and Development Officer, Julie Dyer and supported by the Surf Coast Shire, the Art Space is a community art space open to all forms of locally created art. So far we have seen: solo shows, group exhibitions, poetry and play readings, art workshops, professional development workshops, painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography, grass roots, contemporary, and much more. Every few weeks, the space has transformed into a fresh example of what our community can offer. Winter is looking exciting with a number of exhibitions booked plus a couple of surprises for regular and new visitors. June will see Out of the Studio, a collective Otway Life Magazine Autumn 2017
exhibition presented by the fabulous community known as Ashmore Arts from Torquay. July will see the Surf Coast Youth art exhibition, showcasing Momoko Rose amongst other upcoming creative talents. Later in July we will see an exhibition of invited coastal artists along the theme Naturally Precious. This will feature artworks relating to our fragile environment. August will feature a solo exhibition by illustrator, Kirsten Walsh. Kirsten’s Kelpie portrait won a spot in the Surf Coast calendar this year. August 12th and 13th is the annual Surf Coast Arts Trail, which will see over 40 home/studios, galleries and other creative spaces open to the public right across the shire. This year will be the first time the Art Space will be part of this popular event with four artists on show. Arts trail maps will be available from the Art Space and other creative venues from June/July!
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Momoko Rose Following the arts trail will be an exhibition by Cinnamon Stephens and friends entitled Birds and Blooms. Cinnamon will be exhibiting her distinctive creative metalwork. She will also be collaborating with painter, (and mother), Jan Francis and talented friend, ceramic sculptor Dani Salvo. Husband Rowan Stephens, father Geo Francis and a special international guest will complete the show. This will bring the Art Space full circle as it will feature the 2018 Surf Coast Calendar exhibition in September, and fingers crossed, the Art Space will continue to present our vibrant creative community into the future. For more information or bookings contact Julie Dyer - JDyer@surfcoast.vic.gov.au or Cinnamon on 0400 436 308 SURF COAST ART SPACE 103 Surf Coast Highway, River end of Noble street.
Cinnamon Stephens
ashmore arts
OUT OF THE STUDIO
a collective exhibition
FRIDAY 2ND JUNE - WEDNESDAY 14TH JUNE
Surf Coast Art Space
Shop 2/103 Great Ocean Road Angelsea OPENING Friday June 2nd 6.30 - 8pm Natalie Martin
Geoffrey Curran
Glen Hunwick
Nick Lindsay - Form Concrete
Mark Trinham
Kathryn Junor
Leighton Edwards
Dave Graham - Simply Forged
Nathan Patterson
Nicola Cerini
Glenn Romanis
Elise Roberts - Pebble & Stone
Chele Edmunds - Takawei
Jewel Beetle
Rowena Martinich
Zeele Furniture ashmorearts/
Apollo Bay Arts Inc
32 Arts
Autumn Salon
Art & Ecology Unfolding
Group exhibit
28/09/2017 - 01/10/2017
20/05/2017 - 18/06/2017
Open Thu/Fri/Sat/Sun 11am-4pm
Open Sat-Sun 11am-4pm
Grand opening 28th 6pm-8pm
Art show exhibiting a number of local artists like Cathy Donovan, Sally Fullagar, Deb Gartland, Doris Hansen, Ros Jamieson, Monica Provan, John Smith and Jan Verouden.
All proceeds of the exhibit go to conservation in the Otways. At the heart of the exhibition you will find a diversity of quality art genres; we feature street art, screen prints, contemporary works, and much more
The exhibit is organised by Ros Jamieson.
In the epistemology of our modern times the common narrative often lacks the nuance and refinement of science. William Saroyan said: “Art is looking at things carefully.” and in this exhibition we display work of artists that express what they see, looking at the work of ecologists in the Otways. Art is human impulse that reconnects the physical world with the metaphysical world (Thomas Aquinas). It is through the work of these artist we would like to connect you to the work done to protect the natural world around us.
Arts inc Gallery encourages and supports local and emerging artists by providing a quality, accessible and affordable gallery space. Feel free to apply to have your own exhibit. Applications can be via the website www.artsincgallery.com or email artsincgallery1@gmail.com
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
UNIQUE LOCAL ARTWORK - GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS
OPEN: 10am - 4pm Friday, Saturday, Sunday Most Public Holidays & By Appointment
14 Main Rd, Gellibrand River E: info@gellibrandrivergallery.com.au T: 03 5235 8410 www.gellibrandrivergallery.com.au
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Advertorial
Otway Sleepovers
Whether you’ve spent the day in the Otways beach combing, touring through the lush hinterland, visiting family and friends, or joining in a special celebration…you will need to rest your weary head at the end of the day. And you are spoilt for options from camping, glamping & self-contained holiday homes through to luxury B & B’s. You can sleep under the stars of the Milky Way, by a camp fire or snuggle into a cosy cabin. Whatever your desire or budget, Otway Sleepovers are the stuff of dreams. So come...lose your clock...and find the time...
OTWAY FIELDS GROW EAT REST
Stay a few nights in our beautiful cabin overlooking the Otways, explore the hinterland, the Great Ocean Road (GOR) and relax in your peaceful, quiet, romantic self contained cabin style accommodation for two. Included is a breakfast basket each morning featuring fresh farm free range eggs, a loaf of freshly baked bread and a selection of farm preserves. Local bacon is also provided. Depending on the season, you’ll find a few extras in your basket such as freshly picked berries or fruit. Your cabin comprises of a comfortable queen size bed, beautiful ensuite with full shower and a seating area with couch, table and chairs and a small kitchenette. There is an abundance of birdlife around the area and photography enthusiasts will love the photo opportunities. If you are enjoying a meal at Brae Restaurant, or Bespoke Harvest, we can provide transport to and from the restaurant, please check on booking. 85 Meadowell Rd, Gerangamete VIC 3249
OTWAY FIELDS GROW EAT REST
YOUR ESCAPE TO THE COUNTRY
www.otwayfields.com Tel 0418 757 028 Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Otway Sleepovers 35
Otway Escapes Welcome to “Glenaire Park”. Our delightful timber cottages are set well apart in 100 acres of bird filled forest with extraordinary views over the wild Southern Ocean and the heritage listed Aire River Estuary. If you are planning to drive the Great Ocean Road and are looking for suitable Great Ocean Road Accommodation while taking time out to explore the magnificent Otway Coast consider the warm, welcoming atmosphere of Glenaire Cottages. Glenaire Cottages offer the perfect Otway getaway with easy access to Johanna Beach, Castle Cove, Otway National Park, the Aire River, the Great Ocean Walk and stunning drive along the Great Ocean Road to the Cape Otway Lighthouse, The Otway Fly and the Twelve Apostles. No matter what new and amazing activities you want to experience on your holiday, Glenaire Cottages and its pet friendly policy could be your perfect place to enjoy them.
For couples seeking romance, OTWAY ESCAPES offers 4 uniquely designed properties. OTWAYS NUMBER 105: Architecturally designed “Pole House” with mezzanine on 4ha with 180 degree views of The Otways. OTWAY VALLEY VIEWS: Artistically “retro” renovated 1940’s Farmers Cottage on 40ha. OTWAY ESCAPES LOVE SHACK: Apartment accommodation with 360 degree rural and Otway views. LOVE IS IN THE AIRSTREAM: Glamping in style! A 1966 renovated Airstream Caravan including outdoor Star gazing Bath with spectacular rural and bush views. Re-awaken your senses with the romance of wood fires, spa’s, saunas, artwork and Japanese plunge baths. Experience and embrace beautiful gardens and outdoor sculptures with an abundance of birdlife and animals. Indulge with packages prepared with local produce. Enjoy spectacular views over rolling hills and the Otways, all within close proximity of the Great Ocean Road, Lorne and Birregurra. Return transfers available to local restaurants.
owned and managed by Bo & Neil Melville
3440 Great Ocean Road, Glenaire, Victoria 3238 Phone 5237 9237 www.glenairecottages.com
t: 0411 721 163 e: info@otwayescapes.com.au w: www.otwayescapes.com.au
36 Otway Sleepovers Otways Accommodation
The Otways There simply is no better place on earth ...and simply no better way to find where to stay, what to do and how to get there
www.otwaysaccommodation.com.au
otway businesses - contact us to be part of the buzz
I N T H E H E A R T O F T H E O T WAY S
E AT | D R I N K | S TAY
At Forrest Guesthouse you can stop and relax. Enjoy the abundant nature and waterfall walks close by or if you like to move at a faster pace, ride the renowned mountain bike trails that wind through the Otways. Onsite restaurant Bespoke Harvest uses fresh produce from our garden & surrounding farms that capture the taste & flavour of the Otways. Featuring 80% local ingredients for lunch & dinner. Friday & Saturday dinner is a set menu where you relax and enjoy the local harvest. Our menu is continually changing as the produce provides.
| 1 6 G R A N T S T R E E T F O R R E S T 3 2 3 6 | T H E O T WAY R A N G E S V I C T O R I A | B O O K I N G S & E N Q U I R I E S T 0 3 5 2 3 6 6 4 4 6
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W F O R R E S TAC C O M M O DAT I O N.C O M . AU |
26/11/2015 3:53 pm
Cosy log fires Pillowtop beds Electric blankets Dogs welcome inside Home made treats Free range eggs Huge fenced yards Off leash areas Wild birds Bushwalks from your door
holidays for humans and hounds
03 5288 7399 0419 114 786 stay@countrywidecottages.com.au www.countrywidecottages.com.au
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Books 37
Rural Liberties Moralla, a fading seaside town on the ‘beautifully uncivilised’ Sapphire Coast of New South Wales, has won Australia’s Tidy Towns award for two years running. Now Rebecca Moore—the most beautiful, talented girl in town—is dead and there’s nothing tidy about it. It seems everyone in this sleepy hollow is breaking bad and something has to be done. Why was she on the Princes Highway at four a.m.? What could have lured her there and how will the town cope with the series of events set in motion by her shocking departure? When the maverick foundation Rural Liberties sets up unconventional sexual retreats on Moralla’s fringes and TV’s longest-running reality show recruits the town’s number two beauty, the stage is set for one of the most diabolical and outrageous coups ever. If what happens in Moralla stays in Moralla, then what will the new arrivals bring and what will they leave behind? Rebecca is watching from the wings as the town’s moral compass goes haywire and a bold new era of debauchery and enlightenment is set to begin.
Praise for Neal Drinnan "Drinnan's writing seems so effortlessly sparkling and delicious that we are in danger of overlooking what an elegant master of prose he is. This book is witty, naughty and a real pleasure to read but it also has steely purpose. There's a real bite here, and a sense of a talented writer at the top of his form.”— Christos Tsiolkas, author of Loaded, Dead Europe, The Slap, Barracuda, Merciless Gods, The Jesus Man, The Devil’s Playground “Loved it! Loved the setting, the schlocky reality TV show, the orgies and the cast of thousands. A true skill is at work here. People will love this!”— Belinda Castles, author of Falling Woman, The River Baptists, and Hannah and Emil “Neal Drinnan's wicked novel is a masterful mashup of TV pop culture, small town gossip, straight-boy sexual savagery, adult-relationship confusion--and, charmingly, a lonely queer lad's hormonal lusts. Its satire is both seductive and perceptive, a delectable combination.” — Richard Labonté, author of First Person Queer, The Future Is Queer, Second Person Queer, and I Like It Like That: True Tales of Gay Desire.
Author Bio Neal Drinnan has worked in bookselling and publishing for over thirty years. He received a Lambda Literary Award for Izzy & Eve in 2006. In recent years, Drinnan has replaced the urban chaos he once embraced so fervently for the relative peace of a tiny hamlet in the heart of Victoria’s Otway Ranges. There he has run a B&B and a local bookstore while getting back to grass roots and writing for Otway Life Magazine. His current work-in-progress, Dry Sherry Dreaming, is a memoir of growing up in Melbourne’s Dry Sherry Belt. It captures the charms and perversities of Melbourne’s aspirational classes in the 1960s and ‘70s. His most recent book is Rare Bird of Truth.
BOOKSHOP
WHERE TOWN
ME
ETS
COUNT
RY
T 03 5232 1072 E sales@cowlick.com.au A 86 Murray Street, Colac www.cowlick.com.au
Hey Diddle Diddle
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by Nicola Provan
TV personality Costa Georgiadis lends a hand at the Otway Chai stall
Spinning demonstration
Oh what a fantastic time I had at the second annual Otway Food and Fibre Showcase. I did not attend the inaugural event in 2016 but by all accounts the 2017 Showcase significantly outstripped last year’s event both in terms of the number of stallholders and the huge influx of customers. So it would seem that the Otways have well and truly come of age. There were over 50 producers present with the most delicious array of home-made goods: cordial, blueberries, organic meat, walnuts, fudge, artisan bread, chai, jams/preserves, apples, ice cream and nut butters. The Showcase provides such a wonderful opportunity for all the Otway food and fibre producers to present their wares together in the same place at the same time whilst at enabling Otway residents to recognise and celebrate the valuable contribution these producers are making to food, community, environment and health in our region. What a joy and sense of belonging it gave me to behold this happening right here, in this part of the world that I consider my home, especially given that I have children who are fourth generation Otways born and raised. The Showcase is coordinated by the Central Otway Landcare Network and was supported by the Corangamite Catchment Management Authority, the Colac Otway Shire, the Victorian Landcare Program and the Australian Government’s Regional Landcare Facilitator Program.
Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Sharon Bradshaw, co-owner of the Forrest Brewing Company
A take home A5 booklet provided a wonderful overview of the producers who participated in the Showcase. I love how the booklet implored each customer: “Take the time to visit each producer. Find out what they do and how and why they do it. Their stories and personalities are captivating and have the potential to make you look at the food you eat differently….. You’ll know its source, you’ll know its environmental impact and you’ll know you’re supporting the local food and fibre economy.” The 2017 stallholders listed in the booklet were: Blakes Estate Winery, Colac Wood Crafters Guild, Forrest Brewing Company, Forrest Cordial, Future Café, Glen Lock Apple Farm, Gosling Creek Winery, Kazbah Coffee Roasters, Knitalpaca, Kui Nursery, Leah Bakes, Otway Artisan Gluten Free, Otway Chai, Otway Estate Winery & Brewery, Otway Golden Baked Potatoes, Otway Kitchen, Pennyroyal Bush Breads, Slow Merino, Timboon Peanut Butter, Otway Blueberries, Otway Fields, Leighgrove Olives, Otway Coast Regenerative Farmers, Tarndwarncoort, Otway Saffron, Great Ocean Road Woollen Mill, Barongarook Pork, Warrion Produce, Otway Greening, Zed and Co, Yan Yan Gurt West Farm, Corunnun Walnuts and Goldfields Farmhouse Cheese. If I knew a date for the 2018 Showcase it would be marked on my calendar already. If, like me, you want to ensure you don’t miss out, connect now with otwayfoodandfibre on Facebook.
Environment 39
The Wilderness Society was formed in 1976 by a small group of volunteers committed to protecting the wilderness values of south-west Tasmania. Our involvement in the campaign against damming Tasmania’s Franklin River soon saw our group gain a national profile. By 1980, under the directorship of Dr. Bob Brown, we extended our reach and began campaigning for the protection of wild places all over Australia. Since then, the Wilderness Society has been a key player in Australia’s most famous environmental campaigns. See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/oursuccesses#sthash.hsczUmi0.dpuf
Protect nature Australia’s natural wonders, and the wildlife that call these magnificent places home, define this great country. The glorious beaches that we visit every summer, our resplendent outback vistas, and Tasmania’s awe-inspiring forests—and that’s just to name a few! Yet, these places are under unprecedented threats. Conservation laws designed specifically to protect nature are being unwound, both on the state and national level. Some governments and big business often try to give us an ultimatum—a healthy economy or a healthy natural world. The Nature Campaign aims to protect wilderness and nature across Australia by creating protected areas and strong, nationally consistent laws and institutions. – See more at: https://www.wilderness.org.au/campaigns/ protect-nature#sthash.ceJFaf04.dpuf
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The Good Life by Ami Hillege
Come on baby, light my fire! Yes, you’ve guessed it. It’s winter! And we love it. There are some folks who will tell you that the long, wet, cold winters here in the Otways will make you a little glum. And for some residents this is the case. It is not unusual for a large number of locals to pack their bathers and head to warmer places; places where the colour of a cocktail umbrella is the most important decision of the day! Then there are many of us who stay right here. There is something quite magical about the misty winter mornings and the crisp winter afternoons. Each morning when I walk into my kitchen, I do so with anticipation. ‘What will the outside world look like today?’ I do love it when the valley is hidden in a white shroud and the silence is thick and dense. This is why we love hunkering down in the cold season. It is the time of the year when we take a little breather and begin planning for the busy months ahead. In most kitchens around the district, you’ll find cooks dipping into the preserved food supplies that they put up after the autumn harvest. All the apples that were chopped and stewed now become the heroes in pies and on morning breakfast porridge. The bottles of preserved tomato sauces now come into their own with winter pasta dishes and curries. There is something quite satisfying in closing the loop when it comes to firstly growing, then harvesting, then preserving and finally enjoying one’s own produce.
the winter months. Parsley is pretty hardy if a frost doesn’t get to it. This common little herb is used liberally in my winter soups. Travelling around the district it becomes very obvious that winter is a time for introspection. Café and restaurant fires burn invitingly and it is perfectly acceptable to slow the world down a little and enjoy a glass of red wine and a plate of locally produced food. This is when you’ll see those wonderful hearty country style broths and stews on many menus around the district. Inviting friends around for a pot luck dinner is a wonderful way to connect with one another and share a hearty meal together. Long walks on country roads or along forest tracks are a pleasure. At this time of the year there are no flies! It does not matter if you are an adventure lover or someone who loves to curl up with a good book and a mug of hot chocolate. Winter is a special time of the year. I’ll see you beside a fire somewhere.
Most weeks there is a pot of soup on the old Rayburn stove in our kitchen. Not only is the stove in the center of the house, it is the heart of the home. I love the orchestration that is required to slide pots around on the hot surface, coaxing a meal to completion simply by lighting a fire. My challenge is to use as much from my stores as possible. There are usually still some winter vegetables growing in the kitchen garden. Carrots, swedes, turnips, parsnips and silver beet are picked during Oldest, organic berry farm in the south-west, operating since 1985. Open for public picking from 26 Nov 2016 through Jan 2017. Our emphasis is simple – local, fresh and all natural.
HOME OF -
Crucible Apple Cider “Real Cider”, hand made from our 28 cider apple varieties grown in our orchard. No added preservatives.
Royal Penny Berry Gins Made with five varieties of berries picked at their peak, steeped in the finest gin from McHenry’s of Tasmania
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Self contained accommodation available all year. Central to Otway regional attractions including Forrest Mountain bike trails
115 Division Road, Murroon 3243
Otway Life Magazine Autumn 2017
Phone: (03) 5236 3238
www.pennyroyalraspberry.com
The Good Life 41 OTWAY MEATBALLS (Recipe borrowed from The Food of Italy – Murdoch Books)
METHOD:
Here’s a perfect recipe to make use of your bottled tomato sauce that you prepared at the end of last season. The key ingredient to making deliciously soft meatballs is bread! Beef or pork can be used. And if you can use local meat, then so much better. So here goes:
Heat half the oil in a flat-based pan and cook the onion and pine nuts until the onion is soft and the pine nuts are golden brown. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes more. Set aside to cool.
Serves 4 INGREDIENTS: 180ml olive oil 1 onion, finely chopped 3 cloves garlic, crushed Handful of parsley, roughly chopped A couple of tablespoons of basil and rosemary, chopped 2 teaspoons fennel seeds, ground 100g pine nuts roughly chopped 50g fresh breadcrumbs 250g ricotta 25g Parmesan, grated Grated zest of 1 large lemon 1 egg 500g minced pork or beef SAUCE: 2 x 400g tins of tomatoes, or equivalent of your own preserved sauce 100ml red wine
Put the herbs, fennel seeds, breadcrumbs, ricotta, Parmesan, lemon zest and egg into a bowl and add the mince. Add the cooled onion and pine nut mixture. Season with salt and black pepper and mix till combined. Leave the mixture to rest for 30 minutes. Make the meatballs by rolling about 50g of mixture into a ball, then flatten slightly to make it easier to cook on both sides. Heat the remaining oil in a large pan and fry the meatballs until golden brown on both sides. Cook them in two batches to prevent overcrowding in the pan. Remove meatballs from the pan when done. Add the tomatoes and wine to the pan. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 5 minutes. Gently add the meatballs back into the sauce and reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cook for a further 10 minutes. These saucy meatballs can be served with pasta, mashed potatoes or freshly baked bread. There is no need to fuss with fancy serving dishes. Put the pan on the table for everyone to help themselves from.
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Advertorial
Sustainable Table The temperate climate and typography of the Otway Ranges provide an ideal setting for the sustainable production of food and other products for the local community. A ‘sustainable table’ is one that uses local food grown using ecological and ethical practices that: Contribute to a thriving local economy and sustainable livelihoods; Protect the diversity of both plants and animals and the welfare of farmed and wild species; Avoid damaging or wasting natural resources or contributing to climate change; Provide social benefits, such as good quality food, safe and healthy products, and educational opportunities. Please support these local industries and be healthy at the same time!
Otway Life Magazine Autumn 2017
Your local mindful organic and health food store which sells a wide range of bulk foods, including flour, nuts, rice, legumes and dried fruit, you can take as much or as little as you like. Organic grocery items, vitamins and supplements, probiotics, baby and pregnancy goods, locally grown and produced food, gluten free products, organic and eco-friendly body care and detergents. Promoting low food miles, sustainability, local shopping, conscious eating and a balanced lifestyle. Stocking items such as Otway Fields preserves, Meredith Dairy cheeses and yoghurt, Love Tea and Southern Light Herbs, The Fermentary Kefir and Kimchi, Loving Earth Chocolate, Zeally Bay Sourdough Bread and Who Gives A Crap toilet paper, paper towel and tissues just to name a few. Pop in and see the passionate staff, and respect your body and mind by feeding it well. 72 Murray Street, Colac. Phone (03) 5232 1111
Otway Prime is one of Victoria’s early movers on the paddock-to-plate concept for beef and lamb, clearly identifying their own concerns and a growing consumer awareness around intensive farming practices.
Direct from the farmer, paddock to plate, grown in Victoria’s Otway Ranges.
Our livestock are all free-ranged and grass-fed and the beautiful Otway region with its cool, pristine, high rainfall environment provides the perfect backdrop for the farm business. Long growing seasons and plentiful water allows livestock to graze peacefully in paddocks sheltered by the national park. Our meats are available from many of the fabulous farmer’s markets in the greater Otway region, including South Geelong, Torquay, Airey’s Inlet and Apollo Bay. At these markets we proudly sit alongside some particularly talented local farmers and artisan producers. So take the opportunity to drop by for a visit during your summer holiday and savour not just Otway Prime’s grass-fed, dry aged beef and lamb, but also some of the region’s wonderful and unique produce. www.otwayprime.com.au
phone: 0428 112 212 email: udi@otwayprime.com.au www.otwayprime.com.au
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E nath@otwayebikes.com.au W www.otwayebikes.com.au Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
the great activities and events in the Otways during Winter COLAC OTWAY SHIRE Calendar FRI 2 JUNE Wine & Cheese Night – OneTreeLove Foundation fundraiser Tarndwarncoort Homestead Warncoort 6pm http://onetreelovefoundation.org SUN 11 JUNE Forrest Soup Fest Forrest Public Hall 10am – 4pm forrestsoupfest@gmail.com SUN 11 JUNE Run Forrest Barwon River Reserve, Forrest 7am – 3.30pm www.runforest.com.au
SUN 11 JUNE South Colac Duck Drop Derby Elliminyt Recreation Reserve 12noon start ryan.fennell@fennellwest.com.au SAT 1 – SUN 23 JULY CrossXPollinatioN – ‘Flight’ COPACC 10am – 4pm www.facebook.com/ crossxpollination SAT 1 – SUN 30 JULY CrossXPollinatioN – ‘Flight’ Red Rock Regional Theatre & Gallery Open weekends 11am – 4pm www.redrockarts.org.au
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Events WINTER 2017
SAT 29 – SUN 30 JULY Apollo Bay Writers Festival Apollo Bay Mechanics Hall www.apollobaywritersfestival.com SAT 1, 15, 29 JULY AND SAT 12 AUGUST WinterWild Apollo Bay Foreshore and local venues www.facebook.com/ winterwildapollobay/ SUN 6 – SUN 27 AUGUST The Corangamarah Art Prize – con.ceit’17 Red Rock Regional Theatre & Gallery Open weekends 11am – 4pm www.redrockarts.org.au
MARKETS Apollo Bay Community Market Every Saturday Apollo Bay Foreshore Apollo Bay Farmers’ Market Third Sunday of each month Apollo Bay Youth Club Colac Lions Club Market Third Sunday of each month Colac Memorial Square Otway Makers and Growers Market Fourth Sunday of each month Echidna House, Kawarren between 10am – 2pm
Promote your event with us www.colacotway.vic.gov.au
...and keep the kids entertained with an extensive range of games and toys instore.
we have all your outdoor, leisure and camping needs covered 76 Murray St Colac Phone: 5231 2347 Email: colac@blueskyoutdoor.com.au
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The Road Less Travelled PHOTOGRAPHY TOURS
Email: tim@digitalnature.com.au www.timlucasphotography.com.au
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46
The Colac Players by Nicola Provan
The Colac Players were founded in 1943. They presented their very first production, a comedy titled “No Social Standards” at the Victoria Hall. All proceeds were donated to the War Aids Society.
members were seated at tables of ten and invited to bring their own drinks and nibbles which certainly seemed to assist the relaxed and sociable atmosphere in the Civic Hall on the night I attended.
At the time the Players were founded there was an army camp based at the Colac Showgrounds and an Air Force base at Cressy. Part of the motivation for establishing the Players was to provide entertainment for the air force and army personnel who were based locally and therefore separated from their families.
There is nothing quite like the extra thrill of amateur theatre in a country town where most of the audience know the actors well. And that thrill is a two-way street which I myself have experienced with the Players from both sides of the stage.
The Manager of the Colac Hospital, Leonard Arnold was the founding President of the Players and retained a pivotal role until 1955. The first production which contained three “one act” plays was offered by the Players in December 1944. This proved to be a popular format and has since been repeated at regular intervals throughout the Players history; most recently in May 2017. And so I witnessed the Players deliver a wonderfully tasty platter of six “one act” comedies on Saturday 6 May. Engaging performances were delivered by all 14 actors – three of whom were making their theatrical debuts. The directing efforts were shared amongst some of the Players well known veterans: Rhonda Mahoney, John Simmonds, David McKenzie, Georgina Wheeler, Lorraine Henkel, Barry Mousley and Kat Bryan. Once again, Roslyn Scanlan capably coordinated production and Kathy NiblettGraham reprised her role as stage manager once again. The production, titled the “Surprise Comedy Cabaret”, enjoyed three sell-out performances. Audience Otway Life Magazine Winter 2017
Roslyn Scanlan (pictured below) has been involved with the Players since she first arrived in Colac in 1971 to commence teaching at Colac High School. Roslyn noted in “A history of the Colac Players 1943-1993” (p.60): “As important as the Players role is in bringing theatre to the Colac public, so too is the vital impact such an interesting group has on the lives of individual Players thereby enriching the Colac community.” Indeed it was through Roslyn that I became aware of the Colac Players fairly soon after my arrival here in 2003; although another decade passed before I became involved in my first production as part of the chorus for the pantomime/musical, “Aladdin” which was directed by Al Mustapha Al Shahid in 2013.. Two years’ later I auditioned for a part in Hannie Rayson’s “Inheritance” (directed by Teresa Robertson) and with delight, and some trepidation, I took on the sizeable role of Maureen Delaney. If you are new to the Otways with interests in the theatre, reading and the performing arts then I wholeheartedly encourage you to make yourself known to the Colac Players. It is such a wonderful way to become well acquainted with an array of like-minded people and share your skills whilst building strong community connections for your life here in the Otways.
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The Forrest General Store Café is a haven for locals and tourists alike, offering delicious gourmet produce and service with a smile – ensuring you get the best taste of Forrest every time you visit! If you want traditional, country-style hospitality, homemade comfort food and a modern approach to customer service, the Forrest General Store has you covered. 33 Grant Street, Forrest, VIC 3236 Tel (03) 5236 6496 OPEN 8am-5pm everyday
forrestgeneralstore.com.au