South Coast Tourist News - Summer 2010 by The Great Southern Star

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Welcome to our home By Tourist News co-ordinator Gavin Van Eede SOUTH Gippsland is truly a tourism paradise. After a year in which many pessimists

were signalling the downfall of western civilisation, it seems things are not quite so dire as it seemed. Caravan parks, hotels and B&Bs across the region are booked out for the current holiday season, suggesting South Gippsland can ride out even the toughest

of economic times. The reason is simple – it’s beautiful down this way. Pristine beaches, rolling hills and a diverse and eclectic community make this a vibrant and entertaining place to live – or just visit. Concerns about bushfires don’t seem to have thwarted enthusiasm for South Gippsland, which has a fortunate reputation as being less fire prone than other parts of the state. Saying that, we urge all visitors to be sensible and careful when it comes to fires this summer. From Tooradin to Yarram, this is place for all tastes. Tarra Bulga Park in the far east is a delightful taste of temperate rain forest that is as beautiful as anything in the Daintree. Corner Inlet is a fisherman’s paradise and offers plenty in the way of classy accommodation and fine dining. Wilsons Promontory is, quite simply, an icon. All along the coast there are fascinating towns and world class beaches. Inland should not be forgotten, with Mirboo North among the many character-filled towns. Leongatha is a modern, vibrant hub of the region and is a great place to head when the wind blows and forces everyone off the beaches. Meeniyan is changing from a hidden gem to a shining light of South Gippsland. Its music scene is the envy of many a larger town and has gained a reputation for attracting big-name artists. Then there is Toora, Kongwak, Koonwarra and Loch just to name a few of the small hamlets that make a memorable visit during your time in Gippsland. Remember, that it is also the journey that is beautiful in these parts, not just the destination. Keep your eyes open and watch the some of Australia’s best scenery passing by. Whatever your desire, South Gippsland has it covered this summer. Make this is a visit to remember. We hope you enjoy your stay.

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Holiday hot spots TOURISM dollars will flow into South Gippsland this Christmas, with many local holiday parks already fully booked. Local tourism operators are looking forward to the hordes of holiday makers hitting the area this summer, with the main influx of tourists set to hit the region on Christmas and Boxing days. Bumper crowds are expected along the coast, from Woodside through to Wilsons Promontory, Inverloch and Phillip Island that will see an injection of more than $100 million into the local region by the season’s end. The Christmas to New Year period is one of the busiest holiday periods for tourism operators, as people travel from across South Gippsland, the Latrobe Valley and Melbourne. Tourism is a major industry in the region, with an estimated $294 million spent annually across South Gippsland, and more than 2620 jobs directly attributed to tourism. It appears the fires and earlier threats of a recession have not affected tourist bookings in most coastal holiday centres. While Wilsons Promontory National Park was under direct attack from February bushfires, visitors are flocking back, with the park totally booked out for Christmas. Graeme Baxter, Parks Victoria’s Manager Visitor Services reports camping sites are booked out for

Happy campers: holiday makers are set to converge on the region bringing a welcome boost to the local economy and Tarra Valley is always a great place stay with the family and there are still some vacancies available at some of the parks for Christmas. summer. “We still encourage day visitors to come and see spectacular post-ﬁre regeneration for themselves and there are vacancies for overnight hikes and at the Wilsons Promontory lighthouse. Every year the Prom hosts 130,000 visitors over summer on the 484 camping sites, and in the 17 cabins, ﬁve units and eight huts. Further along the coast at the Port Welshpool Holiday Park, summer holiday bookings are excellent, with the

venue virtually fully booked for the Christmas and New Year period. Part owner Veronica Kok said they are getting good bookings through January. “We are fully booked for the South Gippsland Fishing Competition January 16 to 18, and are just about booked out for the Australia Day long weekend,” she said. “Weekends are always busy at this time of year but we do still have some vacancies and are still taking bookings.”

“We get a lot of families coming to stay, but 99 per cent of our guests come for the ﬁshing and they have been catching loads of gummy shark and snapper lately,” she said. Toora Tourist Park owner Rachel Brown said they are pretty heavily booked for Christmas and New Year, and Australia Day is fully booked. “We do still have some vacancies for January, so it is worth giving us a call,” Mrs Brown said. There is great news to report at the

Inverloch Holiday Park, with occupancy levels increasing every year. The popular family park is fully booked for Christmas and the New Year, with up to 1000 people expected, giving Inverloch a huge injection of tourist dollars. Park manager Carole Adams said their guests come from Melbourne, Latrobe Valley, the Pakenham area and from all around. “We do get a lot of repeat trade and Inverloch is just getting busier and busier,” she said. The Phillip Island Caravan Park at San Remo is looking forward to a busy Christmas, with about 1000 guests expected to pack out the park. Manager Wendy Woods said their cabins and camping sites are fully booked for most of January. Ms Woods said most of their guests come from Melbourne and they always get a lot of repeat bookings. “We are going to be very busy and it is great for the local towns,” she said. Down the South Gippsland Highway in Yarram, traders are looking forward to a busy holiday trading season, with thousands of dollars expected to ﬂow into the local economy this summer. Woodside is chockers for Christmas with the Woodside Beach Caravan Park and the Woodside Central Caravan Park both fully booked for the Christmas New Year period.

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Appetite for shopping PEOPLE come from far and wide to pick up a bargain at the Henrietta’s post Christmas sale.

the sale, there are as many people coming in after Christmas as before. “People really like to ﬁnd a bargain. Sometimes it’s discounted Christmas stock, but we also get a lot of specials in store. There are a lot of really good bargains on offer, particularly ceramics,” she said. “We’ve got some bargain cushions as well.” Meg said people often looked for certain brands, particularly Maxwell Williams. The fact you can enjoy breakfast and lunch at Henrietta’s was a big plus, she said. While some people have an appetite for shopping, it seems everyone has an appetite for the café’s ﬁne fare.

Top notch: Henrietta’s has everything for the kitchen.

Plenty to see: Henrietta’s has a massive range of kitchenware and knickknacks.

White hot: the ever popular range of Maxwell Williams crockery offers style at an affordable price.

And why not? With everything the quality homewares store can offer, you’d be crazy not to go and have a look. But aside from the myriad bargains on offer, Henrietta’s boasts some of the yummiest food and best coffee in Leongatha. Unlike many other places, where there is nothing to do but shop, Henrietta’s lets you get some respite (with a cappuccino and cake, foccacia or full breakfast) after fossicking for hidden gems in the gift shop. The post Christmas sale has been going for about ﬁve years. Owner Meg Steenholdt said such was the popularity of

Happy shopping: customer Linda Ivanovski with Henrietta’s owner Meg Steenholdt.

Not so hidden gem: Henrietta’s has access from Bair Street and also at the rear of the store near the IGA supermarket.

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Get in the swim

SPLASH South Gippsland is the region’s premier aquatic venue.

Lap swimmers can enjoy our 25 metre pool. With a maximum of 10 lanes available there will always be plenty of lap space, even while there are other programs operating. The toddler and program pools provide a safe and fun environment for your child’s aquatic experience. Overlooking the program pool is also a water feature, providing children with plenty of excitement. Meeting some friends for a swim? Feeling famished after a workout? Why not sit down and relax at the SPLASH café and replenish your energy. It has a wide range of healthy food options for the quick snack or lunch. Sit back, relax and enjoy a coffee. South Gippsland SPLASH also contains 2 multi-purpose courts designed for basketball, netball, volleyball, badminton and indoor soccer. There is sufﬁcient seating on the main court for tournaments and special events. The courts are also home to various programs and services On guard: Ella Turner makes sure everyone such as basketball, indoor soccer, netball and the school holiday stays safe in the water. program.

Family fun: (from left) Daija Brody, mum Janelle and Chloe Smedley enjoy the kid’s pool with grandmother Noelene Hoghton.

Sound advice is close by THERE is a handy way of becoming well-informed about what moves and shakes during the holidays in South Gippsland. Go to the council website; www.southgippsland.vic.gov.au scroll down and click on the question mark; community directory. That leads you straight into the data base of the Citizens Advice Bureau, based in Leongatha. The data is only by people who have agreed to have their information made available on screen. But

it is a good start and the information is regularly kept up-to-date. Alternatively, you could drop in at the bureau on the corner of McCartin St and Michael Place. Take the steps up to the court yard. The CAB is on your left and the Leongatha Gallery is on your right. The CAB also functions as a visitor information centre. Staffed by volunteers, it will be open every day during the holidays, except Christmas Day, CAB coordinator Maureen Sivyer said. A wealth of information is stored at the centre, including maps of

towns and an overall map of South Gippsland. There’s information on galleries, wineries, museums, markets, antique shops and pubs and restaurants. A walk, climbing Mr Oberon at Wilsons Promontory, is a challenge and only recommended for ﬁt people. But the end result is highly rewarding. Also available are the bus time tables from Leongatha to Melbourne and Yarram, which stops at the main towns in between, and a booklet covering all South Gippsland and Bass Coast bus and

V/Line services. A comprehensive coastal explorer brochure provides information from Shoalhaven to Phillip Island, offering a wealth of tourist data. Staff at the centre are all local and therefore very knowledgeable of the ins and outs of South Gippsland. They can help you ﬁnd a bed and breakfast at your chosen destination and assist with maps. Anyone who wants to know what is happening during the holidays is invited to visit the CAB. For inquiries, call 5662 2111.

Sound advice: volunteer Shirley Reeves (left) and coordinator Maureen Sivyer have a comprehensive knowledge of South Gippsland and are able to give visitors sound tourist advice.

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Browsing for treasures DID you hear about the couple who bought an old painting at an opportunity shop for a few dollars and years later discovered there was a far more valuable artwork painted on the back of it? It is this fortunate kind of treasure hunting that makes browsing in op-shops so attractive. Leongatha has three op-shops that offer a wealth of treasures, especially for visitors who

St Peter’s Anglican shop: manager Kaye Littlejohn and a volunteer of many years Marg White have noticed visitors like adding to their collections and look for special things.

will find many of the items have a distinct country flavour not found in the city. Lyn Frith is a volunteer at the Salvation Army shop at the bottom of Bair St. She has been at the shop for the last three years and has experienced the great interest visitors take in the huge variety of goods for sale. An amazing range of clothes hang on rack upon rack. There are enough books to start a library and the bric-a-brac section is enormous. It is a bargain paradise. “During the holidays we get many visitors. People find little treasurers that they don’t seem to find elsewhere,” Lyn said. Kaye Littlejohn is manager at the St Peter’s Anglican op-shop in Bruce St next to the church. She’s been managing the shop for the last 24 years and has noticed a growing number of collectors browsing through. “Many people are collectors of something specific and are seeking that illusive piece to add to their collection,” Kaye said. People spending money at the op-shop will be pleased to know their money is going towards good causes. This year the Anglican shop has donated money to the local State Emergency Service to-

Ideal spot for picnic AFTER three or more years, the three geese at the Johnson St ponds in Leongatha have three goslings to take under their wings. Council removed a couple of geese from what was a larger family at one stage, but the trio has stuck together and over the last couple of months have hatched tiny offspring that are now hap-

pily swimming along with their adults. The three ponds off Johnson St are teeming with birdlife. The spot is underused and, in fact, is an oasis at the edge and within walking distance of town. Surrounded by trees, it offers ideal picnic spots. The timber Rotunda also provides shade. The area is ideal for a family barbecue and a quiet place to observe feathered wildlife.

wards a light tower, to palliative care at the Leongatha Memorial Hospital and several church causes, including Anglicare, Christmas hampers and the Bishop’s Christmas Appeal. At Vinnies, the Catholic opportunity shop chain, there is quite an interest in the religious and unusual jewellery offered for sale. But the variety of goods is huge, including clothes, bric-a-brac, home wares, appliances, paintings, glass ware, toys, puzzles and books. “People do like bargains and they like nice and bright things,” volunteer Mary Farrell said. “They may come on a rainy day or to get out of the heat into an air-conditioned space. They like browsing around on a holiday.” Mary said people would buy “all sorts of bits and pieces”. Parents and grandparents like bringing their children along and hunt for toys, games and books to keep them amused.” It’s not only children who like to be amused. Book loads go out of the door and any adult who is looking for a decent holiday read, a gripping plot, or an epic that spans generations, a thriller or murder mystery, can rely on the op-shops to provide them with an endless supply of reading entertainment.

Vinnies entertainment: Mary Farrell has helped many visitors, often parents who want to buy their children some toys, puzzles or games, to keep them entertained on a rainy day.

Salvation Army: volunteer Lyn Frith said people were looking for bargains.

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Art counts in region A QUICK count of galleries in South Gippsland will net more than 50, ranging from Phillip Island to Wilsons Promontory, Foster to Fish Creek and Meeniyan, Loch to Wonthaggi, Korumburra, Inverloch and Leongatha. Anyone doing a tour of the galleries will soon discover a wealth of art created by a large variety of local artists, including painters, sculptors, printmakers, photographers, woodworkers, ceramicists and many more. The Leongatha Gallery, on the corner of McCartin St and Michael Place, opposite the Post ofﬁce, is operated by the Leongatha Art and Crafts Society. It has a selection of paintings, print, pottery, watercolours, calligraphy, photographs, woodwork, knitting, jewellery, textile art and much more that will tempt any visitor to take something home. Mushroom Art and Craft Space in Bair St is the town’s privately operated gallery by Margaret Tattersall, who also operates the Mushroom shop.

She holds regular exhibitions of local artists and sells a wide range of craft articles that would make attractive holiday presents. Some of the better known galleries in the region are Meeniyan Art Gallery, Gecko Studio Gallery in Fish Creek, owned by artists Kerry Spokes and Michael Lester, and Stockyard Gallery in Foster. The Community Gallery at Coal Creek Heritage Village in Korumburra is relatively new, but has already staged several quality exhibitions, organised by local art dealer Doug Kane. Loch has a number of commercial galleries run by artists, including Kay’s Artycles, Wish Art Design and Victoria Street Gallery. Other galleries in Fish Creek are Celia Rosser Gallery and Hilltop Gallery by Bianca Biesuz-Stefani. Kongwak has a gallery, which also runs on a retail basis, similarly to the highly successful Art Gallery of Inverloch, which has a large range of artists on its books and displays a big variety of their work. The Gooseneck Pottery in Kardella by Robert Barron and the Valley Plains Pottery by Zak Chalmers in Leongatha South offer a great range

of wood-fired pots and other items, either functional or decorative. Wildlife artists John and Di Koenders have their gallery in Arawata and daughter Emily is further down the road in Fairbank. Carol Linton operates a gallery in Toora. Jackie Rogers makes rag rugs in Foster North. Some of the other artists in the region, whose work can be found in the galleries, include Andrew Kasper (sculptor), Ally Remfry and Marlene Kasper (glass), Tracey Lewis (painter), Jenefer Chitty (calligraphist), Rachel Warren (photography), Martin Keogh (metal sculptor), Marilyn Ardley (painter), Meg Viney (fibre artist), Chris Beehag (fabric artist), Anne Pinkstone (photographer/ painter), Jennifer Breeden (painter), Annie Star (painter), Sue Hoare (jewellery), Malcolm Boyd (potter), Julia Price (painter), Denise Lees (photography on canvas), Kathleen O’Neill (silversmith), Angela Newberry (painter), Laurie Collins (metal sculptor), Mandy Gunn (mixed media), Kim MacDonald (drawings, painter), Jenny Peterson (printmaker), Fiona Kennedy (figurative painter) and Julie Lundgren-Coulter (landscape painter).

Contemporary work: Leongatha artist Sacha Lamont is known for her contemporary painting, currently shown in the Leongatha Gallery.

Fire tribute: Leongatha calligraphist and painter Jenefer Chitty paid tribute to (late) ﬁre-stricken koala Sam with this pastel.

Recent show: Venus Bay artist Julia Price (left) and Agnes artist Marilyn Ardley recently held a combined show at Meeniyan Art Gallery.

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WHAT do you do when you want to create a shop that makes people say ‘wow’ as they step through the front door? And, likewise, what would you do if you wanted to create overnight accommodation that made people say ‘wow’ as they stepped through the front door? These may sound like strange and unrelated questions but they are just what Jennie and Hess Strengers have asked themselves. And the answer is in the two enterprises that they run. There’s SO! Me in the main street of Leongatha that takes interior design in retail to new and exciting levels and there’s Zenergie in Kongwak that sets new boundaries in accommodation with its design and setting. SO! Me is essentially a fashion retail shop in the form of jewellery, handbags, scarves and clothing with some giftware thrown in for an extra bit of sensory spice. It has wall to wall and ﬂoor to ceiling displays of jewellery and accessories in a stylish setting. And like most country shops it tries to cover all bases so there is immense variety and prices from a few dollars to hundreds of dollars. Zenergie is three self contained luxury villas on a hillside at Kongwak, some 10 kilometres north of Inverloch. The frequent trips to the orient which helped the owners set up their unique

Fashion retail shop: Jennie Strengers and Janine Towns in SO! Me in Leongatha. shop in Leongatha have been a strong inﬂuence on this creation. Courtyards with heavy wooden doors and huge four-poster beds combine with perfect rural tranquillity to bring an accommodation experience that will both stimulate and soothe all the senses. Zenergie had only just opened when it caught the eye of the producers of Channel 9’s Postcards. That original shoot can be seen on the Zenergie website and it is a good introduction to this exhilarating property. Zenergie, as well as providing a unique haven for rest, also offers activities for the total being. Outside and in-house yoga, medi-

tation and massage are available. There was one further thing Jennie and Hess wanted to achieve beyond creating memorable and cherished experiences. It was very selﬁsh but they cannot deny it. They wanted to have fun and pleasure from the journey of their creation. They freely admit to achieving that end. Like sculptors beside their granite statues they are most pleased with both SO! Me and Zenergie. And hopefully you will now be able to share some of that satisfaction. Check the advert and ﬁnd the time to see these two local pearls.

Peaceful surroundings: Zenergie allows a little time and space to relax.

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A ’Gatha day

IMAGINE spending a whole day in and around Leongatha.

From sunrise until midnight you have the opportunity to sample the best this wonderful town has to offer. Some may doubt it can be done. The fine folks at Lonely Planet travel guides would fit into that category. They left the town out of their recent guide to Australia. But after 24 hours in Leongatha you’ll likely find that it’s an undeserved snub. The day begins just before sunrise as you ride a mountain bike onto the start of the Great Southern Rail Trail in the Horticultural Park at the far end of Bair Street. Fresh morning air, the sound of birds awakening and crunching gravel are your companions. Take your time and appreciate South Gippsland in all its early morning splendour. Riding from Leongatha to Koonwarra and back is about 16km. After your ride a rest and refreshments are in order, so walk a short distance from the start of the rail trail to Henrietta’s café on Bair St. Enjoy a coffee, scone or cake for morning tea at this hugely popular Leongatha spot. Make sure you take your time to soak up the friendly atmosphere, perhaps even have a second drink while you read the newspapers. No doubt you’re ready to do something and the many shops of the town are waiting to be explored. Leongatha’s shopping strips, centered around Bair and McCartin Streets, have genuine country charm.

Start at Henrietta’s, which is not only a café, but also has a big range of high quality products. The shop, SO! Me, also on Bair St deserves more than a quick wander through. Other places not to miss include Mushroom Crafts on Bair St, and A. W. Smith & Sons Gifts and Homewares on McCartin St and the family’s hardware store on Roughead St. Op shop lovers will be glad they came to Leongatha. There’s several to search for that piece of treasure, whether it is an item of clothing, the missing piece of a cutlery set or a long forgotten book. The pleasant experience of walking up and down Leongatha’s streets has probably made you tired and ready for lunch. It may take you some time to decide where to go though. Perhaps you’ll head back to Henrietta’s to try one of their lunch options or take a seat at one of the other cafes in Leongatha. Or head into one of the town’s four bakeries and pick up a pastry option or bread If takeaway is your desire, McDonald’s is on Anderson St. Other fast food outlets, ﬁsh and chips, hot chicken or Chinese are also available. In the afternoon you’ll be looking for something less active, so walk over to the Stadium Four Cinema to catch a ﬂick. All the newest releases are on show at these modern cinemas. Afternoons are always a beautiful time in South Gippsland and hopefully on the day you visit Leongatha the weather will be stunning.

Rest break: enjoy a drink and snack at a café.

If it is, a trip down to Mossvale Mossvalle Park is called for. Before you leave Leongatha, pick up some picnic essentials at one of the town’s supermarkets. There’s nothing like a spread of quality produce, cheese and fruit for a dinner treat. There are several wineries close to Leongatha and a drop from one of them would be the ideal accompaniment. Purchase quality local wine from Michael’s Highway Liquor on the corner of Anderson and Turner Streets. Mossvale Park is about 10 minutes north-east of Leongatha; just off the Strzelecki Highway. It boasts magniﬁcent European trees and lush green lawns. Enjoying South Gippsland iss an experience to be treasured, soo make sure you have a long leisure-ly dinner. Savour the taste of the food inn the surroundings that will heightenn your senses to appreciate the won-derful creation. On your way back to Leongathaa take a detour through Leongathaa North and admire some of the stun-ning views through the hills of thee town. Back in the town a popular lo-cal night spot is Bairs Hotel. Enjoy the night at the pub. If you happen to be out in thee early hours of Sunday morning,, stop at Thorntons Bakery on Mc-Cartin Street for a late snack. After such a busy and enjoy-able day, it must be time for bed. Sweet dreams.

d Linda der: Roger an Rail trail won burra enjoy a ride. Keagle of Korum Mossvale Park: let your food settle after a delicious picnic.

Shopping strip: enjoy the country atmosphere in McCartin Street.

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Winery displays fine style DJINTA Djinta Winery in Kardella South celebrated its fourth year on September 9 and is looking forward to another year of presenting fine wine, fine food and fine music. Owners Eleanor and Alex Biro have again planned a feast of operatic performances as well as more live music on Sunday afternoons, featuring local talent. The opera performances in 2010 will be held on three Saturdays, February 13, That’s Amore; May 29, The Passion and Romance of Opera; and October 9, Stage to Screen. A new menu has been put together for the De Vine restaurant. It offers seasonal menus and generous cellar door platters that combine local and regional produce with a contemporary multicultural cuisine. Eleanor said the menu included a crispy skin duck roast on a risotto with walnut and a warm orange and ginger sauce. The prime Angus porterhouse steak with a house recipe jus is another specialty. The outstanding vegetarian dish is a gourmet Mediterranean and fetta tart. A seafood platter for two makes for more casual dining and is as generous as it is delicious. “All the produce used in our dishes is prepared on site,” Eleanor said. Meanwhile, the winery won two more awards for its vintages that are now gracing their growing list of award-winning wines. Last September the winery won a bronze award at the Victorian Wine

Opera nights: Djinta Djinta offers three spectacular gala nights of opera combined with ﬁne dining that have been a major attraction on the local agenda for several years. Show for its Classique 08 bubbles and another bronze at the Melbourne Wine Show for its Sauvignon Blanc 09. “We’re extremely proud to have won these prestigious awards,” Eleanor said. The winery is also moving more into organising functions, including weddings, anniversaries, business meetings, conferences and seminars. Recently, a Meeniyan resident held his 80th birthday at the venue and a Korumburra couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary there. The setting for functions is ideal. The Djinta Djinta estate is nestled

among the Strzelecki Ranges on 8.5 acres between Korumburra and Leongatha, off the South Gippsland highway. The winery takes its name from the small indigenous Willy Wagtails that live there, as well as sheep and alpacas. In addition to the restaurant, cellar door and functions, the winery also caters for children, with a playground that will keep them entertained while the parents are enjoying a relaxed afternoon. There is ample car parking and a limited mobility ramp. For bookings or inquiries, call 5658 1163.

Relaxed afternoon: Djinta Djinta owner Eleanor Biro is very much a handson host, as she makes sure customers enjoy a relaxed afternoon on the lawns overlooking the vines.

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Pots finished on time KARDELLA potter Robert Barron remains busy all year round, even in the off season.

Variety of work: Kardella potter Robert Barron produces a great variety of work, from small jars to big pots.

Twice a year he travels overseas to attend international events. Robert is often invited to conferences to hold talks on wood-firing, conduct workshops or hold exhibitions, when he manages to ship work to their destinations, which isn’t always easy. Most recently he travelled to Norway, where he was asked to assist in building a wood-firing kiln. The project took him a month, from mid-June to mid-July, with four assistants, including the woman who had invited him, Gro Svatne-Augland, who is also a potter. The kiln was based on his own Anagama model but with modifications. It was made wider at the front and included lots of technology, because it was built on a 15 degree angle. Back home, Robert has been working on a major commission and getting his summer stock ready. He fired his new stock at the end of November and got it finished on time. At 14 metres long and three metres tall and wide, his own kiln is one of the largest wood-firing kilns in Australia and holds a great variety of works, large and small. By owning such a unique kiln, Robert can achieve astounding textual variety in his pieces. “Different areas of the kiln give different results of colour variations and texture,” Robert said. “More in front of the kiln, you get

more rugged results and more at the back of the chambers you get finer results. This is what wood firing is all about. No two pieces are exactly the same. “You can still manipulate the pots in the kiln a bit to get a type of result, but you don’t know where a dribble or run will go. You get variations where the flame licks around the pieces and produces blushes of colour. “When the wood ash is hot enough it melts into a glaze (over the pieces). That’s the whole reason for firing with wood.” Visitors are welcome to inspect his workshop and kiln, where all is work is available, including huge pots, in various stages of production and in finished form. They can be viewed and purchased direct from the pottery at attractive prices. Robert will also hold throwing demonstrations twice a day, at 11am and 2.30pm. Pots of all shapes and sizes are available, including jugs, teapots, mugs, bowls, baking dishes and casseroles. There are also larger items, such as platters, bread crocks and jars. Robert also produces water features and a wide range of planters, from small herb pots to big tubs. A significant part of his gallery work includes large sculptural pieces that have found international markets. The pottery is at 60 Kardella Road, which can be reached from the South Gippsland highway turn-off at Ruby between Korumburra and Leongatha. Gooseneck is five minutes from Korumburra, 10 minutes from Leongatha and 25 minutes from Inverloch. It is open from 10am to 5pm on most weekdays, weekends and public holidays. For inquiries, call Robert on 5655 2405.

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Village for the people THE transformation of Coal Creek heritage village in Korumburra over the last few years has been remarkable and equally as successful. A well-known fount of knowledge about the region’s mining history, it has become the centre of several major events, home to many community activities and a place of relaxation in pleasant parkland surroundings. It is also home to several festivals, including the Coal Creek Literary Festival, which will hold its third festival in 2010. The Buskers Festival makes use of the village, Halloween was a huge event this year and there were numerous seminars held at the auditorium, which also functions as the village’s community gallery which holds regular exhibitions. Next year, the historical ghost tours will make their welcome return. The village and buildings have been revamped and renovated, bringing with it changes that have been welcomed and appreciated by many visitors, going by the comments in the visitors’ register. Depicting life in a coal mining town between the 1870s and 1920s, the village occupies about 30 acres of bushland, with over 60 exhibits. Since 1974, original buildings have been acquired from around the district and faithfully restored to show the diversity of rural life as it was back at the turn of the century. Best of all, entry is free, which has made it the ideal place for a picnic or a pleasant lunch at the Pig ‘n Whistle cafe. At Coal Creek you can also discover old-fashioned treats at the General Store and ride the Bush Tramway, which does attract a small fee. One of the shire’s two visitor information centres is housed in the foyer of the entry building. It offers a wealth of tourism information, from accommodation to things to see and do. For more details or information, call 5655 1811.

Free entry: Although entry to Coal Creek is free, a ride on the Bush Tramway does attract a small fee. Lovely animals: Free roaming geese and this pit pony always entertain children at Coal Creek. The animals are people friendly and very patient.

Many visitors: Visitors ﬂock to Coal Creek during holidays and frequent the General Store, where the lollies are legendary.

Historical village: Coal Creek is built around the poppet head and original black coal mine workings in Korumburra.

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More than a pub THE Royal Loch Hotel is not far off its centenary.

Lots of books: Carol Hickmont settles in to enjoy a good read in the new bookroom that she and her husband Steve have opened as part of the Victoria Street Gallery in Loch.

Book a visit

THE Victoria Street Gallery in Loch has become even more interesting with the opening of The Original Loch Bookroom.

Steve and Carol Hickmont who run the gallery, have taken their love of books into a new arm of their business. The bookroom features a selection of hundreds of second hand volumes, including some rare collectables such as a 1916 print of CJ Dennis’s The Sentimental Bloke. CJ Dennis worked variously as a clerk, barman, journalist and editor before publishing The Songs of a Sentimental Bloke in 1915. Two years’ later, he was the most prosperous poet in Australian history and at the time of his death at the age of 61, was described as Australia’s Robert Burns. Other selections in the bookroom cover ﬁction, biographies and humour. Visitors are welcome to enjoy a coffee and to

relax reading in the comfortable surroundings, browsing or buying. “There’s something for everyone,” said Carol. “Come in and have a look!”

Rare volumes: some of the books in The Original Loch Bookroom are hard-to-comeby collectables.

Built in 1917, it has “walls that talk”. So says Sybil Leris, who has turned the building into a boutique attraction with special appeal. Sybil was born in Foster and raised on a dairy farm at Yanakie. She is an art teacher who spent years at a private boys’ school in Melbourne, always with a yearning for country life. “I knew I didn’t want a dairy farm though,” she laughed. The Royal Loch Hotel was her answer. The Loch Village is a lovely little town surrounded by green, rolling hills. A relatively new highway bypass makes access easy. Sybil loves the atmosphere of Loch and said she feels privileged to be the caretaker of one of its historic buildings. “Loch is an exquisite little pocket of the world.” There at the Royal Hotel, Sybil has given voice to her artistic aesthetic by combining the provision of hospitality, meals and accommodation with an art gallery. The walls are hung with works by local artists, including Sybil herself. She is a keen and gifted photographer. She is taken by the extent of creative talent in South Gippsland and is pleased to be able to provide space for some of it to be displayed. The art makes for what Sybil describes as “a very colourful” interior of the hotel. The hotel seats about 30 people for dinner and patrons should check the website for opening times. Sybil said she uses as much local produce as she can, both because of its high standard, excellent ﬂavour and awareness of her carbon footprint. She realises that the public is becoming increasingly concerned about climate change issues too and therefore more discerning in the way they access food. Sybil supports the local wine industry too, serving South Gippsland wines by the glass so

Entertainment: local blues guitarist Willy Golightly plays at the Royal Loch Hotel. that patrons can try them out. “It’s such an extraordinary contrast to my childhood,” said Sybil. “When I was growing up, the only people who grew grapes were some of the Italian families.” Now South Gippsland food and wine has come into its own, a development which Sybil ﬁnds exciting. “I’m really passionate about local food,” she said. The hotel is also a hub for South Gippsland musicians, many of whom play there at various times. There are seven double rooms and Sybil said the hotel offers specialty “dinner and sleep over” packages. “It’s a great way to catch up with friends,” said Sybil. “Come for dinner and stay overnight for bed and breakfast.”

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 15

Loch in a visit WITH a vibrant and active community, Loch Village is now established as a wonderful town to visit. At least one of its inhabitants moved there after having stopped on a visit and fallen in love with the place. Loch boasts a range of attractive shops, antique stores, eateries and an enthusiastic and talented pool of artists. The town itself combines old world charm steeped in history, with modern attractions such as a food and wine festival held in June. The ﬁrst of those, in 2008, drew 1500 people. So, it’s no wonder that the heritage village wears the reputation as one of the most innovative towns in South Gippsland. The advent of a sewerage scheme due for completion in 2013, will add to the district’s appeal as a modern hub. Loch is geared for the tourist, offering antique and collectable shops, woodcraft galleries, a patchwork and quilting store, craft and tea rooms, cafes, restaurants, wineries, a bed and breakfast and the Royal Hotel. In recognition of the town’s tourism status, many of the businesses are open during the week, at weekends and on public holidays. Members of the Strzelecki Lions Club run a community market on the second Sunday of each month from October to May. It’s at the railway

siding near the station, with vendors offering local produce, plants, tools and bric-a-brac. As a matter of interest, the Lions club draws its name from the Polish count Sir Paul Edmond de Strzelecki. He had no formal training in geology, but travelled widely, including through Gippsland, undertaking geological surveys. Loch hosts a wide range of artists and festivals, including an arts festival and an annual quilt hanging which draws admirers from throughout Victoria and interstate. Julie Wallace runs the Quilters Barn in Victoria Street and is an internationally recognised quilting instructor. Townsfolk honour their heritage in many ways, including with a cenotaph outside the picturesque Loch Post Ofﬁce. The names of the young men who signed up from the district for World War I, were added to the memorial earlier this year. Bernard Dilger, the grandson of Loch pioneers, was the driving force behind the move. There are nearly 120 names, with 23 killed or missing in action. Bernard’s mother Mollie, was the daughter of railway fencer Terry Fitzpatrick, who came to Loch in 1892. Mollie spent all her life in the area and Bernard has done so too. He cared for her until her death in 1996, when he turned his attention to the stories of the town and district. It disturbed him that there was no cenotaph in Loch. Thanks to various grants, the polished grey granite me-

morial was erected in 2001, listing the names of those who had fought in World War II and Vietnam. Earlier this year, it three strong men a couple of hours to pull apart the memorial (which they themselves had constructed) in order to add the granite slab with the World War I names etched in gold. There are honour rolls in the Loch Hall too, a building that boasts pressed metal walls. The Loch Memorial Reserve is on the Loch-Poowong Road, only ﬁve minutes’ walk from the village, over the nearby pedestrian suspension bridge. The bridge itself is a popular attraction. The reserve is near a 100-year-old oak tree and is a great spot for a picnic. There are coin operated barbecues, picnic tables, playground equipment, camping facilities and toilets. A directional monument at Cape Horn Lookout is made from local basalt and bluestone. Atop is a bronze plaque, pointing to 30 different destinations and features of the surrounding countryside. Many can be seen with the naked eye. The lookout is two kilometres from the Loch Village, on a gravel track off a bend in the Loch-Wonthaggi Road. Loch’s public amenities on the main road boast an historic mural painted by noted Wonthaggi artist Dennis Leversha. The mural depicts the story of the town’s history via a series of post cards.

Town cenotaph: South Gippsland sculptor Barry Wakley supervises the addition of World War I names to the war memorial outside the Loch Post Ofﬁce.

PAGE 16 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Lazy Sunday afternoon Indoor/outdoor: stalls are held indoors and outside when the weather permits. There’s a wide variety of items to purchase.

Great outing: Kongwak Market organiser Jane Seaholme is as thrilled with the weekly event as she was six years’ ago when it started.

KONGWAK Market is billed as the “lazy person’s market”, which makes it an ideal activity for those on holiday. Just a short drive from Wonthaggi, it is popular with people from across South Gippsland. It’s on every Sunday but doesn’t start until 10, so there’s time to sleep in or dawdle over breakfast without having to worry about whether someone else has snapped up all the treasures. Kongwak is between Inverloch and Korumburra and the market has been held there every Sunday for six years. It more or less runs itself now, although organiser Jane Seaholme keeps a friendly eye out to ensure that the market keeps its “waste wise” reputation. “We try not to use plastic bags,” said Jane. “We’re 95 per cent plastic bag free. “And it’s a non-smoking event.” Which makes it the perfect place to take the family. “The market is very family-friendly,” Jane continued. “We have lots of young families with toddlers and pushers.” She describes the atmosphere as akin to “a village square”, where patrons seem content to wander around, browse, have coffee, shop, stay for lunch. Excellent and reasonably priced curries are usually on offer, but the market’s food has gone Italian until the end of this year. It’s not surprising that friendships have been forged in such relaxed surroundings. The market, said Jane, is “a bit different”. Goods on sale are mostly secondhand, including books and “gorgeous” vintage clothes, providing the chance to “pick up a pair of $300 shoes for $12”.

Learning to ﬂy: the FMX team is ready to thrill crowds at the Bass Coast Show. The freestyling motorbike acrobats take things to the extreme in an action-packed display of high-ﬂying thrills. The motorbike mad magicians have been packing in awe-struck crowds across the country and fast gaining a reputation as the best in the business.

All stallholders are local, living in either Bass Coast or South Gippsland shires. “We have a very established number of stallholders and a very loyal clientele, but every week is different. “There are people who have been with us since the beginning.” Local produce is available too, with growers only selling what is in season and grown without the use of pesticides. Cheese, wine, fruit and vegetables can be purchased in the knowledge that the buyer is being carbon footprint conscious. Sometimes there’s a hairdresser, other times a masseur, and there’s always live music. Jane, who came to South Gippsland from Melbourne, said she is amazed at the depth of talent among the area’s musicians and the care and love with which vegetable and fruit growers pick and display their produce. She said the dairy free mango and raspberry ices in a cone, are a “must”. Musicians are happy to enjoy the exposure the market offers and are “paid” courtesy of a bucket for donations. Jane said that every week, $20 is donated to the Kongwak Hall committee. “We’ve raised about $6000 for the hall that way.” Anyone who lives in the country will tell you that local halls are the hub of the community. The market is held in the large former Murray Goulburn centre in the main street of Kongwak. When the weather’s ﬁne, stalls are set up outside as well as inside. Even after six years, Jane is as enthusiastic as ever. “I love it,” she said. “It’s the sort of market I like to go to.”

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 17

The journey is the destination SOUTH Gippsland is a driver’s paradise. Stunning scenery greets travellers on many roads, with views of

rolling hills and contentedly grazing cattle. Some roads offer vistas of the beautiful coastline of the region. One road offering both is the

South Gippsland Highway between Koonwarra and Toora. South Coast Tourist News took a drive along the highway and surrounding roads.

Green friendly: th e Toora wind farm magniﬁcent sight. is a

Happy animals: calves Stony Creek.

grazing in a paddock at

Tarwin River cr Rail Trail bridge ossing: the Great Southern near Meeniyan.

Prom views: rolling hills give way to Wilsons Promontory near Foster.

Town of Toora: looks splendid from a high look-out.

PAGE 18 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Entertainment and local produce Art lovers abound: Foster was ﬁlled with people clamouring to see local artists at the 2009 tastes.

TASTES of Prom Country 2010 is in its seventh year and will be held on January 16 and 17 2010 at Foster War Memorial Arts Centre, Main Street Foster from 10am to 3pm both days. It is an annual exhibition of local producers and artists, showcasing their award-winning merchandise. Visitors can sample the wide range of local produce blended with two full days of entertainment, art and more. This year Saturday is “Farmers Market Day” and Sunday is “Family Fun Day”, with carnival rides and kids attractions alongside the Tastes of Prom Country stalls. The Great Southern Portrait Prize will be exhibited all weekend and the winner announced on Sunday. Local producers featured at Tastes of Prom Country will include boutique wineries featuring red, white and sparkling wines, prize-winning preserves, award-winning beers, Gippsland soft and hard cheeses, Gippsland extra virgin olive oil, fresh Corner Inlet seafood, Prom Country bush-food, local breads and pastries, Gippsland grown beef, locally grown berries, Gippsland honey, olives, gourmet pies, edible plants, handmade soaps, fresh dips, local musicians and artists. Come and taste the best of country life in Gippsland and purchase seasonal and locally produced goods in a festive atmosphere with local music and entertainment. Come for lunch, relax all afternoon.

Taking a break: Renee Collis (left) and Brandon Collis (right) from Port Welshpool, take a break with grandmother Nancy Baldacchino at Tastes of Prom Country in 2009.

Gardening guru: Yarram’s Ivan O’Connor sold plants both common and exotic in January 2009.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 19

Maria takes her magic everywhere MARIA Jackson has done the Great Wall of China.

Eye on pool: lifeguards Harrison Staley and Alix Barrie.

Keep cool at the pool WITH a long hot summer seeming likely, it’s good to know the Foster swimming pool is ready to go. The pool is open at various times every day, with early morning swims already proving popular for energetic residents. Opening hours are extended on really hot days. The inﬂatable also comes out when the temperature soars. If the pool is busy the young, dynamic staff starts games. Lifeguards are on hand to ensure everyone has a fun, safe time. The middle pool has a new heating system, which will help keep the

temperature at least 27 degrees all summer long. Shade cloths offer shelter over part of the pool and the seating area. The big pool should stay at a minimum of 26 degrees. There’s new slushie

and coffee machines to provide refreshment for kids and adults this summer. A blue light disco for primary school students will be held at the pool this season as well.

She’s done the Burmese Railway in Thailand and been down the River Kwai. Maria has been back to her homeland in Holland with her father by her side. But nothing compares to the place she’s called home for the past 43 years. She has travelled to many countries in the past few years, now it’s time to explore her adopted home, the lucky country, Australia. You don’t realise how wonderful it really is until you have been away. Through poverty, hardship, love and understanding. See the woman of steel at Maria’s Recycling Emporium on Ameys Track, Foster. She can be contacted on 5682 2167.

On an adventure: Maria Jackson, of Maria’s Recycling Emporium on Amey’s Track Foster, at the Great Wall of China. Swimming lessons: Jedd, Anne, Ruby and Gracie at Foster pool this summer.

PAGE 20 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Mezatt is where it’s at ENJOY the friendly atmosphere at Mezatt restaurant in Foster.

Seafood platter: Mezatt chef Barbara Counihan with some of the seafood sensations that will appear on the platter.

Mezatt is ideally located overlooking the golf course. Patrons can sit outside with their meal or drink during summer. It offers a variety of dishes using seafood, veal, lamb, chicken, beef and fish. You’ll love the Mediterranean flavours of the lamb dishes and appreciate the quality produce used to create these taste sensations. Many dishes use Australian outback herbs and distinctive marinades. The fish of the day is always freshly caught and supplied by a shop in Foster. Main course options include salt and pepper calamari, seafood crêpe, scallops stir fry, warm lamb salad, King Tiger prawn salad, lemon chicken, veal scaloppini and scotch fillet. Every Wednesday night Mezatt has a $15 parmigiana special. One popular feature at Mezatt is the ever-changing specials board. It often includes international dishes to tempt your taste buds. Specials include entrees, main courses and desserts. They change once or twice a week after the purchased serves are sold out. Elias said new chef Barbara Counihan was fantastic. “Her skills have proven to be

worthy of any upper class restaurant,” he said. “She’s very qualified to cook any dish.” Barbara’s presentation on the plate is also impeccable. Elias said it was very hard to find a good chef these days, who would stick around with you. Until the end of the first week of January, Mezatt is open for lunch and dinner every day of the week. Then until the end of Easter you can enjoy the Mezatt experience

seven nights a week and lunch from Thursday until Sunday. All the information you need about Mezatt, including the menu is at www.fostergolfclub.com.au. Click on the restaurant link on the main menu to see details about Mezatt. The restaurant is at 7 Reserve Street in Foster. Contact them via email at mezattdining@bigpond.com or phone 5682 2986.

Mouth watering: rack of lamb with summer vegetables and green peppercorn sauce.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 21

ESSENTIAL Body Basics at Foster has introduced three new facial services. The microdermabrasion, oxygenation therapy and non-surgical facelift treatments are already proving popular with many women. They complement the existing offerings of beauty therapy, massage, day spa and hairdressing. Owner and manager of Essential Body Basics, Nerelle Checkley said the facial services were producing really fabulous results. “They are results driven anti-aging treatments, but they are also really good for sun damaged skin, which we are seeing an increase of in this area,” she said. “It’s a healthy choice for skin care.” Oxygenation therapy uses cosmeceutical ampoules, which are mineral based and contain effective ingredients like marine collagen, hyalouronic acid and rose extract. Depending on the individual requirements, the product is infused into the cellular layer of skin where they become bio available for the skin cells to use by oxygen infusion. For best results it can be done after microdermabrasion and non-surgical facelift. Treatments available at Essential Body Basics are described on their website at www.esssentialbodybasics. com.au. Nerelle has recently launched her

Essential Body Basics: Amba Jenkins, Vanessa Checkley, Abby Davis, Justine Tabone and Silka Neist. own cosmetic range called Zyink. It’s a pure mineral make-up that’s been TGA and FDA approved. Nerelle said mineral make-up had been a popular seller for a couple of years.

“But I wasn’t really happy with the colour choice and wanted to keep it affordable,” she said. “It’s also in line with the ethical side I have created with Essential Body Basics in that we try to choose

products that have very little additives, preservative or chemical constitutions without losing the quality.” The range includes mineral foundation, bronzers, blush, body shimmer, lip gloss, mascara and eye shadow.

More products will be added in the next year. Since the last edition of summer South Coast Tourist News several new girls have joined the Essential Body Basics team. Certificate five beauty therapists Silka Neist and Abby Davis are from Yarram. Silka worked in day spa in Sydney while Abby was part of a Melbourne day spa. Nerelle said they were “awesome” beauty therapists. “They have fantastic skills and their attitudes are amazing,” she said. “They absolutely love their work. I can’t praise them enough.” Foster area resident Amber Jenkins is another addition. She has just become a qualified hairdresser. They join hairdressers Vanessa Checkley and Anne Garrow. Nerelle’s expertise is massages and beauty treatments. Justine Tabone is a trainee and doing her certificate 5 in beauty therapy. Day spa services available at the Foster beauty spot include full body exfoliation and mud wrap. For something extra special, take advantage of the spa capsule in the day spa room. Essential Body Basics is at 1 Bridge St Foster. Make an appointment by calling 5682 1200.

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SGFM sets the pace SOUTH Gippsland Farmers’ Market at Koonwarra is again setting the pace with another innovative occasion. This authentic farmers’ market is celebrating a special event with its local winemakers on January 2. The region’s top vineyards will offer a wide range of quality award-winning vintages for all to sample and procure. Locals and visitors to the region have the opportunity to meet the artisans that make the wine all at the one location. The Koonwarra Farmers’ Market has been around for nine years now, with an established record

Nature’s treat: Ariss Wolswinkel of Aris’ss Pure Honey, Loch, pleased the farmers’’ market crowds.

From source: Rod Faudel of Faudel Farmhouse Cheese at Bena found a satisﬁed customer in Kathryn Smith of Meeniyan.

of offering a wide range of local produce that is fresh, organic, GM free and chemical free. “The development of farmers’ markets around Australia has been fueled by consumers’ concerns about the quality of the food we eat and the loss of taste in much of the mass produced food,” market coordinator Rod Faudell said. “This farmers’ market connects consumers with local growers and artisan producers and strengthens the local economy and community well being.” Mr Faudell said the SGFM continued to help stimulate local small business growth, and the fortunes of primary producers, co-operative growers, hobby farmers, community and home gardeners and associated artisan food producers. “The farmers’ market concept also helps to reduce the ‘food miles’ from producer to consumer,” he said. A wide range of fresh vegetables and fruit and berries will be available in season direct from the growers. Locally made goat’s cheese is on hand, along with free range eggs, honey,

frozen delights, preserves, bread, cakes, pies, olive oil, freshly made pasta, sauces, meat (beef and poultry), herbal teas, lavender products, pet treats, vegetable seeds, potted roses, ﬂowers, native and exotic plants, potted herbs, curry puffs, CFA sausage sizzle, coffee and lots more. But remember, be early to avoid disappointment. Relax, enjoy the friendly atmosphere and have a picnic in the shade on the chairs and tables provided, you may even spot a local koala in the overhanging trees. Then take the opportunity to look around the small but vibrant host village. The SGFM is a not for proﬁt setup and is run by a small group of local dedicated farmers. “This market has assisted in putting the region on the map for tourists, with its friendly environment and genuine community connection. If you are local and have something new to add towards the market mix or are interested in joining as a stallholder, give me a call,” Mr Faudell said. Mr Faudell can be contacted on 0408 619 182.

Flavour inside: Angie Bowen of Garden Farm, Hiawatha, offered free range eggs at the Koonwarra Farmers’ Market last Saturday.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 23

Oils are oils FAIRBANK artist Emily Koenders will embark on her 31st exhibition at her studio gallery on Ruby-Fairbank Rd, which could mark a new beginning, like a birthday score. In any event, the exhibition will highlight a stylish addition to the work of the renowned wildlife artist. Known for her wildlife paintings in gouache and pastels, Emily has begun painting in oils as well – and to remarkable effect. Her oil paintings are much in demand. “I still work in gouache and pastels, they have always been my mediums, but for the past year oils have come to the fore,” Emily said. “I did a series of oil paintings and they’ve proved very popular. They sold very quickly.” One of them went all the way to Greece, which Emily said was a thrill. “It was an Australian sea eagle, very majestic.” Emily is also incorporating more of the land-

Bird scene: the crimson rosellas are regulars at the gallery. Emily has them feeding off the balcony and visitors get a great view of them through the large windows.

scape in her bird paintings which has added another dimension to her work, which is why her new exhibition is entitled Feathers in the Landscape. The exhibition opens on January 1 and runs until January 31, including public holidays. It can be viewed in the comfort of a fully air-conditioned gallery. Emily’s paintings sell throughout Australia and overseas in England and the Netherlands, with Greece now added to the growing list of international success. Overseas clients can buy her paintings unframed to save on framing and transport costs. For her oils, Emily has often used a tone-ontone style, which is understated but highly effective. She used shades of grey and off-white in the background as well as for the subject. “They are quiet oil colours, like the old masters’ colours, giving the work a soft and muted look,” Emily said. In the last couple of years, Emily has received several major commissions. Some were received through her own gallery and others by being a featured artist at other venues, from local as well as Melbourne customers. “The paintings have taken months of work. I’ve been working on them for 18 months at least. They are the largest paintings I’ve done in my career,” Emily said. She always ﬁnds it hard to let them go. “You’ve spent so much more time on the big ones. You become attached to them. They’re very special.” With the major works completed, Emily has also been working on her new collection of wildlife paintings for the holiday exhibition and she’s already looking forward to meeting visitors. “I love meeting people. They may be local or from Melbourne. Some come from all over Australia and overseas and they have stories to tell. I tell them mine and we share so much,” Emily said. Her Dreamer’s Valley Wildlife Gallery is at 230 Ruby Fairbank Road, Fairbank. For details or inquiries, call 5662 5808.

Vincent story: A documentary on John and Di’s travels, following Vincent’s trail will be released soon.

Koenders magic ARAWATA artists Di and John Koenders will again open their doors for a major holiday exhibition of new works and some familiar ones that regular visitors have grown to appreciate and admire. Titled A Holiday in the Hills, the exhibition will be held at their comfortable Mayﬁeld gallery/studio, which nestles snugly into the rolling hills of South Gippsland that surround their historic farm property. Graced by age-old oaks and conifers, planted by pioneers, the farm is also home to peacocks, geese, ducks and chooks, that parade freely through the colourful cottage gardens. The exhibition opens on Jan-

uary 1, 2010. It will remain open daily, from 10am to 5pm, until January 31, including all public holidays. Di and John are passionate about art. They are always happy to have a chat with visitors about their lives as professional artists. Visiting them is a great opportunity to look into an artistic world, which is entertaining and informative, in the comfort of fully air-conditioned premises. Three years ago, John learned he was a descendant of famous Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh. John received ofﬁcial notiﬁcation that he was the great-great nephew of Vincent, which came as a huge surprise to him. It has set in motion a whole new adventure for the couple. It led them on a journey of

discovery throughout England, Holland, Belgium and France, where they followed Vincent’s trail and visited places signiﬁcant in their famous ancestor’s life. John also painted where Vincent painted and a documentary was ﬁlmed to capture his journey. The documentary is “due for release within the next six months,” John said. “A book will also be released covering the experiences.” Paintings by John and Di have found their way into corporate and private collections around the world. Clients include Princess Anne, The Royal Household of the Sultan of Brunei, and recently Dutch entertainer Andre Rieu. For inquiries, call their gallery on 5659 8262.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 25

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PAGE 26 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Explore and ye shall find THE hubs of ﬁshing in South Gippsland, the villages of Welshpool and Port Welshpool are ideal bases from which to explore the district. Welshpool has an interesting array of shops and old buildings, and is famous for the large anchor at the main intersection in town, honouring Welshpool’s maritime past. At the Port, shark and inlet ﬁshermen moor at the jetties against majestic views of Wilsons Promontory to the south. Families can enjoy a barbecue

or a picnic in the park after wandering the jetties or pop into the maritime museum to learn about the past. There are plenty of ideas for whiling away the days around Welshpool and the Port: • swim at the beach along the port; • cruise the inlet and around Wilsons Promontory on a charter boat; • wander the new walking track from Welshpool along the Port Welshpool Road to the recreation reserve; • snorkel around the Long Jetty and watch for seahorses;

Peaceful scene: boats moored at the Port Welshpool jetty.

• watch boats arrive from fishing the waters of Corner Inlet and Bass Strait, and also bringing cargo from Flinders Island to the mainland; • Pop into the Rural Transaction Centre to find out more about the district and to access the internet; • book a night or longer at either of the two caravan parks in Port Welshpool, or the cabin accommodation around Welshpool and Port Welshpool; • fish off the jetty or rock wall, or head into the waters of Corner Inlet to dangle a line. The more adventurous may opt to venture into Bass Strait for bigger catches. A public boat ramp is available at the port; and • grab a feed or a cuppa at either of the general stores or hotels at Welshpool or at the Port. Pop into the Port Welshpool and District Maritime Museum, established in 1985 to commemorate and preserve local maritime history. The museum is open weekends and public holidays from 12.30-4.30pm, in the first house built in Port Welshpool in 1881. Apparently the builder, J. Avery, walked nearly 34km from Port Albert every Monday and returned by foot each weekend. See the fishing boat, the Janet Isles, used by former owners of the house, the Smith family. Phone 5688 1220.

Local icon: the grand Long Jetty extends 908m into Corner Inlet.

Icon still standing JETTIES dot the coast all around Australia, but rarely does one ﬁnd a jetty this long. At 908m and boasting a curved design, the Long Jetty at Port Welshpool is the only structure of its kind in Victoria. While the jetty once allowed anglers access to deep waters and sightseers the chance to see the coast from afar, the jetty is now closed to the public. A ﬁre damaged part of the jetty many years ago and now the structure is deemed to be unsafe. The Welshpool community is plan-

ning to restore the jetty and build an underwater observatory at the end, showcasing the marine life of Corner Inlet. The observatory would be similar to that built at the end of the Busselton Jetty in Western Australia, now a popular tourist destination. Opened in 1938, the jetty was used for servicing minesweepers and corvettes involved in anti-submarine work in Bass Strait, during World War Two. After the war, the jetty played a role in early oil exploration and extraction in Bass Strait, before the Barry Beach Terminal was established.

Explore, paddle in hand SOUTH Gippsland is famous for rolling green hills, milk and Wilsons Promontory, yet out on the water is another reason to visit the region. Corner Inlet and the Nooramunga Marine and Coastal Park offer magical kayaking experiences and with summer now here, kayaking is an appealing activity for those seeking both adventure and relaxation. Kayaking offers the opportunity to see many otherwise inaccessible parts of the coast, the low draught of kayaks allowing access to coves, beaches, bays and islands. With so many destinations to enjoy, kayakers can embark on day or multi-day trips based around the inlet, estuaries or ocean waters. Corner Inlet boasts breathtaking beaches and many islands to explore, coupled with spectacular views into the hills north of Toora and Welshpool. Choose from Sunday, Snake, Little Snake, Clonmel and St Margaret islands, many with private camp sites for wandering the islands and stretching one’s legs. Permits are required to camp, so be sure to contact Parks Victoria to arrange beforehand. The Corner Inlet Marine National Park offers mangroves, mudflats and flourishing seagrass meadows, including the largest beds of Poisidonia seagrass in Victoria. The inlet is home to an extensive flock of migratory water birds, and marine plants and animals unique to this part of the state.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 27

THE name may have changed but the dedication to ensuring guests enjoy their stay has not, at the Port Welshpool Holiday Park. The foreshore venue is still owned by Guus and Veronica Kok, but no longer offers powered and unpowered sites. Instead, the park offers luxury cabin accommodation, with 10 fully serviced cabins to choose from. All have two bedrooms and are fully self contained, except for the ﬁsherman’s unit. Catering for visiting angling groups, this unit has a mix of beds but limited cooking facilities and no toilet, although the toilet block is a short stroll away. All other units offer two bedrooms, a queen size bed plus double and single bunk, full linen service, en suite, television and air-conditioning, microwave oven, TV and DVD player, and fold-down couch. The Koks are passionate about Port Welshpool and ensuring guests have a memorable stay. “Tourists like coming to the park because they can have a conversation without being just a number. They like to be fussed over and that’s what they get at

a small park like this,” Veronica said. “We try to help make their fishing weekend enjoyable and at the moment, they are catching plenty of fish so they are happy.” Nestled on the shores of Corner Inlet and with spectacular views of Wilsons Promontory, the holiday park is rated as a three star park by the RACV. “Port Welshpool is ideal for recreational fishing and it’s a very pretty place. The inlet is protected from the ocean by islands, we have a nice bistro at the hotel and the milkbar sells fresh fish’n’chips,” Guus said. “The Port also has a maritime museum, a tennis court for hire, a bowling club, a yacht club and a nine-hole golf course is just a short distance away. “Visitors will enjoy the scenery and magnificent skies during an early morning or late afternoon stroll along the beach.” The jetty, fisherman’s wharf, triple lane boat ramp, fish cleaning facilities, and children’s playground are close by. The park is at 67 Lewis Street, Port Welshpool. Guus and Veronica look forward to your call on 5688 1273.

Guests ﬁrst: Veronica Kok of the Port Welshpool Holiday Park welcomes visitors to the seaside town.

PAGE 28 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Very special gallery BIANCA Biesuz-Stefani is a noted and prolific traditional artist. Her Stefani Hilltop Gallery in Fish Creek is housed in an Edwardian home where five rooms display her work. The gallery is close to the Flying Cow Café, along the road leading up the hill beside Berrymans Bus Lines’ depot. “It’s a pleasant walk of approximately 280 metres from the depot,” said Bianca. Her art is in public and private collections worldwide and she is one of the few artists in this area to undertake commissions. These, she explained, can be difficult, because those who request them have preconceived ideas of how the finished painting should look. Bianca said a highlight of her commissioned work so far, has been three paintings presented to retiring shire councillors at Foster; two of her works remain in the South Gippsland Shire art collection. Recently, the St John of God Hospital auxiliary acquired one of Bianca’s paintings of pomegranates to hang in the foyer

of the facility at Berwick. And earlier this year, her scene of the Amalfi Coast won the popular choice award at the Trafalgar Rotary Art Show. When Bianca was studying art at secondary school, her favourite artists were Titian and Giorgione and later in life, she was able to visit the towns where these artists were born, discovering that they were not far from where she herself entered the world, north of Venice in the Veneto area of north eastern Italy. During her trips to Italy, Bianca said she studied these artists in depth. Another favourite is Canaletto because of his scenes of Venice and London. But her idols are Hans Heysen and Leonard Long and their depictions of the Australian landscape. Perhaps as a reflection of this, Bianca also paints in oils on unusually long gum leaves, which she finds in “a secret location” in Inverloch. She also works in acrylics, water colours and pastels.

Proliﬁc artist: Bianca Biesuz-Stefani paints in traditional style. Her Fish Creek Gallery is housed in an Edwardian home. She is picture at her easel painting her interpretation of our ever-present summer danger – bushﬁre.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 29

Small town, big heart FISH Creek is only a small town on the way to Wilsons Promotory, but it packs a punch in a variety of ways. The Great Southern Rail Trail meanders through Fish Creek on its way to Foster. The trail, which follows the Fish Creek Road, is suitable for walkers, horse or bicycle riders and offers glorious views of the surrounding countryside, as well as to the Prom itself. There are cafes for refreshments and the town’s hotel has just been taken over by new owners. They’ve been too busy to think about publicity, but you could call in and wish them well. Fish Creek has one remarkable claim to fame – it has more galleries per head of population than New York! And that’s some boast. Reﬂecting the extraordinary depth of creative talent in South Gippsland, the galleries offer a broad range of artistic experience, so no matter what your taste, you’re bound to ﬁnd something that will appeal. If you count the wall at the Fish Tales Book Shop that is being converted to display some of the artworks of Michael Chang, the number of galleries has just increased. Chang is an architect who does pen and ink drawings. The shop stocks second hand and selected new books. Bianca Biesuz-Stefani runs the Hilltop Gallery (see separate article). She’s a traditional artist whose scenery, still life and depictions of the Australian countryside are represented in collections around the world. Then there’s the Ride the Wild Goat Gallery and Workshop in Falls Road. Hosting a variety of work and exhibitions, the gallery showcases the art and furniture of Andrew McPherson. As the name of the gallery suggests, its exhibits are a little out of the ordinary. Andrew has 30 years’ experience in woodwork. With a range of salvaged materials, he uses his artist’s eye to create objects and unique pieces of furniture. The Celia Rosser Gallery and Banksia Café of-

Artistic couple: Kerry Spokes and Michael Lester, both artists, have been running Gecko Studio Gallery in Fish Creek for three years to popular acclaim. fers a different experience again. The café provides coffee, cake and light lunches, while the gallery displays the artist’s remarkable creations. Celia Rosser is a world renowned banksia artist. She says she inherited her passion for ﬂowers from her mother, who was a very keen gardener. Celia fell in love with banksias early in life and has painted them for decades. Her most extensive work has been a three volume series The Banksias, which took her 25 years to complete. Lately, she has been painting ferns. Other noted artists exhibit at the gallery and there are occasional evening musical performances. The last featured violin, viola and cello. The Gecko Studio Gallery in Falls Road is only three years’ old. Gecko’s Michael Lester said that during the summer, the gallery is open seven days’ a week. He runs it with his partner Kerry Spokes. Their continuous exhibitions feature mostly local artists, many of whom come to the gallery to make use of Michael and Kerry’s expertise in framing.

The gallery sells art materials, jewellery, ceramics, purses and wallets, as well as beautiful goats’ milk soap made by hand in Foster North. Until January 16, four women are exhibiting artworks at Gecko. They are Lyndy Lord, Amanda Thompson, Elisabeth Scott and Kate Zizys. Lyndy is inspired by her immediate environment and explores the relationship between humanity and the natural world. Amanda is a print maker who lives in the Latrobe Valley. Much of her work includes a headless and limbless female figure, representing Amanda herself, the earth mother, who is distressed at what humankind is doing to the world. Elisabeth Scott creates copperplate etchings and is influenced by John Bracks. Her latest are her response to an evacuation she witnessed from last summer’s bushfires. Kate Zizys works with cut out drawings and etchings. She has been a print making technician at the Monash University Gippsland Centre for Art and Design and is co-creator and presenter of the Koorie Footprints to Higher Education program at Monash University’s Gippsland campus.

Got it all

DURING holiday time, lots of tourists drop into to the Fish Creek Hardware store to check out the stock.

Fishing knowledge: Paul Inglefinger at the Fish Creek Hardware store sells a wide variety of goods, including fishing gear and fishing licences.

They’re never disappointed. Paul Inglefinger, who has had the shop for 11 years said, “We’ve got all sorts of stuff in here!” There are camping tents, outdoor goods and barbecues. “We’re quite a big store and the business is doing all right; it keeps going.” If you’ve come away on holiday and left your hat at home, Paul can help you out with those too. He sells fishing gear as well as the licences necessary for those who want to fish. You must have one of these if you are between the ages of 18 and 70, although those with Seniors Cards don’t have to have a licence. Paul knows what’s biting too. He said holidaymakers often drop in to the hardware shop on their way to a day’s fishing at Sandy Point and Waratah Bay. “The fish are biting all right,” he declared, “especially when the wind isn’t blowing.” He hasn’t had time to cast a line himself, but some of his staff have and they’ve been catching shark and whiting.

PAGE 30 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

Get that holiday feeling TOORA is the ideal base for exploring the treasures of Prom Country and there is no more relaxing place to stay than the award-winning Toora Tourist Park. The surrounding natural attractions of Wilsons Promontory, Tarra-Bulga National Park, Port Albert and the beaches of Sandy Point and Waratah Bay lure visitors to this part of the world. The Toora Tourist Park is conveniently located close to these gems and also offers a relaxing spot should the weather turn cold and wet.

Playgrounds and an indoor heated pool and spa will entertain young families, and kids will while away hours on the giant jumping pillow. Guests can take to the full size tennis court, practice with the basketball ring, play beach volleyball or surf the internet via wireless access throughout the park. Proprieters Andrew and Rachel Brown said visitors have ample to do. “Visitors love the peaceful country atmosphere and there is so much to offer within a short drive,” Andrew said. The park offers a range of

Time to unwind: the indoor heated pool and spa are the place to ﬁnd holiday mode.

two bedroom air conditioned cabins with DVD player, en suite and cooking facilities to suit motorists. Caravanners will appreciate powered sites with drive through en suites, plus shady powered sites with sullage. A coin operated laundry, tidy and central amenities block and clothesline add to the list of conveniences. Pets are welcome with site bookings only. With so many facilities and services, it is little surprise the tourist park was a finalist in this year’s Gippsland Business Awards (tourism category) and a winner of a Gippsland Tourism Award 2007/08. Guests are encouraged to enjoy the larger outdoor public pool in Toora and fine dining at the Royal Standard Hotel in town. The park has two new cabins already booked for most of January: one with a spa and two bedrooms, and the other with three bedrooms to cater for big families. Online bookings can now be made via the tourist park’s rejuvenated website: www.tooratouristpark.com.au Alternatively, guests wishing to book over the telephone should contact the park office between 8am and 8pm, on 1800 88 99 66 (free call).

Good times: Toora Tourist Park has fun activities for young, and young at heart.

Just like home: Barbara Morris welcomes guests to Barb’s Place café with a smile and range of tasty treats.

Drop in and be delighted TRAVELLING encompasses the comforts of home when one stops in Toora. Barb’s Place café in Toora offers home-cooked food in a cosy setting, with the warmth of a family atmosphere. Sit down and choose from a range of cakes, sandwiches, all day breakfast, Devonshire teas, home-made pies and sausage rolls, chips and sweet delights such as banana splits, coffee and milk shakes. Fresh dishes are made with vegetables growing near the front door and with an ample outdoor eating area, the café can seat up to 20 people. Proprietor Barbara Morris knows how

to look after her guests, having previously conducted tours for seniors. “There are always crossword puzzles on the tables to do here,” she said. Visitors can browse through a fascinating range of giftware and souvenirs. The café has a ramp, toilets and plenty of space to cater for people with disabilities. Since opening in February 2009, the café has become well known by visitors and locals alike, from young people through to older guests, and even Toora footballers. Barb’s Place is open seven days a week from 8.30am until 4pm.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 31

Summer celebration of nature SOUTH Gippsland’s appeal as an eco-tourism destination will be showcased at the Prom Coast Summer Festival. Held across the Corner Inlet region from December 30 to January 6, the festival offers a chance to see South Gippsland like never before. Catch a boat to Snake Island or Wilsons Promontory, watch a sand sculpture come to life, get up close to marine animals in underwater tanks and see indigenous dance group Watbalimba perform. The official festival opening is on Wednesday, December 30 at the Port Welshpool Ferry Terminal with indigenous dancing and a talk about migratory wading birds. Kids will love the family fun night at Toora Recreation Reserve on New Year’s Eve, with jumping castles, train rides, a children’s band and kids activities. The night sky will light up with a fireworks display from 9.30pm. On New Year’s Day, head to Port Welshpool again for sand sculpting, nature talks, a boat display, and Parks Victoria and Coast Guard displays. Similar activities will be held on Saturday, January 2, along with indigenous music, and boat rides to Tin Mine Cover and Snake Island (bookings required). That night, head to the Toora outdoor pool for a movie night complete with an inflatable platform and the film UP. Saturday’s activities, apart from the boat rides, will be held at Port Welsh-

Real lesson: at this year’s festival, Welshpool sisters Teresa and Charlotte Gordon experienced seastars firsthand, with Parks Victoria summer ranger Allan Standering (left) and Coast Care officer, Bruce Atkin. pool again on Sunday, plus fish tasting and filleting. The Port Welshpool Museum will be open with a jumping castle and history. On Friday and Saturday, art and craft demonstrations and sales will be at the Welshpool Hall from 10am to 4pm, as well as revolving films about Port Welshpool and Snake Island. Come Sunday, see rock’n’roll demonstrations from 11am to noon and 1pm to 2pm, plus lessons from 3pm-4pm. Meanwhile at Mount Best, take part in two scenic drives: the 62km journey through the Strzelecki Ranges or the trip to Agnes Falls. Maps are available at information outlets, post offices and the festival website. Pop into the Mount Best Hall and see historic photographs, art and photography, and the ACMI film about

Mount Best residents. Port Franklin becomes the centre of the festival on Monday, January 4, with guided walks over saltmarsh by the DSE and Waterwatch from 1.30-3pm. Meet at the Old School on Tramway Road or phone Bruce Atkin on 0429 842 142. Every day of the festival, dog trials will be held at Beloka Kelpie Stud, Welshpool from 11am to noon. To discover even more, visit the festival website: www.promcoastsummerfestival.com The festival is sponsored by the Victorian Government, V/Line, Regional Arts Victoria, the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund, Coast Action/Coastcare and South Gippsland Shire Council. The festival is a project of the Port Welshpool Working Group and Welshpool Advisory Group.

Popping up: Parks Victoria marine ranger Jonathan Stevenson collected marine animals from beneath Port Welshpool jetties, at the 2009 festival.

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Ever thought of buying a bookshop and settling down to a lifestyle surrounded by the wonders of the printed word. Well the chance has come, with Meeniyan’s Antiquities Bookshop on the market, just ready for you to start a …

New chapter in your life Antiquities Bookshop is a quality bookshop and antique/collectible business prominently located on the South Gippsland Hwy in the hamlet of Meeniyan, in South Gippsland, Victoria. Nestled on the border of the famed Dumbalk Valley dairying district, the township is home to the ABC television series Bed of Roses, and is commonly referred to as the “Turning Point” as it is the main turn-off point from Melbourne for Wilsons Promontory and the South Gippsland Prom Country coastal areas. Antiquities Bookshop supplies good quality, particularly non-fiction, books to the local populace as well as passing tourists and interstate visitors and book collectors. Tourism is a growth industry in South Gippsland and the Prom Coast, and most local trade is dependent on the standard summer to autumn, four/five monthly cycle of trade. The quieter winter months of the year are ideally suited to stock replenishment and acquisition, housekeeping as well as shelf management. The business requires comfortably only a single operator, and has until now operated on average on a five to six day week. Antiquities Bookshop does not act as a book exchange, nor does it clog its shelves with mass-produced

cheap popular fiction/romance such as Reader’s Digest and Mills and Boon. It has a growing reputation for supplying quality first editions and general non-fiction titles, specialising in areas such as politics, military, art, literature, australiana, theology, health, travel and adventure, road/rail/sea/air, philosophy, psychology and sociology. Contrary to many bookshops that are offered on the market, Antiquities Bookshop’s holdings are very much more select. They do not include tens of thousands of stock items that are very difficult or quite impossible to move/sell, or can be too easily purchased from op-shops at very little cost or value, and which are generally included in the stock component of a normal bookshop business sale in order to inflate a vendor’s asking price for the business. The owner has not sought to impress customers with simply a mediocre quantity of shelf-fillers, but has tended toward smaller numbers of good books, and has tackled genres that lean toward the more serious and discerning reader. Any prospective buyer of Antiquities Bookshop will find that the selection of stock which populates the shelves, is considerably smaller, yet much more valuable and discerning, than most others. A good and daily expanding collection of antique/collectible titles

and first or early editions, is included in the sale of stock, and the present vendors have vowed not to sift any of the 15,000 to 16,000 books in stock, which along with the value of existing antique furniture would total approximately $300,000 retail, prior to sale. Many early and first editions, including some first editions of Dickens and early editions of Bram Stoker, are offered, and are all included (unless sold) in the stock sale asking price. To date all business has been generated by word of mouth as well as the very prominent highway presence which the business commands. Nothing has been expended on advertising as yet, simply because the response from locals, tourists and regional visitors, as well as interstate visitors and collectors, has been so overwhelming. There is as yet no internet presence and no books are listed on any of the existing Australian or overseas book sales sites. Yet the potential for further growth is certainly apparent and would be greatly increased if some choice advertising was employed, and if the new owners chose to develop more the sale of new books as well as secondhand, for which there is a certain and ready local and tourist market, and to diversify into other marketing mediums such as online sales and website promotion, or

even ebay and Oztion as well. The character-filled shop building has full window frontage, and a quaint little “book cart” display on the outside footpath beneath the latticed verandah, and is usually the first port-of-call for customers intending to browse inside. On entry, one is confronted with a spacious and extremely inviting interior, oozing comfort and charm, and fully decorated and appointed with period style shelving and presented in a turn of last century “parlour” atmosphere. Customers may browse at leisure or recline and read on the comfortable reproduction lounges and chairs, or choose to examine the small yet quality array of antique and reproduction furniture on display. No cost has been spared on the custom-designed solid timber shelving and open-shelved glass, timber and metal displays, and the storage rooms behind the shopfront itself total almost as large an area as the shop. With some renovation, the sales area could be increased considerably, or the back portion converted into a reasonable sized dwelling area, to which idea the existing landlord is certainly not averse, and would be prepared to assist with personally. Antiquities Bookshop has been operating profitably from the first year of its inception, and has maintained that unabated momentum to date, with

an ever-growing increase in turnover and profit, as well as becoming better known and recognised locally and elsewhere, for good quality holdings and service. It is being offered for genuine reasons, and as a WIWO proposition, where goodwill, book stock, antique and collectible stock, moveable chattels and business name are all included, and at a price well below its real worth. A section 52 statement with relevant financials is prepared and available only to serious and genuine interested parties. The business may be available as freehold by the first month of 2010 (subject to negotiation with any interested parties), otherwise a very secure rental proposition will be newly negotiated by the prospective buyer on very generous and flexible terms to suit. There is also an option for a buyer to partner a separate and newly established quality and scholarly local history publishing and distribution company and venture, which is also housed at the Antiquities Bookshop premises, at no extra financial outlay. As indicated, the business is offered for sale reluctantly and for genuine reasons, and presents itself as a profitable yet extremely affordable entry into a much sought-after rural lifestyle.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 33

All the right Moo’s MEENIYAN is all abuzz with the news of a new restaurant opening on Boxing Day and situated at the former Watsons on Whitelaw site.

Grand opening: Marty Thomas will open the doors to Moo’s on Boxing Day.

Moo’s will feature regional dining, with fresh local produce the order of the day. It will be open seven days a week during summer, offering breakfast and lunch. Moo’s will be open for dinner on Friday and Saturday nights throughout the year. Owner Marty Thomas was originally from Sandy Point, but has spent the past 20-odd years working at some of the best wineries and restaurants on the Mornington Peninsula. “I’m keen to give the restaurant a revamp, hence the change of name,” he said.

“I’ve hired young gun local chef Kevin McKenzie from Yarram and we’ll be focusing on all things local, from Angie’s Yarram free range eggs to award winning Berry’s Creek cheese. “Locally roasted Swig coffee will be carefully prepared for the caffeine addicts, or you may prefer a ﬁne pinot noir from Lucinda Estate to enjoy with your tasting platter.” But Moo’s will be far more than just a place to get a beverage or some tasty human food. “Great Gippsland produce will be available in the produce store, from soap to dog bikkies,” Marty said. “We look forward to being a part of the hospitality and greater Gippsland community. We’ve got lots of events planned for 2010 - guest chef evenings, host your own dinner parties and fundraising events, just to name a few.

“Friendly hospitality is what we’re all about.” Marty urged visitors to “pop in on your way to the Prom” or come into town. He said all were welcome, including “four-legged customers of the canine variety” who “will be welcomed by our resident ‘wine dogs,’ Lucy and Will.” “We have a large outdoor deck for relaxing under a brolly or a cosy ﬁreplace inside for those cooler Gippsland winter days,” he said. The breakfast, lunch and dinner menu will consist of such delights as gourmet toasted Turkish bread sandwiches, salt and pepper calamari, Moo’s burger, toasted banana bread with cinnamon ricotta or chorizo Benedict, roasted local duck with steamed bok choy, sweet potato mash and pinot jus with chocolate orange tart with Gippsland double cream for dessert.

Full bore fun at Stony Creek STONY Creek Go Karts and Café is one of those places on the South Gippsland tourist trail that continues to draw in holiday makers and locals alike. And little wonder. Stony Creek Go Karts is full-bore fun. For those who don’t want to race, it’s great to be a spectator too. You can enjoy our fabulous coffee and tasty snacks in the ‘Sliders’ Cafe. Then relax on the lounges and

watch the big screen, challenge yourself with the Daytona Race Driving Simulator and other games machines, or sit and enjoy a cool drink and a snack in the sunshine on the outdoor deck which gives you a birds-eye view of all the action. If you demand action around the clock, Stony Creek Go Karts is the place for you. Generally open seven days a week from 10am ’til dusk, long weekends, school holidays and public holidays are especially

popular. New manager Callum McCaughan, said he hadn’t really changed anything since he had taken over, because there was little reason for change. The popular attraction was great as it was, he said. “It’s a lot of fun and it really is something for all ages. As long as you’re 140cm or taller you’re okay to drive by yourself,” Callum said. “But then there’s the dual cars for the shorter kids, so you can

just go along with mum or dad.” With safety a number one priority, go karting is fun without being dangerous. The go karts reach speeds of about 55km/h. On a track with plenty of bends, this is a fair clip. Callum said the track was a popular place for work Christmas break-ups. And what do people think when they come in and try go karting for the ﬁrst time? “They love it.”

Full bore fun: Stony Creek Go Karts is great fun for all ages.

PAGE 34 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 35

Ale and hearty MIRBOO North’s Grand Ridge Brewery is the heart of the hills town. Its emergence over the last 20 years has coincided with Mirboo North’s rise as one of Gippsland’s premier tourist towns. The brewery was established after the failure of the Strzelecki Brewery on the same site in the late 1980s. Eric Walters and a band of locals restarted the operation under the Grand Ridge name and have never looked back. Today it has moved from a boutique brewery to a major dining and function centre for the region. Recent renovations have included a new dining area which overlooks the brewery’s bottling and packaging area, as well as a refurbished function room that has catered for everything from wedding receptions to a divorce party. “We had the fires and everything else so we were closed for a while,” Eric said. “We decided we would keep all the staff on and we would do some renovating while the tourism side of things was shot for several months. “The new dining area’s major attraction is the floor to ceiling glass which looks down over the packaging plant. “It’s funny we now get a bit of a crowd going to bottling day, which is a bit different for the guys working, but that’s all right,” he said. Having established one of Australia’s premier beer labels (more about the amber fluid later), Eric and

Fine dining: Grand Ridge Brewery is as famous for its food as its beer.

New experience: Manager Amanda Littlejohn said the new dining area overlooking the brewery is proving a major attraction.

his team have been focused on building the brewery into a tourism magnet for Mirboo North. “It’s all about increasing the facilities for Mirboo North,” he said. “We are consistently growing our tourism ﬁgures for visitors coming to Mirboo North. “They don’t just come to the brewery, they stop, they wander down the street, they stay in the B&Bs – it’s good for everyone really.” Grand Ridge Brewery’s reputation as a beer maker has now, arguably, been equalled by its reputation for ﬁne dining. Eric said many people are travelling to Mirboo North, not for the drinking, but for the eating. Supporting local producers like Berrys Creek cheese and a host of other fruit and vegetable growers, the brewery’s kitchens have become renowned for turning out high quality meals based around seasonal, local produce. “We have a lot of asparagus, blueberries, tomatoes and so forth from around here, which allows us to have specials when food is in season,” Eric said. “We get a lot of pure local food that is taken out of the ground in the morning and is on the plate that evening. “Melbourne people are more aware of our famous steaks than the people of Gippsland, ironically enough. “They are coming up from Melbourne for the food, and the beer is a side attraction.”

For many, though, it is the Grand Ridge brews that will always be the star of the show. Styles like Moonlight, Gippsland Gold, Brewer’s Pilsener, Hatlifter Stout, Moonshine and the high alcohol (11 per cent) Supershine are household names among serious beer lovers. You won’t see Grand Ridge beers competing with the mass produced products in the weekly supermarket specials. Quality comes at a price.“We don’t compromise,” Eric said. “We use the best ingredients you can get anywhere and the water source from underneath Mirboo North is just fantastic. We also age the beer for an extended length of time” The Grand Ridge philosophy is to make good beer and let drinkers fall in love with it. Competing with factory brewers Fosters and Lion Nathan would not only be commercial suicide, it would inevitably lead to a lowering of standards. “I’m not looking to compete with the chemical products, I don’t want to make a product full of chemicals, preservatives, soap and other strange and nasty things,” Eric said. “Why make something like that when you can make a beautiful product.” The brewery is open for beer tasting and lunch and dinner, seven days a week. Booking ahead on 5668 2222 can be a good idea.

Here’s cheers: Manager Amanda Littlejohn and bar attendant Silvia Clifford with the famous brew.

Happy hours: Ken Graeme and Paul Jones enjoy a well-earned Friday night beer.

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WALK into Mirboo North’s Continental Drift and your senses are set for a ride around the world. The eclectic mix of jewellery, clothing, homewares and decorations make this a heady mix of colours and scents. Located towards the Boolarra end of the main street, Continental Drift is the perfect place to ﬁnd last minute Christmas gifts or that special item to treat yourself. Owners Geoff and Zoë Watt source the shop’s stock from all over the world, including Bulgarian silver jewellery from across Europe. “We were recently on a trip around Bulgaria where we sourced some wonderful silver jewellery,” Geoff said. “We also have some wonderful new brooches from Russia.”

“We like to source things from around the world rld to keep things interesting.” Despite the spectacular array of items and their eir obvious high quality, Geoff and Zoë manage to keep prices at very reasonable levels. “We like to think we have Melbourne quality at country prices,” Geoff said. Kimonos, scarves, handbags, cards and soaps ps are among the many items available at Continental tal Drift. “It really is an eclectic mix – there is something ng for everyone,” Geoff said. Among the highlights of the store are the unmisistakable Gozobs – weird and wonderful creatures res created and hand sculpted by Zoë. Made from a polymer clay with unique hand nd felted clothes, the Gozobs have proved a major attraction for Continental Drift. While the smaller ones are sold across Australia, ia,

the larger ones are much harder to come by. “Zoë supplies the little ones around Australia, but the big ones are only available from here and a shop in Tasmania,” Geoff said. A new innovation in the Gozob range has been the development of a website, offering a closer look inside the world of the Gozobs and their creator. “It’s been developed over the last year,” Geoff said. “We’ve created the website to show Zoë’s work and how she makes them.” You can ﬁnd the website at www. gozobs.com

Cooling down Mirboo North is a fair hike to the sea, so locals make good use of the pool. Situated in a natural amphitheatre surrounded by towering eucalypts, the pool is the number one place in the town for cooling down and catching up with friends. Drop in and have a dip – you won’t regret it.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 37

Bustling San Remo By Jane Ross

THE times they are achanging in San Remo. The sleepy ﬁshing village is no more, as tourists and holiday makers discover that the gateway to Phillip Island is a pleasant place to while away an hour or two, a week or two or a lifetime. Including the two hotels, there are now no less than nine places where you can have a cup of coffee, snack and/or lunch. The ﬁshermen’s co-op has realised a long-held dream of adding a restaurant extension. With big windows, it takes full advantage of the glorious view over the jetty, sea and bridge. Pelicans start gathering on the nearby beach from about 10am, awaiting the co-op’s daily feeding regime at 11.30. It’s not unusual for schools of manta rays to swim close to shore to mop up the scraps that the pelicans miss. Visitors can gain a good view of the rays - and the occasional seal from the jetty or the path at the top of the Phillip Island Bridge. Both the back and the front beaches are safe for swimming, but the water at the front beach deepens quickly and vigilance is needed if you choose to swim near the channel when the tide is out at the back beach. A major new development next to the Westernport Hotel, has altered the atmosphere of the main street. The complex includes apartments, pent-

Pelican feeding: Pelicans start gathering on the nearby San Remo beach from about 10am, awaiting the co-op’s daily feeding regime at 11.30.

houses and shops. These are still being tenanted, but there is a classy dress shop and café with outdoor tables separated from the street by a wall of glass. The other cafes in town all have tables on the footpath so that customers can enjoy the view – and the sea breeze. Children are catered for with a playground on the foreshore and another at the Lions Park overlooking Griffiths Point, an ideal spot for a picnic. The point is also historic. There, in the 1840s, a deep water port was set up to export wattle bark, farm produce, cattle and later coal. San Remo was thus named in 1888, although a post office had opened 11 years earlier. It has sprung to life in the past eight to 10 years. So much so, an independent planning panel has recommended an east/west road link be created behind the shops to take local traffic off the busy Phillip Island Road. The suggestion is a controversial one and townsfolk have rallied to object and fight for something they see as more suitable. The town now relies on tourism for its economic viability. There is still a fishing industry, but quotas and the cost of licences have greatly reduced the number of boats. San Remo Cemetery on the Anderson Street hill, commands a glorious view of the sea and boasts some historic graves. A park opposite is another perfect picnic spot.

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SUMMER brings long, lazy, fun ﬁlled days for children and their families and it also brings a whole new, exciting program of Spice Island kids cooking classes. These classes are aimed at putting the fun into food and to give children a greater appreciation of the pleasure of food and cooking, using all fresh ingredients. During the classes the young budding chefs get the option of making fabulous dishes including fresh sushi, delicious homemade satay skewers, fresh pizzas and dough. The ‘Cooking for Kids’ program to be run at the Spice Island Cooking School on Phillip Island is designed for children aged ﬁve to 12 years of age.

Many of the ingredients are sourced straight from the Spice Island garden, gathered by the chlidren. All groups get to prepare and enjoy a fabulous lunch. The kids’ classes are parent-free zones, giving the children the freedom to explore their true ﬂair for the kitchen. For the bigger kids, rather adults, there is a range of tempting classes on offer for January including Spanish, Tapas, Paella and Sangria Moroccan Magic, Indian Banquet, Summer French, Thai Banquet, Japanese and Italian. Gift vouchers are available so why not select one for the ultimate budding chef’s Christmas present. For more information or to make a booking call 5956 7557.

Riding high: young Phillip Island surfer India Payne in action on the Sunshine Coast recently. Photo courtesy Steve Robertson, Surﬁng Australia.

PHILLIP Island is ranked as one of the most ideal wave locations in Australia during the summer, offering a variety of high quality beach and reef breaks. Elite Island surfer India Payne, 15, of Cape Woolamai has a passion for surﬁng that has led her to great success in the recent Arnette Australian Junior titles at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland. Along with fellow Newhaven College student Nikki Van Dijk, the talented duo won the prestigious Australian top school surﬁng champions shield.

Let’s get cooking: Spice Island Cooking School teacher Paul Stafford guarantees fun for all at his Phillip Island cooking school and there is a great selection of delicious classes on offer for January.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 39

New koala centre opens PHILLIP Island now boasts a new Koala Consevation Centre. The new centre connects with the elevated boardwalks, allowing visitors to walk amongst the gums and be face to face with about 40 koalas roaming in their natural habitat. The centre was ofﬁcially opened recently by Johan Scheffer, representing the Minister for Environment and Sustainability, Gavin Jennings. Mr Scheffer said the new centre would be a boost to the local economy by stimulating tourism and creating jobs. “The Koala Conservation Centre plays a vital role in preserving the koalas on Phillip Island, and these new facilities are sure to attract additional visitors to experience the great

work being done here by the Phillip Island Nature Park’s research and environment teams. Phillip Island Nature Park CEO Mark Manteit said the opening of the new centre will be a great addition to the Phillip Island attractions. “We’ve been planning this upgrade to the koala visitor centre for some time and it’s great we will be able to open our doors to coincide with the school holidays”. Mr Manteit said “I would like to acknowledge the special contribution the various voluntary groups have made in creating this protected habitat for the Phillip Island koala population. We have a proud tradition on Phillip Island of activism to protect the natural environment and many individuals and families - start-

ing with David Forrest’s donation in 1956 of the land we are standing on - have given so much to preserve our natural attractions”. Councillor Jane Daly also said that it was a great day for the Phillip Island community, as the new facility was the culmination of a lot of hard work by individuals who have worked to preserve the koalas on Phillip Island for decades. The new centre boasts new exhibits featuring large interpretive and interactive displays. There is also an alfresco dining area with a sunny deck area for visitors and locals. Mr Manteit said “Our aim was to create an exhibition space that would educate our visitors about koalas, and provide some fun for families as well”.

Open for holidays: Ashley Reed, head ranger at the Koala Conservation Centre on Phillip Island is thrilled to have the new centre open for the summer holidays.

Child friendly museum THE National Vietnam Veterans Museum on Phillip Island is offering child friendly tours during the summer school holidays. The museum staff has been in training to be even more responsive to family requirements. Throughout January guides will be available for scheduled tours of their facility. Every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday at 11am and 2pm tours will be conducted. Museum president, Gary Parker said there are more than 20,000 items available for display and there is a story about each one of them. To have a guide explain even a few things through the tour will lead to a better experience for each visitor. Their hologram-type light and sound show is technically excellent and is the perfect medium to educate

and entertain at the same time. This will appeal to children of all ages. For those who haven’t visited in a while, Mr Parker said there are many developments including the Garden of Reﬂection, featuring as the centrepiece the replica of The Long Tan Cross, is surrounded by 80 to 90 Australian native plants. Children will love checking out the Bell Cobra Helicopter Gunship, the only one in Australia with full armaments. Nicknamed ‘the exhibit with attitude’ it still looks particularly menacing despite having left Vietnam 36 years ago. As well as being a wonderful learning experience for all the family, the museum offers great coffee and light meals.

New centre: a new facility has just been opened at Phillip Island’s Koala Conservation Centre that features new exhibits and an alfresco dining area.

PAGE 40 - “SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010

THE sounds of the sea lure visitors to Inverloch and once they arrive, people learn that this pretty seaside town abounds in natural appeal. Adventure-seekers head to the main surf beach to catch a wave and snorkelers and divers marvel at marine life along any of the coastal beaches east towards Cape Paterson. The inlet beach adjoining the angling club is a safe, sheltered spot for families, although they may well ﬁnd themselves sharing this stretch with kite and windsurfers too, depending on the day. Choose from several short walks around town or plot your own longer route by just wandering. The Inverloch Ayr Creek Walk is a stroll through native bush and wetlands. Start by following the track near the bridge on Ramsay Boulevard, just past Abbott Street. Follow the creek, passing the original log crossing, on your way to the bridge into Beach Avenue West. Walk up to Toorak Road, turn left and go down past Cashin Street to resume the track on your right. Meander along the bush track over Royal Parade to wetlands rich with birdlife. The easy walk can be continued to the highway, Ullathorne Road or further on to Nesci Court. The Thompson Reserve walk is a sheltered short walk of about 30 minutes through bushland.

Watch for the hidden car park on the Tarwin Lower Road, just east of Pier Road. The track winds through bush behind the tennis courts and Thompson Estate sports ﬁeld. The spectacular Screw Creek Estuary Reserve walk extends for about two-anda-half kilometres, starting from a carpark beyond the foreshore camping reserve at the eastern end of The Esplanade. The gravel track passes through coastal bush to Screw Creek, crossing the pristine waterway and reaching up Townsend Bluff, rewarding walkers with superb views over Inverloch and Anderson Inlet. A seat is at the top. More ambitious walkers may consider the 6km Point Smythe Coastal Walk at Venus Bay. The walk takes in superb coastal bush and offers another perspective on Anderson Inlet, with some areas only accessible by boat or foot. To get to the start of the walk, travel right to the end of Lees Road, that starts on the right hand side as you enter Venus Bay. The walk takes about two hours, but can quite easily become a day trip, with many areas and isolated beaches to explore. A brochure is available from tourist information centres. Looking for other activities to do around town? Here are some suggestions: Pop into the Bunurong Environment Centre and Shell Museum in Ramsay

Water sports: boating and jet skiing are just two of the popular activities on Anderson Inlet. Wind warriors: windsurﬁng is a great Anderson Inlet activity.

Beach not all fun VISITORS to Inverloch need to take notice of changing beach conditions. The sands of Point Smyth are eroding, resulting in the silting up of the bar between Anderson Inlet and the ocean. This has also caused a deep channel to move closer to the shore of the inlet. Roger Thurrowgood, who lives in Inverloch and swims regularly at the popular beach, Pensioner Point, has said that even he, a strong and experienced swimmer, cannot compete with the rip in the channel. He warned that the situation is life threatening when the tide is running out. He said the Anglers’ club beach is a safer one to swim at and advised against swimmers using the waters between the Inverloch pier and Pensioner Point. Gippsland Ports has issued a warning to mariners about the bar, saying the only reasonably safe time to cross it is at high water when there is no swell, in a vessel with a shallow draft.

“SOUTH COAST TOURIST NEWS”, Summer Edition, 2009/2010 - PAGE 41

Boulevard, opposite the Esplanade Hotel. The centre has a fascinating shell collection of more than 6000 specimens as well as informative nature books rarely found elsewhere, plus displays covering environmental and conservation issues; Explore the rock pools around The Caves beach (on the Cape Paterson Road) or along Anderson Inlet, opposite the Kiosk in Ramsay Boulevard; Wander the pristine surf beaches between Inverloch and Cape Paterson. Choose from Shack Bay, The Oaks, Twin Reefs and Undertow Bay; Take a drive along the majestic Bunurong Coastal Drive from Inverloch to Kilcunda via Cape Paterson, along the clifftops, with various beaches to explore and sights to see along the 40km journey; Take the kids to Rainbow Park in the heart of town to play; See the replica of The Ripple, a sailing vessel that once serviced the district. The boat is on The Esplanade; Wet a ﬁshing line in the inlet or sea; and Play at the numerous golf courses around the region.

Majestic place: the Screw Creek Estuary Reserve walk east of Inverloch takes visitors to a pretty place.

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Entertainment galore THE Tarra Festival has been an icon of Easter in the Yarram district since 1971 and the 2010 event promises to keep the tradition alive. With a theme of Round the World, the festival offers fun, culture, sport, markets and music, and appeals to locals and visitors alike. Next year’s theme paves the way for a multicultural experience. Organisers are hoping for displays of national dress, African drumming, a Chinese plate spinner and ribbon twirler, a Henna art tattooist, Aboriginal music, face painting, naughty clowns and balloon art. African drum and dance ensemble Zazu will bring the party music of West Africa to Yarram. The group’s legendary high energy gigs merge traditional African dance, and often acrobatics, with comedy and theatre. Their music fuses beautiful rhythms with soaring vocal harmonies, ﬂute, saxophone and didgeridoo. The popular Australian Youth Band, well received at the 2009 festival, is scheduled to return. A new event in 2010 will be the Chocolate and Jazz Festival, to be held at the Tarra Valley Rainforest Retreat. This wonderful afternoon of pure indulgence will offer local produce to buy, eat and drink, plus chocolate making demonstrations and fantastic jazz in the beautiful surrounds of Tarra Valley.

Crowd pleasers: the popular Australian Youth Band will return to the Tarra Festival in 2010. The main event is the street parade on Easter Saturday morning, featuring ﬂoats created by community groups and a blend of colour and sound that

will appeal to people young and old. Over the four day event, families will have the choice of an Easter egg hunt, the Lions Mixed Sports Day,

Rotary Art Show and Pancakes in the Park. Street performers will meander around town, markets will be held in

Yarram and Port Albert, and famous ghost tours will return to the historic Alberton Cemetery. From its inception in 1971 to today, the Tarra Festival has been the embodiment of community spirit. The festival brings together the residents of the district in a celebration of its history while showcasing all Yarram has to offer. The signiﬁcance of the word “Tarra” originated from Charlie Tarra, an Aboriginal who guided early explorers such as Count Paul Strzelecki, James McArthur and James Riley to the area and to what is now referred to as “Tarra Territory”. The festival is co-ordinated by a team of volunteers and representatives of service groups and community organisations. Funded 100 per cent by sponsorship, grants and donations from businesses, tourism groups and Wellington Shire Council, dozens of volunteers help make the festival the success it is. So whatever you are doing over the Easter long weekend, come and experience the Tarra Festival. Don’t miss one of Gippsland’s biggest and most popular events. To ﬁnd out more, check out the website: www.tarrafestival.com.au Major sponsors in 2010 are Woolworths and Wellington Shire Council.

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Call into Tooradin TOORADIN coastal village is a popular half way point between Melbourne, and Phillip Island or South Gippsland. Set around a picturesque foreshore and coastal inlet, it offers both passers-by and day tourists the perfect place to stop for a day or as a short break on the way through. A variety of takeaways, post ofﬁce, newsagent, supermarket, pharmacy, gourmet foods and wine

and real estate agents make a vibrant town centre. The boat ramp and foreshore offers barbecues, undercover pavilion, extensive playground facilities, many ﬁshing spots on the foreshore or the two jetties and boardwalk. Tidemaster tours provide tours and ﬁshing trips on Westernport Bay seven days a week by appointment only.

Tooradin is a great place to live, with many families relocating each year to experience the sea change and the tranquil lifestyle, with all sporting facilities located in town including football, cricket, netball, tennis and skate park. Every third Sunday in the month the Sunday market celebrates on Tooradin island, which is a beautiful setting again reﬂecting the value of the foreshore.

Up close: feeding the animals is just part of the experience. Busy times: butchers Darren Booth and Peter Law from TJ’s Gourmet Meat and Food sell quality Gippsland Free Range Beef.

Nocturnal house to open A NEW nocturnal house is just one of the new attractions being offered at Wildlife Wonderland, located on the Bass Highway at Bass.

Coastal village: Tooradin has plenty of views across the inlet and is a pretty place to stop and “refuel”.

The nocturnal house, to open on Boxing Day, is an exciting new project for the new owners of the attraction. Wildlife Wonderland is an interactive wildlife adventure featuring koalas,

kangaroos, wombats and other native animals. The 15 acre sanctuary gives people the chance to cuddle baby wombats, hand feed the kangaroos, see dingoes, wallabies, and view the koalas eye to eye. There’s also native birds, wetlands and indoor/outdoor viewing areas. And don’t forget, it is also home to the Giant Worm! A great tourist attraction, it is situated 10 minutes from Phillip Island on the Bass Highway. Open daily from 10am-5pm.

Close up: get a bird’s eye view of the beautiful koalas.

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Fish waiting for you SOUTH Gippsland is surrounded by coastline and crisscrossed by rivers, so there are ample opportunities to catch a ﬁsh this summer.

Waiting game: Alan Lucas of Ferntree Gully wets a line off the Port Welshpool jetty.

With so many locations available there is a huge range of fish to choose from. From land-based angling to seeking out fish from a boat in an inlet or at sea, the coastline from Phillip Island in the west to the Ninety Mile Beach in the east presents endless fishing opportunities. Here are some tips for the visitor. Phillip Island Where: San Remo entrance, off Cape Woolamai, right around the coast to Ventnor. Species available: whiting, barracouta, yellowtail kingfish, salmon, trevally, flathead, snapper and sweep. Elephant fish are popular at this time of year. Tides: either side of high or low tide. Options: a variety of rock and surf options, and many boat-based possibilities. Marine park: the Churchill Island Marine National Park is located between Churchill Island and Long Point and back to Swan Corner on Phillip Island. Anderson Inlet Where: inlet, outside, Tarwin River and Screw Creek. Mahers Landing is good for land and boat fishing, and is a popular alternative launching

venue. Venus Bay is a popular surf fishing spot, albeit mainly for salmon during late autumn and winter. Species available: whiting, garfish, salmon, snapper, gummy shark, tailor, estuary perch, bream, flounder. Tides: an hour before and after low water near the inlet entrance and at Mahers Landing. Try either side of high tide too. If fishing Screw Creek, fish soon after high tide when estuary perch come on the bite. Combine with dawn or dusk and you should be guaranteed a fish. Options: land and boat-based fishing. Special note: the bar has recently shoaled and is extremely hazardous to cross. Either stay inside or gain local knowledge and bar condition updates before venturing outside. Shallow Inlet/Walkerville Where: throughout the main channels and feeder channels inside, and outside. From any Walkerville beach and offshore between Waratah and Cape Liptrap. Species available: whiting, trevally, salmon, garfish, gummy shark, mullet, flounder. Tides: either side of tidal changes. Be wary of shallow waters, particularly around low tide. Some channels average only 1.5m deep. Options: land-based, boat-based inlet and ocean fishing. Launch boats from the beach at Sandy Point or Walkerville South. Check weather conditions as the Shallow Inlet bar is hazardous and the Walkerville South beach is prone to rough conditions. Corner Inlet Where: Bennison Channel, Middle Channel, Franklin River Channel, Toora Channel, Stockyard Channel. Species available: flathead, whiting, bream, snapper, gummy shark, leatherjacket, mullet, trevally. Tides: several hours either side of the changes.

Options: predominantly boatbased fishing, but land based fishing is available at Yanakie Beach. Marine parks: Corner Inlet Marine National Park in two sections: between Bennison Island and Wilsons Promontory, and from Tin Mine Hill on Wilsons Promontory past Granite Island to Middle Channel, and then back to Mount Singapore on the Prom. Port Welshpool Where: Lewis Channel, from Port Welshpool wharves, Franklin Channel, Bennison Spit. Species available: gummy shark, flathead, pike, garfish, snapper shark, trevally, snapper, whiting. Tides: several hours either side of the changes. Options: wharves at Port Welshpool and boat-based, either in the inlet or outside. Port Albert Where: Port Albert Channel, Midge Channel, Snake Channel, Clumps Channel, Middle Bank, Albert River. Species available: flathead, trevally, whiting, flounder. Tides: check locally for particular locations and if in a boat, be wary of banks at low water. Options: boat-based in the inlet or outside, Albert River or jetties at Port Albert. Robertsons Beach-McLoughlins Beach Where: Shoal Inlet (near Kate Kearney entrance, Farmers Channel or Boat Harbour Channel), Manns Beach, McLoughlins Beach and surf beaches along Ninety Mile Beach. Species available: whiting, flathead, estuary perch, gummy shark, trevally, garfish. Tides: check locally for particular locations and if in a boat, be wary of banks at low water. Options: boat-based inside or outside, land-based light fishing or surf.

Successful outing: Steve Grifﬁths of Traralgon landed several ﬂathead during a trip on Corner Inlet recently.

Venus Bay market FARMERS markets are coming to Venus Bay for the ﬁrst time. “We’re responding to a request from some of the business people,” said market coordinator Peter Arnold. “They approached us and said there aren’t many shops in Venus Bay and the 8000 holiday makers need to be fed!” The markets start on Wednesday December 23 and will be held every Wednesday in January between 8am and 1pm. Up to 25 stalls will be set up in Jupiter Boulevard, next to the Fishing Village Café, selling the best and freshest food that the region has to offer. Farmers markets come with the promise: whatever the weather we will be there. Stalls will include fresh vegetables, fruit, cheeses, organics, free range eggs, honey, olive oil, jams, chutneys, herbs, wines, cakes, fresh sourdough bread and tasty country breakfasts. “This is your chance to fall in love with local food,” said Mr Arnold.

Relaxing morning: John Toulson of The Basin dangles a line at Port Welshpool in anticipation of a catch.

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Brilliant park, stage and price! POSSIBLY the most beautiful and exhilarating place to experience live music in Victoria is in South Gippsland: at Mossvale Park, just off the Strzelecki Highway between Leongatha and Mirboo North. In 2010 music fans will be treated to three amazing events at Mossvale Park featuring artists from Australia and across the world, including Kasey Chambers, Mia Dyson, Old Crow Medicine Show, Eilen Jewell and a whole lot more. The ﬁrst event will be on Saturday, January 23. It is the Australia Day long weekend, just before we all head back to school or work and the perfect time

to enjoy full summer. The music will be excellent. One of the hottest bands in the world today is from Africa and features Vieux Farka Toure. Coming to Australia for the Sydney Festival, Vieux and his band will be doing only one Regional show: at Mossvale Park. This will be one of ‘THE’ tours of the Summer: fans of Vieux can’t wait for this debut tour and the uninitiated will be blown away! Vieux has just toured Europe where he took the music scene by storm. The Times in the UK recently reported: “...announces the arrival of a feisty new Africa guitar hero... consistently excellent.” Returning to Australia this Summer,

Charlie Parr will come to Gippsland for the first time. Having delighted and astonished audiences across the country on tour with Paul Kelly in April 2009, Charlie now heads off on his first headline East Coast tour. With a fantastic gift for an onstage yarn, and sparks flying off his prized National resonator, 12-string guitar and banjo as he delivers rousing, freewheeling performances from his own extensive song catalogue and the country blues canon, Charlie is on his way to becoming Australia’s new favourite bluesman. Mia Dyson has been sadly missed on the Australian music scene since relocating to the US but will be back to do just a few shows in January.

Mia will also feature at Mossvale Park on January 23, as will Lisa Miller, Shane O’Mara and Collard Greens and Gravy. Whilst the music at Mossvale Park will have a blues and rock ﬂavour in January it will turn more alt-country on Saturday, March 13. Multi-award winning Australian alternative country singer-songwriter Kasey Chambers with partner Shane Nicholson, father Bill Chambers as well as guests, will headline at Mossvale. Receiving praise across the globe, 2010 will be Australia’s ﬁrst chance to see and hear the alluring Eilen Jewell and her band. Eilen Jewell puts her own beautiful stamp on old country, folk and blues, her music has the lan-

guorous quietude of Gillian Welch or Norah Jones, but there is something more direct, almost in your face, about her stark, neo traditional melodies, subdued vocals, and conﬁdent, slowswaying groove. Also appearing at the March Mossvale will be American Mary Gauthier: “With songwriting as powerful as hers, there’s no need to go looking for qualiﬁers…She’s a unique, intrinsically valuable musical voice. And there’s never a surplus of those.” - Los Angeles Times. All 3 events are at the same brilliant price: $50 Conc. $55 Adults $150 Family + bkg fee, Under 14 free. Details and ticket outlets: www.lyrebirdartscouncil.com.au, MOSHTIX, or phone 5664 9239.

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Prom on the web Glen O’Neill has put South Gippsland tourism into cyberspace, with a website that showcases the region’s best accommodation at the click of a mouse.

Gateway to the Prom: the new managers of the Opal Motel in Leongatha, Robin Wood (left) and Pauline Brewis (right) with Prom Country website manager Glen O’Neill, who believes South Gippsland is a wonderful place for a holiday. Perfect vista: the view from the Opal Motel is nothing but country.

The wonderfully designed ‘Prom Country’ website boasts 24 properties in Yanakie (cabins, cottages, beach houses, caravan parks and B&B accommodation), 15 properties in Sandy Point, as well as 70 other properties between Inverloch and Tarra Bulga in all the towns on the way to Wilsons Promontory. “It’s all about promoting tourism,” Glen said. Funds from the operators go into a fund, which pays for advertising far and wide. Glen advertises in Melbourne and many other places, helping to spread the word about Australia’s hidden tourism gem. The word is obviously out, because the site has received 7,494,790 hits, with 22,000 new visitors logging on in the past three months. “Visitors get on the website and look at all the different towns and what sort of accommodation is available,” he said. “We have facilitated over $133,000 in secure online bookings for sales through the Wilsons Promontory and surrounds web site in the last 12 months. “These properties receive more bookings and enquiries because they use the availability calendar and the visitors can choose to book online, email, phone or visit the property in

person to make a booking.” Glen knows better than most the beauty and diversity of the region. Take things slowly and you’ll ﬁnd unique art galleries, award-winning wineries, farmers’ markets, organic produce, quality restaurants, a wide variety of art shows and exhibitions, music festivals and many attractions, such as Coal Creek Historical Village, Mount Best Lookout, Wilsons Promontory National Park, Agnes Falls, the Cape Liptrap Lighthouse and Walkerville’s lime kilns. The website’s services include horse drawn carriages, service stations, the Stony Creek Racing Club, hiking, cruises, bike hire, car rentals, sailing, ﬁshing charters, restaurants, real estate agents and art galleries. Customers can either book online, email or call the accommodation managers directly. And with the website’s 110 places to stay, the holiday possibilities are almost endless, whether you want modestly priced basic accommodation or to stay in the absolute lap of luxury. Glen knows the region inside and out. Gippsland born and bred, the tourism guru operates from Leongatha, which he views as a good central location. He has 10 years experience in developing tourism websites and managing specialist accommodation. Visit: www.promcountry.com.au

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THE South Gippsland Branch of the Gippsland Historical Automobile Club is famous for its swap meetings, which bring thousands of car enthusiasts to the Korumburra Showgrounds each year. Held in January, last year about 4000 people visited the event, making it one of the largest events held in South Gippsland. Secretary of the South Gippsland branch, Max Wise said attendances kept growing every year, visitor numbers as well as stall holders. “Maybe because of the economic situation this year, people wanted to cash in on their goods,” Mr Wise suggested. “We had lots more people setting up.” People come from far and wide to the swaps, which have a nationwide reputation, with sellers coming from as far as New South Wales. This year was the 27th time the event was held. It includes a vintage and classic car display, which always attracts many admirers. The cars look immaculate. “The club appreciates the support of its members to put it on, as well the Lions Club of Leongatha and Korumburra, who do a great job with supplying food,” Mr Wise said. In 2007, the South Gippsland branch celebrated signiﬁcant milestones, when members opened the doors of a new clubroom on the Leongatha Recreation Reserve. The ofﬁcial opening on that particular Saturday was timed precisely to the day the branch was formed, (then) 30 years ago, on August 18, 1977. The club will be 33 years old in 2010. With more than 80 members, the South

Gippsland branch is a thriving club that has established its own place in automobile history. Branch members have been running the swap meet in Korumburra in January for more than 25 years and organise day runs, weekends away and social nights. The proceeds of the swap meets have largely funded the renovation of the club room. Previously members held their branch meetings at different locations. The Gippsland Historical Automobile Club was founded in 1968 in Morwell. The prime objects of the club were to assist anyone interested in historic motor vehicles, motor cycles, tractors, trucks and stationary engines of 25 years or older. However, people do not need to own anything historic, such as a vintage car or any other related item, to be a member of the club. Over the years, as membership grew, other branches were formed. Today, South Gippsland is one of six branches. The other ﬁve are East Gippsland, Heyﬁeld and District, LaTrobe, Westenders and Bass Coast.

Great club: Secretary Max Wise, with his 1958 Ford Mainline Star, is a keen collector of classic cars and enjoys the friendship of being part of the South Gippsland branch of the Gippsland Historical Automobile Club.

Old beauties: the vintage and classic cars that are on display in the oval of the Korumburra showgrounds are always in immaculate condition.

Potential treasure: stallholders, Stephen and Glen Halliday, Poowong, search through car bits and household bric-a-brac on offer.

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