Ripe magazine

1422432
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2
Emma embraces change
By JACINTA BOLSENBROEK
O
NCE, the manicured, high
speed life and all things glitzy
were part of Emma Hawkins’
everyday life – until now.
Sydney was the place she called
home, a tourist hot spot, where all
things shine, where the city lights
dance with excitement, where even
Prince William, Kate and George come
to visit.
But with a change in pace, the dusty,
hot and dry roads of Anna Plains station, situated on the coastline south of
Broome, is now Emma’s home.
Emma, 22, was born into the city
way of life, where she said if you didn’t
spend half an hour each morning putting on your “celebrity-endorsed war
paint”, you stood out like a sore
thumb.
Emma recently took the plunge and
relocated to the opposite side of the
country to become a jillaroo, at a station where it’s a two and a half hour
drive from the nearest town – only a
short drive in station terms – but to
her an eternity away.
“It’s a bit of a change, from being a
shift supervisor in hospitality to taking
care of station cattle,” she said.
“I thought I had some idea before I
came here, because I did equestrian
when I was younger and had that connection with animals and the land, but
it was a big eye opener coming here.
“It’s been a huge learning curve, but
coming out here definitely filled the
gap I’ve been missing since my
younger horse riding days.”
From the change of climate, to the
colours of the landscape, Emma is
embracing her new life.
“I’ve not been at Anna Plains for
very long,” she said.
“But, in this time, I feel like I’ve
gained more life lessons and moral
values than any air conditioned, student packed classroom could ever
teach me.”
Emma has embraced every part of
her new life, and is a changed woman.
From preg-testing a cow for the first
time, fighting fires and battling the
weather instead of hiding in the airconditioning on a 32°C day.
“I’ve also been handling the occasional snake and wishing my mum
was here to age her a decade!” she
said.
❐ Emma Hawkins recently relocated to the opposite side of the country to become a jillaroo at Anna Plains station, south of Broome.
“It’s the important things, like ensuring the poddy calves are fed, the cattle
have water, the fences are secure and
the utes are packed, that now matter
the most.”
Emma would sleep in until smoko
in her past life and not know what a
true sunrise looked like.
Now, she is waking up and appreciating the rays of light spreading across
the vast and open land, touching the
trees in the distant horizon.
There is no such thing as sleeps-ins
on a station.
Emma said waking up at “sparrow
fart o’clock” seems the more appropriate way to describe it.
“Watching beautiful sunrises together with the crew definitely makes it
worthwhile,” she said.
“The lingo sounds like a foreign language at first, but being part of such
an amazing team and getting to meet
so many people, considered family
and friends to Anna Plains, is a great
highlight of my job.”
It’s definitely a change of scenery,
but Emma has found her place in her
new home.
Emma said she came to Anna
Plains because of the sense of family
and unity.
“This is the first time I’ve moved out
of home,” she said.
“The fact that Anna Plains station is
family-owned and operated and the
fact it’s not run by a big corporation
really interested me.
“I picked Anna Plains because I had
recommendations that they really
look after you.
“Also it’s near 80 Mile beach and
close to Broome, which was a bonus,”
she said.
From serving lunch to city-folk to
eating lunch on crates, Emma sees this
as a way of life and has plans to come
back next season.
“I have some time off in December,
so I plan to go see my friends and
family back in Sydney and maybe
even go travelling to New Zealand,”
she said.
“I see myself doing this for a long
time and would love to come back
here for next mustering season.
“I am only fresh to the industry but I
get to meet so many people and how
they live their lives – it’s very encouraging.
“My lunch is now eaten on a crate
next to the yards, to the sound of cows
and my make up time is down to five
minutes.
“I don’t worry about the superficial
things, I’m not sure I know what a
manicure is anymore and I don’t care
anyway!”
Ripe is a monthly horticultural, lifestyle and small farms magazine
published in WA’s biggest selling rural newspaper
Advertising: Caroline Court 08-9365 2618 Print run: 14,800
e: [email protected]
Next edition: May 29, 2014
Maximising your advertising reach and reading enjoyment
Farming females
WE put the call out earlier in the year for
nominations for some fantastic farming
females. And the response was huge.
WA, with its diverse mix of farming
practices from the far north to the south
east, also has a diverse mix of ladies involved
in the agricultural sector.
This month’s Ripe is a celebration of what
these wonderful women bring to our great
industry.
And with Mother’s Day just around the
corner, it is also timely to recognise the
woman’s role in agriculture.
Whether it is bringing up the kids, helping
the hubby on the farm, being involved in
community events, or establishing businesses
that aim to lift the profile of the WA ag
industry, this edition is a testament to the
great work being done by all.
This month we have profiled some
exceptional ladies, from one who has moved
out of the Sydney lifestyle to land on a
Broome cattle station, another who is doing
her bit to raise agriculture’s profile through
some striking photos on her Pilbara cattle
station to another who is pushing consumers
to demand locally grown produce.
Then there is the Kojonup farmer who is
passionate about agriculture and is looking to
raise its profile through an events
management business, and the two Esperance
ladies who took it upon themselves to
organise and donate 16 semi-loads of hay to
drought hit New South Wales farmers.
And don’t forget the Beverley lady with a
passion for arts that has turned Beverley into
the art hub of the Wheatbelt.
Any publication on rural women wouldn’t
be complete without some mention of the
Country Women’s Association. The CWA has
long been working to improve relationships
between rural women across the globe and it
just quietly goes about its business. In fact
WA’s association is celebrating 90 years this
year - a wonderful achievement. (See page 17
for your chance to win a 75th anniversary
CWA cookbook)
While this Ripe issue only gives a small
sample of some of the work done by a
handful of wonderful WA regional women,
there are so many out there that often don’t
get the credit they deserve.
So next time you see your mum, your sister
or your wife or partner, give them a hug.
They’ve earnt it.
Publisher: Trevor Emery
Editor-in chief: Travis King
Advertising: Caroline Court
Layout: Alex Cordier
Address: 9 Kitchener Avenue,
Victoria Park, WA 6100
Phone: (08) 9361 5000;
Facsimile: (08) 9472 4238
Published by Western Australian
Primary Industry Press Pty Ltd
www.farmonline.com.au
3
Erin works to achieve her ag ambitions
▲ Not only is Erin Gorter, Kojonup, a quintessential farmer, she's also a mother of two adult children – Kelly and Tom, wife of husband Thys and business woman in her own right.
By BOBBIE HINKLEY
I
T’S easy to be inspired by
women like Erin Gorter.
I was lucky enough to get
to know her in 2012.
We’d known each other to
say hi to before then, but it
was when we were seated
next to each other at the
announcement of the 2012
WA RIRDC Rural Woman of
the Year, in which cattle
industry ambassador
Catherine Marriott took
home the gong, that I decided Erin was indeed an exceptional example of a fantastic
farming female.
After winning the runnerup ribbon at the very same
event in 2010 for her work
towards encouraging women
and youth back into agricultural industries, Erin was right
at home among handfuls of
business and industry leaders
as well as inspiring country
women – young and old.
4
But the minute she pointed
to and started to laugh off
her work shirt tan which
poked out from under the
sleeves of her cocktail dress, I
knew she was the real deal.
Not only is Erin a quintessential Kojonup farmer, she’s
also a mother of two adult
children – Kelly and Tom,
wife of husband Thys and a
business woman in her own
right.
Many of you will know Erin
from her former role as the
executive officer of the Great
Southern grower group
Southern DIRT.
These days Erin is a director of the agricultural advice
organisation Agvivo, as well
as the manager of the pasture
group Evergreen Farming.
She also sits on the WA
Meat Industry Authority and
Grow Zone boards.
But Erin admits her biggest
hoorah so far this year was
the recent launch of her own
events management business
under the Agvivo umbrella –
Agvivo Events.
After finishing her appointment at Southern DIRT, Erin
took the advice of a great
friend who suggested that
she step back from her work
commitments to reflect on
her business ambitions for a
while.
She was encouraged to
take a helicopter view of her
position and decide where
she wanted to be.
After toying with the idea
of an events management
business for some time, Erin
saw the opportunity to help
people to manage and coordinate rural events for rural
people – whether it be field
days, conferences, seminars
or forums – for organisations
or individually-run agricultural businesses that didn’t necessarily have the time, staff,
capability or capacity to do it
on their own.
Erin said whether it be for
50 or 500 guests, certain agricultural events had the
potential to come unstuck
because farmers didn’t usually have the time to get away
from their paddocks.
A business like Agvivo
Events would help to consolidate the information and
bring it to them in a farmerfriendly kind of way.
“I stood back and thought
to myself,‘what do I like to do
and what will be of real value
to the industry?’” Erin said.
“And I’m really excited to
do it.”
With the majority of the
family farm’s cropping paddocks leased out, Erin said
the property was at a point
where Thys could manage
much of the work on his own
as a result of the farm having
been transformed from a
wheat and sheep property to
a 100 per cent livestock
enterprise in recent years.
Born and bred just five
kilometres down the road
from Thys’ and Erin’s current
farm, as a youngster Erin left
for boarding school and university (like many of us had
to do) and studied primary
school teaching before
returning to Kojonup.
Her father’s family had initially came from Victoria in
the 1950s and took up land
in the Mobrup region (a
small locality serviced by
Kojonup) which made Thys
and Erin’s purchase of their
farm (some 21 years ago)
that little bit more special
seeing it once belonged to
Erin’s uncle.
“I didn’t know what I wanted to do when I left school
but I always knew I wanted
to live and work in a rural setting,” Erin said.
“Studying teaching was a
means to an end because I
wanted it to take me back to
the country.”
Erin taught at one of the
local schools for a couple of
years before starting a family.
But she was always passionate
about farming, country life and
country people.
In lieu of this special edition
of Ripe, I asked Erin what she
thought made country women
so extraordinary.
And funnily enough, she
pretty well described herself
without knowing it.
“Everybody has got something to offer,” Erin said.
“There is no such thing as
somebody being ‘just’ a
farmer’s wife.
“The adaptability of females
and their ability to adjust and
manage in any situation –
often juggling 25,000 balls at
the same time – is what I think
is extraordinary about country
women.
“Often there’s a lot of adversity being dealt with at the
same time and women deal
with things in the face of the
many different issues that are
taking place within their many
different life roles.
“The thing that sets country
women apart from women in
the city is that they don’t have
the resources at their fingertips
that many in more populated
places do.”
But Erin strongly believes
that the more challenging the
task, the greater the reward.
“I certainly don’t believe in
talking down our situation and
talking down our industry,” she
said.
“One of the greatest things
we can do for our industry is
talk it up and remain positive.
“We need to communicate
what we do in a positive light
and I think that’s what women
are really good at.
“The thing I see lacking in
women in country areas is the
confidence to realise they are
doing something pretty awesome.
“When I took part in the
RIRDC Rural Woman’s Award
in 2010 the common thread
among us all was that none of
us thought we were doing anything special.
“But country women need
to realise that what they have
to offer is extraordinary.
“Every contribution is of
value, whether it be financial
or otherwise.”
◗
◗
◗
◗
Erin Gorter
Agvivo Events
ph: 0429 833 752
[email protected]
▲ Erin Gorter is a director of the agricultural advice organisation Agvivo, as well as the manager of the
pasture group Evergreen Farming. She also sits on the WA Meat Industry Authority and Grow Zone
boards. But her biggest achievement so far this year was the recent launch of her own events management
business – Agvivo Events.
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5
A taste of the good life
By BETH JOHNSTON
J
ODIE Lane has her own
successful business, but
prefers not to label herself as a business woman.
Perhaps that’s because
Jodie doesn’t run her permaculture business, Fair Harvest,
with profit in mind, but rather
the community.
Three years ago Jodie
decided to turn a section of
her family’s farm in Margaret
River into a permaculture display farm.
Together, Jodie and partner
Dorothee Perez created Fair
Harvest, with the aim of
inspiring and enabling others
to grow their own produce.
Jodie said Dorothee was far
more business-minded, as
well as a driven gardener and
a perfectionist – just a few of
the reasons the pair make
such a great team.
“I would have to say I’m
more community oriented
than a business woman, if I
had my way Fair Harvest
would be a not-for-profit
organisation working for the
local community, but for various reasons that model wasn’t going to work here on the
family farm,” Jodie said.
“I’m not a great business
woman because I’m not driven by profit or growth, I thrive
from seeing our community
grow and people getting
involved in local healthy
food.
“I love our natural environ-
▲ Fair Harvest's Jodie Lane says she thrives from seeing our community grow and people getting involved in local healthy food. Photos courtesy http://www.daveandcharlotte.com.au/
ment, I love riding my horse
and milking my cows, I love
harvesting honey and sharing
a glass of wine with friends.
“These are the things that
drive and inspire me and I
don’t think I’m alone.
“Fair Harvest is offering the
examples, the skills and the
experience for others to
enjoy the good life.”
Jodie has lived and worked
on the Lane family farm for
nearly 20 years, but it was
only two years ago now that
Fair Harvest was opened to
the public.
When she first discovered
permaculture, Jodie knew it
was a way of thinking that
could be applied to all
aspects of life and was
instantly inspired.
“The ethics made sense –
“Care for the earth”,“Care for
the people” and “Fair share”,”
Jodie said.
“The principles used for
design of gardens, animal systems, farmland, housing and
communities are based on
observation of healthy natural
systems and common sense,
so I always knew these were
sound guidelines to follow.”
These days Fair Harvest acts
as a permaculture display
farm but also as a school for
permaculture and other courses (covering all aspects of gar-
▲ Some of the fresh produce from the permaculture business, Fair Harvest.
6
dening, growing, preserving
and farming), as a venue for
events such as the monthly
“Swap, Shuffle, Share” and
more recently as a venue for
lunch every Thursday, to give
everybody the opportunity to
drop in and see what Fair
Harvest is all about and enjoy
a meal made entirely from
local produce.
Venue hire of the beautifully
restored and renovated farm
buildings is also available,
which have been used for a
variety of functions including
eco-weddings.
It’s a real team effort at Fair
Harvest, with Jodie and
Dorothee at the helm and
numerous others working tirelessly to ensure everything gets
done.
Jodie is quick to point out
that none of the success
would have been possible
without her amazing and supportive family.
“If I think back over the
years there are many times
that I dreamt of having the
type of venue that we have
now though I can’t say it was a
clear goal, more of a slowly
unfolding one,” she said.
“As permaculture is such a
broad subject our business has
also been open to anything
good, healthy and sustainable.
“One of our key focuses is
offering high quality permaculture courses, especially the
two week live-in Permaculture
Design Certificate.
“We employ some of the
best teachers in the State in
this course and now offer
them twice a year.”
If Jodie’s name sounds
familiar to you, it could be
because you’re a permaculture enthusiast, a Margaret
River local, or chances are it’s
because Jodie has been a
finalist in the RIRDC Rural
Women’s Award for the last
two consecutive years.
This year, she was the runner-up with her project “Eat
Local Week” – a means of
encouraging people to discover more about locallygrown produce.
“The concept of eating
local is still what gets me
excited,” Jodie said.
“I feel that it is important
on so many levels, socially,
economically and environmentally.
“The more that people are
aware of what they are eating
and where it is coming from,
the more support we are giving to local producers and
the less fuel is being used to
transport food around the
globe.
“It builds healthy local
communities and gets people
excited about growing food
and going to the local producers market.
“One thing I discovered
through the awards is that
many people living in rural
areas have little or no access
to local produce and that is
something that needs
addressing.”
Jodie plans to continue
with her vision for Eat Local
Week, albeit slightly readjusting it (due to the smaller
budget) to start small and
local and will rely on community participation and
social media.
They are looking at trialling
the project in August this year.
“I have found the experience of being involved with
the RIRDC awards quite
amazing,” Jodie said.
“Applicants are encouraged
to follow their passions, and I
found that the more true to
myself and my ideals I was
the better the feedback I
received.
“I also found the award
process extremely challenging as I always picture myself
as a bit of an outsider in the
agricultural industry, and it is
an industry award.
“Being placed as a runner
up does go to show that the
industry is interested in longterm sustainability and community support and that is
hugely encouraging.”
As well as Eat Local Week,
Jodie, Dorothee and the team
are hatching many other
exciting plans at Fair Harvest.
The second Festival of
Forgotten Skills will be held
later in the year, which is an
event highlighting skills such
as basket weaving, cheese
making and candle making.
Early next year they are
looking to hold an upcycling
festival for all things that have
been made out of what may
have been classed as rubbish.
“For my future though I
need to create a space that is
sustainable for myself, my
partner and my family,” Jodie
said.
“Running a business that is
expanding every day is exciting but there is also the danger of it taking over our lives
so completely that we lose
what is dear to us.
“I hope to be able to
expand the team so that the
business is an example of a
small, local, thriving team
with happy players.
“I hope to take time off and
enjoy riding my horse and
sharing a wine with friends.”
◗ Jodie Lane, Fair
Harvest
◗ Margaret River
◗ www.fairharvest.com.au
▲ Hannah Rowe (left), Sari Ellen Bennet and Dorothee Perez harvesting garlic.
7082740
7
Hay from WA goes a long way
By BETH JOHNSTON
T
WO humble WA ladies,
looking to pay it forward have completed
one of the most extraordinary
hay runs in history in order to
help New South Wales farmers affected by drought.
A total of 16 road trains carrying almost 1000 bales of
donated hay made their way
from Salmon Gums travelling
2900 kilometres to Bourke,
NSW.
In Cobar, the convoy met up
with another 36 trucks and, in
an incredible sight, a total of 52
road trains made their way to
Bourke to unload hay to farmers desperately needing feed
for their livestock.
Sam Starcevich and Anne
Bell have both experienced
the horrible reality of drought,
but when they found themselves with bumper hay crops
last year, they wanted to help.
Anne, who farms cattle at
Munglinup with husband Paul,
expected to cut about 150
bales of hay last year.
When they found themselves with 700 bales, Anne
knew what she wanted to do
with the surplus.
“We had such an awesome
year feed-wise – it was our best
year in 20-odd years – so I said
to Paul, why don’t we donate a
road train worth of hay,” Anne
said.
“Paul thought it might be too
far for anyone to want to cart
hay to NSW or Queensland,
but then I heard Sam on the
▲ Anne Bell (left) and Sam
Starcevich organised for 16 road
trains to cart 1000 bales of hay to
struggling New South Wales farmers.
radio wanting to do something
similar so we got chatting.”
Sam, who has a cropping
enterprise at Salmon Gums
with her husband Darren, had
experienced five years of
drought prior to last year’s
bumper season.
They also found themselves
with a surplus of hay and Sam,
who is on the federal council
for the Isolated Children’s
Parents’ Association (ICPA)
found herself chatting to a
farmer in Queensland.
“She was about to put down
her breeding stock, it was dev-
astating,” Sam said.
“It got me thinking about the
people who had helped us
when we needed it and I wanted to pay it forward.”
A “Farmers Across Borders.
Hay From WA” Facebook page
was created and the ball started rolling.
NSW truck driver Brendan
Farrell was organising a similar
feat and contacted Anne, so
the decision was made that
NSW would be the end-point
for the WA hay also.
Almost 1000 bales of hay
were donated, primarily from
the Esperance region but also
from around York and
Northam.
Anne and Sam then scrambled to organise trucks to cart
the hay, until Courtney Bonnett,
or Chumpy as he’s better
known, from Chumpy’s Diesel
Services came on board.
Chumpy and Brendan
organised the trucks, while
Anne and Sam gathered funds
and donations to cover extra
fuel costs and meals along the
way.
All truckies donated their
time, with the majority doing
backloads to try and save
costs.
There were many challenges
along the way, such as quarantine and the sheer logistical
scale of the operation but
amazingly many people pulled
together to make it happen.
After less than 10 weeks of
organising, the convoy of 16
trucks, four escort vehicles and
30 people left Salmon Gums
on April 1 and arrived in
Bourke on April 4.
Both Anne and Sam
describe getting out of their
vehicles in Bourke as one of
1423649
8
the most emotional in their
lives, as it was a moment when
the enormity of what they had
created began to sink in.
“It was exciting and humbling, but it’s really difficult to
explain the feeling,” Sam said.
“There weren’t many dry
eyes driving into Bourke.
“It was emotionally and
physically exhausting but just
the number of people that
wanted to help, it really restores
your faith in human nature.
“I loved every second of it.”
Anne was in the second
truck in line as they headed
into Bourke and she recalls
looking in the rear vision mirror to see a 4.5km of trucks, as
it sent a shiver up her spine.
“To think that’s what we had
achieved, it was just way
beyond our expectations,”
Anne said.
“When we stopped, I got out
of the truck, looked around
and called Paul, and burst into
tears.
“I can’t believe we became
part of history.”
Bourke had received some
rainfall so there was some
green feed around, but both
Anne and Sam continued on
to Lightning Ridge to meet
farmers and that is when the
▲ Hay loaded on road trains
bound for Bourke, NSW.
extent of the drought really hit.
In that area, some farmers
had gone two years without
rainfall and Anne described
the ground as being like pavement.
“I was glad we went on to
Lightning Ridge, it was something we needed to do,” Anne
said.
“It was really bad there, the
ground was like pavement – it
was horrible.
“Six or seven years ago we
had to feed cattle for 12
months non-stop.We got down
to two weeks’ worth of water
and we suffered a lot, but that
was only 12 months.”
After devoting time, effort
and many tears to the Hay
from WA appeal, Sam and
Anne still aren’t quite done yet.
Exhausted and back to the
demands of their own farms,
the two ladies have turned
their attention to Queensland
farmers.
They admit it will be more
challenging, but both agree
they learnt a lot from their hay
run to Bourke and want to
make the most of the momentum that’s been created.
“There are so many people
that we need to thank that
helped along the way, it wouldn’t have happened without
them,” Sam said.
“It was a truly amazing experience.”
“It evolved quite quickly, but
in the end, we did what we
wanted to do – we took hay to
feed livestock,” Anne said.
“It was so much more than
that, the emotional side was
massive, it was more about
helping farmers.
“Farmers’ wives were getting
out of trucks and coming and
hugging us and thanking us.
We never anticipated just how
big it would be.
“We just wanted to help.”
◗ Farmers Across
Borders. Hay from WA.
◗ Sam Starcevich and
Anne Bell
◗ www.facebook.com/
hayfromwa
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E: [email protected]
www.wapoultryequipment.net.au
1423006
9
RIPE
READS
Surfing Down
South Discovering
Yallingup &
Margaret River,
Sue-Lyn AldrianMoyle
(Margaret River
Press, $44.00)
“I WOULD have loved to have been a surfer in the
70s. Back in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, the South West
was that spot for adventure – they piled their boards
on top of their parents’ cars for weekend road trips;
trespassed through farmer’s paddocks in search of
breaks; caught and cooked rabbits over a campfire
and soon enough started to make a living carting hay
and shaping boards in settler’s cottages.”
In his foreword to Surfing Down South, pro-surfer
Taj Burrow captures a sense of the spirit of discovery
and mateship that characterise one of Australia’s
defining cultures, surfing, as it was seeded and
evolved in the South West of WA when, in the late
50s- early 60s a group of free spirited, curious and
adventurous young city surfers headed south in
search of the wild surf.
With photographs by legendary surf photographers
Ric Chan, John Witzig and John Ogden alongside
engaging narratives, Surfing Down South follows
these pioneers of surfing and their “discoveries”:
‘Yals’, ‘Farm’, ‘Inji’, ‘Gallows’ and the rest.
Surfing Down South describes a cultural and
social history of a part of WA that is as much about
connection to place and community as it is about the
adventure of surfing.
While tensions between locals and visiting surfers
flared in the early days – farmers reputedly locked
up their daughters when the surfers were in town –
over time the altercations became fewer and
friendships developed.
Surfer George Simpson reflects on the evolving
relationships between surfers and local farmers; “We
stayed clear of them at first, then over time started
working with them carting spuds and we were all
good workers who could work 12 hours straight.
They soon realised we were as tough as they were, so
we gained mutual respect due to the fact that we
could work together and get along.”
Many of the pioneering surfers of the period went
on to settle in the South West, which became a
haven for surfing, for rejecting mainstream lifestyle
and for breaking new ground – building alternative
style houses and introducing the locals to
vegetarianism and wholesome, home grown food.
The portraits of the lives and times of those
involved in this experience are a real anodyne in our
increasingly conservatively aspirational society.
Whether you are a surfer or not this quietly
articulated exposition of the beginnings and social
evolution of surfing on WA’s South West is a great
read.
10
Taking a snapshot
of station life
By JESSICA HAYES
N
EVER underestimate the
power of a photograph.
Without words, one single image snapped in an
instant, capturing a single
moment in time, can convey
even the strongest of messages.
Dubbed an “Agvocate” by
many in the agricultural industry, station girl Aticia Grey is
using photography to share a
snapshot of life in the State’s
top end to a broad and diverse
audience.
Bridging the city-country
divide one photo at a time,
Aticia is helping to put a
human face on an industry that
is often misunderstood.
Located in the West Pilbara,
Aticia works alongside her
brother Murray, and parents
Peter and Susan as a partner in
Glenflorrie Brahmans.
The family moved to the station 21 years ago and now manage 2500 Brahmans on 19,000
hectares, as well as a broadacre
farm in Moora.
“I have always said the station has a hold on me,” Aticia
said.
“Most girls are horse mad, but
I was always cow mad, right
from the start I loved cattle and
working with them.
“Life can be complicated
when you live in the city, but
out here it is back to basics.
“We work long hard hours
but it is good honest work.”
Although it started as a
hobby last year, photography
has allowed the 26-year-old to
emerge as a prominent advocate for the pastoral industry.
On the encouragement of fellow industry advocate and
online blogger Gemma Lee
Steere, Aticia decided to start
up her own online photography
page last year, where she shares
a variety of pictures from
breathtaking landscapes to animal encounters through the
eye of her camera lens.
“I started taking photos on
my iPhone to make up calendars for the family at
Christmas,” she said.
“The response to the photos
was amazing.
“Since then I have upgraded
my camera twice and it has just
gone from there.”
▲ Through her photography, Aticia Grey is helping to raise awareness of
farming and putting a human face on an industry that is often misunderstood.
Through her “Miss Grey
Photography” Facebook page
Aticia has attracted more than
6500 faithful followers who
enjoy her intimate and unique
images daily.
There is no denying the past
few years have been tough for
northern pastoralists who have
endured pressure from animal
activists, government intervention, rising input costs and market uncertainty, but Aticia is
helping to change perceptions
of the industry.
“If you can take a cow and its
calf and capture that connection in a photo, it might help
people to realise that the industry is not cold and heartless
and that we do care for these
animals,” she said.
“Maybe it just helps them to
realise that we are human too
and that agriculture is not an
aggressive industry, especially
when there are so many family
businesses out here.
“If you can put the right comment to a photo it will make
people look at that image and
think about things in a different
way.”
Aticia said she loved sharing
the photos with others because
it made her even more grateful
to live in the region.
“Seeing people’s reaction to
the photos helps me to appreciate how special it is up here
and how lucky I am,” she said.
“Growing up on the station I
have seen all the special
moments, they aren’t always
big, it is usually something
small like a nice sunset, or
something will happen unexpectedly and catch you off
guard and it reminds me why I
am here.
“It’s those little moments
where everything feels right
and that is why you keep farming.
“But there are also a lot of
struggles and hard moments
too.”
Aticia said the agricultural
industry needed to be more
open with the public about its
processes.
“It is not enough for people
to have faith that we are doing
the right thing in the industry,
they want to know where their
food comes from and that is
fair enough,” she said.
“They want to be able to see
and understand what we are
doing out here, and how things
are in the bush.
“Then they will also understand the trials and challenges
we go through.”
Aticia said the industry tended to be reactive rather than
proactive when promoting agriculture, but that was starting to
change.
▼ Continued on page 12
▲ Continued from page 10
“A lot of the old-school
farmers believe you should
just knuckle down and mind
your own business and don’t
inform people about what is
going on,” she said.
“People used to take it for
granted that what you were
doing was right but now people want to see what is going
on and see how you are doing
it.
“It is not good enough to
clam up and get on with it,
you can’t do that anymore.
“It is not like we have anything to hide, we just need to
be prepared to share it.
“It is easy to go along and
do our own thing without worrying what people think but I
don’t think we can do that
anymore, there are too many
voices against the industry
and we need to be able to
counter that with the truth
and with our side of the story.”
Aticia said the future looked
bright for agriculture but there
was room for improvement.
“There is a lot we can do to
take it forward, on a broad
scale right down to individual
businesses,” she said.
“There is a lot of research
in agriculture looking at
improving the properties and
how they are being run and
the livestock and how they
are being handled.
“And a lot of opportunities
to really make a go of things
if we are prepared to let go of
the old ways and give these
new ways a chance.”
Aticia said older people in
the agricultural industry
needed to give young people
a chance to pursue their
ideas.
“The industry is at a good
base point now for people to
come in with new ideas,” she
said.
“So many areas are struggling that we are at a point
where we need to change or
get out, things aren’t necessarily working so it’s time for
new ideas and for things to
be tried and there are a lot
more opportunities around.
“A lot of people are bringing new ideas into the industry it is now up to people to
take them and run with them.
“For me it seems like if
there was ever a time to
come in and give it a go now
is the time to do it.”
On a more personal level,
Aticia said she hoped to pursue her passion for dog training into the future.
“Ultimately I would like to
breed and train working
dogs,” she said.
“If it works in I’d like to take
six months off during the off
season and take my dogs travelling and improve my dog
and stock handling skills.
“I’d also like to do some
outside weaner breaking
work around the area and
then bring those skills home.
“At the moment it’s a working hobby and hopefully I
will be able to make a bit of a
career about it.”
◗ Miss Grey Photography
◗ www.missgrey
photography.com.au
◗ www.facebook.com/
MissGreyPhotography
1423475
12
▲ A selection of Aticia Grey’s photos.
1423493
13
Building Beverley as an art hub
By JENNY BARTLETT
L
IVING in the country
means you sometimes
have to do without the
finer things in life.
Things that city folk take for
granted like art exhibitions,
concerts, plays and movie
theatres, are often hard to
come by in your average
Wheatbelt town.
But for more than three
decades, Jenny Broun has
been bringing a bit of artistic
flare to her small community.
Jenny is at the helm of the
Station Art Gallery and
Platform Theatre in Beverley
which is now the cultural and
art hub of the district.
Growing up in the small
country town of Tonebridge
in the South West, Jenny knew
from a young age sporting
clubs were often the lifeblood of rural communities.
“Not having a sporting
bone in my body I naturally
leaned towards the arts,”
Jenny said.
“Not long after finishing a
Fine Arts Diploma at the
Claremont School of Arts I
met and married my husband
Simon and moved to
Beverley and immediately got
involved in the local art
group.”
Since then, Jenny was not
only invited to join and
became heavily involved in
the Art Gallery Committee,
but was instrumental in forming Art Gallery Society Inc
and making the Station
Gallery what it is today.
“Back then the town art
collection was held in the
town hall in less than ideal
conditions of dampness, hall
activities and cigarette
smoke” she said.
“The Committee felt that
the old railway station would
make a much better gallery.
“In 2000 we formed the Art
Gallery Society Inc with the
intent of raising the funds to
restore the station.”
The Beverley Railway
Station was built in 1886 and
was once a hub of activity
when Beverley was an important stop on the Perth to
Albany passenger line.
It was closed in 1984 and
fell into disrepair but through
the hard work of the Shire,
the Art Gallery Society and
14
▲ Jenny Broun is at the helm of the Station Art Gallery and Platform Theatre in Beverley which is now
the cultural and art hub of the district.
local volunteers, like Jenny, it
was restored in 2006.
Rather than simply a suitable place to store art, the
Station was also turned into a
platform theatre with an
amphitheatre and stage
which has since been used to
hold anything from rock tribute concerts, opera under the
stars, outdoor movie nights
and entertaining plays.
“Local events are a hugely
important part of country
life,” Jenny said.
“I hope the events we present at the Station Gallery and
Platform Theatre make this little corner of the world where
I live just that little better and
help to put Beverley on the
map.”
Jenny works tirelessly to
promote the arts in Beverley
and she said being passionate about what she was
involved in made the work
easy and enjoyable.
“The knowledge that I am
doing something worthwhile
for the community and for
others keeps me going,” she
said.
“I think it is in my blood to
just get involved, my parents –
especially my mother – were
wonderful volunteers within
their community.
“Having a supportive husband also makes the job easier.
He is always ready to manage
the bar at our monthly events
from September through to
April at the outdoor theatre.”
Tragically, four years ago,
the community lost Ann
Rayner who was both secretary and treasurer of the
Beverley Station Arts.
“She also worked tirelessly
and oversaw much of the
building of the outdoor theatre stage,” Jenny said.
“She inspires me to keep
going and to continue the
work we began together at
the Station.”
Jenny also said she drew
inspiration from her mother
Peg.
She said being raised by a
woman who freely gave so
much of her time, energy and
skills was a wonderful and
unforgettable influence on
her life.
“She was always a far harder worker than myself and
was a farmer in the true
sense, a wool grower with creative talent as a dressmaker,
gardener, caterer, you name it,
she did it and with diplomacy
to boot,” Jenny said.
“She is admired by all
around her.
“Unfortunately Mum has
recently been diagnosed with
a serious illness meaning
time is even more precious
with her at the moment.”
Moving to a small country
town as an outsider can
sometimes be a rather daunting experience.
But Jenny said on her very
first trip to Simon’s family
farm she felt as though she
was coming home.
From that day on she said
she had embraced being part
of the tight-knit community.
“In small towns you know
what a true sense of community feels like,” Jenny said.
“You know how it feels to
have the entire town come
down and support the football team in the finals, or to
have the agricultural show
bring the whole town together.
“It’s a comfortable feeling
knowing your neighbours
and your neighbours’ neighbours will help you in a time
of need.
“Volunteering within the
community is ultimately
about helping others and
having an impact on people’s
wellbeing.
“What better way is there to
connect with the people in
your town and give a little
back?
“Getting involved in the
community means you return
to society some of the benefits that society gives you.”
In 2012 Jenny was recognised for her service to the
community with a Regional
Arts Australia award, one of
just seven volunteers in
Australia to receive the
award.
1422436
BELMONT WA, 6984
FW2
15
1423570
16
CWA has a ball in its 90th year
By BETH JOHNSTON
I
T may conjure up images
of apron-clad ladies whipping up scones, or baking
contests where even the fluffiest sponges or tastiest jams
are put under intense scrutiny, but there is so much more
to the Country Women’s
Association (CWA).
According to WA president
Sara Kenny they still love their
“tea and scone image” as it
gives off the feeling of warmth
and welcome, so they wear it
with pride.
There are more than 140
CWA branches throughout the
State, from Kununurra and Port
Hedland across to Southern
Cross and down to Esperance
and Albany.
These aren’t just the branches started years ago by our
grandmothers or mothers
either; the CWA of WA has seen
resurgence with the younger
ladies of today.
Many of those branches are
referred to as the “belles”, perhaps a rebranding for the
younger generation, but nevertheless they maintain the
Association’s core aim.
“Every branch is
autonomous and they really
do decide what to do as long
as it all fits in with the aims of
the Association, which is to
improve the welfare and wellbeing of all people, especially
those in country areas, so it is
pretty broad!” Sara said.
“There is no real difference
▲ CWA of WA president Sara
Kenny testing scones from the
CWA Ultimate Scone
Cookbook, which will be
launched at the State
Conference in July.
between a branch and the
belles; it simply refers to the
younger ladies.
“It’s all part of keeping the
ball rolling and keeping the
COMPETITION
T
HE “CWA Cookery
Book and Household
Hints” sits perched in
many kitchens around WA,
with the little blue bible
now in its 54th edition.
To help celebrate the CWA
of WA’s 90th birthday, we
have a copy to give away to
one very lucky Ripe reader!
All you need to do is share
your fondest memory of the
CWA or tell us why the CWA is important to you.
Send your entries along with your name, address and
contact number to [email protected],
post to GPO Box 1268, Victoria Park East, WA 6981
or fax 9472 4238.
Entries close Friday, May 30.
crafts or hone skills are also
held annually.
Personally, Sara joined the
Badgingarra branch in 1965
and has been involved with
the Association ever since.
“That was the thing all the
young women did, they went
along to an evening meeting of
the CWA and the men went
along to the Farmers Union
meeting at the same time and
all the children slept in the car,”
Sara recalled.
▼ Continued on page 18
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▲ CWA member Beryl Blight (left), Bayswater branch, passing on some
knowledge to members of the Perth Belles.
CWA a force to be reckoned
with in the community and to
do that, you need young people to be involved.”
The CWA started in Canada
in the late 1800s, when a
woman living in a remote area
lost her baby.
She was devastated and her
husband was away a lot and
she had no female friends to
share her anguish with.
“She thought what a wonderful thing it would be to
have women supporting other
women in times of distress and
loneliness,” Sara said.
“So she got a group together
and the idea spread through
Canada, coming to Australia in
1922 in Queensland and New
South Wales.
“It came to WA in 1924 after
some ladies had been visiting
in the east and came back
very inspired.”
Nungarin was the first official branch of the CWA of WA.
This year marks the 90th
year for the CWA of WA, and
during that time the organisation has achieved a lot – much
more than most people would
be aware of.
The association is responsible for the warning against
pregnant women drinking
alcohol and numerous other
medical, dental, road safety
and educational achievements, particularly in country
WA.
Members established seaside holiday homes to make
sure families had an opportunity for a cheap holiday at the
sea and three retirement villages have also been set up.
The CWA offers a $10,000
annual medical scholarship to
a country student, a $2500 dental scholarship and there is
also a motion at the State conference for a $5000 scholarship
to be given to a Muresk student.
Sara said CWA of WA scholarships, bursaries and grants,
probably total about $56,000.
They also offer self-development courses for members
and workshops such as treasurers’ workshops, all designed to
empower people.
CWA offers a Young Leaders’
Weekend for people aged 1720, held at Manjedal, the Scout
Centre and craft camps with
opportunities to learn new
17
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As Sara said, each branch is
autonomous so it is really up to
the individual group depending on their shared interests.
That may be baking, crafts,
playgroup, guest speakers and
choirs or anything else that
takes their fancy, but they are
all united in their overall CWA
aim and generally every
branch will do some kind of
fundraising.
“One branch organised a
bus tour to Perth for members
and friends, to spend a week in
Perth as a tourist,” Sara said.
“Doing things with your
mates is a really important part
of the CWA.
“Another branch just had a
pyjama party in the local cafe
to raise funds for the Royal
Recipe from the CWA Ultimate Scone
Cookbook, which will be launched at the
State Conference in July.
A natural soil conditioner and crop booster
containing numerous elements including
plant ready nitrogen and potassium as well as a
Balanced Fungi to Bacteria ratio.
Available for small gardens/orchards as well as
larger agricultural endeavours.
Call 0418 945 522 or 9524 1636
▲ The "taking tea" statue at Dumbleyung, unveiled last year. The CWA
building in Dumbleyung was sold in 2006 and members used the funds
to commemorate the companionship and friendship CWA has given to
women of the Dumbleyung community over the past 83 years.
Flying Doctor Service.
“That’s our appeal for the
year, to give a significant gift to
the RFDS, so most branches are
doing a fundraising event of
some sort.
“My branch is doing a murder mystery night; another is
holding an old-time dance.
“By giving service, you get
real rewards.
“The rewards of being a
CWA member are really fantastic.
“It is what you want to
make it.”
◗ The Country Women’s
Association of WA
◗ www.cwaofwa.asn.au
LINDA’S FAMOUS DATE SCONES
NATURAL SOIL CONDITIONER
& CROP BOOSTER
[email protected]
“I’ve had tremendous
rewards being involved with
the CWA.
“Being president is sometimes exhausting, but it’s wonderful having the opportunity
to meet so many people.
“I get the opportunity to do
so many wonderful things like
launch a book, go to different
functions where I wouldn’t
have an entrance in any other
capacity and promote CWA in
a lot of places.
“There is a wider field of
involvement as WA is part of
the South Pacific area so I’ve
had a trip to Tonga for the area
conference and last year I went
to a world conference in India.
“I’m very passionate about
the association and I love sharing that with others.
“We’re involved in an amazing number of things and the
longer I’m involved, the more I
find out.”
As it is such a significant
birthday for the CWA of WA, the
association has released a
series of bright, novel “scone
queen”,“knitting wizard” and
“gardening guru” coffee mugs
and a CWA logo cookie cutter.
The CWA Ultimate Scone
Cookbook will also be
launched at the State
Conference to be held in York
in July.
Then there is the schools’
competition, a brainchild of
the Koorda Branch to celebrate
90 years and to publicise the
CWA.
Senior classes from primary
students throughout the State
were invited to submit a project on “CWA - 90 Years of
Making Communities Better”
and members have visited
schools in their area, shared
their stories with the children
and held cooking projects.
So what goes on at a CWA
branch meeting?
Ingredients
250g self raising flour
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of salt
20g butter
2 tablespoons sugar
250g dates, stoned and chopped
3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons water
Method
Preheat oven to 210 degrees Celsius
and line a 20cm square cake tin.
Sift flour, nutmeg and salt together, then
rub in butter.
Add sugar and dates.
Combine water and milk and mix into
flour to form a soft but firm dough.
Knead together briefly, then press into
cake tin and cut into squares.
Bake for seven minutes, then reduce the
heat to 180°C and cook for another eight
minutes until golden.
19
1423109
20
Country artists have a fine time
▲ Liz Brown, Northam, enjoyed catching up with her neighbour, Nationals Member for
the Agricultural Region Paul Brown at the exhibition.
▲ Merredin Fine Art Society member Nellie Crees, Burracoppin with her husband Syd
at the Houghton exhibition.
▲ Crowds checking out the stunning artwork on show from the Merredin Fine Art
Society at Houghton Winery in the Swan Valley last month.
▲ Merredin Fine Art Society member Jo Millington, Burracoppin, with one of her
award-winning oil paintings.
By BETH JOHNSTON
T
▲ Some of the talented artists from the Merredin Fine Art Society.
Roses” acrylic piece.
The Merredin Shire Award
was also won by Jo Millington,
for her “Refined Relaxation” oil
painting.
The Merredin Fine Art
Society formed in 1968, making it one of the oldest art societies in Australia.
The group meets weekly in
Merredin, with members travelling in from the surrounding
small towns and sidings of
Kellerberrin, Nokaning, Bruce
Rock, Burracoppin and
Westonia.
Society spokesperson Jo
Millington said the group was
comprised of innovative and
motivated artists working in
many mediums, producing representational, non-representational and abstract pieces.
“Their appreciation of the
often neglected beauty of the
Wheatbelt landscape is reflected in their work, along with figurative, still life and abstract
pieces,” Jo said.
“What makes this self-funded
group of artists so special is
not only the importance of
sharing their love of art and
their encouragement of each
other in artistic endeavour,
but the support given in
adverse times of drought and
personal loss.”
The exhibition ran from
April 5-21, with almost 100 artworks on display and available for purchase.
◗ The Merredin Fine Art
Society
◗ Contact Jo Millington,
ph: 9045 3031.
1423746
HE combination of
paint, pigment and
pinot noir had crowds
flocking to Houghton Winery
in the Swan Valley last month,
keen to view a collection of
stunning country artwork.
The Merredin Fine Art
Society held its sixth exhibition
at the beautiful wine cellar
location, where a range of
mediums were on show
including oils, acrylic, metals,
pens and inks.
Nationals Member for the
Agricultural Region Paul
Brown took time out of a busy
election day to officially
launch the CBH-sponsored
exhibit, to a room packed full
of the artists’ friends, families
and art enthusiasts.
Mr Brown commended the
artists on the amazing array of
artworks on show and was
doubtful he would be able to
leave without making any purchases.
There was also the
announcement of the
Agriculture Award, won by Jo
Millington for her “Duke of
Orleans-Melaleucas” oil painting, with Rosemary Lambert as
runner-up for her “Tuscan
21
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A D V E R T O R I A L
Jacaru now a Stetson distributor
TRUST and loyalty is not
something that comes easily
between a business and a customer, especially with the lure
of online shopping promising a
better deal.
But when you’ve been producing the same high quality
hats and accessories since
1969 as Jacaru Australia has,
you tend to get some very
loyal customers.
Taking the business online
has only strengthened that
customer base, as well as
expanded it.
Perhaps the most exciting
news for the company has
been the recent announcement
that Jacaru is now the official
distributor for Stetson in
Australia and New Zealand.
Stetson is well-known for
producing arguably America’s
finest range of hats, thus
aligning perfectly with the
Jacaru range.
There are about 10 styles
in the Western range, which
are favoured by rodeo riders and farmers, but its
large fashion range has
also become highly sought
after.
Jacaru chief executive officer Luca Montaldo said a
great synergy has been created
with the company becoming an
official Stetson distributor.
“Stetson is also the Jacaru
distributor in the US, so it’s a
very nice joint venture,” Luca
said.
“We have very similar qualities but no conflict in our
ranges, with the Stetson range
being mainly felt hats made
from beaver, buffalo and rabbit.
“The Stetson brand is very
well-known so we are excited
that it is now available in
Australia and New Zealand,
cutting out those lengthy delivery times.”
People come to know and
expect that when they purchase something from the
Jacaru range, it will be
Australian made and of the
finest quality.
Based in Burleigh Heads in
Queensland, Jacaru is a wellrecognised brand nationally,
particularly for its range of
quintessential Australian hats,
popular for both hard work
and fashion purposes.
Retail locations in major
Australian airports also ensure
tourists can secure a genuinely
unique piece of Australiana
that will last for many years,
rather than a cheap and tacky
memento.
Jacaru hats and accessories
are predominantly crafted
from bovine, kangaroo, pigskin
and exotic leathers in order to
reflect the spirit that is
Australia – wild, untameable,
strong and courageous.
They are built tough to
◗ Jacaru Australia
◗ www.jacaru.com
◗ www.stetson.com.au
endure high stress wear, and
crafted to deliver unmatchable
strength and comfort that can
withstand rugged Australian
conditions.
Jacaru’s small team of 35
craftspeople ensure the range
with infinite patience, and the
closest attention to detail,
born of 40 years experience.
From humble beginnings,
Jacaru has established itself
as one of Australia’s finest
accessories brands, selling in
more than 50 countries worldwide.
According to Luca, in the
last five years they have built
a solid export side to the
business, which now
accounts for 40 per cent
of total sales.
He said they had seen
particular success in
Germany and other areas of
northern Europe.
“The product is such high
quality and so unique, people
really seem to appreciate that
in those areas,” Luca said.
Jacaru is offering an exclusive deal to Ripe readers, with
20pc off any Stetson hat
ordered before June 30, as
well as free shipping.
People looking to get their
hands on a Stetson or Jacaru
hat should head to the websites
mentioned above, with same
day delivery available.
▲ ABOVE: Some
of the quality
range of Stetson
hats now available
from Jacaru.
23
5 ONLY
Commander 800R
2014 model
•
•
•
•
•
V-twin engine
2 cylinder
4 stroke
Fuel injected
Continuously Variable
Transmission (CVT)
• Selectable 2x4/4x4
2YEAR
Was $19,490
Now $16,990
Outlander
500 DPS
Outlander
500 Max DPS
3YEAR
Was $11,790
Now $10,590
• 46-hp Rotax 500 EFI
engine
• Tri-mode Dynamic
Power Steering (DPSTM)
• 12-in (30.5cm)
cast-aluminium wheels
• New from the ground up
SST G2 frame
• Torsional Trailing arm Independent rear
suspension (TTI)
• New high-strength multi-function rack
design with innovative and exclusive
LinQ quick-attach accessory system
3YEAR
Was $13,290
Now $11,990
Outlander
650 Max XT
Outlander 1000
Ltd Edit 2014
3YEAR
Was $16,990
Now $15,590
• 62-hp Rotax
V-Twin, liquid-cooled, SOHC,
8-valve
(4-valve/cyl) engines
• Tri-mode Dynamic Power
Steering (DPS")
• Visco-Lok QE auto-locking
front differential
• 12-in. cast-aluminium wheels
• 26-in • Carlisle8 ACT tyres
• 3,000-lb WARN8 winch with roller
fairlead, wired remote control &
integrated remote storage
• 46-hp Rotax 500 EFI engine
• Tri-mode Dynamic Power
Steering (DPSTM)
• 12-in (30.5 cm) castaluminium wheels
• New from the ground up
SST G2 frame
• Torsional Trailing arm
Independent rear suspension (TTI)
• New high-strength multi-function rack
design with innovative and exclusive
LinQ quick-attach accessory system
3YEAR
3 ONLY
Was $20,990
• Rotax 1000 engine
• TTI independant rear
suspension
• Double A-arm front
suspension
• Visco-Lok auto locking front
differential
• Continuously variable
transmission
• Available in XT-P model
Now $19,990
1423757
24
C O O K I N G
By BETH
JOHNSTON
The Everyday
Baker
I
CAN’T think of many better things on a chilly morning than enjoying a warm
cup of coffee and a nice
piece of fresh homemade
cake to go with it.
As the weather seems to be
finally catching up (albeit
minus the rain) to be more
conducive to that notion, I
found myself with an abundance of beautiful WA
apples.
The Jazz apple variety is a
relatively new one and
favoured due to its firm flesh
and sweet taste, making it perfect for a snack.
They’re a red apple and in
WA are grown in Manjimup,
identified by their bright blue
Jazz sticker.
While it’s a variety probably
best eaten fresh, when you
find yourself with a fruit bowl
full of these blushing beau-
ties, you get creative before
they start to fade.
In my case, that meant
using a few in an apple cake
from one of my favourite
Italian cookbooks and they
worked beautifully - maintaining a crisp crunchiness even
after cooked.
This cake is perfect served
with a dollop of cream, or
fresh Greek yoghurt.
For more recipes and
food-related musings, head
to The Everyday Baker headquarters at
www.theeverydaybaker.com
1417842
Jazz up your morning tea
Bees Neez Apiaries is proud to be
part of the organising committee
for an annual industry event.
MAY IS
HONEY MONTH
ITALIAN APPLE CAKE
Ingredients
3 medium-sized apples
2 eggs
100 caster sugar plus extra for sprinkling
(brown also works)
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
200g plain flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
125ml milk
3 tablespoons olive oil
25g butter
Method
Pre-heat oven to 180°C Celsius. Grease
and line a 22cm cake tin.
Peel and core apples, slicing to about
5mm thick.
In a mixer, whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla until thick and creamy. Add sifted flour
and baking powder and mix until combined.
Add the milk and olive oil and stir until
smooth.
Pour into cake tin and arrange apple
on the top, before dotting with butter and
sprinkling with sugar.
Bake for about 45 minutes or until
golden.
Visit SCITECH to see the honeybee
exhibition where you can see a live bee
display and speak to bee experts.
Be part of a long table brunch
featuring honey, to be held
18th May at Baskerville Hall.
(For more details please
telephone 0428 290 029)
HONEY
FESTIVAL
4th May 10am-4pm
To be held in the grounds of
The House of Honey
867 Great Northern Hwy,
Herne Hill
HIGHLIGHTS
• Discover how to become a beekeeper
• Have fun with the SCITECH gang
(lots of fun for the kids)
• Beekeeper talks at 11am, 1pm,
3pm.
• Watch beekeepers loading their
trucks
• Meet the lovely Honey girl
• Dept of Agriculture staff
• Scientist from UWA with lots of bee
biz
• Refreshments available
• HONEY MONTH HONEY FOR SALE
This event is proudly sponsored by
Bendigo Bank, UWA and CIBER
25
P R O P E R T Y
El Caballo offers active retirement
E
L Caballo Lifestyle village offers quality
award-winning homes
within a secure, friendly, gated
community for the over 45s.
Situated on more than 45
hectares, not including the
surrounding 18 hole golf
course on a further 81ha and
boasting some spectacular
views over the Avon Valley, El
Caballo is ideally located for
those wishing to retain a
country lifestyle, yet still with-
in 15 minutes travel of major
amenities.
From the moment you
enter El Caballo lifestyle village, you will be amazed at
the attention to detail.
The Fleetwood-built homes
are finished to the highest
standard with quality being
of the utmost importance.
Choose from a range of
one, two and three bedroom
homes with or without a
study.
With a federation style
specifically designed for El
Caballo with front verandahs,
gables and high ceilings, each
of the brand new homes are
custom built, well priced and
can be individually tailored
to meet your specific needs.
This is a great opportunity
for those too young and
active for retirement villages,
to continue their healthy,
energetic lifestyle with both
recreational and social bene-
fits within a low maintenance, secure property.
As well as the resort facilities including fully licensed
bar and restaurant, swimming
pool, tennis courts, gymnasium, sauna and spa, residents
can also enjoy their own
clubhouse, library, wood and
metal workshops and craft
rooms.
If this all sounds appealing
or you would simply like to
know a little more, El Caballo
Lifestyle Village is holding a
Twilight Opening on Saturday,
May 31, 5pm - 7pm.
All of its display homes will
be open and, as well as their
friendly staff, some of their
wonderful residents will be
on hand to answer any questions that you may have.
Enjoy a glass of wine and a
selection of canapés, kick
back and begin to soak up
the ambience of El Caballo
Lifestyle Village.
1423464
26
P R O P E R T Y
Something special at Jamieson Park
Price: $2.7m
Location: Upper Swan
Area: 20ha
Agent: Elders Real
Estate
Contact: Ian “Jock”
Henry 0428 887 781
J
AMIESON Park is the
property you have been
looking for.
Come and view this two
storey, four bedroom and two
bathroom family home, with
a massive shed and workshop, commercial hardstand
and rear agistment area – all
on 20 hectares.
You have your own bore,
water licence and tanks.
There are gorgeous surrounds with lush tropical gar-
dens and a below-ground
pool for those hot summers, a
great outdoor entertaining
area, air conditioning, a wood
fire to the family room and a
great country kitchen and a
separate lounge.
Loads of outside room is
there for the children or
grandchildren to run around.
Jamieson Park has excellent pasture and good soils
and also has a superb 1.6km
equestrian training track.
While it feels remote it is
only a 10-minute drive to
Ellenbrook and a five-minute
drive to the Bullsbrook town.
The property has great
exposure on Great Northern
Highway, so call Ian Henry
today to view this property.
www.eldersre.com.au
The Vines
Resort lifestyle living
1 Dingle Way
This magnificently built two storey home located in the Pavilion Circle Estate
within 500 metres from the Novotel Vines Resort is just what you are looking for!
Comes with social membership to the resort which includes the use of two
swimming pools, gymnasium, squash and tennis courts and access to two
championship golf courses.
The nearby Swan Valley attractions include boutique breweries, wineries, cafes
and much more, close to the shops at Ellenbrook.
Features include:
• Four bedrooms, two bathrooms with glass shower screens
• Gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances including dishwasher and
double fridge recess
• Quality fixtures and fittings throughout
• Theatre room
• Great views from the balcony
• Large alfresco dining area
• Double entry front door
It won’t last so call now to arrange a private viewing of the property.
The inspection will impress!
Ian (Jock) Henry 0428 887 781
Bullsbrook (08) 9571 2422
Price $695,000
1421920
27
1422926
28