Issue 68 Aurora Magazine May 2024

FREE
Aurora
Issue 68
GREAT SOUTHERN Lifestyle, People, Happenings May 2024
FOOD & WINE EDITION
ROSENTHAL WINES
VINTAGE 2024 REPORT
THE SUGAR FLORIST
OUT THERE FISHING
PLUS MORE
LOCAL FOOD
LOCAL HISTORY
AND WHAT’S ON
ALBANY | DENMARK | MOUNT BARKER | WALPOLE
LOVE LOCAL
www.auroramagazine.com.au

Aurora
contents
Great Southern Lifestyle, People, Happenings
Manager and Editor
Amanda Cruse
0438 212 979
amanda@auroramagazine.com.au
Advertising Sales
Amanda Cruse
0438 212 979
sales@auroramagazine.com.au
Production and Layout
Vanessa Pribil
vanessa@auroramagazine.com.au
www.auroramagazine.com.au
Our cover
On our cover this month are Great
Southern winemakers Coby Ladwig and
Luke Eckersley of Rosenthal wines. After
decades of friendship, the two men are
living their dream of working together
as co-owners of their own wine-making
business. For the full story, turn to page 4.
PHOTO: SERENA KIRBY
FREE
Issue 68
Aurora
GREAT SOUTHERN Lifestyle, People, Happenings May 2024
FOOD & WINE EDITION
ROSENTHAL WINES
VINTAGE 2024 REPORT
THE SUGAR FLORIST
OUT THERE FISHING
4 TASTE ROSENTHAL WINES
Blending Wine with Friendship
6 THE SUGAR FLORIST
Rebecca Brennan’s Sweet Treats
8 VINTAGE 2024 REPORT
Early Pick Heralds Unusual Vintage
12 RUBY HUGHS’ SUNDAY BEST
4 TASTE 8 TASTE
Photography
editorial@auroramagazine.com.au
ALBANY | DENMARK | MOUNT BARKER | WALPOLE
LOVE LOCAL
PLUS MORE
LOCAL FOOD
LOCAL HISTORY
AND WHAT’S ON
www.auroramagazine.com.au
Baked Delights Roadside for Denmark
Editorial
editorial@auroramagazine.com.au
14 HARVEST JILL GRIFFITHS
Our Contributors
Bas Bolyn​
What’s for Dinner?
Amanda Cruse
Serena Kirby
Allen Newton
Anne Skinner
Distribution
16 OUT THERE FISHING
Fifth Generation Fishing Family Back in Action
Distribution
Tim Cruse
0438 004 408
distribution@auroramagazine.com.au
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GREATER ALBANY | MOUNT BARKER | DENMARK | WALPOLE
We distribute our free paper strategically to ensure we are well placed for strong readership
amongst both locals and visitors to the Great Southern region.
You can pick up a copy from the Albany and Mount Barker visitor centres, and Walpole-Nornalup
visitors centres, as well as the Albany ANZAC Centre. We are also available from the Albany,
Denmark, Mount Barker and Walpole public libraries. Almost 1000 copies are put directly into the
rooms of accommodation venues throughout the Great Southern.
We also have the following major distribution points:
Albany: Chester Pass Mall, Clarks News Agency, Coles (Albany Plaza and Orana), Dome Cafe, North
Road Shopping Centre, Plaza Lotteries, Puma Service Station, Royale Patisserie, Spencer Park IGA,
The Naked Bean, and York Street IGA.
Denmark: Raven’s Coffee. We are also available at The General Store at Youngs Siding and the
Elleker General Store.
Mount Barker: Supa IGA and the Plantagenet Wines Cellar Door.
Walpole: Pioneer Store IGA and the Treetop Walk Gift Shop.
We have over 100 smaller distribution points, so there’s a good chance your favourite local cafe,
vineyard, boutique, hotel, gallery or corner store will have some copies on hand.
18 REFLECT LIEUTENANT JOHN MORTON PLAYNE
Family Historian Discovers Sad Story
20 LEARN GREAT SOUTHERN UNIVERSITIES CENTRES
Albany, Denmark and Katanning Hubs
22 ENGAGE A TALE OF TWO TUGS
Farewell to Koona and Karoo
25 WHAT’S ON THINGS TO DO THIS MAY
27 GIG GUIDE SPECIAL EVENTS, MARKETS
AND EXHIBITIONS
12 TASTE 16 HARVEST
20 LEARN 22 ENGAGE
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taste
taste
To fully appreciate a wine, it obviously helps to know a bit about its origins and
sometimes the most interesting piece of information comes from learning about its
winemakers. And, in the case of Rosenthal Wines, the winemakers have a particularly
special relationship because they’re not just winemakers and business partners –
they’re also best friends.
Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley’s friendship is also far from being a fleeting one as the
two first met way back in 1999 when they were both at university.
“It was the very first day of the winemaking and viticulture degree and each student
had to stand up and introduce themselves to the class,” recalls Coby.
ROSENTHAL WINES
Blending Wine with Friendship
“Luke stood up and said he was a butcher and I thought, wow, that’s pretty unusual.
He’d already done some study in horticulture and I’d already done a year of zoology and
when we started to chat we hit it off instantly. We’ve been best mates ever since.”
STORY SERENA KIRBY | PHOTO SERENA KIRBY
contact regardless of where their individual winemaking careers took them.
Coby’s career led him to work in a number of leading wineries in the Great Southern
while Luke headed overseas to work as a winemaker in California and France before
finally returning to WA a few years later to work in Margaret River.
Luke says he and Coby were always on the lookout for opportunities to work together
and Coby was finally able to lure Luke to Denmark via a job vacancy at the Forest Hill
winery. And, to ensure Luke was seen as the best candidate Coby used a small amount
of trickery.
“The manager of the winery was heavily involved in the local footy club and really
involved in the community so when he said he was looking for another winemaker I told
him about Luke and said he also played footy. In truth, Luke couldn’t play footy at all,”
Coby says laughing.
Coby and Luke were still almost joined at the hip.
“We always lived near each other and we ended up working at Rockcliffe together,”
Coby says.
“We’d hang out at work then hang out after work and it was never a question that I’d
just rock up on the weekend and just hang out. We’d also call each other many times a
day and I’d often refer to Luke as ‘my husband’,” Coby adds with a chuckle.
One of the companies the pair were making contract wines for during their time at
Rockcliffe was Rosenthal Wines so when the label came up for sale in 2013 Coby and
Luke jumped in and bought it.
“When we first started working together I’d always drive to work with a huge smile
on my face because I was thinking, ‘Wow this is so good – I’m working with my best
friend’,” Coby says.
“We’d always talked about doing something of our own together and now we actually
were. It was such a great feeling. Still is. We currently produce our Rosenthal wines
using the facilities at West Cape Howe Wines near Mount Barker and we also still do a
bit of contract winemaking for other local wineries.”
As with any producer the wine industry has provided a roller coaster ride for the pair
and they both agree things in the Australian wine industry are a little tough at the
moment.
“There’s currently an oversupply but WA is such a small fish as we only produce around
BELOW: Coby Ladwig and Luke Eckersley of Rosenthal Wines.
four percent of the national crush,” Luke explains.
“Fortunately, that also means that the WA wine industry is slightly insulated. We get a
little bit of a hangover from the glut but generally we sort of operate a bit outside of it.”
Through the many ups and downs that come with running a business Coby and Luke’s
friendship has remained as strong as ever and they say they’ve found the perfect
balance in their partnership. Coby primarily takes care of the front end – sales,
marketing and distribution – while Luke is more involved with production. But both of
them are quick to point out that these are not hard and fast roles and that most things
are done in collaboration – especially when it comes to creating wine blends.
Coby says that they always do their wine blending together as their palates are quite
aligned so if one is having an “off-day” they can trust the other to take the lead. There’s
also a lot of problem solving to do but neither Coby or Luke shy away from this part of
the job because, again, they know they have each other’s backs.
With more than a dozen wine varieties now in the Rosenthal brand and with Coby and
Luke firmly at the helm it’s fair to say that every one of their wines has been blended
with a generous splash of friendship.
www.rosenthalwines.com.au
During their uni years the pair were inseparable and there were times when they also
shared a house together. Even after leaving university the two men remained in close
As is often the way with contract winemakers the two bounced between the region’s
local wineries and even when girlfriends, then wives and children, arrived on the scene
Exploring the Great Southern?
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THE SUGAR FLORIST
Rebecca Brennan’s Sweet Treats
STORY ALLEN NEWTON | PHOTOS MEGAN WEIGHT
Pastry chef Rebecca Brennan has worked on some interesting projects, but none more
so than creating edible, wearable lingerie for a customer. The project was for her online
Sugar Florist business which uses sugar and chocolate to create hand-sculpted gifts.
The business is brand new but Rebecca is already expanding with a new food truck at
the Albany Farmers Market every Saturday.
“I’ll be selling things like chocolate-dipped churros with different candies and
confectioneries. Then I’ll also be doing a cannoli waffle,” Rebecca says.
“Everything is loaded with as much chocolate and deliciousness as you can imagine.
“I’m also doing handcrafted chocolate bars, which will change every week according to
what fresh produce is coming into the markets.”
But, back to the underwear. Rebecca says she wants to create connections between
people through her sweet treats.
“The idea behind it is that anything you can dream of that’s edible, that can be made
out of sugar, chocolate, confectionery in any way, that’s where I come into the picture.”
Rebecca’s stock in trade with the online business is chocolate flower bouquets where
the flowers are handcrafted chocolate bars which she delivers around Albany.
“They have all different types of fillings, like Nutella, strawberry and cream, and I have a
lot of different flavours.
“I do personalised chocolate lollipops, which are mainly for businesses. I have quite a
few of those where I create their brand or whatever they would like to sell that is 100
percent chocolate.
“I also do edible table arrangements for events and functions “
Rebecca is also hired by companies to do live chocolate sculptures at events such as
Christmas parties while people walk around the room.
Rebecca is also happy to tackle more elaborate projects. For example, she has been
creating a chocolate Harley Davidson motorbike which has taken her hours to perfect.
“I practice things quite often, so if it’s something that I haven’t done before I will give
myself a full week of just practicing and trying all different ways of doing it so that the
disaster happens before the show starts.
“I don’t sign up for things unless I feel confident I can do it. And if I don’t know, then I
just learn.
“I have found that people are coming to me with ideas, things they can’t get in other
places and because I have the skill to be able to make it cost efficiently. There’s that
really wonky experience where when you receive something it looks so real but you can
take a bite out of it and just feel the love.”
Rebecca is a pastry chef by trade and also a sculptor with three generations of sculptors
and potters in her family.
She has been training in pastry work since she was 11 years old.
“I’ve always wanted to be a pastry chef.
“I just kept working until I got into the college of my dreams, which was the Culinary
Institute of America in upstate New York.
“I started that when I was quite young and I was the youngest in my graduating class. I
started college when I was 17, and I fast-tracked a four-year degree in baking and pastry
arts and a Bachelor’s degree in business and hospitality management.
“I always found that chocolate was my favourite medium to work with.”
Rebecca grew up in New Jersey in the United States and her early career was in the U.S.
As well as pastry Rebecca says she loves training and spent much of her career going
into other restaurants to create their flows and efficiencies and help start up businesses
while creating their menus for them and hiring their staff.
“I had been doing that for about three or four years which is how I ended up in Australia.
“I got a call that they needed some help in Queensland and they sent me out from New
York to go and fix up a kitchen on an island in Queensland. And the rest is history, I just
kept going.”
Rebecca is keen to keep her confectionary accessible.
A medium-sized flower bouquet sells for $50, including delivery, and a large bouquet
is $105. Prices for personalised chocolate are around $13 for a lollipop if Rebecca can
make them in bulk. For something like the personalized Harley Davidson chocolate, it
would sell for about $20 to $25 because of the extra work that goes into it.
“But I don’t want them to be completely out of people’s range of purchase. I still want
it to be very accessible and it is my responsibility to manage my time and my costs so
that’s achievable.”
While there may be a temptation to keep admiring the little chocolate sculptures
Rebecca would prefer that people ate them
“People have always said to me ‘that looks a little bit too yummy to eat’, which is hard
for me because I’m so addicted to flavour and candy and my taste buds are constantly
dreaming about new flavours and I make that experience for other people to try. I do
want them to eat it.”
Rebecca also has a very sweet tooth and eats chocolate and sweets every day.
“But I also run at least two times a day. I just find balance in my physical health which
is extremely important to me, and if I want to keep eating candy, then I need to keep
running.”
www.thesugarflorist.com
I got a call that they needed
some help in Queensland and they
sent me out from New York to go
and fix up a kitchen on an island in
Queensland. And the rest is history,
I just kept going.
Rebecca Brennan
OPPOSITE: A flower bouquet made of chocolate and sugar. ABOVE: Pastry Chef Rebecca Brennan is
the Sugar Florist.
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Any purchases made in May, online or in-store, go into
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We’re celebrating Mother’s Day, our birthday, the launch of our
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7

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taste
WINE VINTAGE 2024 REPORT
Early Pick Heralds Unusual Vintage
Great Southern wine producers believe media reports of a poor Great Southern vintage
this year have been somewhat exaggerated.
Chairman of the Great Southern Wine Producers’ Association, Tom Wisdom, who is also
Managing Director of Plantagenet Wines says it was certainly an unusual vintage in that the
grapes were picked much earlier than usual. But that brought with it both good and bad.
Owner of 3drops in Mount Barker, Joanne Bradbury, says the early vintage meant there
was no disease pressure.
“We weren’t making decisions because we’d had rain and we’ve got mould in the
vineyard, everything was clean and great. I think we’re always making decisions based
on weather and there were decisions that we made on some varietals like, ‘we’ve
some really hot weather coming, let’s get it in before then’. Whereas in other vintages,
sometimes we’ve got a rain event coming, ‘so let’s get it in a day or two early’. We’re
always having to work around what is the optimum picking time,” Joanne says.
Tom Wisdom says Plantagenet’s vintage was a good one and he was hearing reports of
good results across the region.
“We’ve got three vineyards and all of them performed well. There was a very early
finish to vintage in March this year, probably the earliest finish in memory, which is very,
very unusual. Usually, we would be harvesting cabernet sauvignon in the last week of
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STORY ALLEN NEWTON
䄀 瘀 愀 椀 氀 愀 戀 氀 攀 愀 琀 琀 栀 攀 ǻ 渀 攀 猀 琀 挀 愀 昀 猀 Ⰰ 最 爀 漀 挀 攀 爀 礀 猀 琀 漀 爀 攀 猀 Ⰰ 漀 爀 漀 渀 氀 椀 渀 攀
㐀 ㈀㈀ 㜀 㔀 㠀 㔀
猀 琀 愀 猀 栀 挀 漀 û 攀 攀 ⸀ 挀 漀 洀 ⸀ 愀 甀
April and on occasion have harvested into May so to finish in March was astounding
really,” Tom says.
Award-winning winemaker Rob Diletti who this year is making wines for Castle Rock and
Dukes in the Porongurups, 3drops in Mount Barker, Monty’s Leap in Kalgan, and others
says the dry weather has caused some acid loss in some of the whites, but the reds
across the board have been excellent.
He says weather conditions have been variable over the last five to 10 years, but good
producers were reactive to the weather.
“And statistically some wines might be different to what they normally are, but again I
reiterate, good producers will still make really good wines,” Rob says.
Of the reds he says the pinot is going to be excellent.
“I think the shiraz are looking really, really good.”
From Rob’s perspective, the early vintage adds a lot more pressure.
“We always have a bottling of the previous year’s pinots and chardonnays in early
February and from a personal point of view, we’re not set up to bottle and crush at the
same time. I know statewide, people are still bottling and bringing fruit in, so that adds
a lot more pressure.
“In terms of quality, the hardest thing I think is when the weather is hotter when the
grapes are riper, so they tend to ripen quickly and your window becomes very small.
You have to be very reactive and try and fix everything at once which can be hard.
“The good things are definitely disease pressure which is usually very low. Which is
great, it gives great clean fruit, no disease – and finishing early which is always nice.”
In coming years Rob says it was obviously going to be vital to plan for warmer weather
and irrigation water would become increasingly important.
“But you have to be very cautious, not trying to do knee-jerk reactions and change
everything and then get a wet year.”
This year will see some wines that are not up to their usual standard.
“Some producers aren’t prepared to put in quite the same amount of effort as we are in
the vineyard, but most good producers know that you can’t just make crap wine, so you
put the work in the vineyard, you put the work into the winery.
“I think there’s a lot of very clever grape growers and winemakers around these days, so even
though it’s been a tough year, I think there’s still very, very good quality across the board.”
Tom Wisdom says there are always ups and downs.
“You get some vintages that are good for some varieties and only okay for others. This
will be a very strong vintage for the reds. It’ll be a very good vintage for cabernet, it’ll
be a very good vintage for shiraz from our region.
“Prolonged heat leads to smaller berries so the ratio of skin pulp gets a lot more
intensity and flavour relative to the size of the berries which is very good for our
cabernets so I’m pretty excited to see what comes out.
“I was a bit concerned with the riesling early on because we did suffer from sunburn
and raisining, which is what happens when the berries get damaged from intense heat
and sunlight. We had a bit of that through some of those heat waves but what happens
is they’ve raisined off and didn’t end up going through the crusher and so what did
come off was I think a quite good quality.
“The winemaking team are very happy with the riesling so that’s one of my concerns
that’s been alleviated.
“Chardonnay had a bit of a struggle as well with the heat. Pinot stood up surprisingly
well because that’s one of the first varieties that tends to suffer. It’s one of those
temperamental varieties, but we’re quite happy with the swell and we’re quite happy
with the yield. I know that in the region there have been some issues initially with frost,
where some growers got hit quite hard and suffered some damage and some crop loss
there. We are aware of pockets that did get affected adversely by the excessive heat
that’s caused heat waves. But overall the damage was limited.”
Tom says a whole range of factors come into play when it comes to protecting fruit from
damage.
“Something as simple as row orientation can have a big impact. So if you’ve got rows to
go east-west the sun goes over the top of you, or if you have a row that goes north-south
and the sun goes from one side to the other side, that may have impact.
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ABOVE: Joanne Bradbury, Rob Diletti and Ray Williams.
“The level of irrigation and whether or not you’re doing a dry grown or you’re irrigated
commercial will dictate how much canopy you’ve got and canopy dictates shading.
“Other growers are doing things like spraying clay or putting out shade cloth. There’s a
whole variety of different canopy management and management techniques you can
use. It’s hard to get down to one thing.”
Tom says from discussions he has with other winemakers and companies within the
Great Southern he wasn’t hearing any news that was too dramatic.
Joanne Bradbury says the number of 40 plus degree days in the Great Southern was unusual.
“We usually only get one or two each summer and there were probably four or five. So,
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9

taste
despite the cooler nights in the Great Southern, vintage did happen earlier, but I felt
very fortunate we were in the Great Southern because I think our growing conditions
were not quite as challenging as further north in places like the Swan Valley.
“Being in the Great Southern very much helped us this vintage.
“We did lose our nebbiolo crop which for us is quite a tricky variety. We have lost it a
couple of times in the past and that was a combination of bird damage and the fact that
the nebbiolos didn’t have as much foliage.
“But for the rest of the vineyard we had good leaf cover. We hadn’t done any leaf
plucking or anything like that, so the grapes were well protected. And I guess we’re also
fortunate to have adequate water, and as well as having Ray Williams, who planted our
vineyard in 1999 and he still does all the day-to-day management, so he knows that
vineyard very, very well.”
As well as 3drops Ray looks after a number of small vineyards in the Great Southern
including Monty’s Leap.
From a viticulturalists perspective Ray says this year vintage was fairly condensed.
“In cooler years you sometimes have to wait a week or so between picks for the
different grape varieties to ripen, but this year being fairly warm they all ripened closer
together. Our crop levels were average across the board with some vineyards a little
below average and others above average.
“We started watering earlier due to the heat to help the vines keep an active canopy for
fruit development. Also being a warmer year we didn’t leaf pluck as much as usual.
“Unlike some vineyards in the area we didn’t have a lot of heat damage to the fruit as
we kept a good canopy. 3drops did have a little problem with frost damage in a small
section of the vineyard earlier in the season, but disease pressure was very low due to
the lack of rain.
“We did have a lot of problems with birds this year and lost quite a lot of fruit where we
didn’t net.”
Joanne says in every vintage there are some wines you’re happy with and some wines
that you’re you know you’re very happy with.
“For us this vintage the pinot looks pretty good and we’re very happy with our riesling
as well so I think those will be the two sort of standout varieties. Our cabernet
sauvignon, which on our site, we often find it challenging to get it truly ripe. Often,
we’re well into April, it’s still out there, and the rains are coming. This vintage, we’ve
already harvested it with beautiful fruit ripeness.
“The old Patterson Vineyard that we have, which is where our pinot, chardonnay and
shiraz comes from, the majority of that vineyard is south facing and predominantly
vineyards are planted on a north facing slope to capture the most sunlight.
“That vineyard breaks lots of rules and was planted south-facing. But in these warmer
vintages, that’s very much to its advantage and. We grow pinot noir there, so we had
that slightly slower ripening with our pinot, which was obviously a good thing.”
Joanne says it also helps to have an optimistic outlook and some people might not take
that approach.
“I grew up on a farm and my family has been farming for more than 50 years and there is
seasonal change and I think when you’re a small boutique vineyard that’s part of the story.
“There was a year we lost our pinot noir and the next year we made it into a sparkling
just in case.
“I think that’s part of the story of and part of the challenge of being a boutique
producer. You’ve got to be adaptable.”
HAVE YOUR SAY ON THE
FUTURE OF RETAIL TRADING
IN ALBANY
Participate in the community survey and
answer whether you support allowing
General Retail shops to trade on Sunday
and on weeknights all year round.
The retail trading debate has been a
topic of discussion within the Albany
community for several years.
In an effort to ensure a comprehensive
understanding of the community’s
stance, Council unanimously approved
a renewed period of consultation at the
February 2024 Ordinary Council Meeting.
This time, the business community and
local residents will have the chance
to have their say via an online survey
facilitated by the local company, Catalyst.
The survey will be instrumental in shaping
the City’s approach to retail trading
hours. While not a binding referendum,
the survey is designed to garner insights
from residents and businesses on their
preferences regarding retail trading in
Albany.
Your input will play a crucial role in
influencing the Council’s decision on
whether to pursue a change to Albany’s
current retail trading hours.
The community consultation period is
open from Monday, 6 May 2024 until
Friday, 31 May 2024.
To complete the survey or to find out more about
retail trading hours, scan the QR code or visit
albany.wa.gov.au/retailtradinghours
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MEMBER OF THE
BC 11421
Will allowing General Retail shops to trade on Sunday and
weeknights all year round affect the trading hours of all
retail businesses in Albany?
No, most retail businesses in Albany can already trade
seven days a week and on weeknights if they choose.
Sunday and weeknight trading all year round will primarily
impact General Retail shops. These are businesses with
more than six owners, operating more than four other retail
stores, employing more than 25 people at one time, and
selling goods outside those listed for a Special Retail store.
Examples of General Retail shops include; Coles,
Woolworths, Kmart, Officeworks, Retravision, Anaconda,
and Good Sammies.
What about Small Retail and Special Retail businesses?
Small Retail businesses, typically owned by up to six people
with specific operational limits will not be affected by
Sunday or weeknight trading all year round. They already
have flexible trading hours and can open 24 hours a day, 7
days a week under the current Retail Trading Act 1987.
Special Retail businesses (e.g., pharmacies, hardware
shops), can currently trade from 6:00am to 11:30pm so the
potential introduction of Sunday and weeknight trading all
year round will not impact this category either.
What are the existing trading hours for General Retail
shops?
Current trading hours for General Retail shops in the City of
Albany are as follows:
• Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday: 8:00am to
6:00pm
• Thursday: 8:00am to 9:00pm
• Saturday: 8:00am to 5:00pm
• Sunday: CLOSED
Who can approve a change to trading hours?
The authority to approve a change to trading hours
in Albany lies with the Department of Mines, Industry
Regulation and Safety.
Following community consultation, if the Council decide to
pursue a change to Albany’s current retail trading hours,
the City will need to seek approval from the Minister. The
application needs to show that there is community support
for the proposal.
If it is determined that Sunday and weeknight trading all year
round is supported by the community, when will this change
take place?
If there is community support for a change in Albany’s retail
trading hours and the Council decide to request approval
from the Minister, then it is likely that the change to Albany’s
retail trading hours will come into effect in time for the
summer period of 2024/2025.

taste
There’s a sweet surprise at the end of the driveway at 15-year-old Ruby Peaches Hughes
Denmark home.
RUBY HUGHES’ SUNDAY BEST
Baked Delights Roadside for Denmark
The Junior MasterChef competitor was 11 when she appeared on series three of the
kid’s cooking competition series in 2020, coming in at eighth place. Back then she
was competing against youngsters up to 14 years old and if she were to compete now
reckons she would sweep the competition before her.
“I definitely have learned a lot since then. If I went back on the show now I probably
would know a lot more.”
Ruby’s love for all things pastry certainly hasn’t faded.
For the last two years she’s been parking a trolley her dad made for her at the end of her
driveway. It’s packed with sweet treats and she sells her wares to tourists, neighbours and
a bunch of regular customers. She opened it on Mother’s Day two years ago.
“Her dad built the little cart with all the stuff from the tip shop and she wheels it out
and it’s foolproof,” says mum Sonia.
Around once a month Ruby puts up a poster on Instagram and Facebook, asks people to DM
her for her address and puts out little roadside signs so people driving past can see her .
“I generally do the same things but I change up the flavours, so I might do a chocolate
tart one week and then I’ll swap to a lemon tart. I kind of alternate what I do. I do one
tart, one choux pastry, one macaron and something else like a cheesecake,” Ruby says.
STORY ALLEN NEWTON
Ruby makes around 100 individual items and opens for an hour and is generally sold out
by 11am.
She is saving the money she makes to go to France to pursue pastry courses in Europe.
“I’ve done the math and I have earned more doing this than I did when I had a job.”
And according to Ruby’s Mum Sonia, feedback on the pastries is pretty good.
“She definitely gets a few messages via Instagram or Facebook from people that have
really appreciated her pastries. Somebody said something along the lines of ‘I’ve been
to France and your pastries are good’.
“And we had a couple of bakers from Perth come down, some girls, who grabbed
everything. We didn’t know they had their own bakery, but they told her after. So she
gets some pretty good feedback,” Sonia says.
Ruby says she owes much of her confidence to the time she spent on MasterChef and
doubts if she would have been brave enough to launch her patisserie venture if she
hadn’t been involved in the competition.
And she definitely plans to keep her patisserie ambition going.
“That’s the dream, that’s the ideal. But I’d like to really have a place in town where I can
have a patisserie that I own.
“I’ve been saving pretty much every cent to have a trip to Paris and Europe.
taste
“I really want to travel to Europe because my family does a lot of travel but we always
go to Asia and I’ve never been to Europe. So I really want to do that and then maybe
when I do some courses over there as well and when I come back, open the patisserie
pretty much straight away.”
She believes there’s room in the market in Denmark so there is a good opportunity. And
Sonia believes the patisserie cart is an ideal way for Ruby to gain experience with little risk.
“There might be some competition come her way when she’s older. I think that’s the
good thing about her doing something just as a teenager, there’s just not that pressure,
she’s just doing her thing.”
While Ruby only sells her pastries from the cart, she also enjoys cooking in general.
“I also sometimes make sourdough for the family.”
But the majority of the cooking at home is done by Sonia. “She’s a good cook too and
she does sourdough as well.”
Although Sonia chimes in: “I’m not a baker though like Ruby, her baking is so much
more precise.
“She’s got a feel for the patisserie and the dough, she loves it.”
Ruby started cooking when she was only four years old, using her pocket money to buy
her own cooking equipment. Her basic cookery skills were learned from her mum and
dad and plenty of YouTube videos and heaps of practice.
Aside from her pastry skills she’s a big fan of cuisines from around the world, and in
particular Mexican and Italian food.
A fan of Heston Blumenthal’s culinary style Ruby also turns her hand to surfing, playing
flute and craft projects.
rubys_sundaybest rubypeacheshughes
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Ruby Hughes gets a visit from celebrity chef Anna Gare. PHOTO: Rae
Powys. Chocolate choux. Berry macarons. Strawberries and cream. Chocolate and caramel tarts.
IN-STORE NOW:
Browse or shop local online at www.thehubalbany.com.au
176 York street 9841 1880 www.thehubalbany.com.au
Trading hours Mon, Tue, Wed and Fri: 9am to 5.30pm. Thur: 9am to 8pm & Satuday: 9am to 4pm.
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harvest
harvest
JILL GRIFFITHS
What’s For Dinner?
STORY SERENA KIRBY | PHOTO SERENA KIRBY
But we, as consumers, are a bit
of a contradiction as we tend to like
small, local producers, or at least the
idea of them, but we also like the
price that comes with the big
end of town.
Jill Griffiths
When Jill Griffiths was a child she loved books and loved to write; she even thought that
some day she’d become a writer. But everyone told Jill that pursuing a writing career
was not a wise decision as the life of a professional writer is rarely a profitable one.
Being the pragmatic person that she is, Jill decided instead to follow her other interest,
science, as she also had a long-standing fascination in finding out how things worked.
“After I finished my biology degree I travelled and did all sorts of things. Then as luck
would have it Murdoch Uni opened up a post graduate diploma in journalism,” Jill says.
“I saw this as a chance to combine my two interests which would mean I could talk to
experts in various fields of science and then write about it. I could tell the story behind
the science.”
And that’s exactly what Jill did and she’s now been a successful freelance science-writer
for more than 30 years. But Jill has also had a bigger writing ambition bubbling away in
the background and last year she took her interest in science writing to the next level
with the publication of her book, What’s For Dinner?.
Jill describes the book as “an exploration of the food on the table and the farming
that puts it there and what it all means for people who grow food and those who eat
it”. Jill also says that even though she had a science background there were still many
surprises in what she learnt while researching for the book.
“I had lots of preconceived notions, things that I thought I knew about, that were
either inaccurate or wrong. The first thing that surprised me was that 75 percent of the
world’s food comes from just 12 species of plants and five species of animal.
“It’s actually even more concentrated than that because within those species the range
of varieties and breeds is limited and continues to diminish. Discovering that was a real
‘a-ha’ moment.”
But this was just one of the surprises Jill uncovered and she says that some of the things
she learnt about chickens totally turned her “upside down and inside out”.
“I’ve been a keeper of chooks for a long time and I thought that chickens were
something I really understood. But I never knew how important they are to the
world’s food supply. Not only are chickens one of the top five animals in regard to food
production but they’re the most important agricultural animal in terms of the amount
they contribute to our food supply. Chickens make up 46 percent of all meat eaten in
Australia and that’s huge.”
Another aspect readers of Jill’s book may be surprised to learn is the reason ‘meat
chickens’ now grow faster and bigger than ever before. Contrary to widespread
consumer belief this accelerated growth is not due to added hormones, as it’s actually
illegal in Australia to add hormones. Their growth is instead due to genetics and better
nourishment.
BELOW: Biologist, science-writer, gardener and cook Jill Griffiths with her new book What’s for Dinner?
Regarding the bigger picture surrounding food production Jill says that research by the
UN showed that as of 2007, more people now lived in urban areas than in rural ones.
As most food is produced in rural areas the result has meant that there are fewer and
fewer people producing more and more food for more and more people.
“There’s increasing pressure on food producers to upscale and mass produce things and
most consumers are now using price as their major determinant for what they buy. But
we, as consumers, are a bit of a contradiction as we tend to like small, local producers,
or at least the idea of them, but we also like the price that comes with the big end of
town.”
Jill points out that food production, food quality and pricing are complex issues, loaded
with nuances, opinions and theories and she doesn’t claim to have all the solutions as
to how we can adequately feed the world’s population. But she is convinced that being
able to think about what we choose to eat and having options about what we buy are
huge privileges.
“There’s close to a billion people in the world that are malnourished or undernourished.
If we were hungry and desperate for food we’d not be so concerned about how it’s
produced. But we become very concerned about it when there’s plenty of it. We’ve got
choice and that’s a privilege.”
Adding to that choice and privilege is the fortunate ability many of us have to
supplement what we purchase with what we can grow ourselves.
“I’m a hippie gardener at heart even though my head is more pragmatic. I make
compost and don’t use herbicides so if the bugs get my tomatoes or the parrots get
into things that’s bad luck for me. My veggie patch is not my livelihood, and I can buy
what I don’t produce. If it was my livelihood or my only source of food I’d probably think
differently about how to protect my patch.”
Jill says she tries to eat something from her garden everyday - even if it’s simply a
handful of herbs. It puts her in touch with the seasons and reminds her to value the
effort of food production. And valuable it most certainly is. Without the efforts of our
hard-working farmers, graziers, fruit and veggie growers, we wouldn’t be asking, ‘what’s
for dinner?'. Instead we’d be asking, ‘where is dinner?’.
Jill Griffiths’ book, What’s For Dinner? is published by Thames and Hudson and is
available from Paperbark Merchants, The Denmark Environment Centre and Tea House
Books.
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harvest
harvest
The fifth generation of Gavin Jackman’s family is now fishing the waters around Albany
where the family has fished for 100 years. But the commercial fishing days of the
Jackmans and other long-standing southern fishing families may be nearing their end.
A fierce opponent of government restrictions being placed on available commercial
fisheries Gavin believes it will focus fishing in concentrated areas with too many fish
being caught and not allowing them to grow to full size. It’s not something that Gavin
believes will encourage any of his own three children to want to take over the Out
There Fishing business.
OUT THERE FISHING
Fifth Generation Fishing Family Back in Action
Regulars at the Albany Boatshed Markets will have noticed the family stand has been
missing in action of late. Gavin caught Covid last year which left him in a bad way with
heart issues that he is slowly recovering from and left him unable to take the boat out.
But he says things are getting back to normal and Out There Fishing will be back at the
markets from late May, picking up on the tradition they started around seven years ago.
“With the support we’ve had from the community since we haven’t been out on the
market, it’s been bloody amazing, you know, and we just can’t wait to get back there to
carry on what we’ve been doing,” Gavin says.
The family fishing business started 100 years ago, and Gavin can trace his ancestry back
to the arrival of great great great grandfather Jimmy Newell, the controversial figure
who lends his name to the Jimmy Newell’s Harbour near the Torndirrup National Park.
“He was here in the 1800s. He jumped ship and he hid out there in Jimmy Newell’s
Harbour. There’s been a lot of conjecture over the names over the years. He was a
fisherman and his daughter, my great grandmother, married a Jackman. They carried
the fishing journey on from Jimmy to my nan and that’s how it went through five
LEFT: Gavin Jackman out on the boat. RIGHT: Blue Manna Crabs.
STORY ALLEN NEWTON
generations.
“We’re very passionate in trying to keep our name alive. It’s getting harder. The next
generation, my three sons, are not too interested in it, but my daughter might be.”
There is certainly no issue with fishing sustainability along the South Coast according to
Gavin.
“The weather has always been the greatest controller of our fisheries.”
A review of South Coast fisheries resulted in only around 100 licences being issued for
territory that stretches from Augusta to Eucla in seven different fisheries.
“We’re reduced a fair bit in number nowadays, so we’re definitely not overfishing our
stocks. We see fish every day, the changes, and we alter our fishing patterns to suit
those impacts.
“Us and the Westerbergs are probably the two oldest families now, and the Bensons as
well, who are still fishing today.”
The catch is seasonal with different fish swimming through at different times of the
year.
“We don’t catch salmon or anything like that. We concentrate on our estuaries. So
normally this time of year we work in our estuaries and we move out into doing our
beach seining in the winter months, up and down the coast chasing gardies, pike, skippy
and squid. And then we go deep sea fishing for our nannygai snapper and breaksea
cods. And then coming back into Christmas time we go and trap our leatherjackets,
which we’ve been doing for over 100 years now at Mistaken Island.”
Gavin says his customers love it all.
“They just like the fish because it’s fresh, they love our leather jackets, our King George
whiting and our herring. It’s quite surprising, you know there’s no real trouble with
selling any fish in our market so long as it’s fresh and they can tell it’s fresh and they can
see what the fish is, they are very very happy with whatever we put down there at the
time.
“The public have been absolutely outstanding in supporting us down there at the
Boatshed Market. They are absolutely wonderful people and they understand that we
don’t fish to big tonnages anymore like we did many years ago. We fish to what the
public demands and what the auctions demand.”
On the rare occasion when there are fish left over they get sent to Perth on Sundays for
a Monday auction.
“We’ve been supplying AJ Langford for now over 100 years as well. And what we catch
Friday and Saturday, we give first option to the community to buy and then we on-sell it
ABOVE: Vibrant colours of the sought after Nannygai. BELOW: Breaksea Cod and Harlequin fish.
to send it to auction on Sunday nights from Monday morning in Perth.
“All three of the kids have all worked at the market on their Sundays running the sale
on the fish down there, so they’ve all been actively involved in the process for a bit of
pocket money.
“It’s part of our family’s heritage and they’ve all followed in our footsteps trying to keep
the tradition alive.”
Gavin’s middle son Flynn also goes out fishing with him.
“He’s an apprentice now. He comes with us on occasional turns. My wife Tracey comes
and does a bit. I’m also very, very lucky to share my fishing with the opposition that
used to work alongside us at the town harbour in 91 year old Ted Muchmore.
“He comes with me a fair bit, one day a week, which I really enjoy. With Ted’s
knowledge and that he come from such an old Albany family, I respect him.”
Out There Fishing
RICK WILSON
FEDERAL MEMBER FOR O’CONNOR
Supporting the Great
Southern region’s food
and wine producers.
101 Albany Highway, Albany WA 6330 9842 2777 rick.wilson.mp@aph.gov.au
rickwilson.com.au
RickWilsonMP
Authorised by Rick Wilson MP, Liberal Party of Australia, 101 Albany Highway, Albany WA 6330.
16 LOVE LOCAL
Blue Manna Crabs.jpg
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17

elect
reflect
2ND LIEUTENANT
JOHN MORTON PLAYNE
Family Historian Discovers Sad Story
When English family historian Barbara Anstie discovered an old family photograph
album some years ago, she was intrigued by the image of a sweet-faced young boy. His
fair, wavy locks fall over the collar of his sailor suit and his expression is pensive, gazing
almost sadly into a future he could never have imagined. Written in pencil on the back
of the photograph was a name: “Jack Playne”. After a few inquiries, Barbara found out
little Jack was the youngest son of her husband John’s great-great aunt Elizabeth who
had migrated to Australia nearly a century before and had almost passed from family
memory. After a little more searching, she found Jack’s First World War service records:
his early enlistment in Western Australia’s 10th Light Horse Regiment, his rise through
the ranks from Trooper to Lance Corporal, his transfer at Gallipoli to an engineering
unit and promotion to Temporary Second Lieutenant – then the jolt of finding he was
reported missing in battle and the heartrending confirmation of his death in action.
“The links with our family were gradually lost, but the photos remind us they were real
people, so it was very sad to discover Jack had been killed in the war,” Mrs Anstie says.
“I can scarcely imagine how hard it must have been for his family to hear, first that he
was missing in action, and then to hear he’d been killed – like so many others of his
generation, but each one a personal loss to someone.”
John “Jack” Morton Playne was born in Nailsworth, Gloucestershire, on 11 January
1883, the youngest child of Charles and Elizabeth Playne. The family migrated to
Western Australia in 1888, quite soon after that photograph of young Jack was taken.
They settled in Albany where they raised their daughter and four sons. The Playnes
gradually lost touch with their Anstie relatives back in England, perhaps following
Elizabeth’s death just six years later. In 1901, after leaving school, Jack started a fouryear
engineering cadetship with the Public Works Department. By 1914, he was a
civil engineer in charge of the construction of the Yilliminning-Kondinin railway. When
he enlisted at Guildford on 25 September that year at the age of 31, he had already
served for 18 months with the Albany Volunteer Artillery.
While at Guildford Training Camp, Trooper 128 John Morton Playne was promoted to
Lance Corporal. He celebrated his 32nd birthday in camp and, on 8 February 1915,
embarked from Fremantle with the 10th Light Horse Regiment aboard the troopship
Mashobra. For the next few months, the mounted infantry trained intensively in Egypt
STORY ANNE SKINNER
LEFT: Second Lieutenant John Morton Playne of the 2nd Field Company Australian Engineers was
killed in the Battle of Lone Pine at Gallipoli in August 1915. (Courtesy Collection of Phil Sullivan,
Baker’s Hill) RIGHT: This image of a young John Morton Playne, known as Jack, was discovered in an
old family photograph album in England. It sparked a journey of discovery by distant relative and
family historian Barbara Anstie. (Courtesy Barbara Anstie)
in the shadow of the pyramids and, in their free time, enjoyed the exotic sights and sounds
of Cairo. The fittest among them made a competition out of climbing the Great Pyramid of
Cheops. Jack Playne may have been a decade older than most of the other soldiers, but he
twice made the challenging scramble to the top. According to a letter written home by one
of his army mates, he was even ready to give it a third go. “Jack Playne is in fine trim,” wrote
Trooper Humfrey Hassell to his father in a letter later published in the Albany Advertiser.
“He has been up the pyramids twice and seems willing to go up again, so he must be in
good nick. It is a 400ft (122m) climb, so most of us go once and then give it up.”
L/Cpl Playne’s civil engineering skills came to the fore once the troopers landed at Gallipoli
on 16 May. He wrote home to his father that he had been “employed most of the time in
surveying” where he was “exposed to snipers”. Now transferred to the 2nd Field Company
Australian Engineers, he was promoted to Temporary Second Lieutenant on the eve of the
Battle for Lone Pine. The assault on the high ground with its single tree – famously known
as the Lonesome Pine – was intended to divert the Turks from the main attack by the
Australian and New Zealand forces, which was to be on Chunuk Bair and Hill 971.
On the afternoon of 6 August, three mines previously laid in tunnels dug by the
engineers were detonated in front of the Ottoman lines. The Australian artillery
pounded the enemy positions before the Australians scrambled out of their trenches
and charged into the Turkish guns. They went over the top in waves. Hundreds fell.
Those who made it had to use their bayonets to lever up the pine logs roofing the front
Turkish trenches. Within 20 minutes, the Australians had seized the first trenches and
by nightfall they had captured most of the enemy front line. The battle raged for four
days, with intense hand-to-hand combat in some of the fiercest fighting the Australians
had yet experienced. The Anzacs held the position, but at the terrible cost of over half
the attacking force’s fighting strength – more than 2200 killed or wounded and many
more missing, while the Turks lost an estimated 6000 dead or wounded. Among those
reported missing were 2nd Lieut Jack Playne and his 10th Light Horse mate, Trooper
Humfrey Hassell. In September, an inquiry into the missing men determined that both
soldiers had been killed in action on 7 August. Lieut Playne has no known grave and is
commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial, as well as the Albany War Memorial and
the Kings Park 10th Light Horse Regiment Memorial Walk.
John Morton Playne is also remembered with pride by the family who never knew him.
Despite the distant link of being his great-great niece by marriage, Barbara Anstie is one
of a growing legion of people who will never let the memory of their fallen relatives
perish. She believes it is important not to forget those who were killed in the First World
War, for two reasons. “Firstly, to honour each in their own right, and secondly as a
reminder to us all what a terrible waste war is,” Mrs Anstie says. “War is a sad and awful
waste of young lives.”
Acknowledgements: Grateful thanks to Barbara Anstie of the United Kingdom for the
image of John Playne as a small child, family information and her heartfelt words about the
importance of remembering the fallen. Other sources: Australian War Memorial, National
Archives of Australia, anzacportal.dva.gov.au, Red Cross Wounded and Missing Files, Unit
Diary of 2nd Field Company Australian Engineers, Ancestry, Albany Advertiser (via Trove).
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Second Lieut Playne is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli, as well as the Albany War Memorial and the Kings Park 10th Light Horse Regiment Memorial.
(Courtesy The War Graves Photographic Project). Australian units move up into the line before the attack on Lone Pine. (Courtesy Australian War Memorial P04173.002). Soldiers pass the time on deck
aboard the transport Mashobra as it lies anchored off the Egyptian port of Alexandria. (Courtesy Australian War Memorial C01688). Several unidentified Australian soldiers of the 2nd Field Company
Australian Engineers, asleep with their legs tucked up in a dugout at Anzac Cove. (Courtesy Australian War Memorial P04173.005)
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learn
GREAT SOUTHERN
UNIVERSITIES CENTRES
Albany, Denmark and New Katanning Hubs Support Students
Regional higher education students are often at a disadvantage to those in metropolitan
areas. Unreliable access to the internet, lack of connection to other student peers, and
lack of support or knowledge about where to access help to overcome challenges faced
during study can all prevent people in the regions completing higher education.
That’s particularly the case for women over 35 who are settled in their career or raising
children and not wanting to uproot them to go to a city to study.
Since 2018 the Federal Government has committed more than $100 million to a
Regional University Study Hubs program to address these disadvantages.
Two of these hubs already exist in the Great Southern, one in Albany and one in
Denmark, both run by Great Southern Universities Centre and the Federal Government
has just announced they will be joined by a third hub at Katanning. The Universities
Centre is negotiating to operate the hub out of existing premises and expects it to be up
and running late 2024 or early 2025.
Potential students are welcome to contact Student Support Officer for the hubs, Kristina
Low, who says they are thrilled to be opening the study hub in Katanning.
She says the 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week campus-style study hubs exist to help
regional folk access higher education without having to leave their communities, support
networks and responsibilities. Access to the hubs is completely free to tertiary students.
The hubs offer students three pillars of support. The study hubs are always open to
students and include free internet, computer facilities and free printing. Free academic
skills workshops are available to help students with assignments and exams. They also
have access to Kristina for help with well-being, academic support, and navigating
BELOW: Kristina Low is the Student Support Officer at Great Southern Universities and is
passionate about supporting regional students. RIGHT: Study spaces are well equipped to fully
support online learning. BELOW RIGHT: The communal kitchen at the Albany hub.
STORY ALLEN NEWTON
university processes and systems.
“It’s basically everything students studying online in the region need to thrive and
achieve a university education,” Kristina says.
She is well used to university environments.
“I’ve worked at several universities in Australia. I’ve worked at Curtin University, I’ve
worked at Edith Cowan and more recently I’ve been working at the University of
Tasmania in Hobart.
“I’ve had a variety of roles but mostly around teaching support, so actually helping and
assisting academic staff and teaching staff to deliver their programs.
“But I have also worked in the student support realm, working face-to-face with
students to help them navigate university and progress along their path.
“For the last 12 months I’ve been at the hub, but before that I was in Hobart at the
University of Tasmania where I was doing some of the communications and program
support for a health research organisation.
“We returned to Denmark in April of last year, which is where I saw this opportunity
come up as a student support officer. I’ve always been very passionate about education
and lifelong learning. So, I applied, got it, and I’ve been working with the hub ever since.
“My role is mostly around ensuring that students get the support that they need
to actually feel like they are managing and progressing and getting a grip on online
learning, because it can be quite a steep learning curve and quite a barrier for many
students who have never studied online or even really had to navigate technology.
learn
“Lots of my work is one-on-one support, around time management, planning out your
semester, navigating your university systems, exam preparation, referencing, academic
writing, the whole gamut.”
Great Southern Universities Centre has been instrumental in enabling the West Australian
Academy of Performing Arts to deliver their Diploma of Music face-to-face in Albany.
“With WAAPA, through ECU we are supporting the Diploma of Contemporary Music
students so you can study with WAAPA in Albany, which before you couldn’t.
“Once people complete that diploma, they have the choice to either go off to WAAPA in
Perth and study there and obviously get credit for that diploma into an undergraduate
degree. Or they can just come out with that diploma and that may just supplement
either their current gig lifestyle or give them opportunities to go further afield or just
use that diploma in whatever way they find helpful.
“Another exciting new thing that’s happening is we’re partnering up with Central
Queensland University and we’re actually coming up with a bit of a micro-credential/
professional development pathway into postgraduate study. So essentially people who
are working can undertake either a professional development suite of modules or
through their work and then after they’ve completed those professional development
modules, they get credit into a postgraduate degree.
“They can use those modules to get credit for one unit into say a graduate certificate or
a master’s degree and then that’s their entry into a postgraduate qualification.
“Whether they want to change careers or pivot careers or upskill, it’s a really great
opportunity.
“It means that you don’t have to go through an undergraduate degree to get to postgrad.
You are getting that higher qualification through this professional development.
“We’re looking at launching that hopefully in 2025 and we are in discussions with
the local governments initially to see if this might be a program that they would be
interested in.
“It’s quite new and quite different and pretty exciting for people who never thought
uni might be their thing but who get to experience what it’s like to be in that online
learning space, but with the advantage of coming out with an actual contribution
towards a qualification.”
They have also enabled Curtin University to deliver their Bachelor of Science (Nursing)
degree completely in Albany which allows the region’s enrolled nurses to study to
become registered nurses in Albany instead of having to leave the region.
“Before they had to leave to do their pracs or travel and incur costs associated with
placements elsewhere. But now with the Curtin partnership, we actually can facilitate
students to stay in the region the entire time and complete that degree.
“The pathway is slightly different. They first have to do the diploma of enrolled nursing
through TAFE at Albany. And then once they get that diploma, they get credit into the
Bachelor of Science Nursing at Curtin. They get a year’s credit, so they’re effectively
coming into year two of the Bachelor’s degree. And then they do all of their pracs and
clinical workshops through the Albany TAFE and also the hospital.
“It’s a big thing for Albany – it means we’re not losing our health workforce because existing
enrolments have to go elsewhere for their pracs. And it also means that now people don’t
have to leave Albany to become a nurse. They can do that entirely in Albany.”
Kristina says there is a perception that the hub supports only school leavers.
“People assume the cohort is that younger kind of age bracket. But what we find is that
most of our students are well established in their careers or looking to change careers,
or maybe upskill or even enter the workforce after a time of raising children.
“It’s not an option for them to uproot their life or their families to go elsewhere, like to
the city to study, so they opt for the online courses that are out there.
“They can complete their degree in the region and then they have additional skills to
offer the community. We are seeing mostly women 35 and up.
“We have women in their 50s and 60s who study with us at the hub. Our student
population is quite diverse, but we find that school leavers are more interested in
exploring the world and taking a gap year, just to find out what they might be interested
in when they do return.”
www.gsunicentre.edu.au
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engage
A TALE OF TWO TUGS
Farewell to Koona and Karoo
STORY BAS BOLYN​
A long-serving tug is a bit like your family home.
And when it departs after nearly 15 years of service, it’s the same sentimental pang that
hits you in the stomach when you close the door and say goodbye. Years of memories
and shared experiences packaged into one asset you know every corner of, and just
what to do to get the best out of her.
And so it is for the Koona and Karoo, two tugs that have served at one of the most
historic ports in Western Australia, the Port of Albany. The Port’s maritime community
and shipping customers have called on the port, reliably and safely under the
stewardship of Svitzer’s local team since 2011.
Speaking with Svitzer’s Albany Master Craig Marshall, you get the sense that it is only
right to give the ‘old girls’ a bit of recognition given the work they have put in.
They are sister ASD tugs, Australian-made in 1991 out of Port Lincoln in South Australia
with Australian steel. It may be a bit too patriotic to say in this day and age, but these
two Aussie-built tugs are low maintenance, had hardly any rust issues and you could tell
they were built by people who had worked on, drove, and loved tugs.
It’s part of the reason the Albany team enjoyed working on them so much: given their
simplicity and user-friendly design, they are a lot easier to work on and reliable. A bit
like a 30-year-old Toyota Corolla – even if things did break, it was easy to diagnose and
to fix.
Their names did cause a bit of a stir on arrival, however.
Being sister tugs and exactly the same in design – whether you were on the Koona or
Karoo could sometimes be a mystery. As the local team work across both tugs, a name
plate lives in each mess room to serve as a reminder if you needed your bearings – but
Koona and Karoo in action in action maneuvering a P&O Cruise ship into Port Albany. PHOTO: Brad Harkup
it did result in a local change of voice commands between pilots and masters.
feelings in your hands,” says Craig.
“The names were a little confusing at the start – a bit too similar when used in
discussion over radio with the pilots – and it was a bit of a concern in the first tug job.
So, we switched to using ‘forward tug’ and ‘aft tug’ for identification rather than the tug
names for voice commands – and we are keeping that system for the new tugs coming
The Koona and Karoo also tell the story of the Port of Albany’s freight growth and
supply chain – they provide a little window into world trade and the decisions behind
what moves where, around the globe.
in,” Craig says.
The ‘old girls’ have assisted bulkers carrying everything from grain to fertiliser, mineral
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The engines in the Koona and Karoo are Caterpillar 3516s – the same as you get in the
mining trucks up north in the iron ore fields. They have a high-revving engine; you need
to rev high to get power out of them, which brings the advantage of them being really
zippy.
One thing Craig won’t miss however is the lack of heaters in the wheelhouse, especially
during cold winter mornings.
“When it gets chilly on those four-degree mornings in winter, and with aluminium
control handles, holding them to get out of the harbour is a nightmare… you lose all
sands to woodchips, as well as Royal Australian Navy ships and submarines, fuel tankers
and visiting cruise lines. Last year alone, they worked to support a record trade year at
the Port of Albany with 5.5 million tonnes of cargo exported and imported.
For a period, the tugs were also assisting ships carrying wood pellets to China and
Europe. This commodity has ceased exporting, but the pellets were used to burn in
steel smelters in China and power stations in Europe to, interestingly, reduce carbon
emissions in coal power generation.
Other notable moments in service include supporting the centenary re-enactment of
the departure of ANZAC troops from the Port of Albany bound for Egypt, and ultimately,
Gallipoli and the Western Front. On 1 November 2014, a fleet of Australian naval
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TOP LEFT: Another action shot of Koona and Karoo safely nudging the IVS Merlion from Singapore
into position. PHOTO: Brad Harkup. ABOVE: The Southern Ports team with new tugs Karoline and
Maryon in the background. PHOTO: Courtesy Southern Ports Authority.
LEFT: Koona is dwarfed as she guides the Queen Elizabeth into Port Albany. PHOTO: Brad Harkup
vessels including a submarine, a visiting Royal New Zealand Navy frigate and a Japanese
vessel, conducted a sail past through King George Sound. It meant a busy day for the
Koona, Karoo and the Albany team, assisting more than 15 tug movements throughout
the re-enactment – and one the local team are proud to have supported.
Albany also serves as an emergency towage contract location for the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA). A recent job was assistance to the Interlink Sagacity
– a ship stranded and drifting for five days in the Southern Ocean during the 2022-23
Christmas and New Year period after a fire had ripped through its engine room. The
tugs worked with Southern Ports’ Port of Albany marine pilots to assist during a small
weather window – bookended by 30 to 35 knot winds on the days leading to their
departure and shortly after their return. The team successfully towing the stranded ship
safely back to King George Sound.
A fond farewell to both tugs that have served Southern Ports and the Great Southern
and South Coast communities so well.
PORT OPEN DAY
Southern Ports will open its gates to the Great Southern community on Saturday
27 April to discover the inner workings of the Port of Albany.
Across two free sessions there will be port tours, live entertainment and family
friendly activities including a treasure hunt, bouncy castle, face painting, and the
latest voiceprint premiere and truck display.
It’s a great opportunity for the community to get up close and see how the Port
of Albany operates. The last Port of Albany Open Day was held in 2021 with more
than 1,000 people taking the opportunity to explore the Port.
Southern Ports have recently welcomed two new tugs at the Port of Albany as
part of their investment in maritime infrastructure across regional Australia. The
Karoline and Maryon tugs have replaced the 30-year-old Koona and Karoo and
there will be a special tug display and even a chance to win a ride on a tug.
For more information or to secure your free tickets to this Port Open Day visit
Southern Ports’ Facebook page or visit the website www.southernports.com.au
Youth Songwriting and Music
Industry Masterclass
with Chey Jordan
Chey Sleeman is a young local muso who recently moved to Melbourne to pursue
his career. Now he’s on a national tour with his 5-pice band, and is due for a stop-off
in Albany. While Chay and the band are in town they will be delivering a four-hour
workshop at the Town Hall for ages 13 to 17, which will be a great opportunity for
young folks just starting out in the music industry to learn the ropes.
The Australian music scene is a complex industry – from getting your first gig to
releasing your first song, it’s a profession that doesn’t follow any strict rules. With the
rise of social media, production accessibility and music streaming, the methods of
gaining an audience have changed in comparison to previous decades - but how can
someone with no network or connections get their start?
Participants will learn the basics of recording and performance and be introduced to the
foundations of the music business. The workshop is on Sunday 12 May at the Albany
Town Hall.
Tickets are available through the City of Albany website or email arts@albany.wa.gov.au
Great Southern Cellar Door Albany
Celebrate the amazing produce across the Great Southern region at Great Southern
Cellar Door, bringing the cellar door to you!
Enjoy a family-friendly and memorable day out with a line-up of world class wine from
over 20 Great Southern wineries, spirits, beer, local food, live music and more.
Held on the 4 May at Albany’s Eyre Park, activations will include the Lakeside Beer Bar,
barrel sessions, cellar pairings as well as guest chef appearances and tastings. With
more than 30 stalls there’s something for everyone.
Sip and savour over 100 Great Southern wines from the region’s best wineries, then buy
a glass of your favourite to match the local food trucks, while enjoying live music from
local artists. Don’t forget to top up your cellar by supporting the local makers and buy a
bottle or two.
Tickets are from $23 per person and are available from
www.wineandfood.com.au/taste-great-southern/events/
VISIT EMMAPOLETTE.COM/BODY-LOVE-RETREATS
FOR MORE INFO OR TEXT 0404 008 442 OR SCAN:
Albany Town Hall
Thursday 2 May 2024 6:30pm
Tickets: Under 18s $10 / Adults $15
Book at Albany Town Hall Box Office,
scan the QR Code, or online at
https://albany-events.bookable.net.au/
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what's on
gig guide
Everything we put in the Gig Guide is correct at the time of
printing, to the best of everyone’s knowledge. But be warned,
things can and do change.
WHO + WHAT WHERE WHEN
Centennial Markets Centennial Park, Albany Every Sat and Sun 9am to 1pm
WHO + WHAT WHERE WHEN
Albany Boatshed Markets The Boatshed, Princess Royal Drive Every Sunday, 9am to 1pm
ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
Jimeoin – Who’s Your Man?! Albany Entertainment Centre 4 May, 7.30pm
Humans 2.0 by Circa Albany Entertainment Centre 14 May, 7.30pm
Anh Do – The Happiest Refugee Live! Albany Entertainment Centre 21 May, 7.30pm
Kwoorabup Community Markets Denmark High School, Denmark Every Sunday, 10am to 2pm
Midway Markets Narrikup Sat 25 May, noon-4pm
OTHER
Digital Drop In Albany Public Library Every Wednesday, 10am-noon
Australian Geographic Nature
Photographer of the Year
Exhibition
Immerse yourself in the beauty of the natural world. See nature in focus through stunning
images by professional, emerging and junior photographers who have shown impeccable
timing, patience, artistry and technique to capture incredible moments in time.
This breathtaking exhibition allows us to witness the unique beauty of the flora, fauna
and landscapes of our own back yard and the world around us, all while celebrating the
natural heritage of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea bioregions.
The exhibition is hosted by the Museum of the Great Southern and is open to the public
until 26 May. Entry is free.
ZAP Circus
A circus sensation is coming to the Albany Town Hall on 2 May. Presented by the City of
Albany and suitable for families with with older children or teens, or perhaps a date night
or even a fun thing to do for singles, the show has something to tickle everyone’s fancy.
It’s an exhilarating show from start to finish as international superstars ZAP CIRCUS
bring their all-time favourite circus stunts to Western Australia in a brand new show
that you don’t want to miss. With fire eating, hula hooping, acrobatics, comedy,
freakshow stunts and hilarious acts galore, this show is sure to keep you on the edge of
your seat and ready for more!
Forget the everyday, and immerse yourself in the sensation of the circus. Share that
indescribable feeling you get as you feel the heat from the flames, see the sweat
dripping on the acrobats and the flutter of the confetti as it falls from the sky.
Melbourn Int Comedy Roadshow Albany Entertainment Centre 23 May, 7.30pm
Songbird Albany Entertainment Centre 30May, 7.30pm
Beatles & Stones Tribute Show Albany Entertainment Centre 31 May, 7.30pm
EXHIBITIONS
Ruth Halbert Textile Exhibition Albany Town Hall from 2 May
Life Drawing by Anne Grotian Vancouver Arts Centre to 23 May
Australian Geographic Nature Photography Museum of the Great Southern to 26 May
FESTIVALS AND SPECIAL EVENTS
Port of Albany Open Day Port of Albany 27 April, 9.30am to 3.30pm
TASTE GREAT SOUTHERN Various locations, Great Southern 2 to 12 May
Great Southern Cellar Door Albany Eyre Park, Albany 4 May, 11.30am to 4.30pm
Festival of Dusk Albany Town Hall 4 May, from 5pm
We Will Rock You The Musical Albany Port Theatre last 4 Fri,Sat,Sun in May
Cancer Council Biggest Morning Tea Riverside Club, Denmark 22 May, 10am to noon
Film Harvest – Independent and Arthouse Films Orana Cinemas Albany Every Wednesday, 6.15pm
Albany Orchid Society Mother’s Day Bayonet Head Shopping Mall 10 and 11 May
Albany Sinfoia - The New World Free Reformed Church, Albany 11 May, 2pm
“A CRACKING SCRIPT...
POIGNANT AND BEAUTIFUL”
“HIGHLY ENTERTAINING
YET HEARTBREAKING”
TICKETS ONLINE OR
AT BOX OFFICE:
9844 5005
Denmark Festival of Voice Various locations, Denmark 31 May to 2 June
MARKETS
Walpole Community Markets Pioneer Park, Walpole 30 March, 8am-1pm
CIRCUS
Albany Farmers Market Collie Street, Albany Every Saturday 8am to noon
14 MAY
7.30PM
Stirling Terrace Indoor Markets Old Auction Room Every Sat and Sun 9am to 3pm
From over 2.5 million views online
to being number 4 on the Triple J
Unearthed charts for 3 weeks
straight. Chey Jordan and his band
take some time out of their national
Australian tour to support and
upskill emerging musicians of the
Great Southern region.
YOUTH
SONGWRITING
AND MUSIC
INDUSTRY
MASTERCLASS
Learn how to write
music for a living and
understand the insand-outs
of the music
industry at this four-hour
workshop for young
songwriters and
musicians aged 13 to 17.
ALBANY TOWN HALL
Sunday 12 May 2024
1:00pm - 5:00pm
$10 Entry
For more info and to register
scan the QR code or go to
albany-events.bookable.net.au
An intimate tale of heartbreak, forgiveness,
shared memories and sweet melodies.
23 May
7.30pm
THEATRE
30 May
7.30pm
Extraordinary performances to enthrall and inspire - not to be missed!
It’s FREE to promote your event in the
AURORA MAGAZINE Gig Guide!
If you would like to be included for the WINTER edition,
contact us at gigguide@auroramagazine.com.au before
the 5pm Sunday 9 June deadline.
ASK
ABOUT
STAYING AT
KARRIBANK
6TH JUNE - 7:30PM
7TH JUNE - 10:30AM
ALBANY ENTERTAINMENT CENTRE
TICKETS AT ARTSCULTURETRUST.WA.GOV.AU OR BOX OFFICE 984 4 5005
Karri on Bar
SMALL BAR IN PORONGURUP
The pizza oven’s on, local beers and wines are ready,
the tunes are playing! Join us here for a casual
evening drink and tasty food.
OPEN FRIDAY & SATURDAY 5PM KITCHEN CLOSES 7.45PM,
SUNDAY OPEN 12PM CLOSES 6PM, FOR UPDATES CHECK FACEBOOK.
GROUP BOOKINGS ARE ESSENTIAL, ESPECIALLY FOR OTHER DATES AND TIMES.
1983 PORONGURUP RD, PORONGURUP, WA. PH (08) 9853 1022
26 LOVE LOCAL
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