Welcome friends to the June Social Scene

There is nothing like a flood to slow people down, with many local events having to be toned down or called off due to the recent rains. Unfortunately, the Beef Week parade was without moo cows, but that did not stop a full house from partying well into the night at the Nash and Roohan Beef Barons Ball on 23rd May. This event is sold out every year and the 2009 ball was packed out, with local belles donning their evening gowns and suit hire outlets doing a roaring trade as the best dressed male and female were hotly contested. 

Guests barn-danced into the wee hours, and rumour has it that it was the best ball in years. 

The weather is clearing now just in time for the men in kilts to arrive for the Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival on 30th and 31st May. We certainly wouldn’t want cold weather this weekend, if it is true what they say about what is under those kilts. I guess that’s why they drink lots of whisky – to keep warm! I will tell you all about those kilts next month.

Good Beginnings held a food and wine fundraiser for 30 people at Bent on Food on May 1st, with four courses all specifically matched to some lovely Printhie Wines from Orange. 

The four course menu was very exciting, and it was great to be able to source some excellent regional produce and to do something extra special. 

Guests included Mayor Paul Hogan and Patty Hogan, Geraldine Smith, Dyana and Peter Brown and Judy and Peter Colless.

Rosemary Sinclair gave an update on the Good Beginnings charity and spoke about all the new initiatives, including the new Biripi playgroup, which is the first Indigenous playgroup operating under the Australia wide Good Beginnings banner. Renowned saxophonist Jeff Speed came from Bellingen to play for the evening.

Around 25 tourism operators, media and members of Council attended the launch of the 7 Natural Wonders of the Manning Valley media campaign, held on Friday 7th May at the Visitors Information Centre in Taree.

Chris Ryan, Kim MacDonald and I talked about the campaign while Kevin Carter from National Parks and Wildlife gave one of his wonderfully entertaining takes on the National Parks in our great region. 

The evening was completed with local antipasto and wine, while tourism operators had an opportunity to network and discuss opportunities for further campaigns.

Roots collaborators ‘The Last Train’ brought their smokey folk and country soul stylings down from the mountains to Bent on Food on Friday April 17th, performing to a full house. 

The band is fronted by talented singer/songwriter Andrina Sheahan and joined by marital partner Greg Pankhurst on drums to create a sound that combines the classic traditions of folk, country, swing and blues with a contemporary edge. 

They have recently been joined by bass man Dave Gollan and Kevin Ballard from The Workshop, with a special guest appearance by fiddle player Hugh Cowley, of Up in Annie’s Room. In normal Bent on Food fashion, there was dancing in the streets, with everyone enjoying the performance. 

Hugh Cowley was also guest fiddler that night at Morland Gallery, where the very talented Kate MacGowan opened her exhibition of digital art. The exhibition was called ‘Nestled’, named after one of the pieces on display. 

Kate’s work is very clever, putting together photography and painting techniques, using both the computer and traditional methods of painting on canvas. Around 70 people attended the opening.

Morland Gallery held another successful opening on May 16th, featuring an exhibition called ‘Bliss, Peace and Harmony’ by local artist Angela Beaumont. 

Around 50 people attended the opening, with guests enjoying refreshments while viewing this exciting group of symbolic paintings that represented the many pure qualities of the featured gods. The paintings are bright and uplifting, with some of them depicted in local landscapes. Congratulations Angela.

A dinner was held last month for Tegan Brown’s 18th birthday, where she learnt some pretty smooth moves from belly dance pro Wendy at Table 33 in Taree. Happy Birthday, Tegan.

May was the month for mums, and I am pleased to say that mums all over the Manning Valley and the Great Lakes were well catered for with most restaurants reporting a busy day – you deserve to be looked after, mums of the region!

June is a great month to get out and about, think about the environment and visit Taree Envirofair on the 6th of June or track down an event and get involved. The region has so many wonderful events, so get out there.

If you are in business, do not miss the launch of the Manning Valley Business Awards on June 19th.

Until next month, enjoy life and get out and about.

Please email me with any events you have attended or organised and send me some pics so that I can include them in the social pages. I can only write about what I am aware of, so be sure to share some information with me.

donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.