Now here is a little bit of news from Hallidays Point. Yes, some of it is Christmas related, but they do throw a great party down there, so it is worth a mention – it was sent to me by one of our readers.
Each year the Red Head village community partakes in a Christmas light competition, where the streets are beautifully lit up with a display of street lights, helping to keep Essential Energy afloat and giving the village a wonderful festive feel. At the annual Christmas party, the previous year’s winner has the honour of selecting the current year’s winner of the competition.
There was great excitement when Maddison Aiken announced that this year’s winners were Cathy and Grant Whitelaw. More than 100 residents attended the Christmas Party held in the Red Head Reserve, and the highlight was the arrival of the Santa Claus with his endless supply of lollies. He is a hit at every street party, that Santa Claus!
Still at Hallidays Point, the 2012 Head2Head Ocean Classic was held on Monday 2 January 2012 at Black Head Beach, with fantastic conditions, the sun shining and the seas calm after some pretty heavy swells the week before. Numbers were up on last year’s swim, with a successful day for the hardworking team at the surf club. 2012 was the third year for the ocean swims, with 88 finishers in the 700 m race and 161 in the 1500 m race.
Sixteen year old Kurtis Kavanagh from Burleigh Waters in QLD took the honours in both races. In the 1500 m race, last year’s winner, 15 year old Connor Shakespeare from Forster, came in 11 seconds later to claim 2nd place.
In the women’s section, 41 year old Dori Miller from Sydney NSW was the first female home in both races. Last year’s winner of the 1500 m race, 15 year old Maddison Carnegie from Bella Vista in NSW, came in 13 seconds behind Dori to take 2nd placed female.
This year also saw the running of the inaugural 10 km ocean ski race as part of the day’s events. 18 hardy paddlers took part in the race from Black Head Beach to Diamond Beach and return, with the winner being 37 year old Shane Cornish from Forster, while 46 year old Laura Thurtell from Forster was the first female home.
As I said, Bent on Food has been busy with many happenings, including the successful launch of our evening menu, cooking classes and the usual chaos.
At the cookery school, Michael and his daughter Gaby enjoyed conducting a Big Chef, Little Chef class, with participants learning the art of cutting a chicken and turning it into the most wonderful Fricassee; I was on the dishes, so I was given a taste … yum. Not to mention that the dessert was my favourite – vanilla pannacotta, all wobbly, and perfectly formed too!
A private class was also held, with the Cudlin ladies learning some pasta making skills and my next favourite dessert, tiramisu. The ladies had a great time, and they were a pleasure to spend the evening with. They were good sharers too, and their ravioli was restaurant quality.
Michael and I also taught some very well behaved children how to make cupcakes and 3 different types of icing. The children were delightful, and they were all very good students. I felt very special when they all donated a cupcake to me – like I need any more food!
Troy Bayliss was a hit when he visited Taree Motorcycle Club’s annual twilight meet held at Old Bar race track on Saturday 21 January. Troy was competing on the day in a number of classes and was clearly a crowd favourite, with the spectators enjoying seeing their hometown boy race locally. Troy is now retired and living on the Gold Coast with his family. Originally from Taree, he returned to his home track for the first time in 20 years.
I would love to hear from you if you have any social events, weddings, parties, anything!
Send pics and info to Donna Carrier
Cheers, Donna.

It is so funny that many of us make a career out of Christmas day. We begin planning Christmas day in October; whose turn is it to have lunch at their place? Who will bring the turkey, or the ham? Who will make the pudding? Will we buy presents for each other, or just for the children?

I feel my head spinning with all this Christmas talk, my heart races and all I can think about is whether I will make it to Christmas Day without going insane! When it gets here, I will probably just curl up under a table somewhere, exhausted. Have I ordered enough stock? Or too much? Will the hamper orders come in, or will I be stuck with Christmas puddings to promote in July? Do I have enough staff? How many Christmas parties will we cater for?

I am sure you all relate in your own lives – same stress, albeit different issues for all of us! This Christmas, spare a thought or a few dollars for the homeless. At Bent on Food, we have joined Street Smart in a great initiative called Dine Smart, to raise funds to help those in need of food and shelter. It just takes $2 on top of your bill; you will not miss it, but it will certainly be appreciated.

Oh … and another big dilemma of mine is what I will I be drinking on Christmas Day – I suspect something bubbly and perhaps red, preferably all in the same bottle. I just love a sparkling red on Christmas Day! Anyway, wine talk is not my column, so before I get too carried away I will move on to what’s been happening around the region socially.

On Saturday, October 15, Amy Harrison married Morgan Redman at Memorial Park in Gloucester, with around 120 friends and family gathering to witness the happy couple share their vows. Guests travelled from as far away as Brisbane to celebrate the occasion. It was a beautiful ceremony officiated by Phillip Cutcliffe, and it was fortuitous that the weather held out until after the vows were exchanged – a wonderful start to the marriage.

The reception was held at the Gloucester RSL, and the theme was Amy’s favourite colour: purple. The beautiful wedding cake was made by Amy’s very talented friend, Shane Edwards. Congratulations to Amy and Morgan; I am sure you will have a long and happy life together.

I was understandably quite distraught that once again I was out of town for a very auspicious occasion, the Fistula Trust fundraiser high tea. The fundraiser was held on 19 November at the Robertson residence ‘Bowarra’ and attracted a large flock of ladies who wore their best attire and partook in lady games such as ‘the handbag toss’ and ‘the high heeled shoe race’. The best hat was worn by none other than Bronwyne Wallace, who looked stunning in black. The afternoon raised around $750 – great job ladies!

Manning Valley finalists travelled to Sydney for the NSW Tourism Awards held at the exhibition centre at Darling Harbour. Finalists included Honeycomb Valley at Nabiac, Old Bar Beach Festival, Manning Valley Tourism and Bent on Food/Bent on Life. We were very pleased to take home a silver award, and congratulations must go to all the finalists who help to promote the Manning Valley and the wider region through their efforts.

The Great Lakes Business Awards were held on October 26 at Tuncurry Bowling Club, with 200 guests attending to celebrate and reward business excellence.

There were many deserving winners in a number of categories, with the overall business of the year award going to Free Spirit Cruises. Peter Mannow of Free Spirit Cruises is passionate about the Great Lakes, tourism and the environment, and it is great to see this business being rewarded for the contribution they make to a very important industry. If you would like to support the finalists and winners of the Great Lakes Business Awards, you can visit the Forster Tuncurry Business Chamber website at http://www.ftchamber.com.au

While we are congratulating award winners, the management and staff at Kiddies Hut, Diamond Beach travelled to Sydney in October for the Australian Child Care Week Awards, where they were finalists in a whopping 5 categories. Congratulations for a great achievement Natalie and team; I am sure you had a great night.

To finish for the year, I would like to mention some of the highlights of 2011. The beautiful wedding of Stefanie and Mike that we catered for at Clarendon in April was definitely a memorable occasion, with the lovely Sarah Julian officiating, topped off by a gorgeous couple who looked great and enjoyed the day.

Another favourite was Kate Blenkin’s 50th birthday party, where we didn’t have to cater; instead, we just got to turn up in our Sunday best and enjoy great food, fabulous company and a glass or two of sparkles. Another occasion that I thoroughly enjoyed was the visit by ABC’s Robbie Buck to Wingham, where local musicians, including James Johnston and The Workshop played live to the listeners across NSW and the ACT. Di Morrissey and Eric Richardson spoke about how much they loved the region and about the impact of the floods – all this and the quiz being broadcast from Bent on Food.

I would like to take this opportunity to wish all the readers a safe and happy festive occasion. Please make sure you enjoy precious time with loved ones and remember to relax. Take care on the roads, and don’t forget your sunscreen!

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

I have also been hooked on Australia’s Got Talent, where I have felt like a part of the show because I have fallen in love with each and every one of the finalists. I can’t believe the talent that has come out of this series. From young to old, they all deserve to win.

Chef to the stars, Kate McAloon spends her time feeding celebrities such as Gwyneth Paltrow and Steven Spielberg. At the beginning of July, just a few days after an article about chef Kate featured in the Body and Soul liftout in Sunday’s Telegraph, she dropped by for breakfast and a look around the shop. Kate was a guest of Sandra Fishwick from Red Plateau Organics. She spent four days touring the region, with a visit to Marrook Farm in Elands, where she toured their cheese and yoghurt making facility. She also visited Hand n Hoe Organic Macadamia Farm just out of Wingham, Ricardoes Tomatoes and The Other Chef Fine Foods in Port Macquarie, along with a visit to Sandra’s organic avocado farm.

Kate shared a wonderful dinner cooked by chef Michael James at The Bunker Restaurant at Tallwoods with myself, Grahame Nash and Sandra Fishwick. She also ate at the Harrington Hotel, where she met the staff and enjoyed the fresh seafood. During her visit, Kate dropped by the new Bent on Food cookery school, where she helped some of the kids peel some potatoes for their gnocchi class. Kate enjoyed the area and promised to come back soon.

During the floods that ravaged the region, Robbie Buck and his crew broadcast live across NSW and ACT from Bent on Food. I have a segment with Robbie each month where I share a recipe and chat about what’s in season, so it was wonderful to finally meet for a live broadcast. We were also very fortunate to have James Johnston in town, who dropped in with his acoustic guitar and played one of his original tracks. Kevin Ballard and Steve Benjamin from The Workshop played live, and local emergency services came in for a chat. Manning Valley Tourism Ambassador, Di Morrissey and Historian Eric Richardson spoke to Robbie about the floods and the beauty of our unspoilt valley. A great crowd shared a few glasses of local Red Tail wines, along with some Osso Bucco made with local Linga Longa beef, Marrook Farm and Comboyne Culture cheeses and Rudi’s yummy cheese kranskys. We participated in Norman the quiz, and the loaf of hightop bread was won by an enthused local.

Mack and Joan Gibson of Wingham, together with 28 family and friends, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary over a luncheon on Saturday 2 July at Artisans Retreat. To add to their special day, the original wedding party were all present, including the best man, Keith Terras, the matron of honour, Audrey Jones and the bridesmaid, Rhondda Canfield (nee Jones). Their wedding took place 50 years ago on the Central Coast, where they were married by Philip Lucock.

Early July saw some spectacular weather, perfect for picnic celebrations during Naidoc Week. The local Biripi and Worimi communities organised some deadly events to commemorate the annual week long event around the theme of ‘Change: the next step is ours’. Some of the highlights included a picnic day out at Saltwater National Park featuring show bags, face painting, a magician, some competitions for the kids, a free sausage sizzle and a plethora of activities at Purfleet, including horse riding, a jumping castle and music featuring local band The Jay Davis Trio on Friday 1 July.

Out at Tuncurry/Forster, local highly respected elder Aunty Mae Simon was acknowledged and thanked for her incredible dedication and contribution to the Worimi community at a Naidoc festival day held at John Wright Park.

The Jay Davis Trio became the Jay Davis Duo at The Bean Bar, Taree on Saturday July 16, with the absence of didg player and percussionist, Sam Mehan. Jay and bassist, Benn Saunders had some assistance on the night with a special appearance by good mate and talented vocalist/guitarist, Nathan Tickle. Jay’s Soul/Funk/Rock/Pop fusion sound had the packed and highly appreciative restaurant diners on their feet several times.

And now, to socialising in business. Around 40 people attended a networking evening at Bowers Café on Tuesday 26 July to formally relaunch the Taree Chamber of Commerce. President Shane McLeay encouraged business people to become involved and spoke about their plans for the future. Steve Attkins from Great Lakes Winery addressed the group on developing a successful business and shared some of the fruits of his labours.

If you are in business, do not forget to nominate for the Manning Valley Business Awards this year. Nominating is easy, and it is a great way to analyse your business. Along with the usual categories, this year a special dedication will be made to Bruce Cowan, who worked hard for our community for many years. The Inaugural Bruce Cowan Award will recognise an outstanding contribution by an individual to business, thus impacting on the wider community. The social side is the Gala awards evening on September 9, and we are planning another big one this year.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to

donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

Daylight savings is over, and there is a slight chill in the air. I really enjoy autumn weather; it’s a little bit brisk, and it’s still light enough in the morning to get out and about. Easter is over and Mother’s Day is just around the corner, and I feel quite positive as I think about future projects and about the possibility of some travel later in the year.

I think that some of this positivity comes from attending Kochie’s Business Bootcamp this month. Marcia Bourke from Ashlea Road Boutique and I travelled to Sydney for a two day bootcamp that included discussions and presentations from some of the most inspirational people I have ever met. I have attended many seminars and conferences, but this one was the most amazing experience I could imagine possible as a business person.

Another positive experience was Dyana and Peter Brown’s 40th wedding anniversary, held at the beautiful Molines in the Hunter Valley. Grahame and I, along with Rebecca Irvine and Chris Poleszczuk joined some of their special friends and relatives for a wonderful celebration. The scenery was picture perfect, the weather was stunning, great food and wine and excellent company. It was a fabulous day, and we were honoured to be able to share their special day with them.

Jannette Mosely was guest speaker at the April get together of the Manning Valley Business Women’s group held at Rio’s in Taree. Jannette shared her expertise on financial planning, with a focus on women in business. Jannette highlighted that all too often women worry about everybody else and forget to plan ahead for ourselves. We all enjoyed an informal discussion over a glass of wine or two.

The opening on Saturday 16 April of the most diverse art exhibition ever to be held at The Great Lakes Art Society was a great success. Vicki Bullard, the Art Society President, introduced Great lakes Councillor Leigh Vaughn, who opened the exhibition with a reminder to all guests and artists that looking at art is a great mental exercise for old and young alike. This year’s Judge was Robyn Collier, a multi-award winning artist.

Artists from around Australia have entered the exhibition, and there is a wonderful array of works with great variation of subject, style and medium used. Everyone was thrilled to see a number of local artists, including several members of the Art Society receive awards and recognition by many guests of their work on the night.

Cara and Matthew Thrippleton were married at the Anglican church in Forster on 26 March 2011 in front of 100 family and friends. Reception was held at B52’s in the Forster main street. Although the weather wasn’t quite what was wished for, the showers of rain stopped when it had to, and a great day was had by all.

Andrew and Brooke Kidd’s wedding was held on 19 February. The girls enjoyed the morning getting ready in some amazing accommodation on the beachfront at Boomerang Beach. The ceremony was held on the lake shore out the front of the Pacific Palms Rec Club. The day was enjoyed by around 125 friends and family. Andrew grew up in the area and has plenty of family living in the region. The reception went perfectly, and a great night was had by all at the Pacific Palms Rec Club.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

Christmas is the time for family but before you get to spend time with them, you must attend the ‘office’ party. And I managed to get to quite a few of them. First there was the Manning Valley Combined Chamber’s get together at the Bean Bar, where we enjoyed soft shell crab, a glass or two of wine and the wonderful view of the Manning River. We solved no business issues, but did manage to take a vote on our next holiday destination. The Manning Valley Business Women’s group also met at the Bean Bar, where our topic of conversation was slightly different but just as inspiring, and we enjoyed that soft shell crab just as much.

I then managed to get a gong to the Nash and Roohan Christmas party, which was held in the beautiful setting of Bowers Café – more lovely canapés and yet another bottle of sparkling wine was consumed amongst colleagues and friends. Of course, I am in the hospitality industry, so it is not all about my social life.

Bent on Food was the venue for a number of Christmas parties too, and I did my fair share of work to ensure that I deserved a night out or two. Wingham Fire Brigade was our last Christmas party for the year, and they celebrated with a three course dinner and a very moving video of the hard work that they do for our community. They are to be congratulated for their efforts during a difficult year in Wingham, and they made sure that their evening was an enjoyable one. Our own Bent on Food staff party was held in the ‘soon to be landscaped’ back yard, where we dined on local oysters, prawns and our yummy satay chicken sticks. While the Christmas celebrations overtook the month, there were other happenings too. Bent on Food also celebrated 6 years in business, with a party for our customers on Friday 17 December.

An important milestone was the 10 year celebration of the Manning’s premier vocal ensemble – Kantabile. The Manning Regional Art Gallery was the perfect venue for Kantabile’s final performance of the year at its tenth anniversary concert. The evening’s musical programme was a choice of favourites from the previous ten years, with new music having its first appearance. The evening was made exceptionally special by an enthusiastic and appreciative audience, which was also treated to a delicious supper organised by Dusty Walkom, supplied by FOGS and exquisite sweets provided by Kantabile members. Kantabile spend their time performing for the people of the region, so a well deserved 10th anniversary celebration dinner was held in the beautiful backdrop of the paddocks with the sun setting over Kolodong at Bowers Café. Fifty guests enjoyed delicious food and some exceptional choral items sung by Kantabile and accompanied on piano by Richard Crook. Cynthia and her fabulous team presented Kantabile with a delicious 10th anniversary chocolate cake of the most delicious kind and the evening finished in a most spirited manner, having celebrated a milestone in style!

Bowers Café was also the venue for Good Beginnings final fundraiser for the year, with 40 people enjoying a lovely Sunday lunch. Recently retired Good Beginnings Australia board chairman Ian Sinclair welcomed guests and acknowledged the excellent work of Taree staff members Dianne Mead and Grant Patterson. Ian and Rosemary noted the generous support of so many who participate in the fundraising events, organised by a small band of willing workers.

The beautiful wedding of Sheree Crittenden and Jason Solomon was held at Oxley Park, overlooking the Wallis Lake channel, at Tuncurry, on Saturday November 27.

Sheree is a daughter of Reginald and Patrecia Crittenden, of Tuncurry; Jason is a son of the late Ross Solomon, of Rainbow Flat, near Taree, and Fay Solomon, of Tuncurry.

Forster civil celebrant Joseph Court officiated, and the reception was held at Tuncurry Bowling Club.

Recently, Annie Rothbury from Pandora was on hand at Occasions Jewellers Taree to help launch the new Pandora collection. Celebrations were in full swing, as the team at Occasion Jewellers was also celebrating the new look store. Customers were delighted with their gift bags and lucky door prizes, and a good time was had by all.

Well, over 100 Redhead residents attended the 12th annual Redhead Christmas party on Wednesday December 15 in the Redhead Reserve. Santa put in his usual appearance later in the evening and the Redhead Christmas light display was judged, with Molly, Maddison and Schafer Aiken crowned the winners of the ‘best Christmas lights display in Redhead’. As this year’s winners, they will have the honour of judging next year’s competition.

I would like to wish readers a prosperous and happy 2011. Wow, it is a new decade! Let’s welcome it and make some positive changes to our lives. Go on, I dare you!

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

I love spring, when we can appreciate living in the country by the sight of new life. I love seeing the little foals springing up all over the hills, and the spring flowers like daffodils, tulips and daisies. Being a food lover, I am also keen to see asparagus on the menu, yum!

Going out is a lot more fun too; the warmer weather gets people out of the house, and our great climate allows us to entertain outdoors. And of course, it’s all about the great clothes; it’s just wonderful seeing all the summery gear hit the shops.

Time for donning the sandals and getting that pedicure booked, and it will be no time before we can get our feet wet at the beach and feel the sand between our toes.

We were fortunate to get a gong to the re-opening of the Bunker Restaurant at Tallwoods Verve Resort on 31 July.

Michael James is a talented chef and Leanne is a delightful host, and we welcome them back to the area with open arms. Guests included Phillip and Dusty Walkom, Amanda and Charlie Kennett and Bob and Rada Kinkade from The Farmers Patch in Forster.

A wonderful degustation dinner showcasing Michael’s new menu was savoured by all. I thoroughly enjoyed every course and can’t wait to get back there for a meal. Good luck Michael and Leanne, and thanks for the invite.

The Other Side Gallery Teahouse at Ghinni Ghinni was the venue for the opening of the fabulous CAFÉ ART EXHIBITION on Friday 6 August. Twenty artists painted to the theme, with café scenes, cups of coffee, teapots and a real variety of paintings on display.

Gallery owner Wendie Patch said she felt privileged to have children’s book writer illustrator, Stephen Michael King exhibit one of his sketches ‘coffee, tea, cake and a unicycle’, which is also for sale – a very rare opportunity to buy an original, as Stephen doesn’t often part with any of his work. It was a wonderful turnout, with an enjoyable time had by all guests.

‘That night in Rio’, held at the Wingham Town Hall on Saturday 7 August was another successful costume event. Unfortunately, I was in Melbourne for the weekend and felt extremely left out of the picture, as this is the one event that I never miss.

The Moulin Rouge, Diamond Lills Texas Saloon and A Night on the Orient Express have all previously featured, and these guys know how to put on a great party. But this year I sent the tables, my partner Grahame, and my chef Greg, who stood Grahame up as he was suffering a cold, while I shopped and ate my way around my favourite city, feeling just a little homesick.

Top Sydney band, Cassy and the Bossa Beats provided a great beat until late, and the colourful night was complete with fire eaters and dancing girls.

The 2010 Countrylink North Coast Tourism Awards was held at Opal Cove Resort in Coffs Harbour on Saturday 14 August. Twenty-seven winners were announced, with special guest, Channel Ten’s Tim Bailey as MC.

The Manning Valley walked away with four gold awards and three bronze. In the Great Lakes, Tea Gardens Hotel was awarded a gold medal in the Tourist Pubs category. A very honoured Club Forster was welcomed into the North Coast Tourism Awards Hall of Fame, as they have won their respective categories in the tourism awards for three consecutive years.

Manning Valley gold award winners include Honeycomb Valley Nabiac, Bent on Food / Bent on Life Wingham, Old Bar Beach Festival and Wingham Motel.

Bronze awards went to Artisans Retreat at Mondrook, Australis Resort Diamond Beach and Bent on Food Wingham.

Big congratulations to all, and good luck to those entering the state awards.

A group of girls who worked together a few years ago in the finance department at Taree Hospital had a reunion breakfast at Bent on Food on Sunday 31 July.

The finance department is no more and some of these girls hadn’t seen each other for a while, so there was plenty of catching up to do, with lots of laughs.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to

donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

I was starting to wonder if I was ever going to get to see any programs on my great big brand new television. The FIFA World Cup brought many people together in front of their sets, with sales of televisions going through the roof – but not before we had our fair share of festivals and events.

To prove that our region is a leader in the festivals and events arena, a recent study conducted by the University of Wollongong and supported by the Australian Research Council found that Greater Taree area hosted some 55 festivals, the fourth highest behind the Alpine region in Victoria with 60 festivals, Snowy River in NSW with 62 festivals and Ballarat in Victoria topping the events capital list with 73 festivals. That makes us a region of party goers, I would say.

Wingham Beef Week was the first festival off the rank, and of course the highlight of that week is always the Beef Barons Ball, where locals and visitors get dressed up to the nines to compete for the title of Beef Baron and Baroness. The Pride of Erin and the progressive barn dance are both popular, with many old hands showing us how it’s done. Of course, anyone can do it after a few drinks – some not particularly well – but many couples glide across the floor like Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers, leaving us slightly younger ones for dead.

Another week, another festival and we barely had time to take the beef off the menu when the Scots came to town. It was up with the tartan and on with the kilts for the Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival, with whiskey drinking, haggis eating, shortbread making and bagpipes, followed by – yes, you guessed it – another ball, and more bagpipes. The rain bucketed down and the parade was almost a washout, except for the fact that the clans were here and they were determined that it would not rain on their parade. The brave women, men, children and horses came out to show us what they were made of, and although the parade was a bit smaller than last year, it was still wonderfully entertaining. The ball was a lot of fun, with a sellout crowd witnessing poetry, song and dance way into the wee hours.

One of the highlights of the Manning Valley Winter Festival was the Nikki Bennett show held at the Waterfront Room in Taree on Friday 11 June. I must confess that I did not know a lot about Nikki before that night, which is a shame, since she grew up in Taree and was just a few years younger than me. It may have been that I wasn’t so talented in the music stakes and didn’t attend many eisteddfods, which is where Nikki was performing from the age of seven.

Her voice is amazing, and when she sung ‘Memories’, it sent goose bumps up my spine. Thanks so much Nikki for coming to sing for us and to tell us more about your life growing up in Taree. Nikki was accompanied by Bob Berrigan, a local musican we all know and love, and the show really was brilliant.

On Saturday 12 June, the Wingham Hotel, more affectionately known as the bottom pub, was the venue for the closing event of the festival. ‘A Hot Winter’s Night’ was a Burlesque show made up of lots of sizzling vignettes of dance and song, along with fire eating and lots more spicy entertainment.

The festival ran from 4 June to 13 June with around 32 events, including Envirofair, Melbourne Comedy Festival, Poetry for the People and Sensational Sinfonia. Congratulations to the organisers of the Manning Valley Winter Festival and also to the organisers of Beef Week and the Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival. These festivals bring people together and create a space for locals and tourists to enjoy great entertainment.

On Tuesday 15 June a busload of Asian business men and women from Hokubee Australia visited Mondrook Garden Café for lunch. The group was led by Peter Badgen, who was taking them on to Wingham Meatworks followed by a visit to Cassegrain wines, with a stopover in Port Macquarie.

A great day was had by all and they really enjoyed their lovely lunch, commenting on the beautiful garden and the lovely settings.

On Friday 21 May the UNE officially opened their new Access Centre in Taree. Around 60 guests attended the opening and included dignitaries Vice Chancellor of the University of New England, Professor James Barber, Robert Oakeshott MP, Peter Besseling MP and Mayor Paul Hogan.

Guests also included high school principals and careers advisors, members of local community groups and representatives from local health organisations. Guests enjoyed canapés provided by Bent on Food.

The 22 of May was the date for the opening of Cudgerie Little House in Elands. The guests enjoyed a wonderful meal cooked by proprietors Carol and Terence Golding, which included the beautiful Cudgerie Limousin beef. It was a cool day and the guest house was very cosy, with a beautiful fire to warm us while looking over the valley.

Dignitaries included Mayor Paul Hogan, Local Member Andrew Stoner and Wingham Chamber of Commerce President Janeece Irving. I was honoured to be invited to officially open the cottage.

The Biggest Morning Tea week opened all over Australia on 24 May, with Wingham Wellbeing’s Biggest Morning Tea held at Bent on Food on the Tuesday. Dr Jenny Draper was on hand to talk to clients, who enjoyed scones, coffee and cake with a proportion of the takings being donated to the Cancer Council. There was also a brief session on ‘How to perform your own Cheeky Check Up’ by Dr Jenny’s fabulous new practice nurse, Rachel.

The Peggy Van Zalm trio played at Bent on Food on Friday 18 June to a crowd of 41 people. Guests enjoyed great comfort food fitting for winter, including lamb shanks followed by a rhubarb quince crumble made from local fruit. A group of 13 girls from Stacks the Law Firm had an exceptional time and promised to attend the next music night; I am holding you to it, girls.

James Johnston will be our next guest musician in July.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to

donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

A major highlight of my month was a trip to Broken Hill. I have not been there before, and I did not realise that it was such a happening place. Can you believe it has 35 art galleries, with a population of 24,000? Now, that’s impressive. I was fortunate to attend the Community Economic Development Conference as the Manning Valley Community delegate with Manning Valley Tourism’s Kim MacDonald. I was inspired by some amazing people doing great things for their communities, but it is not my job to talk about the content of the conference. I am here to talk about the social scene.

The social highlight was definitely the Priscilla Ball, although just quietly I am still waiting for the band to play ‘I Will Survive’, as Crocodile Rock just didn’t cut it on a night when platform shoes and feather boas dominated the dress ‘sense’. Kim and I stayed in the salubrious Mario’s Palace Hotel in the famous ‘Priscilla Suite’, which was where the actors from ‘Priscilla Queen of the Dessert’ filmed some of their famous scenes. All I can say about this place is, WOW!. There are murals on most walls, except for the ones that have spiral carpet designs halfway up them.

On the Priscilla night, the pre dinner drinks were at our hotel, and we invited everyone to our suite for some great pics. The ball was at the Trades Hall, a place that stands out not just in architectural terms but because history was made within its walls and on the streets outside. The Trades Hall has been the home of the union movement in Broken Hill since it was built in 1905. We had a great time and met some great people.

The next big highlight was the weekend of the 15 and 16 May with My Kitchen Rules finalists Mossy and Gabe, who were kind enough to give up a weekend to visit the Manning Valley to cook up a storm and also to help us raise much needed funds for Snugglepot Day Care Centre’s nutritional program, which helps disadvantaged families in the Manning Valley.

On Saturday we cooked at the LJ Hooker Manning Valley Home and Leisure Expo, with Mossy and Gabe showcasing  their ‘Turmeric Crusted Barramundi’, which  was well received by the hoards of people who turned up to see these popular TV identities cook. The line up did not decline for the Bent on Food steak sandwiches either, which were cooked to perfection by Mossy and Bent on Food apprentice Bec House and assembled lovingly by myself and Gabe.

To top it off, Gabe gave out some of her wonderful brownies. If you ever saw the show you would know that Gabe is a wiz with sweets, and her lime cheesecake from the first episode gets huge hits on the MKR website.

We took them to Ems Thai in Harrington on Saturday night with the crew from the expo, where we had some of Ems fine cooking and great hospitality as usual.

On Sunday we visited Marrook Farm, where they were impressed by David and Heidi Marks’ passion for their craft. Mossy and Gabe agreed that their biodynamic yoghurt was brilliant. They also visited Wingham Brush, Ellenborough Falls and Artisans Retreat, and the night was topped off by some of Bev’s great hospitality at Tellers Restaurant in Wingham.

On Monday morning they cooked a barbecue breakfast outside Bent on Food – another great success and good fun. Finally, Bec shared her secrets to making a good scone, and they left the Manning Valley with good things to say about our region.

May is, of course, the month of Mother’s Day, where we spoil our mums for all the hard work they do during the year. I get to look after lots of mums on mother’s day, including my own ‘mums’. Bent on Food saw a steady flow of breakfast goers and a full house for lunch, with one of our favourite musicians Keith Bedggood, who played with John Boak on cornet, making the mums swoon with sounds from the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s by such composers as George and Ira Gershwin, Cole Porter, Harry Warren, Irving Berlin, Les Brown, Louis Armstrong, Harold Arlen, to name a few.

The Inaugural Manning Produce Dinner was held at Bowers Café and Gallery on Saturday 15 May, with a sellout crowd enjoying food produced by Bowers own Cynthia Burke and Chad Simpson of the 3 Nippers Bistro, Australis Resort. The five course menu was designed to showcase Manning Valley produce, including Murray Grey Bowarra Biodynamic Beef accompanied by Wallambah Vale Chambourcin jus and hollandaise produced from Manning Valley Free Range Eggs. The next dinner will be held on June 26.

The penthouse suite at Rydges Port Macquarie was the perfect venue for Forever Young Management to hold the launch of new a financial year swimsuit calendar for men and women. Guests included the 12 models featured in the calendar, photographer Mason Rose, Gayle Price, Leo Gillespie, Candice Rose from Focus and a select group of guests who made the trip from the Manning Great Lakes. Canapés were accompanied by the flow of champagne and thank you speeches to celebrate this beautiful calendar. It was a great night, enjoyed by all.

Thirty members of Coomba Wine and Dine travelled by bus to Wingham to enjoy a 3 course meal at Bent on Food on April 27. The group like to enjoy a meal in various venues around the Great Lakes / Manning Valley and bring a selection of wonderful wines to accompany the menu items they select. They had a wonderful time and were a joy to work with. It was a cool night, and my Morrocan Lamb Shanks were perfect with their big red wine. Guests included Jan and Alf Irvine, Max and Hannie Clarke, and Rhonda and Martin Mahon along with President Bill Cooke and Val Cooke.

A few months ago a 30 year Chatham High School reunion was held at Wingham Memorial Services Club. This was my year, but unfortunately I was in Tasmania for the Tourism Awards and couldn’t make it to the event. According to some good sources, the night was a huge success and a wonderful get together for everyone; some haven’t seen each other since school and some still catch up, but all vowed to get together again soon, and I will be there this time!! Thanks for the pics, guys. Attendees included Donna Ballard, Michelle Brown, Graeme Emerton and Chris Bevitt, along with many more.

I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about.

Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers, Donna.

Not only that, we have great produce, excellent entertainment from both visiting and local talent, and we really do have great people here – and that is why we live and work in this beautiful region.

Manning Valley Tourism are encouraging people to share the natural beauty of the Manning Valley with the launch of their latest marketing campaign ‘See where it takes you … the Manning Valley …Naturally’.

The campaign was launched on Thursday 18th March with an outdoor picnic on the lawn of the Visitors Information Centre for 75 guests. The theme was ‘local’ with donations and contributions from local producers. Guests included tourism partners, media, community groups, Greater Taree City Council representatives, and members of both the Manning Valley Tourism board and the Mid North Coast Tourism board.

Mayor Paul Hogan officially opened the campaign and Kim MacDonald spoke about the importance of these campaigns for the entire region. Kim explained some of the tactical aspects of the latest marketing campaign and encouraged operators to get involved with future promotions, as there is great value for money due to funding from NSW Tourism. Belinda Novicky and Kathy Balodis officially launched the seven local marketing campaigns under the umbrella of Mid North Coast Tourism. They applauded Manning Valley Tourism for integrating their campaign into the regional promotion. The weather was beautiful and everyone had an opportunity to network while enjoying lovely food and local wines.

It has been a whirlwind of a month for me and the team at Bent on Food. We had a great win at the 2009 Qantas Australian Tourism Awards held in Hobart on February 26th, where we took out the gong for Tourism Restaurants and Catering Services.

This was followed by a very relaxing but sometimes strenuous ten day holiday in Tasmania. We relaxed for a few days in a wilderness cabin at Lemonthyme Lodge near Cradle Mountain, which is a beautiful property boasting the biggest log cabin in the Southern hemisphere. We did a spectacular walk at Freycinet which took in Wineglass Bay and Hazards Beach and also nearly killed me, I would have been OK if I was a mountain goat, but I am an unfit 40 something year old who drinks too much wine!

And on the subject of wine, we decided that during our stay, we would only consume Tassie wines. We tried some great Pinot Noirs and excellent Fizz, and we also managed to get to a few vineyards to see some old mates from the wine industry and try some of their special drops. Hobart was great and we had a wonderful time with all the other finalists from the Mid North Coast at the Tourism Awards. It was a special evening for the girls at Sugarloaf Point Lighthouse Holiday Accommodation, with excitement from our table as they won the very first category ‘New Tourism Development’ for their glorious property at Seal Rocks. We shared some glasses of sparkling with them on the night, with all of us on a high, texting all our friends and taking in the great entertainment which included the Qantas choir.

My first night back was all about the girls with a function at Great Lakes Council Chambers on March 8th to celebrate International Women’s Day. The theme was ‘Balancing Your Mind, Body and Soul with Your Business’ and guests speakers included Suzette Gaff from the Department of Industry and Investment, who gave a talk on the many funding programs available to small business and particularly for women.

Kerith Duncanson, a community Nutritionist and Lecturer in nutrition and dietetics, gave the audience some great nutrition hints for business women on the run. I spoke about maintaining balance in your life and staying passionate about your business.

There was a fantastic belly dancing display, along with a talk on the benefits of belly dance. Around 30 businesswomen attended and each of them gave a brief talk on their business. It was especially interesting to feel their passion for their businesses and it is great to share with other women.

The Green Cathedral at Tiona Park, Pacific Palms, was a beautiful backdrop for the wedding of Shaun Larken and Telisa Sweetman, of Budgewoi on Saturday 6th March. Shaun is a son of Christopher Larken, of New Lambton Heights, and Jennifer Dobosz, of Kotara. Telisa is a daughter of Paul Sweetman, of Kanwal, and Colleen Sweetman, of Buff Point.

The marriage ceremony was conducted by Forster civil celebrant, Joseph Court. Over 100 guests attended the reception at the Tiona Park conference centre, where the catering was in the capable hands of Catering by Blues.

Local author Joy Bell conducted a book signing at Books 2 in Wingham on 10th March. Joy’s book ‘The Pretty Place’ is a local love story set in the Manning Valley and is Joy’s first novel.

Thirty Japanese guests of Wingham Beef Exports had a casual barbeque at Bent on Food on Tuesday 16th March. They were here to look around the Valley and taste first hand our local beef. They were very excited to be at our place and enjoyed getting their photo taken with our new trophy.

On a final note, I would like to thank all our customers for their calls, emails and congratulations and wishes following our latest award. I look forward to hearing from you with any events you would like me to write about. Send pics and info to donna.carrier@bigpond.com

Cheers Donna.

February always seems to me like the month when everything gets back to normal … the visitors go home, the kids are back at school and life settles down a bit. It is also Valentine’s Day month – a very special time for those in love and for those who want to tell someone special how they feel without even having to say a word. I pretend that it’s all American propaganda, but secretly wait for my long stemmed roses to arrive. No chocolates for me though; I am sticking to the resolution that I decided not to make on New Year’s Eve.

Many people I speak to are waiting until after the Australia Day festivities to start new regimes. Mid January was the right time for me to go back to Curves, start walking the dog, eat less cake and drink (slightly) less coffee. I also tried to give up wine, but I really enjoy a glass or two of an evening and if I have to give that up too, then I will be giving up not one, but two great loves – food AND wine.

The Manning River Summer Festival was another cracker this year, with visitors and locals enjoying the many events that were held over January. The riverbank in Taree was alive with people on New Year’s Eve to witness spectacular fireworks from floating pontoons (some say ours were better than Sydney!)

Large crowds visited Harrington for the Harrington Festival and John Gollan Fireworks on the 1^st and 2^nd of January, with some fabulous markets, carnival rides and again, fireworks to entertain the whole family. It was beautiful weather, which was a welcome change from the rain, and many were out taking advantage of the sunshine. As part of the festival, outdoor movies were held in three locations around the Manning: Old Bar, Harrington and Wingham. We packed our barbecue chook and headed to Central Park for a night under the stars with the Pink Panther, to see Pink Panther 2; it was an hilarious movie and a relaxing evening made even better by the icecream van that arrived with choc tops.

Scrapsidaisy Wingham held its first weekend retreat at the Wingham Golf Club in January. Guest Teachers were flown in from WA, Victoria and Far North Queensland to provide tuition and speciality classes to the 35+ attendees.

These scrapbookers had heaps of fun, with a challenge night on Friday where all participants were given the same materials (and a glass of wine?) and had to create a layout or card. They participated in Singstar on the Saturday night and a delicious afternoon tea on Sunday afternoon.

Participants agreed it was a fabulous event and would like it to be held yearly in Wingham. When the long weekend finished, the teachers enjoyed a couple of extra days of rest and relaxation in Wingham … shopping, dining and exploring.

They were particularly excited about the extraordinary friendliness of the town’s people and can’t wait to come back again!
The inaugural Head 2 Head swim was held at Blackhead Beach on January 3^rd, with around 210 participants braving the rain and the cold water to compete in two swims. The first was a 700 metre swim at 9am, followed by 1.5 km at 10am. Hundreds of spectators surrounded the surf club to support and cheer for their favourite swimmers. The results were pretty spectacular, with 14 year old Kurtis Kavanagh from San Remo taking out both races. Forster’s Jake Loring came a close second in the main swim, with another Forster favourite, Zoe Dowsett coming third. Organisers were extremely happy with the event and particularly surprised at the number of participants, with many registrations on the day – despite the rough seas.

At Bent on Food’s last music night for 2009, we were fortunate to have some visitors from Drummoyne Water Polo Club, who were in town for the Manning Mug, held annually at the Wingham Pool. The group of twelve was looking for some fun, but they had to wear their florescent orange safety vests so that they could be identified from the other teams.

These guys and gals work hard in the pool by day and play hard in the evening, dancing and having a wonderful time, before heading to their home for the weekend, the Wingham Hotel. Peter Mullany, Helen Knight and Mike Brown played fabulously as usual, with their individual style impressing the visitors – who have asked for a repeat night next year.

Back to the festive season for a moment … the tenth annual Redhead Christmas party was held the week before Christmas on the picturesque Redhead Reserve. More than 100 local residents gathered to share Christmas goodwill and fellowship in true village spirit.

Co-ordinated by the executive of the Redhead Community Group Inc. and other local residents, barbecues were provided by BBQs Galore Taree and Ocean Dreaming holiday apartments, while Steve Aiken Electrical supplied Christmas lights.

James Johnston performed live on the grounds of Harrigan’s Irish Pub in December after his highly successful Idol journey. It was a fantastic night of great music and some laughs, while James shared some of his Idol experiences.

A crowd of around 300 fans were excited to see James and thoroughly enjoyed his interactive style as they danced and cheered under their umbrellas, despite the cold, rainy night.

James successfully plays a wide repertoire, from Country and Western to Jazz, which is a skill that sets him aside from other musicians. Local band the Hydrofonics were the support act and got the crowd rocking in the rain.

See you next month.

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.