And so began a unique leadership challenge and partnership between PLC Armidale and the School of St Jude in Arusha, Tanzania.  Under the guidance of the Peaks Foundation, the girls will climb to the summit of Mt Meru, Tanzania’s second highest mountain, as a combined team of young women.

The girls from the School of St Jude have grown up at the base of this mountain, yet poverty meant that climbing its jagged peak seemed a dream. Together, the young women will unite as a team to reach the summit of their potential. We talked to the two leaders of the project, Catherine Pegg and Anna Caldwell, both teachers at PLC Armidale, to find out more.

What is the purpose of the project?

The expedition is designed to maximise collaboration, leadership skills, cultural diversity and educational opportunity. The 12-day expedition includes time with the students and staff from the School of St Jude in Tanzania, working within the school in a variety of areas, followed by a 4-day hike with a team of young women from the School of St Jude to the summit of Mt Meru.

After the trek to the peak of Mt Meru, the students from PLC Armidale will spend time interacting with and gaining an understanding of the East African community and an appreciation of the ecosystems and the need for environmental conservation in this area. This is an opportunity for all involved to become active participants in positive social change.

Tell us about the Peaks Foundation …

PLC Old Girl, Chloe Chick, is a director of The Peaks Foundation. Chloe has recently established the Peaks Foundation – a registered US non-profit and UK Charity.  They have plans to expand to Australia.  They organise mountain based challenges for women who seek adventure, a sense of personal achievement and an opportunity to make a positive difference in the world. Peaks Foundation supports and empowers women and girls in communities where the challenges take place, through initiatives such as education, maternal healthcare and community-led conservation.

Why did you decide to climb with the School of St Jude?

Chloe Chick approached our Head of School, Debra Kelliher, with the idea to involve PLC Armidale in the Peaks Foundation. Chloe suggested we might like to be involved in one idea in the Peaks Foundation Girl Challenge.

The idea is that the program would see girls in locations such as Australia raise money to fund the cost for girls in regions where Peaks Foundation challenges are held, to undertake a mountain based expedition. Chloe suggested that students from PLC Armidale would raise the expenses associated with sending a team of girls from the School of St Jude in Tanzania to the summit of their local peak – Mt Meru.

The PLC girls could then, through digital media, follow the progress of the expedition – learning about the ecosystem, environment, as well as the physical and mental challenge of the climbing team and the importance of team work.

Debra decided to take the idea one step further. “Our girls love a challenge. I think they would enjoy climbing as well”. So here we are, each PLC girl funds her own trip, and we are raising the money for the girls from the School of St Jude, as Chloe suggested.

The School of St Jude is an independent, sponsorship-supported school that provides education for Tanzanian children from the lowest socio-economic backgrounds. The school demonstrates leadership, promotes critical thinking and expects high moral values from its students, staff and the school community. The philosophy of both schools is similar, and PLC Armidale as a school of leadership is constantly seeking opportunities to challenge and engage students in leadership opportunities. It is an exciting partnership.

What training are you doing to prepare your team?

There are psychological and physical challenges ahead of us on the trip, so we need to develop fitness in both areas. From the psychological angle, we are working on skills to mentally push ourselves to make the summit – there are roughly 17 false summits so when you think you are nearly there, you get to that peak and realise there is a long way to go further!

We are learning to be prepared for the disappointment if we don’t make the summit for whatever reason and to be strong enough that once we have made the top and had the adrenalin rush and sense of achievement, that we have to get all the way back down again! Physically, we are doing weekly circuit training, local walks that involve steep climbs, such as Mount Duval and Salisbury Waters and lots of other challenging endeavours. Training together is strengthening our teamwork, and we are building skills to support each other.

How are you raising funds for the project?

We have a lot of initiatives underway – the largest of which is our Global Community Challenge Ball. That is on 16 June at the Servies. Tickets are on sale on at the end of April at the Servies. We are looking toward the Armidale Community to support this event, and we have a very exciting night planned.

We have a series of cake stalls, sausage sizzles and guessing competitions which are contributing to our target – we still have a long way to go. Anyone interested in donating or finding out more about what we are doing can visit www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Thank you Anna and Catherine.

Thanks to Simon Scott for the photograph.

This story was published in issue 60 of New England Focus

                                                                                      Tanya: how long have you lived in Armidale? And why did you move here?

We moved to Armidale almost twelve months ago for my husband, Joe’s, work; he works as an Agribusiness manager for NAB. We moved here with our two young children, Riley (3) and Sophia (now 17 months). It was a big change for the four of us to move here in the middle of winter from Far North Queensland, where the average temperature is 32 degrees.

But we have settled in well and met some lovely people. Everyone has been so welcoming; there are a lot of activities to do in the region, so we are rarely home! We really didn’t think we would live in Armidale again the day we left in 2003 after finishing university here, but we really love it here now.

Lucy: you left Armidale for a while. When and why did you return?

I returned to Armidale in January 2010, after living in Sydney and London for the previous 11 years. We were looking to get out of Sydney and relocate to a regional area and it was by chance that my husband, Trent, took up the Head of Sport position at my old school, PLC.

We wanted to relocate to a regional area like Armidale to start a family and not long after we arrived, I found out that I was pregnant with my first daughter, Lily, who is now 18 months old – and I am due with number two in just 2 weeks’ time! Although we miss our friends in Sydney, we have some wonderful friends here in Armidale, and I couldn’t imagine bringing up a family in the hustle and bustle of Sydney! I see it now as a great place to visit, but we are always happy to get home.

Tanya: how did you team up in business with Lucy?

I’ve really wanted to have my own business for a long time now. When I spoke to Kate Stephen, who founded Red Ribbon Gifts about her business, I thought this could be the opportunity I was looking for. However, I wanted to have someone else involved to be my business partner. I knew Lucy was looking to have her own business and work from home also.

I liked her attention to detail, and she has very similar goals and ambitions to me. So, it was a perfect match! We started talking about the business around July of 2011; we liked how the business was set up and really believed that Kate had done a fantastic job building a great reputation and name for the business. In February 2012, we took over the business – and here we are now!

Lucy: tell us about Red Ribbon Gifts …

Red Ribbon Gifts is an online boutique that specialises in well designed and high quality gifts for men, women and the corporate sector. We offer a total gift solution, so you get the right gift for your recipient with the least amount of hassle. Our gifts are chosen according to strict standards of quality. Although we are an online business, we are still a local business to the New England community. We have just added a baby range to our website and have some great new products on their way, which we are very excited about.

Our hampers are very popular; I guess they are a very versatile gift, as they are filled with delicious delicacies to suit all taste buds. We realise the need for flexibility and are only too happy to suggest different gift ideas to suit any budget.

Tanya: what are the benefits to you running your business from home?

I am at home for my children all day, so if I need to drop what I am doing, I can. Also, the flexibility of being able to work when the little ones are asleep. Because Red Ribbon Gifts is an online business, we can work on it at any time and really anywhere, as long as we have access to the internet. It gives me the flexibility of being able to be with my kids and also work.

Lucy: what is your advice to local businesses that are yet to go online?

Being online gives any business the opportunity to reach out to potential buyers from all over the world as well as their local community, therefore increasing their sales potential.

Tanya: Aae you accepting new stock lines?

Yes … we are so excited about new lines from Alimrose Designs, Pretty Little Things and Arbonne skin care products, which are free from harmful ingredients. We are also looking at stocking IT WAS ME, beautiful individual, unique handmade jewellery made in Sydney.

We are putting the final touches to a ‘Regional Hamper’ full of goodies, including olives, jams, wines, and more! We wanted to showcase what this wonderful region has to offer, and we are always looking to support Australian made products.

Lucy: what would be your ideal Mother’s Day?

Spending the day with my beautiful family. This Mother’s Day I will be the mother of two – well, I hope number 2 has appeared by then! I love to eat out, and I love presents, so a delicious lunch somewhere with my husband and 2 children and of course, my lovely Mum and Dad too, who live just out of town – with a few little pressies thrown in would see me a very happy mum!

Thanks Tanya and Lucy.

This story was published in issue 60 of New England Focus

How long have you been Principal at O’Connor, and what do love most about your job ?

I am in my fifth year at O’Connor. Before that, I was principal at Saint John’s College, Whyalla, South Australia, and before that I held a number of positions at McCarthy Catholic College in Tamworth.

What I love most about my job is seeing students learning and gaining knowledge and skills in all aspects of school life. I get great joy in seeing students take on responsibility and positions of leadership within the school.

I am inspired by the delight that passionate teachers show, as they teach and guide their students through life’s hurdles. However, most importantly, I look forward to seeing students pass through their school years and take their position as happy, confident, resilient members of society, with the values they have gained through their Catholic education.

Give us a quick review of term 1, 2012 at O’Connor ?

First term 2012 has been a very productive one at O’Connor. Staff returned to see that work had started on our Trade Training Centre. While we had been expecting this, it was wonderful to see that the work had started.

O’Connor students were heavily involved with the music and hospitality at Bishop Michael Kennedy’s ordination. Term 1 provided many opportunities for students to be involved in a range of sports and opportunities to progress to the next round of competition. This has occurred in swimming, hockey, touch football and rugby league.

Also in Term 1, we had a dance workshop over 3 days with Sydney choreographer, Jane Turner. Our music students have had an excursion to Sydney. This year we held our Open Day, O’Connorfest, in the warmer days of Term 1 and we held our first transition, Stage Three Enrichment Program day for current Year 6 students.

Year 7 have been to Nymboida for their annual 3-day camp. After Week 7, all families received a progress report on application and participation of students from Year 7 to Year 11. Year 12 students have just completed their half-yearly exams. On the last day of Term 1, Holy Thursday, we held an Easter paraliturgy focusing on the death and resurrection of Jesus. We also held an assembly to acknowledge the founding orders of O’Connor, the De La Salle brothers and the Ursuline sisters. The morning finished with our senior student leaders organising and running a concert, where students could perform and demonstrate their talents. The afternoon was devoted to the College’s cross country.

Tell us about your new Trade Training Centre and its progress.

Our Trade Training Centre facilities will allow us to offer Australian Qualified Framework courses in Commercial Cookery and Construction. These courses allow students to commence apprenticeships and traineeships up to Certificate 3 level. The status of these courses is recognised around Australia. As well, students are able to ‘count’ the work and learning obtained in these courses as part of their HSC studies. Along with these facilities, we will be adding a Food Technology classroom, building new student facilities, new change rooms, replacing and landscaping the main quadrangle, providing an upgrade to the electricity supply and constructing new car parking facilities for staff and students. The total cost of this project is $4.5 m. This includes a grant of almost $1.4m from the Australian government. The remainder of the cost will be met by the Catholic parish of Armidale, the College’s building fund and the Catholic Schools Office of Armidale.

The project is scheduled to be fully completed by the end of October. This will give us plenty of time to be ready to move into the new facilities at the beginning of 2013.

Describe the exciting relationship your College is developing with a school in Korea.

In 2009, Dr Myung Sook-Auh, from the school of education at UNE, asked if we would be interested in doing video conferences with a school in Korea. To give our students an opportunity to learn more about an Asian culture and to explore the opportunities of learning through new technologies, I agreed to the proposal. Dr. Auh organised for us to link up with Gyeseong Catholic Girls High School in Seoul. This is our third year of conducting classes via video-conferencing. In 2011, Mr Joon Khil from Gyeseong spent two weeks in Armidale to organise a Memorandum of Understanding between Gyeseong and O’Connor. The MOU states that we will continue to video-conference and that we will provide opportunities for students to visit each other. In February 2012,10 students from Gyeseong will be in Armidale for a week and will then spend another week sightseeing in other parts of Australia. Our aim is to provide the same opportunity for our students in 2014.

While we were organising a class this term, Dr. Auh was contacted by the Prime Minister’s Office to say that the Prime Minister would be visiting Gyeseong on 26 March and asked if we would be interested in having the Prime Minister join the video-conference. Not only was this offer accepted, but other schools in Armidale who video-conference with other Korean schools were invited to join the class.

What is your school’s connection with popular local band Maxwell Street?

Our connection with Maxwell Street is through one of our teachers, Mr Garry Osborne, who is the drummer in the band.

Maxwell Street played at our Blues on the Green at the Armidale Golf Club, and will again be providing the music for our event this year on 26 May.

When is your next Open Day, and who can attend?

We provide three open days or Stage Three Enrichment Days (STEP) each year for Year 6 students to gain an insight to what O’Connor has to offer for Year 7. Our next STEP Day will be held on Tuesday 22 May. This day will be open to all Year 6 students who would like to find out more about what O’Connor has to offer for Year 7.

Parents/carers wanting their Year 6 son or daughter to attend should contact the school on 6772 1666, to help us prepare and cater for the day. That evening at 7pm we will have an information evening for parents wanting to find out in more detail the various programs we have for students at O’Connor.

Thanks Charlie.

This story was published in issue 60 of New England Focus

The organisation’s innovative programs currently involve 54 young people in a range of activities that prepare them for work and re-engagement with the community.

The mood at the BackTrack workshop on Waterfall Way is upbeat. A team of young guns has just returned from the Royal Easter Show after performing skillfully as the youngest competitors in the Young Farmers Challenge. Twelve boys travelled to the Tocal College graduation day in Paterson to receive their Certificate II in Agriculture.

Another award win has been announced, this time in partnership: the prestigious NSW School’s Nanga Mai award for the successful community/school partnership with Armidale High School.

In the shed, sparks are flying, as boys in protective masks bend over welding machines. Outside, another group of boys are training the Paws Up Border Collies to jump as high as they can. The AgLads teams of farm workers leave for contracting work on nearby properties. Manager Bernie Shakeshaft and his youth workers conduct regular circle work, sometimes twice a day, where boys discuss their issues.

It’s a busy place already, but barely meets the demands from schools, parents and government agencies to take on kids who have lost their way in the mainstream and are creating trouble for the authorities. The BackTrack magic is largely due to Bernie’s conviction that young men require firm discipline, engagement in activities where they can succeed and that will lead to work, a stable background of unconditional and continuing support and some fun times.

BackTrack began six years ago with the Iron Man Welders Shed, a concept supported by Armidale Dumaresq Council, which provided the old shire workshop at a peppercorn rent, local businesses New England Mutual, The Armidale Bowling Club and Hillgrove Mine who donated funding to buy equipment and the support of local MP Richard Torbay and many other businesses in town that provided materials and funding for the new venture. Jobs Australia took on the management of the organisation.

The next step was the dog training, a skill Bernie passed on to the boys. The Paws Up team with its Border Collies stormed the local show circuit and then beat all comers in the national championships against Kelpies in Casterton, Victoria. The boys and dogs were guest performers to huge and appreciative crowds at last year’s Royal Easter Show in Sydney and are regular drawcards at events locally and across the state. The upshot has been positive. Boys learned discipline as they learned to control their dogs, at the shows they engaged with the community and learned to communicate with farmers and onlookers interested in their skills. Success has developed confidence and a certain chutzpah about performing in public.

Last year when farmers in Mingoola and Bonshaw on the Queensland border were struggling to repair fences and clean up debris after the devastating floods, a team of BackTrack boys and their supervisors volunteered to help. At first there was some scepticism that a group of young rookies could cut it in such a tough and demanding operation, especially in temperatures of above 40 degrees most days. However, the fencing skills the BackTrack boys had learned on training farms came into play. Farmers were deeply impressed, especially as one boy managed to install 70 star pickets in one day. They completed $60,000 worth of fencing and brought with them donations of wire, star pickets and equipment from well wishers in Armidale wanting to support the flood relief effort. The group won a Premier’s Award for their work and firm friendships between BackTrack and the Mingoola and Bonshaw communities continue to this day.

As a result of the flood relief work, the BackTrack AgLads program gained fresh momentum. The boys, more than half of them Aboriginal, had proved their stripes and their skills. Training on three local farms stepped up. They learned more about low stress stock handling and management, building yards, carting hay, using chain saws, driving tractors and handling heavy equipment. They have formed strong relationships with their farmer mentors and their families, stay overnight and develop a good work ethic, largely because they enjoy what they are doing. In October, Tocal College offered a week’s intensive residential course  for 12 boys to assess their existing skills and meet any gaps needed for them to acquire  Certificate II in Agriculture credentials.

All 12 graduated last month and are now undertaking commercial contracting work with AgLads teams on farms in the local district. Coordinator Dusty Fenn supervises the operations. They are called in to help farmers with drenching, mustering, fencing, hay carting, yard building, tractor work and other farm work. Fenn explains that many farmers no longer employ full-time labour, many also are ageing and like the convenience of calling in a team to help with the heavy duty jobs on their properties. The business is growing and acts as a training ground for the BackTrack boys, as well as being financially sustainable. Feedback from farmers has been positive, particularly on the standard of work and value for money.

If it all sounds euphoric – it’s not. Bernie and his team work with a broad spectrum of young people. When they join, the boys are required to follow a strict regime of behaviour and to continue with their education and training either at school or a formal training organisation. Over the last two years, four senior boys have been training as Youth Workers and are well on their way to gaining formal qualifications. They work with Bernie supervising the younger boys and conducting the circle work which is at the centre of the operation. Offering interest, success and prospects is one thing, but providing security, a family environment and continuing support is at the heart of the operation.

Many of the BackTrack kids regard the workshop campus as their home and the staff and other boys as their family. Money is always tight, behaviour issues arise and the budget is strained, but the results speak for themselves.

This story was published in issue 60 of New England Focus

Tell us about your family …

My wife Melissa and I have three kids: Georgia, aged 10; Bayley, aged 8; and Belle, aged 5. Melissa is studying the biomedical science degree at UNE, and I run my own Architecture practice with studios in Sydney and in Armidale. The kids all attend Armidale City Primary School and love the country lifestyle immensely.

Our extended families are scattered around the country also and love nothing better than a trip to Armidale to visit the kids and enjoy the relaxed Armidale lifestyle.

Where have you moved to Armidale from?

We made the move from Mosman in Sydney, which is quite a hectic environment in which to raise a young family – particularly whilst studying a demanding degree and running an Architecture practice. Outside of the annual holiday, very rarely did we get time as a family to take stock.

We were also renovating an old cobblers workshop, turning it into a family home and having completed this, we were looking for a new challenge – one that would be beneficial for us as a family. In Sydney we were both taking on many demanding roles outside of the family unit and in such a fast paced environment, it didn’t leave much room for down time. Here in Armidale, we still live busy lives and take on many professional and personal responsibilities, but are able to do so in a much more measured way.

What do you like about living here?

Well, primarily we like the people here. The pace of life is also more sustainable I think, compared to where we have come from. It seems to me that communication with the people around you, particularly your own family members, is just that much easier here.

Melissa and I can have breakfast with the kids, walk to school with them and then grab a coffee together before we go about our daily business. Oh … and boy do the lads at the Goldfish Bowl make an amazing coffee! It has become somewhat of a daily ritual. Armidale really has been a great catalyst for our quality of life as a family.

How does our town compare to Sydney?

Armidale obviously has a much smaller population than Sydney; however, the richness of spirit in the people here makes this community special. People have the time, or should I say give you their time graciously, and that is so important.

It’s not easy relocating a young family from the comforts of a familiar environment to a new town, but the community here has made the transition a really humbling and rewarding experience. I think what really sets Armidale apart from Sydney is that when you do business with people here, you inevitably make a friend. I love that.

Tell us about Studio Mitchell Architecture?

By choice, my Architecture practice is small. I have no staff, which really enables my clients to benefit from knowing that when they engage me as their Architect, I will personally be with them every step of the way. The process of designing for a client requires a high level of personal interaction, so the structure of my practice works well in this regard. My practice works across all sectors of the built environment, from retail to commercial, though it specialises in residential projects.

I am often asked by prospective clients what style of Architecture I practice. As an Architect today, I don’t believe that any one ‘style’ is appropriate to use as a rubber stamp per se. Rather, I practice with solid and proven design principles that result in excellent buildings, both in appearance and in performance.

Every project is unique and deserves a carefully considered architectural response, whether it be an addition to a heritage listed dwelling on a town block, or a new homestead on a large estate.

The practice takes on projects of all sizes and budgets, with projects currently on the drawing board ranging from 20 thousand to 2 million dollars. Fee structures are obviously tailored to suit the project budget, and each and every project is given equal consideration.

What are your personal interests?

I’m quite fortunate in that my personal interests sleeve nicely with my professional ones. I love to design furniture, and often my professional clients will end up with pieces I have designed in their homes or retail spaces.

I studied a design degree at Sydney University before going onto the Architecture degree, and the two disciplines are actually quite closely related. Outside of design and Architecture, I am very interested in music; although I cannot play an instrument, I am fascinated by the process of its arrangement. I also love to ski and to surf.

Where do you gain your inspiration from?

Since moving here, I have met many extremely talented people applying themselves to endeavours they are truly passionate about. Endeavours that are socially, culturally and environmentally responsible … that is inspiring.

I also draw inspiration from my family, my wife Melissa in particular, who is an amazing mother, wife and above all, woman in her own right. Our kids just make me smile, as they are all about the fun – and that is such an important reminder. As responsible adults, we forget how to just have fun and enjoy what we have sometimes.

Immediate plans for the future?

As a family, we have decided to permanently base ourselves here in Armidale, and we are really looking forward to schooling our kids here and making lots of new friends along the way. As an Architect, my immediate focus is to introduce myself to the community in a professional capacity.

I am focused on building lasting client relationships in the New England region by engaging in open dialogue and offering a highly informed and competitive professional service across all sectors of the built environment.

Thanks Ben.

Where is your Estate, and how long have you owned it?

Topper’s Mountain is a rare piece of land about 5 km north of Tingha. We’ve only been here twelve years, so haven’t got a sign yet – but all things in good time! I first became involved with Topper’s via a family partnership and some friends, Peter and Jenni Birch, in late 1998. There have been a couple of changes among the partners since, until my family and I became the sole owners in 2010.

What is your history in the wine industry?

The partnership bought Topper’s initially because it is such spectacularly good horticultural land, without a specific plan to plant a vineyard. In late 2000, the partners approached me to see if I would accept the task to plant and develop a vineyard – which I did with excitement and some trepidation.

The trepidation arose from the fact that I’d had another hat on for thirteen years – that of a mechanical engineer in a family engineering business in Sydney. I have always been closely involved with the land, but this background was in broadacre dryland and irrigated farming at Moree, not viticulture. So I packed myself off to a viticulture certificate course at Kurri Kurri TAFE in 2001.

Since then, I’ve continued to attend viticultural field days and courses to try to learn from those with much more experience and wisdom than me. However, viticulture and winemaking are a very subtle blend of black art and hard science – the science bit comes pretty easily to me with my agricultural and engineering background, but the black art bit is much more difficult.

Tell us about Topper’s Mountain and its climate …

As I said earlier, Topper’s is a piece of fantastically good viticultural land and very picturesque to boot – a basalt cap of about 150 ha in a sea of granite. At an altitude of 900 m, Topper’s is one of the few high altitude, cool-climate vineyards in Australia planted on beautiful, free-draining, deep, red basalt soils.

Vines love this soil, because they never get water-logged and they have a massive soil volume to feed from and spread their roots through. Surprisingly, while the soil is very deep, it doesn’t store much water – which keeps vine vigour at reasonable levels, helping to maximise grape quality.

We are on the western edge of the New England Plateau, which drops off quickly towards Inverell and beyond. While only about 18 km away as the crow flies, Topper’s is more that 300 m (1,000 ft) higher than Inverell. This location on the western edge of the plateau lends Topper’s a climate with significantly more sun and less mist and drizzle than is experienced closer to the top of the plateau along the New England Highway, where there is much more coastal influence from easterly winds. This climate, with long, clear days and shorter (but often intense) rain events leads to less fungal diseases in the vines – which makes my life a bit easier and increases wine quality.

Who makes Topper’s Mountain Wines, and what is his philosophy?

Our vision is to make special wines that talk of where they came from: their terroir at Topper’s Mountain. Our wines are all Single Estate wines, which means that only grapes grown at Topper’s are used to make the wine which eventually fills the bottles of our brands.

Our wines are made by Mike Hayes, the winemaker at Symphony Hill Wines in the Granite Belt. I know just enough to be dangerous, so when we plan wines and styles, luckily Mike’s vast experience from all over Australia’s wine regions and his feel for the subtle dance of nature that coaxes the soil, the climate, the fruit and the yeasts to co-operate towards the wine in the bottle, keeps our vision on track. In Mike’s words:

My philosophy is to express the terroir of the vineyard and not the barrel maker from the south of France. I feel that great wine comes from great vineyards, not great winemakers. Also, I feel that to capture the flavour of the earth and express it in the bottle is a far greater challenge than manufacturing wine in the lab.

I believe in wild yeast ferments that build funky nuances within the flavour profile and in little interference during fermentation. A great deal of cold soaking in red winemaking delivers wonderful natural fruit tannins, and thus no addition of tannin is necessary with most wines. We winemakers merely guide the fermentation, and we do well to remember that the yeasts are the real winemakers.

Tell us about the Topper’s Mountain Long, High Lunch …

On Sunday 15 April starting at noon, we’re holding a celebration of the 2012 vintage in the garden at Topper’s. The fare will be a long, lazy degustation lunch at the Long Table at altitude with Seamus O’Brien, Chef from the American Club in Sydney looking after us. Guests will be the first to taste our new release 2010 reds and 2011 whites matched with Seamus’ small and delicious plates of local produce.

The guest speaker will be the renowned Master of Wines, Rob Geddes. Before lunch, we’ll have a ramble though the vineyard with Rob, winemaker Mike Hayes and me leading the debate about terroir, climate and whether or not it is important in modern wines. The catch is that there are only 62 seats at the Long Table!

Do you network with other New England wineries?

Yes, constantly. New England is a young region and the wine industry is very open; we talk a lot among ourselves and often help each other out. A good example is the Three Amigos Partnership, including Shaun Cassidy of Merilba Estate, Peter Zappa of Zappa Wines and myself. We bought a grape harvester to share, because it is more cost effective for us all.

Plans for the future?

The current wine grape glut has been making things difficult for the last 4 – 5 years and will probably continue to do so for another 3 – 5 years. The amounts of previously export wines that are now being dumped in the domestic market because the sky high $A is making them uncompetitive in the UK, Europe and the US is mind boggling.

This is pushing down prices across the board, made worse by the market dominance of ‘Coles-worth’. In this climate, my focus is on marketing: to build our Top 100 Wine Club, to get our wines listed in a few of the best local restaurants and a few bottle shops and the best top end restaurants in both Sydney and Brisbane. Oh, and to have some fun along the way – hence the Topper’s Mountain Long, High Lunch – come along and join us!

Thanks Mark.

Tell us about your family and your upbringing?

I grew up in a fairly regular Australian household near Barraba with 2 younger siblings. We lived out of town, so got up to the usual stuff kids do in the bush: catching yabbies, mustering stock, riding motorbikes. It was here in Armidale at UNE where I was studying commerce that I met my lovely wife, Jodie. We have been together for 15 years and married for 8.

We have a beautiful little girl who turns 4 this year. I am very family oriented and love nothing more than spending time with them.

What inspired you to become interested in physical fitness?

Having been around the industry for a while, you always seem to hear the answer “Oh, I’ve always been active”. Yes, at school I played footy, golf and cricket, but after school I began to stack on the weight. I did not really play sport for about 7 or 8 years.

Over that time, I went from a fairly lightweight teenager to a hefty twenty something. It was in 2003 that I saw a photo of myself that had been taken at New Year’s, and Jodie could not get her arms around me. I had gone from lightweight to quite a bit over the 100 kg mark.

Trying different ways to shed the weight and sometimes getting it completely wrong led me to study for my Cert 4 in fitness. In the end, I had dropped almost 30 kilos and I thought, “If I can do this, surely I can help others to do the same!”

What qualifications do you have?

Not fitness related, I hold a Bachelor of Commerce, and fitness wise I have a Certificate 3 and 4 in Fitness, I am registered with Physical Activity Australia and am a CrossFit level 1 certified trainer, and we have also recently gone from that to become a CrossFit affiliate.

I am also on my way to becoming accredited in the nationally recognised nutrition program Metabolic Precision, enabling us to actually help clients with full nutrition programs.

You run Gym Ridz Personal Training?

Gym Ridz came into existence in October 2009. It started out with me, a ute and some witches hats. But I was involved in a car accident in September 2010 that rendered my mobile business immobile for 6 weeks. It was then that I decided I needed a base. So I began looking for the perfect facility.

I was after something that I wished was around when I was trying to lose weight. I’ll admit I was embarrassed to step into a gym; I thought everyone there would stop and look at me when I walked in when I was at my heaviest. So I set about finding an area to set up as a private personal training studio.

In February 2011, we introduced women’s only bootcamps to the business, and I had to hire some more trainers. In April that year we moved into our studio; it began rather humbly, and we gradually added more equipment and resources as the budget allowed, so I have almost got it to where I want it.

We have also added a great team of people to the business over the last year. We have myself and Ali who work full-time in the business, with 3 others on a part-time basis. We do a lot of one on one private personal training, semi private or small group training, women’s only bootcamp and CrossFit classes.

We offer a full nutrition service as well. Ali is qualified to deliver meal plans, and I am currently undertaking a nutrition course, so that we can deliver everything that our clients need.

What’s popular at the moment?

The complete package. People don’t want to be running here, there and everywhere to get what they are after. When you have to go to your PT for training, somewhere else for your nutrition program, somewhere else for the nutrition products and then somewhere else for the work in between sessions, it can get hard to stay motivated. That is why we have invested so much into different workout styles, nutrition products and nutrition certifications.

It always bugged me that as a personal trainer I could not help our clients with their full nutrition programs; it actually requires more training than just the Cert 3 and 4 to deliver nutritional services, so I have made sure that we are able to add that into our services and offer the complete package.

Have you won any awards?

We are a member of a PT mastermind group that organises events like Push Ups For Charity. That is an international event, and we aim to raise money for Make a Wish Australia. In its first year we raised $19,750 here in Armidale alone, so we were crowned the Australian Push Ups For Charity champions for 2011.

We were also awarded runner up in the member of the year competition; it is based on growth, both business wise and personally and then is voted on by all members of the group. We even beat out a Sydney based business that has 3 studios and generates around $1.2 mill per year. So I was quite humbled to receive that award.

Tell us a client success story …

We have quite a few, but there are 2 that really stand out for me. One is a client who has been through so many ups and downs – even being involved in a serious accident. He still, after 2 years, has kept the weight off he lost and is continually setting himself new goals. The other is one of the women’s bootcampers, who has lost around 20 kg since April last year.

The amazing thing about both is how much their outlook has changed and now how positive both of them are about just about everything.

What’s next?

We have recently introduced CrossFit to our services, so we will be looking to build on its global popularity. It is getting such great results for our clients and in combination with our Metabolic Precision nutrition program, I know it will only get better.

So on from this, we will add some more trainers into the mix and keep developing the team we already have … so really, more big things are what’s next.

Thanks Jim.

What are the knowledge and skills we need to teach young women in schools to prepare them for roles in senior management and on Australian Boards?

One lesson I have learned is that it seems that the harder I work, then the luckier I get. Aspiring to senior management roles requires commitment, dedication, resilience, persistence and hard work. The roles can be enormously rewarding, but you have to do the leg work and be prepared to put in a great deal of effort. Success is not effort free!

Tell us about your career, Christine.

I joined IBM straight out of university as a graduate. I had a fantastic 24 years with IBM, starting as a systems engineer and finishing as the Chief Operating Officer for the consulting and systems integration business (4,000 employees and revenues of $US4B) in Asia Pacific. They challenged me and gave me opportunities to develop and grow.

It included assignments in the USA and Japan, as well as the opportunity to do global, regional and local roles.

From IBM, I was head hunted to be the CEO of Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) in Australia, a commercial property agency. This was an opportunity to change industries and lead an organisation. After 4 years at JLL, I moved to my current role at NAB, leading their core banking, finance, risk and treasury transformation program.

Tell us a little about your early life.

I am the youngest of 4 children. I had a very normal childhood. I developed a love of the country and the beach, with holidays spent at my grandparents’ property in central NSW and at Avalon on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where my parents finally retired to live.

Who do you remember as being significant role models in your life?

My mother; she was a social worker. As a teenager, she never told me I couldn’t do something, but would ask me questions until I came to the conclusion that perhaps what I was planning wasn’t such a great idea. I certainly learnt the art of the question from my mother.

I met my husband when I was just 18. He has had an enormous impact on me, encouraging me to take on challenges in sport, work and life. He has been incredibly supportive of my career and given me the encouragement and courage to take on each new challenge.

What do you enjoy most about your current role as Executive Program Director, NextGen? It is a once in a lifetime opportunity to work on a large and complex transformational program. I am working with fantastic people who are passionate and committed to making a difference and ensuring the program is a success. Their enthusiasm is intoxicating!

What is ‘NextGen’?

NextGen is the next generation banking platform for NAB. We are working closely with our strategic partner, Oracle, to build the new banking platform for the bank, and over time we will move our customers onto the new platform. It will be transformational for our customers and employees.

What do you enjoy most about National Australia Bank? 

Our current CEO, Cameron Clyne, was a key reason for me taking the role at NAB. He is very authentic and committed to creating the right culture in the organisation. He has championed the Fair Value agenda for the bank, which is much more than NAB’s stance on fair fees, charges and a competitive Standard Variable Rate for mortgages; it’s about deepening customer relationships and providing them with help, guidance and advice.

Women are poorly represented on Australian Boards. What do you see as the future of gender equity for women in the workforce? 

We have a wonderful education system, and women continue to graduate in increasing numbers from our universities. It hasn’t yet translated into significant numbers of women as CEOs, non executive directors or Chairmen of ASX listed companies. However, as women increase in numbers in the workforce and increasingly hold management roles, I expect this to change.

I am a great believer in tipping points. If a team is less than 18% women, then the women don’t feel as though they have a voice at the table; above 20%, then women start to feel they have a voice at the table and they are heard; and beyond 30%, then gender is no longer an issue. It might need a nudge to get to the first tipping point, and the ASX reporting requirements on gender that came into effect in 2011 will help.

What role do you see for professional networks for women in promoting the many Board-ready women into these positions? 

Professional networks provide support and opportunities for women looking to further their careers. Organisations such as the Australian Institute of Company Directors play an important role in ensuring that potential directors have the right skills, and mentoring in place to ensure they are successful once appointed.

They play an important role in identifying a pool of Board-ready women.

Thanks Christine.

How do you successfully run a $4 billion corporation with a workforce of 8,000 people? How do you grow the profit of a national company by over 350% in 5 years? Why has NAB selected Christine to transform their core banking services worldwide? 

Find out more at:

www.plcarmidale.nsw.edu.au

Following 2 group shows last year – one locally and one with the Frances Keevil Gallery in Sydney, I have built up a body of new works for this show. I have continued to abstract the landscape, taking it a bit further than in previous paintings.

The more that I paint and play with the landscape, I realise how my geological background has influenced the way I paint … geology being the palette of all landscapes.

The landscapes of my immediate environment feature in the works, namely the gorge country around Armidale, especially Dangars Falls, coastal landforms and more recently, the Gloucester and Barrington Tops area or even less specific areas as in one painting, Full Dams and Green Hills.

In this exhibition, my work I think has become more abstracted.  Some of the paintings come from drawings, initially in ink, then overlayed with paint and more paint, while others are just the application of paint.

One large work is on canvas, while the others are on paper. I still prefer to work on paper in preference to canvas, because of the texture and the qualities of heavy cotton rag paper. It facilitates an immediate absorption of paint, allowing the marks to be visible when the paint is scraped back.

My palette is now warmer and extended; however, I still can’t resist the blues … maybe as a result of the last few months of dreary grey weather!

A larger work on paper is a combination of graphite, oil stick and collaged overlays, in an attempt to capture a link between art, the visual landscape and the earth’s structure, i.e. geology.

Influential painters in the past few years may have changed; however, Turner and Monet still have a major impact on my work. The more art you see, I guess the more you are influenced – even in a subtle subconscious way.

Another artist introduced me to the work of the contemporary German painter, Gerhard Richter, whose abstract work involves applying the paint and then ‘blurring’ through the layers.

With my day job, I get to see the whole gamut of artworks which must influence my art. In addition, the day to day contact with other artists and the many and varied conversations all contribute to the making of my art. The exhibition opens on Friday 2 March and runs until Saturday 24 March.

When and why did you first become interested in art?

Art has always been in my life. I’m not sure when this started, but I’ve always liked making things. There were encouraging teachers along the way; this includes high school teacher, Pauline Fuller and local artist and teacher, Fay Porter. Art School was a natural progression, and I gained a degree at Northern Rivers College in Lismore, followed by a Graduate Diploma at Sydney College of the Arts.

What materials do you prefer to work with?

A wide range of materials and techniques are used in my work. There is a certain dichotomy, where I tend to use oils en plein air and acrylics in the studio.

The outdoor oil paintings are direct impressions of the day. The studio works are multi layered pieces. In recent drawings, I have rediscovered charcoal and pencils. Lino block prints are another medium that I’m revisiting. Collage and mixed media are a mainstay.

Why have you chosen to exhibit at Gallery 126?

Gallery 126 supports local regional artists and the local arts industry. Gallery 126 fills the role of a commercial gallery in a regional centre, which not many regional galleries can maintain. It is exciting to be a part of the local art community and represented at a supportive gallery. Many local artists are landscape painters, and there is a sense of community and identity through plein air painting.

What can we expect to see at your exhibition?

This exhibition is the culmination of work from the local area, over the past few years. I have paintings, drawings, lino block prints, collage and photographs.

The Dangars Falls paintings are plein air, which are painted outdoors on site. Others are worked up in the studio, referencing drawings and photographs.

The attraction to stronger contrasts and bold shapes is a progression to simplification and hints at abstraction. The charcoal and printing tie in with the use of strong dark shapes. The pull between detail and simplification is part of the challenge, and both are represented in the exhibition.

Where do you get your inspiration from? 

The local landscape is a constant source of inspiration. I am attracted to the strong contrasts in the rock and trees, patterns of light and dark that occurs in places like Dangars Falls and Bald Rock. Working en plein air allows me to record the seasons and weather patterns. We have gone from drought to flood in the last few years. This is traced in the series of paintings in this exhibition.

Artists who inspire you?

Fred Williams is the quintessential Australian landscape painter. Fred made it cool to paint gum trees again, and landscape became a part of the Australian psyche.

Other inspirations have been the abstract expressionists like Motherwell, Kline and Still for their use of bold black shapes.

Margaret Preston is also someone I have always empathised with. The direction in my work is toward further simplification of the landscape and allegories that occur.

Exhibition dates

The opening is Friday 3 February, 5pm to 7pm. The exhibition will run from 3 February to 25 February.