By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN

There aren’t many three-piece bands around these days, but for Geelong funk outfit The Kite Machine it’s the perfect set up.
“A three-piece is perfect for working together,” declares founder and guitarist Levi Anderson.
“There are no clashes, we all share ideas and it’s a lot easier to do that as a three-piece.”
“It not really three parts but three tuned into one,” chimes in drummer Kane Sherriff.
Adding keyboards to Liam Brennan’s bass duties adds the extra dimension the band might need from time to time.
But for a band priding itself on tight instrumentals filled with licks and riffs, keeping it together as a three-piece is the way they like it.
Like many bands, it all began out of high school with a few mates for Levi, followed by a stint at TAFE, where he formed Grand Elusive.
It was through that experience that he learned the positives of keeping things small and tight, forming The Kite Machine as a three-piece version.
After some line-up tweaks The Kite Machine found its niche in live gigs, a vibe it is now working to transfer to the studio.
“We wanted it stripped back instead of just adding stuff for the sake of it,” Levi says.
The tight-as-a-drum three piece group have been working hard on their sound and its shows in the new release Charlotte.
“Our philosophy is that it’s worth putting in the time and effort into it to make sure we get the quality we want,” Levi observes.
And the approach seems to be working, with the band receiving radio airplay, including hitting number one on Triple J Unearthed, rave reviews and lots of social media hits.
“We’ve got a great fan base in Geelong, which is fantastic. When we wanted to film our live DVD we got such a good crowd,” Levi says.
The lens captures their infectious energy as the band performs its electric live show to a packed house at The Studio in Geelong.
“But now we want to push it out. Our goal this year is to develop a Melbourne fan base.”
The Kite Machine are destined to be Geelong’s next exciting music export, taking its funky but loud and ballistic shows on the road.
“We take pride in being a great live band. When we write our songs we are writing for our live shows,” Levi explains.
The band has been through some evolutions but has settled as a three-piece with drummer Kane Sherriff and bassist Liam Brennan.
The additions enable The Kite Machine to soar with vocals over a tight groove and manic riffs as their signature.
Earlier this year The Kite Machine embarked on a national tour to celebrate the release of new single Charlotte, with gigs in Melbourne, Sydney and their hometown.

Words: John Van Klaveren Pictures: Louisa Jones

One Geelong company is flying the flag for manufacturing despite the sector’s recent closures and downturns across the city.
The family-owned Geelong Brush Company has large contracts with leading retailers like Woolworths, Coles, Aldi and Bunnings – and its products are made locally.
The family’s commitment to local manufacturing is evidenced by the investment Geelong Brush Company has made in taking advantage of world’s best practice technology and production processes.
It stands as the last bastion of local manufacturing capability for many brushware product lines in the Australian marketplace.
General manager Ross Durran says people will buy products that are Australian made.
“We have been part of the Australian made campaign for years,” Ross explains.
“We derive great satisfaction in making our products locally because we realise we need to value add to create wealth for the country. We can’t just be services based.
“Anyway I just like the idea of making it here.”
The commitment to local manufacture extends to using local suppliers as well, like JT Dixon for its packing cartons and Viva’s Geelong refinery for the plastics used in many of the lines.
Even the brush filaments come from close by, with a Ballarat company suppling those.
With a background as an aerospace engineer, Ross says he enjoys the product development aspect of the business, even though more administrative challenges often arise.
“We can turn a product around really quickly. We can do a new product in a week including bar coding,” Ross says.
Using skills he developed while working with Boeing and ASTA, Ross has installed state of the art equipment.
“The equipment is expensive but it is much more efficient and helps keep costs down so we can continue to manufacture locally,” he says.
Despite the innovations Geelong Brush Company retain a number of traditions handed down by founder Victor Durran who started the business in 1936.
“We still make a timber brush. Not many manufacturers still make those,” Ross points out.
The business has recently inked a new deal with expanding German supermarket chain Aldi, which has ordered for different lines totalling 120,000 units.
While some components are imported, the products are all made onsite at Geelong Brush Company’s Leather Street, Breakwater factory.
“These days we have to be strategic to meet the retail challenges. The large corporate players are squeezing all the time.
“That’s why we are constantly updating and improving our product range and we continue to invest in the latest technologies and manufacturing facilities in Australia.
“We now have a modern and versatile plant that enables large orders to be delivered within very short lead times, at a price and volume which cannot be rivalled by our domestic and international competitors.
“Many of our locally made products are the best sellers across the country, even in the face of increasing competition through imports.”

Fishermen’s Pier is an icon of Geelong’s waterfront hospitality.
Situated over the water at the end of Yarra Street, the restaurant is synonymous with quality fresh seafood served against a backdrop of Corio Bay.
Fishermen’s Pier is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, with a series of industry awards and acknowledgements testament to its emphasis on providing a flawless dining experience.
The menu incorporates fresh fish in accordance with market availability, along with non-seafood, vegetarian and gluten-free options.
The extensive wine list features local and international products, guaranteeing the right accompaniment is always available for any dish on the menu.
Fishermen’s Pier accepts bookings by phoning 5222 4100.

When you’re running your own business it’s easy to make the excuse that there’s no time for a holiday. But Daryl and Sharon Murrell found a way to break the bind.

Saturday morning
Picked up by Avalon Airport Shuttle from home to Avalon Airport gave us plenty of time to check-in luggage, avoiding the long trip to Tullamarine and return.
Even had time for a coffee before boarding our Jetstar flight to Hobart and a short time later we had landed at Hobart Airport, renting a car from one of the many rental companies at the airport.
We travelled directly into the city to Salamanca Market where we browsed the stalls and sampled the food. Sharon even bought a CD from a busker she had bought from last time we were there – 15 years ago.
A ferry ride down the Derwent River took us to MONA, the Museum of Old and New Art, which we found a bit different, before returning to Hobart’s city centre.
Our bed and breakfast, Clydesdale House in Sandy Bay, was a beautiful old home. After check-in we took a quick trip down to Wrest Point Casino where we enjoyed a coffee overlooking the Derwent River.
Back to our digs, we met a lovely couple holidaying from Canada who accepted our invitation to dine with us that evening at Muirs seafood restaurant on the waterfront.
The next day we took the car ferry across to Bruny Island, stopping at Adventure Bay for lunch before wending our way back through Hobart in the afternoon and on to a short trip to Richmond with its historic convict-built bridge and customary photo.
A relaxing Devonshire tea readied us for our return to Clydesdale House to freshen up for dinner that evening at the waterfront’s Drunken Sailor.
Monday morning gave us plenty of time to enjoy a beautiful breakfast before making our way to the airport, with the Avalon Airport Shuttle depositing us both back at our desks by lunchtime.
We certainly packed a lot in over a short period of time but the convenience of Avalon saved time, to the point that we are keen to do again in the near future.
Now all we have to do decide on our next destination from Avalon Airport: Adelaide, Sydney or Gold Coast?

It may be the depths of winter but there’s a warm spot in the centre of Lara brightening up the cuisine standards in the growing town.
Borgata is open for dinner, with a succession of locals checking out the wonderful atmosphere created by chef and proprietor – with 44 years of experience – Piero Volpe.
“You could say it is the honeymoon period,” Piero laughs.
“We have a lovely response from our Lara customers. We timed it to perfection as people come in to experience Borgata as we fine tune our staff.
“They are all getting used to the system and getting to know the food well to explain our menu to our customers.”
Piero sees Borgata, translating simply as “suburban”, as producing authentic Italian cuisine, and committed to preparing all dishes in the traditional Italian manner.
“With over 50 years of experience in the industry and a love of great food, we are passionate and committed to providing our customers with an unforgettable dining experience,” he says.
“We take no shortcuts and source the very best fresh ingredients and cook to order, not in advance.
“So you can enjoy the perfect Italian meal including mouth-watering pizza, delicious pasta and risotto and much more.
“Working beside many talented European chefs, we have developed the culinary skills to prepare an exceptional meal and a keen eye for the flavours that we know patrons will enjoy.
“Food quality is assured with our use of freshly cooked meats, seasonal fruit and vegetables, homemade pastas, freshly made pizza dough, home-grown herbs and authentic imported condiments.
“It is this quality and authenticity that will set Borgata apart from all other local restaurants.
“I want to pour my love of food into the dishes I prepare, to provide customers with an exemplary dining experience of a calibre not currently available in the area.”
Piero aimed to offer a top dining experience in Lara so patrons no longer had to travel to Geelong.
Borgata offers both dine-in and take-away options, with customers able to conveniently order online through its website, borgatarestaurant.com.au
Borgata is open for dinner only at this point, but Piero says the promising start will be followed up soon with an outdoor eating area to welcome the warmer weather as well as a lunch menu.
Borgata is at Tenancy 1, 2-4 Waverly Road, Lara, phone 5282 4565.

Seaview Gallery owner Colleen Kenwood considers herself fortunate.
“I get to see all these wonderful works, with fresh pieces coming in all the time,” Colleen says.
“Sometimes it’s hard to part with a piece you really love. But then someone else comes along and I fall in love with that.”
Colleen has been running Seaview Gallery for 15 years and has amassed a great store of artistic knowledge in that time.
The gallery now represents more than 40 established artists, among them body artist Emma Hack, whose art appeared in Gotye’s music video for Somebody That I Used to Know.
Seaview Gallery’s enduring success lies in the diversity of works on show, from glass and ceramic pieces and jewellery to a wide range of artistic expressions encompassing traditional to contemporary styles.
The gallery, in historic Seaview House, in Hesse Street, Queenscliff, lends itself to a variety of styles as it flows from room to room.
“It’s a lovely old building and gets lovely light but each room has a different feel to it. Each has its own ambience.
“I select the artist to suit the gallery and the room and I usually select on what appeals to me. If you don’t love it yourself you can’t really sell it.
“When I’ve hung a room with new pieces I stand back and take it all in and it makes me feel good.”
Colleen runs one or two continual exhibitions but the rest of the gallery is rehung each month, to keep it fresh.
“The ever-changing exhibitions at Seaview Gallery feature paintings by both award-winners and new emerging artists,” Colleen explains.
“New visitors often express delight at the range of work, while there is always something new for our many loyal clients to discover on return.”
As an art lover Colleen has dabbled in painting and drawing, but it’s nothing more than a hobby, especially compared to the talent she exhibits in the gallery.
“Maybe when I retire I might have a play around,” Colleen laughs.

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN meets the locals staging a winter-long festival on the Surf Coast

Many of the one million plus annual visitors to the Great Ocean Road often overlook one of the cutest towns along the journey.
Many visitor guides point to Torquay, Anglesea and on to Lorne – but make no mention of Airey’s Inlet.
“It’s a pity because we have a lot worth stopping off for,” as Anne Dansick, organiser of the Love Winter in Aireys festival, points out.
The festival was the brainchild of a number of traders in 2007 and has since grown from a single weekend to a three month series of events.
“We wanted to put Aireys on the map and not be overlooked,” Anne says.
“It seems to have worked.”
The festival outgrew its initial weekend format, with more and more businesses and organisations asking to add events and activities.
“The only way to accommodate everyone was to have a longer festival, with a series of connected events, not only for visitors for also for the locals,” Anne explains.
“It gives the local community something to get excited about during winter and its certainly helped the businesses.
“Some have stayed open during the winter months instead of closing during down the off-season.
“Plus we have Aireys Pub hosting events and we nearly lost it which would have been a tragedy.
The bumper program for this year’s festival, now in its fifth year, offers an eclectic range of events and activities to the coast until the end of August, promising entertainment for visitors and locals every week throughout winter.
The program includes the popular Winter Ball at Fairhaven Surf Club, Wintersong at the Aireys Pub and the intimate Danny Spooner Afternoon House Concert at Cimarron.
With a local tennis tournament, trivia nights and literary gatherings, the Love Winter in Aireys festival presents community events across a wide range of genres.
“We’re thrilled with the number and range of events scheduled for this winter because there is something on the program for everyone,” Anne says.
“Whether you prefer to sing and dance or enjoy international cuisine, or just like to sit and watch and take it all in, you’re bound to find an event that appeals.
This year’s extensive program also features book launches, wellbeing and yoga workshops, live music, artist trails, international food and a family movie night.
“We’re thrilled to have such diversity and events that educate as well as entertain,” Dansick says.
For all event details and bookings, visit the Aireys Inlet website at aireysinlet.org.au and check Facebook for regular updates and news.

Words: JOHN VAN KLAVEREN Pictures: Louisa Jones

They were once the staple of almost every garden, testament to their amazing number of varieties.
So popular were they around the region that Geelong was once known as a centre for the flowering plant, the humble pelargonium.
That is now part of the history of Geelong Pelargonium Club, recently celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Part of the geranium family, pelargonium have been part of the Geelong Botanic Gardens plant collection for many years, grown as general garden plants in borders and shrub beds.
The Florence E Clarke Geranium Conservatory was built in 1972 to display the collection.
The Pelargonium House displays the diversity of cultivars, with more than 200 different varieties on display.
“The beauty of pelargoniums is that they are easy to grow and propagate, with some varieties flowering all year round,” club publicity officer Laurie Cocking observes.
“They are often seen in gardens around the house, but thrive as well in pots, say on a verandah or balcony, and can even be indoors for periods of time.
“We all love the varieties you can get in pelargoniums, not just the flowers but also the leaves. Some flower all year round.”
The world renown of club members extends to a number of varieties developed locally, with 31 cultivars boasting the name Moolap in their titles, a reminder of where they were developed.
Indeed, the local pelargonium enthusiasts contain among their number a couple of members known the world over for their floral knowledge and skills.
Member Cliff Blackman developed a brand new class of pelargonium, named after the suburb of Lara where he lived at the time.
“Cliff produced a yellow flowered plant, which won awards and is recognised in gardening circles in England.
“Developing a new class of flower is difficult to achieve. It’s very time consuming and needs a lot of attention to detail,” Laurie explains.
The club also boasts as a member Brian Nolan, known in world pelargonium circles for his extensive knowledge.
“If Brian doesn’t know it then it’s not worth knowing when it comes to pelargoniums,” Laurie declares.
“It’s great to have people like that in the club because the rest of us can learn so much from them.
“Needless to say, Cliff and Brian are life members.
“Some have scented leaves and there are so many different colours and various flower shapes. They even come in miniatures.
“They’re good for small gardens and even for flats because they survive well in pots. They’re so hardy.”

For Torquay painter Sue Woolnough, art feeds the soul.
At times, she is not even sure what is guiding her brush.
“It is a very intuitive process,” she says.
“My brush is like a conductor’s baton and my aim is to make my colors sing. We all respond to art in a different way and have individual tastes and preferences. There are no rules. Something about a work will just strike a chord.”
Her most recent body of works completed for the To Bali and Back exhibition will appeal to a diverse audience and suit a range of interiors, Sue says.
Inspired by the tropical environment of Bali, her strikingly vibrant abstracts are grouped thematically beginning with a range of smaller watercolors that are a delicate approach to tropical plant life and larger, bolder acrylic artworks.
In contrast to the Balinese inspired paintings, colorful representations of Australian landscapes and cities also feature in the series, as well as some abstract works.
Sue says her interest in Bali stemmed from her sister Jan Johannesen’s charity work in the village of Munti Gunung, Bali.
“Many people see Bali as a wonderful holiday destination, which it is but I’m fascinated by what lies beneath the surface.
“Jan’s chance encounter 10 years ago with a little street kid selling bracelets to tourists has led to an incredible story of determination and inspiration in her drive to make a difference.
“She single-handedly runs the Bali Smiles charity which provides education sponsorships for street kids, provides rice through the Feed A Family initiative, organises the building of toilets, water wells and homes, and equips and staffs the Bali Smiles Health Clinic.
“Her ingenuity in making things happen is extraordinary. Proceeds from the art exhibition will be used to purchase medicines and pay Dr Komang’s $250 monthly wage, ensuring free health care is available for those poverty stricken villagers in need.“
Sue plans to offer workshops from her Torquay home studio to help women develop confidence and skills in painting.
“Confidence With Color and Painting For Mindfulness workshops will be conducted in small groups in a friendly and supportive environment,” she says.
“No previous art experience is necessary. Try to make a little me-time for yourself to be present in the moment. Many of us judge the end product of what we create and what we do in life but I believe that the process is the most important thing.”
To Bali and Back will exhibit from 6 to 30 April at Little Creatures Brewery, Geelong.
For more information, visit @SueWoolnoughArt on Instagram or balismiles.com
Ms Woolnough is represented by Eagle’s Nest Gallery at Airey’s Inlet and Metropolis Gallery at Ryrie Street, Geelong.

By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN

JOHN VAN KLAVEREN explores a dream retirement home tucked into a bushy block on the Surf Coast.

Surveying their newly-purchased acre of manna gum heaven at Airey’s Inlet, architect Allan Lamb and wife Desley muse over where their dream retirement home could fit.
They’re loath to cut back much of the heavily treed lot because it was part of the bush-block attraction.
“As we were looking around it occurred to us there was an area naturally almost free of vegetation. It had created a band of space facing due north on an east-west alignment,” Allan says.
The rectangular shape appears to pop out of the natural slope, with one end at ground level and the other two storeys high.
The top level accommodates all the living areas while the “friends and relatives area” and utility spaces are downstairs – including Desley’s studio.
An artist, Desley says she loves having a basic utilitarian space that she can work with as well as in.
The house measures 30 metres long and six metres wide: “I call it the long skinny sausage,” Allan chuckles.
The ideal siting enabled the house to utilise passive solar design, aided by establishing a brick base, with some of the brickwork rising to the top level.
The external cladding is Stramit Longspan in Colorbond Monument with a reverse brick veneer adding texture and interest internally while also providing a thermal mass to retain heat and repel cold.
The roof slopes along the length of the house with a box gutter at the end feeding into an 80,000 litre water tank.
“The Stamit Longspan is an economic material and gives vertical light and shade with the sun streaming on it,” Allan remarks. “Some visitors mistake it for timber in a certain light.”
Instead of using flashing to finish off, as is usual, Allan designed a custom capping to cover off any sharp edges.
The southern wall doubles as an art wall, punctuated by slot view windows and forming a corridor gallery for Desley’s artworks as well as other pieces.
An associate director with commercial architects Bates Smart, Allan and Desley spent 12 years in Sydney before returning to Melbourne.
“We’ve been coming down to Aireys for 15 years and we have friends that tried to talk us into living down here,” Allan says.
Desley always liked the idea of a rural property, having had school friends who lived on the land and being reminded of childhood times in Studley Park, Kew, “like a piece of the bush in the city”.
The couple looked at land for sale a few times but ultimately were put off because the idea didn’t match too well with a city job.
“Then we were driving along one day and saw a ‘for sale’ sign on the block and our friends lived directly across the road.
“But when we drove back past it later the sign was gone. Our friends insisted on approaching the agent to check. It turned out the vendors had a change of heart after receiving no offers so withdrew it from market.
“So we made an offer and it was accepted. That was four years ago.”
The couple applied for a planning permit and engaged Aireys Inlet builder Shane Lewis, and began the leisurely project.
“There was no rush, we wanted to be part of the process,” Allan explains.
The couple’s son James, of James Lamb Design, helped with both the house and interior design, with its exposed pine beams and self-finished engineered floor.
A central corridor contains most of the upstairs living spaces with a series of cavity sliding doors allowing the home to be divided into three zones for acoustic and thermal reasons, offering privacy from rest of the house.
A cast iron wood fire produces high heat in the “winter” living space but two reverse cycle split systems add extra creature comfort.
The stacker doors to the large partially covered deck extend the casual kitchen and dining living space outside.
Harcourt granite has been used on the benchtops and in the shower recesses, with a two-way central bathroom sandwiched between a study and master bedroom, with its own secluded bush view.
The ends of the house have been cleverly used to provide carports to minimise any further intrusion into the bushscape.