Got away from Ocean Grove in good time on Saturday morning, but felt a bit weird and twingy.
Once I had done some chores in Geelong I was on my way to see my favourite aunt who was in hospital in Ballarat. 89 years old this Thursday, she is a tough old bird and is recovering from having her lower leg amputated.
 |
| My favourite aunt [Photo: Og Bear] |
The Badges were already at the Kangaroo in Maldon where we saw the Old Buzzard Medicine Show in the beer garden. Wow, the new owners had transformed the old beer garden which was a bit run down and dusty, and had even laid turf.
We were joined there by a few of our friends from Maldon.
 |
| The Old Buzzard Medicine Show in the beer garden at the Kangaroo Hotel [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| The Old Buzzard Medicine Show in the beer garden at the Kangaroo Hotel [Photo: Og Bear] |
The only mistake I made was ordering the aged steak for tea as it was quite raw at one end varying through to perfect medium rare at the other end.
On Sunday morning we all had a really good good sleep in. I felt a bit weird and twingy again when I got up , so it would be off to the doctor again on Tuesday morning when I got back.
Once we were up we decided to have a late breakfast then head off to Newstead but were assailed by wads of visitors!
Finally we made it to Newstead early arvo. It looked busy, but not quite as much as when I passed through yesterday. The promotion had said that it was at the Recreation Reserve, but when we got there we found only a folk concert in the Troubador tent with campers around the oval.
 |
| Patrick at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Session under the Royal Hotel verandah at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Red Raven Morris Dancers at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
Simon from the Bendigo Folk Club, who I also went to Uni with, was also there.
I ran into some friends that asked whether I would be at the Kindness Festival here next week.
"Next week!" I said, "isn't this the Kindeness Festival we are at now?"
"No, that is next week, this is Newstead Live" they replied.
I had a look at the Badges and asked, "Do you want to do this all again next week?"
What an amazingly little town, 2 festivals in two weeks.
 |
| Campbell, Jan and Edward at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Roger's cottage at Newstead [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Roger's cottage is part of his 'Antares Iron Art Garden' at Newstead [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| The stencil in the kitchen of Roger's cottage at Newstead [Photo: Og Bear] |
Above the kitchen fireplace was a stencil of a place quite familiar to me, the Newstead Butter Factory.
We left just in time to catch Archer and the Long Gone Daddys in the Theatre Royal's Brickyard Garden. There was a good turn out with Coatsie and Lauren, his boarder already there.
 |
| Archer and friends in Theatre Royal Brickyard Garden at Casltemaine [Photo: Og Bear] |
It was a really great atmosphere.
Coatsie got up and gave a few preview songs for his gig in a few weeks, but almost forgot to get off again!
Towards evening we headed back to Newstead Live where we found a good atmosphere on the street. The Badges caught up with friends under the Crown verandah while I went over to the Community Centre to catch the end of Miriam Lieberman Trio.
 |
| Miriam Lieberman Trio in the Community Centre at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Atmosphere under the Royal Hotel verandah at Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
It was surprising how late it was when it was time to go home.
That night I had a big nighmare about Victoria retelling future encounters in every detail!
Another sleep in on Monday then I headed off at lunch time. The obligatory pie from the Maldon Historic Bakery then dropping by Newstead Live to check the last day out.
The street was all very quiet with things being packed up. The only event was Rory McLeod in a concert at the footy oval which despite running into a handful of familiar faces I was soon back on the road again.
 |
| Rory McLeod with Margret Roadknight in the Troubadour, Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| Crowd under a big shady tree at the Troubadour, Newstead Live [Photo: Og Bear] |
Also, the Festival is quite expensive (Weekend $95 with camping / Day ticket $45) for what you get, but there are a lot of "freebies" and atmosphere on the street for passers through to relax and enjoy.
But, it is a great effort for a small town. Having passed through and not stopped in previous years I have now satisfied my curiosity.
 |
| The old Newstead Butter Factory where we had our candle factory and fragrant products business [Photo: Og Bear] |
 |
| The Oz Cottage range we made in the old Newstead Butter Factory [Photo: Colin Barr] |
This time they were in so I stopped and introduced myself to Greg and Kate as the orignal owner of Oz Cottage (Frankenwax & Candlestein), the fragrant products business that had been the previous occupant for just under twenty years.
Greg makes unusual handcrafted furniture from rough wood he collects. I had become aware of him from several glossy lifestyle magazines I had seen.
They live upstairs which we hadn't and had done a lot of work to tidy up what was the butter factory and turn it into their home and workshop.
As much of our original area was unsused they were looking to put it to other uses such as a wedding venue and even a band has recorded their video in there!
 |
| Andersons old bluestone mill at Smeaton [Photo: Og Bear] |
Once I had seen my aunt in Ballarat then finally it was home to Ocean Grove.
[Lord Og Bear OOC Ozlander]
For more photos check out :
https://picasaweb.google.com/102935184649222300700/NewsteadLiveWeekend2013
NOTE: Apologies for the quality of some of the photos. When I arrived at Newstead on the Sunday I realised I had left my camera bag sitting on the bench at the Badges so I improvised with the smart phone.
No comments:
Post a Comment