The gathering of over 60 per cent of our members for pre-lunch drinks anticipated the success of the Bearbrass Christmas Party at The Emerald Hotel in South Melbourne.

 As members seated themselves, grasping their numbered tickets in anticipation of the door prizes, it became clear that this would be a heavy afternoon of food preparation and service for the courteous and hard-working staff – to whom we offer our thanks and appreciation.

 Following a delicious main course and distribution of terrific door prizes [thanks to Sheryl for her preparation], members changed seats to widen their social experience and extend the scope of the burgeoning sense of fellowship.

 By the time dessert arrived, the noise of happy conversation had risen dramatically and the breadth of conversation had extended beyond social nicety to include the sharing of past experiences and the anticipation of potential future sharing opportunities.

 If Christmas is a time of celebration, then the fun and fellowship displayed at this year’s function has offered a clear expression of the event and the Club’s success.

Seizing the opportunity to taste an international range of red, white, sparkling and fortified wines this year, the wine group visited wineries and met monthly to taste and discuss many wines that we would never have known without our meetings.

 In February, we tasted sparkling whites from around the world before travelling to Rutherglen in the irrigation area of Victoria to hear the histories of the reds and whites on site at local wineries. Staying ‘local’ in May, we tasted six wines from the Tahbilk range before shifting to international comparisons in June.

 Faced with grapes that many of us had never met, we compared three pairs of “interesting and different” wines: a Piquepoul and an Assyrtiko, 2 whites from the Clare Valley but with origins in the Languedoc region of France; a Dolcetto d’Alba and a Barbera d’Alba from Piemonte, one of the 20 regions of Italy, and a Cinsault and a Pinotage from South Africa. Wow! What a challenge!

 In June, we faced another experience. Shifting south, we met with 6 Spanish wines: 2 Alberinos from Galicia and 4 Tempranillos from La Rioja.  By now the group recognized the breadth of tastes available in Australia and washing the glasses after each meeting had shifted from a chore to extended discussion so that the selection of lighter ‘locals’ reds - one white for variety and a Shiraz from the Yarra Valley in July provoked in intensive inquiry.

 Across the second half of the year, we considered our preferences for red or white, for sparkling and fortified, for interstate differences and for the subtleties of blending. By October, we had assessed the merits of Marsannes from Northern Rhône and Heathcote and of Grenaches from Manchuela in Spain, from Barossa Valley, the Grampians, and McLaren Vale

 As some confirmed red wine drinkers had discovered whites that they enjoyed, others had ‘converted to red’. Previously unrecognised similarities and differences had been discovered. The value of staff as advisors in some wine stores had been acknowledged and the Bearbrass wine group had come to realise the value of their discussions in educating both their palates and their understanding of the history and geography that led to their pleasure in drinking quality wines.

This month’s walk, with 11 enthusiastic members, was from Newport Station to Williamstown Station, mostly along the foreshore.

There were many interesting places along the way including:

Coffee was in Nelson Place and a few members continued on with the history of Williamstown free guided one hour walk leaving from the Hobsons Bay Visitor Information Centre.

Total distance was 5k and was agreed by all participants to be another well organised and interesting walk.

Well done Richard B.

 

As the clock struck six on a blustery evening in an elite South Melbourne apartment block, the foyer slowly filled with a motley mix of aged men and women. From white sports coats (but no carnations) and a mix of stylish upmarket women’s dress, the group grew slowly towards its expected mid-twenty until the final male and his American guest arrived.

 The group shifted excitedly to the building’s board room for capapes, sparkling wine and catch-up conversation until it was muted by the moment of choosing table groups for evening meal. Guess-who’s-coming-to-dinner began with a selection of couples per room and then the remaining singles were allocated to repeated rounds of applause. The 40 per cent of males, almost inevitably accompanying the female partners, joined the shift towards the lifts, leaving their unwashed glasses in the sink to be attended to later.

 From room to room the meals and wines were enthusiastically imbibed as conversations added sparkle to the evening. From the advantages of late entry into real-estate business to the thrill of writing famous films or the challenge of penning publishable  poetry, discussion raged through dinner and into the evening.

Thanks to Sandy M, Susan B and Pam G (pictured) for being magnificent hostesses and making their wonderful apartments available for the evening.

Six art lovers gathered around the long table at the newly opened, revamped, Ian Potter Museum Café for lunch. Following lunch members were met by an Art gallery member who guided us over the three levels to view selected works.  During our tour our guide explained the importance of these selected works.

Words by Emily Riches describes the exhibition “… …in consultation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and custodians of art traditions-the exhibition explores the Indigenous art and its rise to prominence globally. It celebrates the brilliance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art while confronting the Australia’s colonial history”

Following our 40 minute tour we were left to view the exhibition of more than 450 works, rare pieces, some owned by the University of Melbourne others by public and private lenders.  

Time was too short and the exhibition was too vast to take in all the paintings and other forms of work. We need to return a few times!

With its Grand Renaissance style exterior that has overlooked Melbourne down Collins Street since its completion in 1862, the Old Treasury Building has remained an iconic landmark for most of the city’s history. As well as exploring the original gold vaults where gold bullion was stored during the gold rush era, we were treated to a feast of historical documents and artefacts. A particularly fascinating room held a marvellous twin photographic display permitting a direct comparison of Melbourne of circa 1880 with Melbourne in 1990. We visited areas of the building inaccessible to the general public, including the Executive Council Chamber. This historic room is where the Governor of Victoria has met for over 160 years to sign legislation into law. Thanks to our fantastic guide Jackie, who really brought Melbourne’s past alive for us!

 Whilst we were lost in admiration for the artists' visions and the stories captured on canvas we could not linger any longer and all agreed that this beautiful and stunning exhibition is well worth seeing at least twice.

We were fortunate to lunch in a sunlit outdoor café and discuss the curation of the rooms in which paintings are hung.

 

Supported by Sally, the CEO of Working Heritage Victoria, tour guide Andy led a party of Bearbrass members and others around the impressive, if somewhat concealed, property of Jack’s Magazine by the river in Maribyrnong.

 Specifically designed to safely hold huge volumes of gunpowder imported into the colony of Victoria, this little known part of Melbourne’s history was completed in 1878. It later provided storage for dangerous explosives used in the ammunition factories that formed part of Melbourne’s industrial military precinct, known as the ‘Arsenal of Australia’.

 Incorporating a large site on the banks of the Maribyrnong River and surrounded by an imposing bluestone perimeter wall, huge blast mounds surround two magazines, connecting tunnels, a canal and a variety of ex-storage and administrative buildings. The protective mounds offer tremendous views of Melbourne’s skyline.