A Moment in Warburton

Charley Pizarro and assistant Milly Graham.... Charley , what made you open a clothes store in Warby ? I opened Charley Horse because there are, surprisingly, a lot of very sharp dressers out here ! I dress a lot of locals, they like my kind of clothes , something different, colourful and they appreciate the ethical recycling of vintage fashion

Sonia Jane “I am preparing for a performance of my poetry at a Folk Festival next weekend. These are poems from my time spent in the Tarkine. OK watch me ! , I’m being a tree!”&nbsp;

‘Warburton has its own bloodstream, it’s like there are oxygenated atoms that walk about connecting us together. There is growth but people will say the ivy is still the same as it was when they were a kid.’ For Helen, Warburton is a spiritual place of connection, with history, with each other, with the mountains and river. ‘Living here requires you to adapt to the environment and commit to a sustainable lifestyle. That is Warburton.’ ‘And yes, I do enjoy a pizza but I love them simple. When I make one for myself it’s usually only one or two really good ingredients–even better if they are local.’&nbsp;

Grant Ingham “I came to Warburton 35 years ago by choice “ . “ I love the freedom of the rural casual lifestyle , the village atmosphere , where you know everybody .” Grant is a plumber , married with 4 children.

Valda Street in the Kitchen display of her private museum , ' Walhalla-Warburton Bootshop 1880.' Talking of the way she discovered the origins of the shop she’s owned for 40 years. After writing to an author specialising in Walhalla history, she discovered her building had started its life in Walhalla itself in the 1800s, and was moved to Warburton after the gold rush.

Ian Kemp and his Blue Heeler ‘Abi’ &nbsp;&nbsp; Ian enjoys a daily coffee at the Pantry where he’s&nbsp;known as a lively conversationalist . The former financial planner ( the proper kind, he says )&nbsp;always planned to retire to the hills and describes Warburton as a place with a great sense of community.&nbsp;After 24 years here &nbsp;“ I have old friends and still making new friends.

Jack O'Brian After being an apprentice at the Warburton bakery for a year, Mt Donna Buang local, Jack has now become a fixture after working there for three years. When asked why he loves living in Warburton, he replied, “Where do I even start?” recalling his 12 year past with the town and family home in the mountains.&nbsp;

Gerry Hadfield , senior playing member, Warburton Golf Club. He's come a long way from Blackpool , Lancashire&nbsp;where he was born in 1927, but Gerry’s happy in his Surrey rd house, a&nbsp;seven-iron shot from the Club's first tee. He emigrated to Melbourne in the 70’s after working as a coffin maker, a coachbuilder&nbsp;and a soldier . He is still famous around South Melbourne market for his stall as the inventor of the famous&nbsp;"Country Style Donuts’. He retired to Warburton 16 years ago drawn by the panoramic valley views and the handy access to the beautiful Warburton golf course.

Rich Eagle, Artist, Musician, Writer, Poet.” “ I built my cabin 30 years back up on the ridge of Mount Little Joe and Mount Shining Star, I knew the beauty of the area well,&nbsp;having rented and visited in the past. I was breath taken with the beauty of the land I finally found. There were no services, and I was perched in the mountains high above what was then a very sleepy little town. I was was surrounded by forest with a creek tinkling through my land. Even with all this I still had no real plans to stay, having always been a rover. But I finished the house, then was burned out in the fires and my home destroyed - but I built it again - and years later there I found a sense of belonging and a sense of home. I knew I was here to stay. The town itself has evolved, and a great sense of community now thrives….. a sense of connection and acceptance. The environment attracts sensitive and artistic folk….nature being the purest poetry.It is the perfect place to practice art - as art itself should be. I feel such deep connection here, to the forests and to the folk…. And to our village with it’s river heart. Long may it’s spirit flow..........Richard Eagle

Ben and Ruth Volunteer keepers of clean ‘There’s not much that escapes our tongs!’ Five days a week Warburton residents Ben and Ruth Baldridge scour the street and riverside walks of Warburton picking up rubbish. When they moved to Warburton 14 years ago they wanted to contribute to the town. ‘Everyone needs to do something for the community they live in’, says Ben, ‘so we decided to keep this town we love clean. People keep a clean place clean and we’ve noticed an 80% decrease in littering since we started.’ With a keen eye to conservation and respecting the habitats of local wildlife, Ruth and Ben love that their small contribution has an impact on river health and the wellbeing of local wildlife like the platypus. The most common rubbish they find is cigarette butts and tissues, but they are also faced with all kinds of waste that most people would find pretty gross such as used nappies, bags of dog poo and things they’re too diplomatic to mention. ‘People really need to remember the ocean starts on our footpath and gutters,’ says Ruth. ‘The town is full of lovely people who appreciate what we do. Every morning we are treated to the perfect coffee, served with a smile, at the Warburton Bakery – it’s all the thanks we need,’ says Ruth. And the most memorable piece of rubbish they’ve collected? ‘I thought it was a pool noodle when I first saw it hiding up behind Mayer Bridge. Turns out it was, shall we say, “a life size inflatable lady”. I wheeled her back to the car upside down in our trolley to the delight of passers-by,’ says Ben. ‘You don’t see that every day in Warby!’

Peter Phasey and Tania Smith “ We came here 30 years ago to stay with Peter's family and save up for a European trip , we've been here off and on ever since! “ “ I worked at the Golf Club and waitressing everywhere while Peter worked at the local plant nursery and home reno etc “ We started Blue Scooter in 2002 and it has grown” We love Warby and the visitors are great !”

Rod Mortimore Well-known locally as a dedicated cricketer Rod has mostly played for Yarra Junction apart from one star season as Captain of the Warburton team . “ Warburton is a friendly country town with friendly locals and I love the views of the hills around here. ” Local amateur home renovators also appreciate his handy advice in his role at Warburton Hardware.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Grace Keck As usual Grace is hard to stop for a photograph while bustling around organising the Church Hall market. As warden of the Upper Yarra Anglican &amp; Uniting church she is very active in fundraising for St Mary's . Grace is an artist and interior decorator. Always distinctively and fashionably dressed, she is a cheerful , bright presence around Warburton and true to her personal philosphy of “ Love, Friendship and Listening !”

Bernie Cashmore About 40 years ago I arrived in Warburton. I liked it better than Mordor ...... that’s what I call Melbourne! I guess I'm the unofficial local snakecatcher. I used to do slashing and all that, but don’t do it anymore. I also do a bit of painting and fossicking for opals up at Whitecliffs. Is snake catching an occupation? I dunno, I’ve been doing it since I was a kid. And since I used to do all the mowing at the schools, I caught a few snakes there and everyone got to know. So they all ring me up if they’ve got a snake! What’s magic about Warburton for me? The bush, lyrebirds and big tiger snakes! In Warby it's the town and I love the river, I suppose… that's where I do my Tai Chi .

Sue Fagerland :&nbsp;“During my breaks, I like to sit outside&nbsp;in the sun with a cup of tea, and look at the mountains.” “I’ve been working here at the Warburton IGA for 14 years. Now I’m studying Chinese Medicine. My family can be traced back to the Vikings on my dad’s side. 400 years ago my ancestor took his cows on a boat across 2 fjords and set up a new home in Fagerland, which is how we got our name. People took the name of the place where they lived.”&nbsp;

Simone Fenton-Jonker&nbsp;&nbsp; Named after a piece of urban slang, Simone’s restaurant ‘BT Dubs’ is part of Warburton’s lively cafe society. She came to the town with her Dutch father and Kiwi mother when she was 10.&nbsp;“ I went to school here and I have lots of friends in the community .”&nbsp;“ It’s a beautiful place , we’re lucky to live here , people are so helpful , anything you want,&nbsp;just ask. ! “&nbsp;My Dutch bike on the wall reminds me of my trips to the Netherlands and my family over there&nbsp;.

Liz Byrne, Rainbow ice cream shop. We came to Warburton in 1996 and opened the shop 12 years ago . We love the lifestyle , the community, the peace and tranquillity not to mention how flat -out we get as soon as the sun comes out !

Mandy Warner I moved here in 1986 I’ve been here 32 years. I came for the the scenery. The mountains, and the beautiful, beautiful river. As an artist painting and drawing I thought this is the place. Inspiration is all around. I work here at the Waterwheel and I do music and I teach art and sometimes music with some private lessons occasionally. What’s magical about Warburton for you? For me the magic is in the stars, you look at that sky at night, especially in the middle of January, for some reason, the stars are absolutely unbelievable here and the people are very magical here too.

Ivor Wolstencroft ......Discusses his work, "Chan and Sukumaran - a reflection" which is mounted on the front wall of his house, sharing his view of contemporary history with art lovers and the town. The piece depicts the convicted Bali Nine pair, Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran in an intimate embrace. Wolstencroft's artwork has reduced Chan to black, creating a ghostly impression of the figure, which certainly lends itself to the artists view that “The idea of art is to make people take a second look". What was not initally planned for the piece then turned into its strength, Wolstencroft declaring that “Whats not in the painting is sometimes the most significant”, and is now one of his favourite and best loved pieces. The painting was in a series at Box Hill Station Gallery, and took Wolstencroft three to four sessions over a day to complete.&nbsp;

Rachel Hughes volunteer cook, KOHA community cafe “I’ve been here in Warburton for about 5 years now. I stumbled across a friend I had worked with many years ago when we ran an organic food business together and she told me about KOHA, I have been there ever since”&nbsp; &gt;

... I am always struck by the landscape when I arrive in Warburton. It’s not hard to see why so many choose to put down roots in such a small but big hearted town. The strong sense of community is one that you don’t see much of in the city, and I can see why so many are attracted to the town, to live in or holiday in. It’s a town that, to me, radiates coziness, but at the same time feels fresh and new. The town and the warm community in it are always welcoming, and I know I’ll never stop telling other people how fantastic this town is................

A Moment in Warburton  Concept &amp; layout   James McEwan  2018

Charmaine &amp; Brenda‘ Everything’s a treasure to someone,’ says Charmaine. With her friend Brenda, the two women have owned the Warby main street secondhand goods shop ‘What Nots’ for more than 25 years. The opening hours sign on the door says, ‘open for business from 11ish’ and this captures the general relaxed lifestyle that is the Warby way. Brenda grew up in Woori Yallock and calls the mountains home. Charmaine has lived in Warburton for 16 years and as a country girl appreciates the trees and bushland.&nbsp; ‘Most people discover the shop, and then discover what’s inside, but sometimes we’ll have locals come in and say they’ve lived her for 30 years and didn’t realise we were here!’&nbsp; Together the women go on buying trips ‘everywhere’ and will stock anything they think someone might like. The quirkiest thing they’ve sold was a set of half armour in leather that was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for people to try on. The most surprising thing they’ve sold was a single button which sold for $12. It was tiny, the shape of an elephant and made of French jet. A real collectable. ‘Sometimes the things you least expect to sell go first,’ says Brenda. The shop is overflowing with the bizarre, the collectable and the stuff that reminds you of something from your childhood. The ladies laugh, ‘our home is not this neat! We might be hoarders, or we might be collectors – is there a difference?’ There is no secret that Charmaine is a dog lover and many people remember fondly the shop mascot Bella who used to greet everyone at the door. According to Brenda, when Charmaine makes up a layby card she files it under the customer’s dog’s name.

A few hours on a sunny day , photographers and writers given assignments , working quickly with basic equipment , nothing to come between the camera and the subject , the essence of photojournalism.

Jeff Gill .......The Gill family have been part of the fabric of the town for generations. Jeff possibly has the best located printing press anywhere, The printery has been on the Thomas avenue site since his father produced the Warburton Mail. Every day walkers, picknickers and swimmers enjoy the river bank in front of his open doors. " I love the place, as I get older I appreciate it more every day.

David Pratt , Warburton Holiday park ..” I always loved my family camping holidays when I was a kid so when the opportunity came up to take on this unique park my business partner Simon Edwards and I jumped at it . The park is ideal for introducing families to the outdoors and camping. We've modernised the facilities without spoiling the beautiful setting on the banks of The Yarra amongst the tall trees at the foot of Mt Donna Buang

Valissa Enever , Hard at work, wreathed in steam from her&nbsp;Esspresso machine . “Warby's a beautiful place to live and work.&nbsp;I always wanted to open a unique&nbsp;bakery cafe, serving homemade food. Somewhere blessed with beautiful scenery&nbsp;and a community of friendly people&nbsp;and I found that in Warburton .&nbsp; Originally from&nbsp;Numurkah, Valissa has lived&nbsp;here with her husband and two boys for 16 years.

Valissa Enever , Wreathed in steam from her&nbsp;Expobar macchina . “It’s a beautiful place to live and work. &nbsp;I always wanted to open a unique&nbsp; homemade bakery cafe, somewhere blessed with beautiful scenery&nbsp; and a community of friendly people&nbsp; and I found that in Warburton .&nbsp; Originally from&nbsp;Numurkah, Valissa has lived &nbsp; here with her husband and two boys for 16 years

Valissa Enever , Wreathed in steam from her Expobar Espresso macchina . “It’s a beautiful place to live and work. &nbsp;I always wanted to open a unique&nbsp;homemade bakery cafe,&nbsp;and work for myself somewhere blessed with beautiful scenery&nbsp;and a community of friendly people&nbsp;,and I found that in Warburton .&nbsp; Originally from&nbsp;Numurkah, Valissa has lived&nbsp; here with her husband and two boys for 16 years

Valissa Enever , Wreathed in steam from her&nbsp;Expobar macchina . “It’s a beautiful place to live and work. &nbsp;I always wanted to open a unique&nbsp; homemade bakery cafe, somewhere blessed with beautiful scenery&nbsp; and a community of friendly people&nbsp; and I found that in Warburton .&nbsp; Originally from&nbsp;Numurkah, Valissa has lived &nbsp; here with her husband and two boys for 16 years

Valissa Enever , Wreathed in steam from her &nbsp;Expobar Espresso macchina . “It’s a beautiful place to live and work. &nbsp;I always wanted to open a unique&nbsp; homemade bakery cafe,&nbsp;somewhere blessed with beautiful scenery&nbsp; and a community of friendly people - and I found that in Warburton .&nbsp; Originally from&nbsp;Numurkah, Valissa has lived here with her husband and two boys for 16 years

Wendy Stone with son Finn I’ve been here 5 years and this is the second time we’ve lived here. We had 3 years here, and then 5 years in Canberra where I’m from and then moved back to Warburton. It’s hard to get a Victorian husband out of Victoria, and we really missed Warburton. It’s a long way from our work, and it’ s a bit tricky with our commute but we really love it when we’re here. I work partially from home, but I travel into Uni in Hawthorn. That’s the only hard part. What makes it special out here? Everything! We’re in nature, everything’s accessible, if you want to make something happen you can do it. The community is just amazing, I think of it as really raw. Where I grew up, other people organised things, the way the community ticked was kind of centrally organised whereas in Warburton, if somebody has an idea they can get momentum really easily and the town gets behind it.

Steve Gottleibson , local handyman builder, normally seen zooming along the Warburton rail trail piloting his quirky three wheel horizontal cycle with his Red Dog “ Cog “ in the rear / sidecar.

A MOMENT IN WARBURTON&nbsp; JAMES MCEWAN EDITOR PHOTOGRAPHERS &amp; WRITERS : KATE BAKER, JOHN BODIN, SUYIN CHAN, LILY HELLICAR, ELLA MCEWAN, JAMES MCEWAN, HONEY PETERSEN, LINDY SCHNEIDER, PAUL X STONEY, ANDREW WOODLEY

Supported by the Warburton &amp; Yarra Junction Community Banks and the Warburton Advancement League

Rebecca Rae “I had this one done because my mum is a Leo... she has always been there for me.&nbsp;We moved here because we had to struggle a bit with the Melbourne cost of living.&nbsp;Mum and I now have a low-stress&nbsp;lower-cost lifestyle , everyone knows everyone else , It’s a beautiful place and I feel safe here.”

Helen Romari ‘The first time I drove into Warburton I looked at all the higgledy-piggeldy verandahs along the main street and I fell in love. Now I have a business, The Warburton Village Pizza shop, located under the verandah of one of the shop fronts I admired all that time ago,’ says Helen. At 24 years of age, pregnant and with one child, Helen and her then husband bought a small home in East Warburton for $35,000. It was affordable and they valued the services the area boasted at the time– the hospital, the healthcare providers, the three primary schools. That was 1987 but they had no water, no electricity and their first job was to clear the tiger snakes. How Helen has had six properties and three businesses (she first opened Poppy’s in 2004) in Warburton and she loves the opportunity they have given her to watch the children grow up in the town. For the daughter of a UN diplomat who lived in India for much of her teenage years as ‘the only white women’ she has found her community and the place she identifies as ‘home’ in Warby. One of her life lessons from that time overseas was that the world is bigger than anyone can imagine. ‘We have a long way to go to understand ourselves and the planet,’ she says. She shares a photo of her as a young child rolling out a piece of dough. ‘I loved the way dough could change its form. There is an energetic force that produces whole expression,’’ she says. But it would be too easy to say her love of dough has bought her to the love of pizza-making as her journey has been much less of a straight line. She’s had 39 homes, 2 degrees (a BA in Arts -Sociology and Anthropology and a Grad Diploma in Environmental Planning), 5 children, 25 occupations and 2 marriages. ‘And I’m also an artist,’ she says pointing to a large canvas on the wall called ‘Returning Turtles’. ‘It was used as the&nbsp;image for the Warburton Harmony Festival a few years ago.’&nbsp;

Boinga Bob&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;is more than just a local artist in Warburton he’s also an advocate of “ Boingolgy” the philosophy of living an artistic and happy life. He’s also been influenced by his travels in many cultures&nbsp;to build and decorate his home . His wall-paintings of many cultural themes sometimes leads visitors to walk straight in thinking it’s a Temple .

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