As for what the food future holds at Piper Street Wine Company, it’s a case of watch this space. 

“In spring we might decide to channel some British comfort food – a real St John vibe. If Fergus Henderson is free, we’d love to host him.” 

Courtyard Kyneton is suitably named. Situated just off Piper Street, Kyneton’s thrumming hospitality business epicentre, it’s an idyllic, silver birch-shaded outdoor space with two rustic corrugated iron sheds. 

As the tenth anniversary of Mitch Duncan and Steven Chau becoming custodians of Daylesford’s Farmers Arms Hotel approaches, it’s a good time to take stock of changes to the town’s oldest pub.

There is no hard and fast rule in place, other than a “belief in the product” and a desire to introduce customers to varieties of wine they may not have tried before. 

We only prune at times when the water is lower in the vine, which makes it stronger and means deeper roots, less spraying and the wine more fully expressing the flavours and characteristics of the terroir. 

The idea for Little Hampton Spring Water was born after the three families which make up the business’s second generation purchased a spring on pristine farmland in the tiny town of Little Hampton, near Trentham.

But this is no gentle stroll in the garden. “In peak season, days blur into nights,” Lindsay says. “We chase the honey flows – a mix of risk, instinct, and adventure.

For Nicole, baking is about connection. "Food brings people together. It’s a shared story, a memory. There can be tears when you eat something your Nan used to make and realise how much you miss her." 

Long Paddock Cheese boasts an eclectic selection of eight cheeses, each with the richness of Australian terroir. "We've got eight cheeses at Long Paddock Cheese. Seven of them have strong French sort of accents or twists I would say and one of them has an English identity and that one is called the Granite,"

“There is so much healing to be found in craft,” Leanne says. “It can be symbolic and significant in our daily lives… and enhance our wellbeing.”

“My style has become a lot more eclectic and layered throughout the years and with a change in location,” she explains. “I have also become braver with my choices, especially with colour. 

In a world where design can sometimes feel like a fleeting trend, Jenden’s work is a celebration of timeless beauty. He’s not just designing for the present; he’s designing for the future, creating spaces that will continue to tell their stories for generations to come. 

What will winter bring? It never arrives politely, it pushes in with purpose and reminds us it’s time to look inward, recalibrate, and seek warmth and connection. 

With cooler air, vibrant leaves, and a sense of transition, Autumn is the perfect backdrop for the stories we've gathered this issue. Colourful characters and celebrations fill our community and we delight in chatting to some fascinating people, whose passions and pursuits add their own special hue to the mix. 

There’s something about summer that stirs up memories of childhood holidays - those long, sun-drenched days when the world seemed full of endless possibility.