Nestled in the Ranges
Nestled in the Ranges

But for Matt, the thrill remains in the chase. “It’s something that has excited my primal hunter-gatherer brain,” explains Matt. “You're walking around in the forest, doing the job on autopilot, and I find you can really just plan and think. All the wargames in my head just play out. It’s a real luxury to have the time to just think things right through without distractions. It keeps me happy. I’m very happy in my life.”

Springmount Fine Foods was launched in 2015 with Black Garlic being their first product.

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produceTaylor AlbioliComment
Sweetness & Spice
Sweetness & Spice

“I’ve never been one for formal business plans but I realised my philosophy is to create products with integrity that have a positive impact on as many chai sippers out there as possible. It’s about the chai and never about the buck.”

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drinkTaylor AlbioliComment
Living Among the Elements
Living Among the Elements

“From day one, I’ve relished the simple act of sitting at my drawing board, thinking through the pencil, testing out design ideas, staying loose and not getting too fixed on an outcome - this is the true joy of design for me,” explains Chelsea. “It has been the same for 20 years, and I love the history these simple implements hold for me in my design career. I still use them today.”

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createTaylor AlbioliComment
Hibernate
Hibernate

During the slow trudge of midwinter, everything seems to drag on endlessly. Even getting out of bed in the morning feels like an impossible task, with the cold biting your skin. Far easier to stay under the covers. Exercise routines lay abandoned amidst icy weather, social outings dwindle during the dark and chilly evenings. Leaving for work in the morning becomes a protracted process, needing to allow time to clear stubborn sheets of ice from the windshield and warm up the car. In some parts of regional Victoria, even snow falls, layering the Australian countryside underneath an atypical white blanket.

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The Fire Within
The Fire Within

Mark creates poetry from physical exercise. From behind long locks and a bushranger’s beard, his part-guru part-footy coach persona is a melting pot of an original larrikin spirit.

He writes, “I share my excitement for life with seekers, with my retreats and one-day events, I aim to inspire you to be your true authentic self, wear your heart on your sleeve and help you light a fire within.”

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A Mouthful of Love
A Mouthful of Love

Spaghetti Bar is a lesson in how Italian food should be done. A love letter from Kyneton to Italy, it celebrates that country’s great gift to the food world as it deserves: simply, with an insouciant sense of style.

Opened by Daniel Whelan on historic Piper Street two years ago, it’s a portal to Rome, or Puglia, or the Veneto, depending on which way the region-hopping menu swings. The fresh ribbons of pappardelle with duck ragu will whisk you straight to Tuscany; the saffron risotto to Milan.

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A Burst of Flavour
A Burst of Flavour

Carmel recalls the burst of flavour from her first batch. “It's not what you would expect. It's like a good red wine. When you first open your mouth you're shocked at how sweet it is. Then you start getting this balsamic, tangy flavour that’s almost like licorice. And then at the end, you finish on an earthy garlic flavour. It's such a complex flavour that it triggers your brain onto lots of different tangents as you eat it.”

Springmount Fine Foods was launched in 2015 with Black Garlic being their first product.

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produceTaylor AlbioliComment
A Master at Work
A Master at Work

Mia earned her stripes as a barber, while working behind the bar at Johnny Helvete’s barbershop, now called Suedehead, in Footscray. It was among the first barber, bar and cafe concept shops. “Johnny taught me to be confident in my skills. It’s the first thing you need to overcome as a barber. Not doubting yourself or second guessing yourself.”

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Where There's a Will
Where There's a Will

“Most of what we learned about making wine was self-taught, a mixture of reading, researching and talking to people who we respected and who knew what they were doing,” says Renata. “I’ve recently finished a PhD and Ollie is always willing to jump in and learn on the go, so I guess we’re both just really interested in self-learning.”

Renata and Ollie decided to divide the wine-making between them. He looks after the chardonnay and pinot noir, she the gamay and riesling.

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drinkTaylor AlbioliComment
Dante
Dante

The poem begins as Dante is alone and lost in a savage forest, encountering dangerous beasts as he fights to keep his courage from deserting him. Vulnerable and without guidance, Dante’s vision of himself in the Divine Comedy is perhaps somewhat autobiographical.

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storyTaylor AlbioliComment
The Romance of Flowers
The Romance of Flowers

These days, the Garden Tap Nursery is encouraging the local habitat as much as the symbolic romance of flowers. “It’s brilliant to see people interested in growing their own food, they’re asking for more fruit trees like citrus trees,” explains Mary.

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More Than a Scent
More Than a Scent

“I was trying to find something to scent my house,” says Adrian. “Something other than floral or really sweet smells and there wasn’t much on the market then.” Adrian began experimenting with oils, “I like my candles to have a woody base or a heavy base,” he says.

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createTaylor AlbioliComment
The Modern Table
The Modern Table

The world of food is fast and getting faster. Your stomach rumbles, you check the time. Can you be bothered cooking? Your thumb hovers over the UberEATS app icon. Delivery is only a few dollars, and Maccas is already so cheap. A few taps are all it takes to live out this once exclusive experience of personal catering. The convenience of the modern food industry is intoxicating, though behind this alluring façade there lurk many ugly truths.

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All Hail The Virgin
All Hail The Virgin

“The idea is that we cater to guests, sure, but we also want to be a place where locals feel comfortable and intrigued enough to visit regularly. We’ll be changing the menu often enough to keep it interesting.”

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Cool Climate Pioneers
Cool Climate Pioneers

“One of the advantages of being around for 50 years is that you get to know the region really well and the varieties tend to sort themselves out,” he says. “In the early days in Australia every region tried to do everything but now with the kind of gathered knowledge we have, it means that regions like the Macedon Ranges reveal themselves as ideal for particular varieties and become distinctive for those.”

For fans of delicious, beautifully crafted Victorian cool climate wines, Granite Hill’s pioneering hard work deserves heartfelt and grateful thanks.

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