June
something frosty this way comes
Welcome to the June edition of The Bright Raclette, a monthly community newsletter where we will be sharing upcoming local events, announcements, initiatives and enchantments to brighten your day and help you plan your month.
If you keep finding out about fun stuff after it’s already happened… well, that’s exactly why we’re here.
If the arrival of winter months has you embracing the darkness and howling at the moon, hang around for a spell.
👇 Enter your email for monthly issues
Calling for contributions
TBR is open to submissions. We’ll consider pretty much anything at this point, but to give you a steer please share: love notes, inspirational pictures of your familiar, secluded solstice swimming spots and reviews of anything you have experienced recently.
We can’t promise we’ll include that hex you’ve been cooking up, but we promise we’ll consider it.
**If that button isn’t working, email us at bright.raclette@gmail.com
THIS MONTH
House Stark was once again correct, and winter is upon us. Time to channel your inner Dark Mofo and get a little bit weird as we head into months when the nights are long and the solstice is slinking closer like a cloaked figure in the mist. June is a time for big coats, big bonfires (preferably for dancing around) and — if you’re really keen to get into the spirit of things — a short bout of nude swimming on the shortest day of the year. If you feel something stirring in the shadows, it’s probably just excitement for Raclette Raclette, our winter cheese night raising funds for a printer (get around it).
The beginning of Gemini season has us fixated on duality and #twinning. Dear readers, please use the message buttons throughout to get in touch and let us know which of the three, twin-related projects below you’re most excited for us to pursue throughout the winter:
Soft-launching TBR’s first official petition: bring Aubrey Plaza to Albury Plaza. She’s had a rough run of it lately, and we have a feeling that a massage, manicure and donut from Donut King might be exactly what she needs post-Cannes.
The Raclette Raclette night (postponed from June due to unforeseen forces of darkness, but 100% definitely happening July 3).
Appeal to make Alpine Shire twin regions with Valais (Switzerland), home of the inimitable raclette cheese. As a side note, if you have insight as to whom we should be appealing, please reach out.
And remember, if you feel an overwhelming urge to speak Latin backwards into a pot of boiling potatoes — record it and send through for the July issue.
👉 Jump to stuff from us: SEE | DO | WATCH | READ | EAT | FYI
👉 Jump to stuff from you: Marjorie Beavis-Warren heads to La Fiera | TBR reviews Marj | Roll Call | Scone recipe from Michael.
SEE
— one-offs —
Jun 1-7 | See the true story of 7,000 passengers stranded in Gander during 9/11 in a musical, Come From Away. Albury Entertainment Centre.
Jun 7 | The Queen’s Nanny spills royal tea with a royal scandal (is there any other kind?) with charm and cheek. Wodonga Place, 7.30pm.
Jun 14 | Share in Alan Owen-Jones’ (writer of Bright Park Run posts IYKNK) awkward, funny and cringeworthy tales of growth and change in his first comedy gig in 40 years. Fundraiser for volunteer-run not-for-profit Bright Courthouse. Bright Courthouse, 7.30pm.
Jun 14 | You know you’re in for a good time when the flyer promises music in ‘unexpected places’. Watch brass bands at various venues around Bright for the Alpine Brass Festival. Pop-up performances from 12pm.
Jun 16 | Help Garry Starr save books from extinction as he performs every Penguin Classic novel ever written in an hour, mostly naked (but with flippers). Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, 6.15pm, 18+ only.
Jun 17–21 | Watch polite civility jump out the window (and never come back) with Jekyll and Hyde at HotHouse Theatre. Various times. 15+.
Jun 19 | Ratburger — a revenge tale with a side of rodent mayhem, mostly for the kids. Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre, 10am, 12pm or 6pm.
Jun 20-21 | Find ocean vibes, catchy tunes, and a demigod with swagger at Moana Jnr. Albury Entertainment Centre.
Jun 21 | Celebrate the Winter Solstice in style. Embrace the darkness at Darker Days with midwinter live music, fire pits and dark brews. This year see British India, Hassall, Wild Gloriosa, Patrick Wilson, Liv Cartledge and DJ Zabi. Bright Brewery. 12pm–11pm. Get hyped in advance with the official Darker Days Playlist.
Jun 28 | Be swayed through 40 years of iconic Australian music with Kate Ceberano. Albury Entertainment Centre, 7pm.
—Weekend regs —
FRIDAYS
Harrietville Hotel | Head over to the ‘ville to listen to Angus Montaigne (Jun 6) and Steppers (Jun 27). 6pm.
The Star Hotel | Test your brain power with Wayne at Trivia, winner takes all (which is not unachievable, as long as the table of retired teachers doesn’t show up). 5.30pm.
SATURDAYS
Harrietville Hotel | Saturdays are for tunes with Lachlan Routledge (Jun 7), Charlotte Glover Duo (Jun 21), and Bret Mosley (Jun 28). 6pm.
Wandi Pub | Double-billing for the long weekend, check out Toby Mobbs from 12pm and Angus Montaigne from 5pm (Jun 7).
Don Mungo’s | Mungo Disco every Saturday from 10pm with DJs from near and far. Check out Saucy (Jun 7), Meggie (Jun 14), Tim Shady (Jun 21) and Berryberry (Jun 28).
SUNDAYS
Bright Brewery | Join Sunday sessions with the Cholesterol Brothers (Jun 1), Adam Lindsay (Jun 8), Neil Williams Duo (Jun 15), “Barker Days” Recovery Session from 12pm with DJ Matty O from British India and host of Triple M’s ‘Homegrown’ (Jun 22) and The Kat & Co (Jun 29). 2-5pm.
Wandi Pub | Ride out to Wandi for Sundays in the beer garden with The Troubadour (Jun 8) from 12pm.
Harrietville Hotel | Get into your long weekend groove with Smoke Stack Rhino (Jun 8). 7pm.
—sneak peak—
OK it’s not strictly this month, but you probably need to book it soon, so we’ve included it:
Jul 2 | Practice your scraping skills for Raclette Raclette and help us keep TBR alive for another six months. Don Mungo’s, 5pm. Book by Jun 10 so we can order cheese.
Jul 17 | Boo Seeka or modern wizard? Might sing you a song, might vanish afterwards. See Australia’s genre-defying favourite Boo Seeka at Beechworth’s Old Stone Hall with mulled wine and storytelling. 6.45pm (7.30pm sharp start). 18+ or accompanied.
Jul 24 | Emotionally unravel at Meg Washington’s Old Stone Hall show. 6.45pm (7.30pm sharp start). 18+ or accompanied.
Jul 26 | Snow White pirouettes into darkness with the Victorian State Ballet. Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre. 7.30pm
👇 Did we miss any gigs? Message us below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com for upcoming gigs or venues we should contact for the next few months.
DO
Most activities in June involve either getting cold, intentionally, or wrapping up against the cold. See full list below for guidance on which is which.
Jun 1 | Join the brave and the unhinged and rattle your bones in the icy waters of the Rocky Valley Lake. 9.30am.
Jun 2 & 5 | Take your newfound bravery from the ice plunge and audition to be part of the Bright Theatre Company’s next play Things I Know To Be True. Intrigued but not sure? Go to the Q&A on June 2, 7pm and then auditions on June 5, 6.30pm. Email for more info. Bright Courthouse Theatre.
Jun 5 (or any Thursday) | Pop along for a gentle match with the lovely folks of the Bright Croquet Club. Formed in 1904 by gold-miners wives who were not permitted into the Bright Bowling Club (how rude), it is the second oldest croquet club in Victoria, and reputed to have the best playing surface outside of Melbourne. They promise walking, smiling and fun. 9am -12pm. More info on 5750437.
Jun 7 | Challenge yourself on the steep, technical courses of the Wandi Cross. Don’t make the mistake of choosing by distance, because elevation is killer: 2km (60m), 5km (500m), 14km (1147m) and 27km (2425m).
Jun 7–9 | Step inside the studios of five Kiewa Valley artists at Alpine Arts Trail Open Studios.
Jun 7–9 | Celebrate Charles’s birthday (huzzah!) and kick off deep winter at the opening weekend festival at Falls, free hot chocolate and jam donuts at Mount Hotham and a snow dance to the inimitable musical prowess of DJ Eddy at Dinner Plain. More fireworks across the mountains than you can poke a stick at.
Jun 10 | Every second week, the lights go out at the Porepunkah Hall and the dancing begins. If it’s an off-week and your limbs simply must flail, head to No Lights No Lycra Beechworth on Jun 4 & 18 — same darkness, different postcode. 6.30pm.
Jun 10 | Head on down to the side room of the brewery for a night of courage, grit and breathtaking scenery with Women in Adventure short films — showcasing inspiring stories of women pushing boundaries in wild places around the world. Expect short films featuring trailblazing women in climbing, trailrunning, mountaineering and more. Free screening event, all welcome. 6pm.
Jun 12 | Get caffeinated (the 7am start demands it) with High Country Connect’s morning coffee event.
Jun 13 | Finding it difficult to convey the majesty of trees in photographs? Keen to submit your landscape photos to the Raclette (please, do!) but unsure if they are worthy of publication in a respected media outlet? Brush up on your photography skills with Composition in Landscape Photography with Mieke Boynton. You’ll need a camera, and camera-related things. 5pm.
Jun 14 | Keep an eye out for mycelium themed artwork as international art-and-seek event Game of Shrooms approaches! It’s a finders keepers kinda thing for mushroom-related arts and crafts. More info via link.
Jun 21 | Dogs, strudels, sixpence coffee on a Saturday. Could it be anything other than the markets down at Howitt Park?
Jun 21 | Winter Solstice, where the longest night throws a shadow party and the sun turns up late. Get freaky.
Jun 25 | Throwdown at the Board Lounge Throwdown at Falls Creek.
Jun 25 | Play theatre games, enjoy pints, laughs and low-stakes drama as the Bright Brewery’s Community Keg this month supports the Bright Theatre Company. 5pm onwards.
Jun 28 | Find the local produce and community spirit you’ve been missing since La Fiera at the Myrtleford Farmers Market.
Jun 29 | This month the Women’s Twilight Social Hike is tackling a 6km hike up one of the High Country’s best-kept secrets — a lookout with almost 360 views. All levels of hikists and dogs welcome, bring water, walking shoes, a camera if you are so inclined and a torch (just in case). 3.30pm.
Jul 2 | Practice your scraping skills for Raclette Raclette and help us keep TBR alive for another six months. Don Mungo’s, 5pm. Book by Jun 10 so we can order cheese.
Jul 6-13 | NAIDOC week. There are several events around town, including music, traditional dance and activities with Lee Crouch in Myrtleford. Watch our July issue for details.
👇 In the know about an upcoming event? Message us below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com.
WATCH
Cinema | Choose from Bright’s Sun Cinema June releases:
Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning (still having its last reckoning battling The Entity), The Salt Path (true story of a couple who, dispossessed of their house, make the wild choice to walk 630 miles along the Devon, Dorset & Cornish coastline), Small Things Like These (dark secrets, coal dust, Cillian Murphy’s haunting stare in small-town Ireland), Ocean with David Attenborough (that familiar, soothing voice narrates the ocean’s majesty - and why it might just save us all), SEEN (documentary on parenting, generational cycles - requires high dose of tissues and introspection), The Materialists (poor Dakota Johnson has to choose between love and luxury with two inexplicably handsome men in New York City).
If you do see a film, send us your review!
Star-watch | Keen readers will have already noted it is Gemini season AND we have a solstice coming up. To learn more about what that actually means (beyond being a time to dance with reckless abandon and maybe cast a spell or two), check out the Melbourne planetarium’s Skynotes here.
Weather-watch | To round out our series on leaves, we have now officially reached the stage of brown and mostly grounded. Embrace winter with our new series ‘snow watch’, where we see a light smattering frosting the peaks and are keeping fingers crossed for a more decisive dump pre-opening weekend.
👇 Saw something you liked? Or didn’t? Submit your own review below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com.
READ
The bit you really came for: contributions from locals about life and times in the valley.
This month, local reviewer Marjorie Beavis-Warren reviews La Fiera, and we review Marjorie in last month’s play. We also meet Cal Waddell (who is directing the next play), in a new segment, Roll Call.
Mamma Mia! Marj goes to La Fiera Italian Festival
— Marjorie Beavis-Warren
Marjorie Beavis-Warren headed out to experience Myrtleford’s idea of La Dolce Vita at this year’s La Fiera Italian festival.
Regular readers will (again) be shocked to learn that despite living in the Alpine Shire for several years, this reviewer had never made it to the annual institution that is Myrtleford’s La Fiera – a festival so Italian your phone will try to switch roaming on (your dad will appreciate that one).
In my defence, I strongly dislike noise, crowds, and queueing for food and/or toilets – so festivals don’t usually top the list. But on the other hand, I’m easily swayed into attending anything involving mass quantities of pasta, so tickets were purchased presto.
We timed our arrival poorly, landing smack bang in the lunchtime throng – food queues at their longest, wine queues at their shortest, which likely explained the positive vibes emanating from the crowds. Either way, we were pasta the point of no return. We were in.
It was time to mangia. We weren’t going to let a few queues ruin the good vibes. We found a sunny patch under the glow of O Sole Mio and fanned out, each picking a different queue leading to who-knew-what. This tactical approach yielded bowls of hot gnocchi, skewered lamb, a giant focaccia, and so much cheese-filled arancini it could give your cardiologist palpitations. We hadn’t even started on the cinnamon covered dough balls of heaven still hot from the fryer.
I’d expected the queuing to involve flailing elbows, shouted orders, and at least one Nonna calling someone a disgrace to the basil. But no – it was better organised than the line at a VicRoads service centre, except people actually wanted to be in these queues.
The only dampener — which I’ve been specifically asked to report — came during what I’ll call Arancini Roulette. You queue. You order multiple flavours. You receive a mystery pile of arancini. You bite in. Surprise! Except… no surprise. We’d been duped. Every ball was the same. Nothing quite prepares you for the emotional crash of expecting a cheesy beef ragu or a sage pumpkin moment… and getting your fourth straight mushroom. And whilst Mr B-W enjoys the mushrooms, the mushrooms do not reciprocate those feelings, which personally put a further dampener on this reviewer's Saturday night.
Mushroom-arancini-gate aside, La Fiera was like (what I imagine to be, stereotypically) every good Italian family gathering: loud, a bit confusing, delicious, and vaguely emotional. Far from the Naples-at-rush-hour with meatballs vibe I’d feared, it felt more like a relaxed Tuscan afternoon. Great music, excellent food, perfect autumn weather – and all wrapped up by 4pm. A beautiful way to spend a Saturday, with the added bonus of not needing to cook dinner due to excessive carb intake.
Will I be back next year? If my arteries forgive me, absolutely. And not just because there’s an arancini stall holder that I need to talk to.
Next month: Marj will be heading out to the inaugural Raclette Raclette night. Mr B-W is melting with excitement! They say you can’t buy happiness, but you can get yourself a ticket – which is essentially the same thing, just with more pickles (note to the editor, I don’t like pickles and would prefer other options like tiny sausages).
TBR reviews Marj
— TBR
TBR had the immense pleasure of reviewing the great Marj herself, as one of her former TBR-led experiments came to fruition with Bright Theatre Company’s May production, There’s a Chair in There.
For those unlucky readers who didn’t make it to the play, it was a comedy affair consisting of three short acts and more than the anticipated amount of murderous intent. Each act featured a chair, and one act featured our very own Marjorie Beavis-Warren in a showstopping stage debut in which she briefly flaunted a very passable Australian accent. In fact, Marj mentioned that it was a debut performance for many of those on stage — which just goes to show that our mountainous shire really does have talent, and a host of people willing to give new things a go. Brava! The jokes were frequent and, in a fun feature unique to community theatre, you could tell which actor had brought friends along by which parts of the audience laughed most after their lines.
It wasn’t everyone’s first foray into the business that is show, however. Word on the street is that the make-up artist tasked with beautifying Marj and fellow stage-goers had previously worked with Keanu Reaves on his small indie film The Matrix.
Watching the play raised many questions for us. First and foremost we are keen to know if the oft-mentioned Dahlsens of Myrtleford was an official sponsor, and a) if so, how can TBR get in on this action; b) if not, how does one secure a 10% locals loyalty card. To the question of how these debut actors managed to remember so many lines, one of our reviewers attended with the significant other of one the lead actors who confirmed that by this point, he also knew most of the play by heart.
There was wine and tea on offer beforehand and during the intermission — the vodka redbull of the older, theatre-going community — and overall the experience felt like being at an obscure venue in Brunswick, but without having to actually drive anywhere. TBR was left with an overwhelming sense of the goodness of humans, and especially the humans in our valleys.
Dear Marj: the whole point of your column is to try out things that are new and different. Thank you for inspiring us to take a leaf out of your book, and please don’t forget us when you are famous.
Roll Call
— A new segment profiling people of the valley
Here’s a chat with Cal Waddell, who is directing the Bright Theatre Company’s next play. Meet her at the Q&A on Monday at The Courthouse 7pm.
What’s your connection to Bright and the local valleys?
Four generations and lots of history. I was married here in Main Street and have now moved to care for my parents. My daughter Teale is also a local, so I get to see my two beautiful grandchildren.
Moonwalk or Macarena?
Absolutely unequivocally MOONWALK. But not M.J.’s. If I hadn’t been a performer, I would have been a doctor or an ASTRONAUT!
Favourite local spot to hang out in winter?
I rug up and love a hot chocolate at Nightingale’s. The view inspires me every time.
Best local event
Wandi Nut Festival (a must to support local…since I’m from Wandi).
Tell us about something cool coming up that we shouldn’t miss.
Definitely the Q&A info night with Bright Theatre Company on Monday 2nd June 7pm at The Bright Courthouse. We want to create a safe space for artistic minds in all forms to help produce or perform in our upcoming production of Things I Know To Be True.
No-fail karaoke song?
Surely Dancing Queen (showing my age) but then again most generations have seen Mamma Mia in some form, so it’s usually a crowd favourite.
Brie or Gruyère?
Gruyère (treat night only).
👇 Do you write things? Draw things? Make jokes (that more than one person finds funny, though truly our bar is low and we will probably accept it either way)? Send them to us below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com
EAT
Michael’s Mini Scone Recipe
Cream with jam or jam with cream? Either way let’s jam.
Makes 16 small, snackable scones
Preheat oven to 240.
Sift together:
2 cups self raising flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons icing sugar or icing mixture
a pinch of salt
Combine 1/2 a cup of cream and 1/2 a cup of milk at room temperature (microwave to bring to room temp if needed), then add to dry ingredients.
Mix with a knife so you don’t overwork the scone mixture, until it reaches play dough consistency. Add a bit more milk if too dry, or flour if too wet.
Pat out on a floured surface into a square shape about 2cm high. Dust the top of your big scone square with flour, cut into four, then cut each quarter into four (for 16 total squares). Reshape the squares to round off the corners, so they look scone-like, then place in a floured baking tin with a little breathing spalce around each scone.
Bake for 8 minutes, rotating the tin at 6 minutes if your oven is cooking one side faster than the other.
Meanwhile, whip the rest of your jug of cream with a spoonful of sugar and some vanilla essence. Scones are best served straight away with jam and the whipped cream. Each scone is small enough that you don’t feel guilty eating two (or three!).
FYI
Turn your ideas into action with Council’s annual funding opportunities! With grants starting from $100 up to $10,000, funding opportunities are available to support people keen to make a difference in the Alpine communities. Recent successful applications include a bridge dealing machine for Bright U3A to support their growing group of bridge players, and tree planting at the Gundowring Hall. Community groups and event organisers are encouraged to apply.
Strong feelings re: the government’s recent greenlighting of Woodside? Sign the Greenpeace petition here.
👇 Do you know something we don’t? Drop us a line below or at bright.raclette@gmail.com