Woolmers Annual General Meeting is on Sunday October 9th 2011 at 10.30am at (the newly renovated) Woolmers Cottage
The Annual General Meeting of Woolmers Foundation will be held followed by two fascinating speakers.
This event is open to the general public, please do join us and bring along family and friends to enjoy the occasion. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear two fascinating speakers; to view the renovation work undertaken on this lovely old building, and to enjoy a sociable lunch - and you are invited to take out Woolmers Foundation membership or (better yet!) Life Membership!
The Launch of 'Making their Mark(R)' by Christina Henri will take place at 11.30 am.
Christina says: "Making their Mark has set up a series of individual bonnet tributes to convict women on sites (including Woolmers Estate) that relate to time spent in England, Ireland, Scotland or Wales as they awaited transportation, or during their sentence served out in Australia - in female factories, gaols and private establishments."
Christina is a conceptual artist from Hobart, Tasmania. Her approach towards unveiling convict heritage through the creation of unique installations, images and paintings, positions her as an international centrepiece in the cultural heritage of understanding that will bind the tattered fabric of convict history as we know it today. Her Roses from the Heart(R) installation has already atracted 20,066 bonnet tributes. The Memorial requires 25,566 bonnets to represent the lives of all the women sentenced to transportation to Australia as convicts (1788-1853).
Lunch will be served at 12.00 and at 12.45 pm:
Associate Professor Hamish Maxwell-Steward will speak on the intriguing "Founders and Survivors"
This is a partnership that is seeking to record and study the founding population of 73,000 men, women and children who were transported to Tasmania. Hamish has placed a particular emphasis recently on the convicts assigned to Woolmers and Brickendon Estates and he will provide an insight into how this rich convict material can be used to create highly memorable visitor experiences at the two Estates.
Hamish is a gifted and very popular speaker who described himself as follows in acknowledgements for the Skulduggery games:
"Dr Maxwell-Steward was transported to Van Diemen's land from Glasgow in 1996. He currently teaches history at the University of Tasmania where he eagerly awaits news of his conditional pardon."
For seating and catering purposes, please RSVP by Wednesday October 5th indicating if you would like to join us for a light lunch at $20.
RSVP to enquiries@woolmers.com.au or phone 6391 2230/
Thursday, September 22, 2011
CHEERY CHERRY BLOSSOM
There's a spectacular signt to see right now at Woolmers near Longford - the cherry blossom is out! Every bit as wonderful as those emotive pictures we see of Japanese gardens at cherry blossom time, and this is on our own doorstep.
There's a long row of Prunus 'Mount Fuji' trees which have now reached their full six meters high maturity and they present a truly delightful vista. The flowers are semi-double, pale pink and have a lovely fragrance.
Visit Woolmers purely and simply to take in this aromatic, sadly all too short-lived sight, but of course there ism much, much more to see and do while you're there.
The cherry blossom is a cheerful signal that spring has truly arrived and we can look forward to warmer things to come!
There's a spectacular signt to see right now at Woolmers near Longford - the cherry blossom is out! Every bit as wonderful as those emotive pictures we see of Japanese gardens at cherry blossom time, and this is on our own doorstep.
There's a long row of Prunus 'Mount Fuji' trees which have now reached their full six meters high maturity and they present a truly delightful vista. The flowers are semi-double, pale pink and have a lovely fragrance.
Visit Woolmers purely and simply to take in this aromatic, sadly all too short-lived sight, but of course there ism much, much more to see and do while you're there.
The cherry blossom is a cheerful signal that spring has truly arrived and we can look forward to warmer things to come!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
A NEW HEAD GARDENER FOR WOOLMERS ROSE GARDEN
PASSIONATE gardener and horticulturist SUSAN GIBBONS has reently taken over the reins as Head Gardener at Woolmers Rose Garden.
Clearly filled with enthusiasm and excited about her work, Susan explained how she would like to make this such a breath-taking and inspiring garden that people would be just knocked out by its perfection. And she's working methodically (and extremely hard) to make that happen and is not at all afraid of getting her hands dirtly in the process.
At this time of year major pruning has been completed as well as feeding the roses and improving the quality of the soil. And Susan is certainly making a difference already; it's easy to see where she's been in the garden.
Luckily for Woolmers and the Rose Garden Susan is very motivated to improve everthing including the soil quality. She speaks highly of David Duggan who runs "Soil First', the supplier of soil and compost for the garden.
David is apparently just as passionate about compost as Susan is about roses!
Visit the National Rose Garden Website.
Clearly filled with enthusiasm and excited about her work, Susan explained how she would like to make this such a breath-taking and inspiring garden that people would be just knocked out by its perfection. And she's working methodically (and extremely hard) to make that happen and is not at all afraid of getting her hands dirtly in the process.
At this time of year major pruning has been completed as well as feeding the roses and improving the quality of the soil. And Susan is certainly making a difference already; it's easy to see where she's been in the garden.
Luckily for Woolmers and the Rose Garden Susan is very motivated to improve everthing including the soil quality. She speaks highly of David Duggan who runs "Soil First', the supplier of soil and compost for the garden.
David is apparently just as passionate about compost as Susan is about roses!
Visit the National Rose Garden Website.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
RECEPTION AT GOVERNMENT HOUSE
Lucky, lucky me! Invited this week to a reception at Gov House - by the Gov and his Missus! This exciting event was arranged specially to mark the inscription of the Aust. Convict Sites World Heritage Listings.
Such a grand house and set on the harbour in Hobart's premier possie. It was all very formal of course, starting with the gardens, so that even walking in after parking the car is a pleasant experience. Inside, the wonderful ballroom was a surprise to me with its spectacularly decorative ceiling and great acoustics.
And I was quiety concious of the honour (along with several others) of being there representing Woolmers Estate.
As if this were not enough, we were then entertained at a much more informal function (well dinner really) and fascinating tour of the Penitentiary Chapel and Criminal courts, which I had never seen before. We were even taken to see the hanging yard - rather ghoulish and not to my taste at all.
Althogether a great evening and a wonderful oppportunity to meet and greet other key people working in the heritage sector.
Such a grand house and set on the harbour in Hobart's premier possie. It was all very formal of course, starting with the gardens, so that even walking in after parking the car is a pleasant experience. Inside, the wonderful ballroom was a surprise to me with its spectacularly decorative ceiling and great acoustics.
And I was quiety concious of the honour (along with several others) of being there representing Woolmers Estate.
As if this were not enough, we were then entertained at a much more informal function (well dinner really) and fascinating tour of the Penitentiary Chapel and Criminal courts, which I had never seen before. We were even taken to see the hanging yard - rather ghoulish and not to my taste at all.
Althogether a great evening and a wonderful oppportunity to meet and greet other key people working in the heritage sector.
Wednesday, December 8, 2010
BED OF ROSES
Beds and Beds of Roses!
I took a guided tour of the main house at Woolmers near Longford today and wondered, as I often do when I'm there, what those Archer ladies of long ago would make of things now? Clearly they would easily recognise the interior of the house because almost nothing there has changed - it's still just as it was - a microcosm of a bygone age.
Marjorie, who presided over the homestead in the 1930s and who was the last lady-of-long-ago to change anything, would most certainly have loved theNational Rose Garden, because roses were so obviously her passion. Indeed Marjorie managed to put roses on almost everything she touched. She introduced decorative roses (mostly in shades of pink) onto curtains, cushions and onto beds - the valances; the bedspreads, the pillows. Beds of roses were her thing!
Roses are to be found lurking on carpets and on china. This was not mere decorating, but serious decorating - with roses! And our long-ago Marjorie was able to indulge herself becase we know there was plenty of money at the time - it was the heyday of the wool industry and Woolmers did very indeed.
Fortunately, perhaps, there is much about the house that's clearly very masculine so she didn't manage to convert everything to her passion for decorating. And it's also probably fortunate for us that she didn't manage to change so very much, though she certainly put her stamp on some of the decor.
Fast-forwarding to the present day, and I notice that visitors were everywhere, and a large bus was bringing even more. And the National Rose Garden was looking absolutely wonderful. Every bit as wonderful as those long-ago ladies at Woolmers could possibly have wished for!
I took a guided tour of the main house at Woolmers near Longford today and wondered, as I often do when I'm there, what those Archer ladies of long ago would make of things now? Clearly they would easily recognise the interior of the house because almost nothing there has changed - it's still just as it was - a microcosm of a bygone age.
Marjorie, who presided over the homestead in the 1930s and who was the last lady-of-long-ago to change anything, would most certainly have loved theNational Rose Garden, because roses were so obviously her passion. Indeed Marjorie managed to put roses on almost everything she touched. She introduced decorative roses (mostly in shades of pink) onto curtains, cushions and onto beds - the valances; the bedspreads, the pillows. Beds of roses were her thing!
Roses are to be found lurking on carpets and on china. This was not mere decorating, but serious decorating - with roses! And our long-ago Marjorie was able to indulge herself becase we know there was plenty of money at the time - it was the heyday of the wool industry and Woolmers did very indeed.
Fortunately, perhaps, there is much about the house that's clearly very masculine so she didn't manage to convert everything to her passion for decorating. And it's also probably fortunate for us that she didn't manage to change so very much, though she certainly put her stamp on some of the decor.
Fast-forwarding to the present day, and I notice that visitors were everywhere, and a large bus was bringing even more. And the National Rose Garden was looking absolutely wonderful. Every bit as wonderful as those long-ago ladies at Woolmers could possibly have wished for!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
A CELEBRATION AT WOOLMERS
Several thousand people flocked to Woolmers Estate, near Longford, last Sunday to help celebrate the first opening of the Estate fifteen years ago.
Bands played; clowns clowned and sheep were shorn. Spinners spun the wool, followed in production line, by knitters knitting the same wool just spun.
Sausages sizzled and and cider and wine was tasted and savoured. I tasted a range of different (and delicious) ciders from Dickens Cider at Hillwood in the Tamar Valley.
The ABC broadcast interviews live from the venue and certainly added greatly to the success of the event.
Tours of the main house were (as always) popular and Woolmers had their very own antiques roadshow with Kay Pickett to help anyone identify and value their treasures.
The National Rose Garden was especially popular because it is looking simply stunning right now and in full glorious bloom. Tours of the gardens were conducted and Les Hodge, The Examiner's Garden Expert was there to answer questions and chat to gardeners.
The day could hardly have been more perfect - warm, but not too hot and just the slightest of breezes. It's an absolute knockout year for gardens and it was great to see the gardens filled with such appreciative crowds.
A primary school choir from Longford sang sweetly on the steps of the old Woolshed - appropriately their first song was 'Click go the Shears' and there was even a big birthday cake which was ceremonially cut and handed round for everyone to taste.
Period costume had been requested and there were some wonderful examples, which gave a lovely authentic touch to the proceedings, and a rally of vintage cars, all in a row and all splendidly polished, added interest and colour to a wonderfully relaxing day.
"A big vote of thanks is due to those many volunteers who worked so hard to make this occassion such a resounding success" said Damian Saunders, who is the CEO at Woolmers. "A great day was had by all!"
Bands played; clowns clowned and sheep were shorn. Spinners spun the wool, followed in production line, by knitters knitting the same wool just spun.
Sausages sizzled and and cider and wine was tasted and savoured. I tasted a range of different (and delicious) ciders from Dickens Cider at Hillwood in the Tamar Valley.
The ABC broadcast interviews live from the venue and certainly added greatly to the success of the event.
Tours of the main house were (as always) popular and Woolmers had their very own antiques roadshow with Kay Pickett to help anyone identify and value their treasures.
The National Rose Garden was especially popular because it is looking simply stunning right now and in full glorious bloom. Tours of the gardens were conducted and Les Hodge, The Examiner's Garden Expert was there to answer questions and chat to gardeners.
The day could hardly have been more perfect - warm, but not too hot and just the slightest of breezes. It's an absolute knockout year for gardens and it was great to see the gardens filled with such appreciative crowds.
A primary school choir from Longford sang sweetly on the steps of the old Woolshed - appropriately their first song was 'Click go the Shears' and there was even a big birthday cake which was ceremonially cut and handed round for everyone to taste.
Period costume had been requested and there were some wonderful examples, which gave a lovely authentic touch to the proceedings, and a rally of vintage cars, all in a row and all splendidly polished, added interest and colour to a wonderfully relaxing day.
"A big vote of thanks is due to those many volunteers who worked so hard to make this occassion such a resounding success" said Damian Saunders, who is the CEO at Woolmers. "A great day was had by all!"
Friday, November 19, 2010
VISITING THE VEGGIE GARDEN AT WOOLMERS
Imagine a neat formal garden with a diminutive fountain at its very centre; this has two little bronze birds appearing to be permanently drinking in its reflective pool. And the fountain is flanked by four standard mandarin trees, all bearing fruit right now, with low hedges of vivid lavender forming an outer circle.
Then, spreading out from that central circle, are neat beds planted with rows of onions, chives and garlic in one direction and broad beans and celery in another. Neat pyramids support several varieties of beans, and tomatoes and cauliflower are promising a bumper crop. Pumpkins are just starting to send out their runners and will very soon bloom.
There's a large bed of rhubarb ready to be picked and a bed of lettuce of alternating colours and varieties has been planted to form a decorative square.
An enclosed raspberry cage promises a crop of fruit which is destined for jam making to accompany the Servant's Kitchen speciality of scones with cream. (Don't miss this treat!)
Along one side of the garden are espaliered apple trees, planted as a reminder that there were once orchards of cider apples at Woolmers. And everything grown in this garden eventually finds its way into the Servant's Kitchen Cafe.
Separating all the vegetables from the National Rose Garden is a long row of ornamental cherry trees. And beyond that the roses in their thousands are all bursting into glorious bloom and wafting their delicious perfume over everything.
I love to visit the ever-changing veggie garden at Woolmers and I know many visitors enjoy the notice warning them to keep the gate closed so as to prevent Peter Rabbit from getting in!
Check out the website at www.woolmers.com.au
Then, spreading out from that central circle, are neat beds planted with rows of onions, chives and garlic in one direction and broad beans and celery in another. Neat pyramids support several varieties of beans, and tomatoes and cauliflower are promising a bumper crop. Pumpkins are just starting to send out their runners and will very soon bloom.
There's a large bed of rhubarb ready to be picked and a bed of lettuce of alternating colours and varieties has been planted to form a decorative square.
An enclosed raspberry cage promises a crop of fruit which is destined for jam making to accompany the Servant's Kitchen speciality of scones with cream. (Don't miss this treat!)
Along one side of the garden are espaliered apple trees, planted as a reminder that there were once orchards of cider apples at Woolmers. And everything grown in this garden eventually finds its way into the Servant's Kitchen Cafe.
Separating all the vegetables from the National Rose Garden is a long row of ornamental cherry trees. And beyond that the roses in their thousands are all bursting into glorious bloom and wafting their delicious perfume over everything.
I love to visit the ever-changing veggie garden at Woolmers and I know many visitors enjoy the notice warning them to keep the gate closed so as to prevent Peter Rabbit from getting in!
Check out the website at www.woolmers.com.au
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